Digital Commons Network^™

The Threat To Government Ethics, Richard Briffault

Faculty Scholarship

That was quite a week. Over seven days in mid-October:

• President Trump hosted a White House dinner for three dozen super-wealthy individuals and representatives of major corporations who pledged funds for his $300 million ballroom.
• The president commuted the sentence of former Congressman George Santos, who had served less than three months of an 87-month term for corruption, and canceled Santos’s obligation to pay restitution to his victims.
• The president fired, without providing a reason or giving the 30 days’ notice required by law, the Inspector General for the Export-Import Bank.
• We learned the president is demanding the Department of …

Graduate School Blog - September 2026, Cynthia Haynes

UofM Grad School Blog

This issue spotlights Dr. Deborah Tollefsen’s latest Removing Barriers to Graduate Student Success installment on graduate students who are also parents and the importance of institutional support. We also highlight a UofM graduate alumna, upcoming graduate student events, the Fall 2026 Mastering Graduate School Webinar Series, and opportunities to connect through the Graduate Student Association.

Nf1 Loss In Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer Induces Osteoclast Formation And Immunosuppression To Promote Bone Metastasis, Zifan Zhao, Ze-Yi Zheng, Jonathan T Lei, Matthew J Baik, Yi-Hsuan Wu, Lauren K Somes, Andres F Mosquera Paternina, Omar A Harb, Owen A Chang, Fengshuo Liu, Matthew V Holt, Junkai Wang, Igor Bado, Hai Wang, George Miles, Zbigniew Gugala, Meenakshi Anurag, Ahmed Elkhanany, Yi Li, Valentina Hoyos, Xiang H-F Zhang, Eric C Chang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer exhibits a marked propensity for skeletal metastasis; however, the molecular drivers of bone colonization remain incompletely defined. We investigated the tumor suppressor neurofibromin (NF1), a dual repressor for RAS and ER signaling, whose inactivation promotes endocrine therapy (ET) resistance and is associated with inferior relapse-free survival. NF1 copy number loss was detected in 62% of ER+ patients who subsequently developed metastases and was associated with an increased likelihood of bone metastases at initial diagnosis. In mouse xenograft models, NF1-depleted ER+ breast cancer cells demonstrated enhanced dissemination to skeletal sites following surgical resection of primary tumors. …

Heroclix®: A Multiplayer Chess Game For Teaching The Fundamentals Of Human Capital Management, Chin Heng Low, Jiunwen Wang, Paul Lim, Bernie Koh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article describes the adaptation and use of the HeroClix® board game to teach critical real-world principles for effective human capital management within teams. In a HeroClix® game, players pit their team of miniature figurines against other players’ miniatures in combat. This is akin to organizations striving in the business environment today, with well-structured human capital within their teams as a key competitive advantage. In this article, we suggest how the game can be applied in the classroom for undergraduate students to experience, reflect on, and learn more about the prerequisite considerations in proficient people management, the dynamic nature of …

Disrupted Trajectories: Covid-19, Transnational Youth Mobility And Unequal Transitions To Adulthood, Simon Chambers, Anita Harris, Loretta Baldassar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

While the impact of COVID-19 on youth development has been widely studied, less is known about its effects on transnationally mobile young adults. This longitudinal study of Australian outbound and inbound mobility examines how the pandemic disrupted this population's experiences abroad as they navigated transitions to adulthood. It draws on two waves of survey data collected using a convenience sample between July 2020 and September 2022. Our findings reveal that COVID-19 presented significant challenges to young adults living away from home, with disruptions to their future plans, social connections, and well-being. However, these impacts were not uniform. The pandemic magnified …

Don’T Let Us Down: A Phenomenological Study Of African American Employees’ Perceptions Regarding The Benefits Of Professional Development In Student Affairs, Courtney Nicole Demings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The experiences of student affairs professionals are critical to the success of higher education, allowing for a concentrated exploration of African American student affairs professionals who are often employed in 2-year U.S. community colleges. The general problem was that African Americans may leave student affairs in community colleges if they do not perceive supervisory support for professional development and, in turn, career advancement. The purpose of this dissertation was to understand and interpret their lived experiences, illuminate the barriers to their career advancement, and discuss the impact of supervisory support. As such, this action research employed qualitative research through the …

Real-World Testing Of An Artificial Intelligence Conversational Agent As An Early Intervention And Support Tool In The Mental Health Referral Care Pathway: A Mixed-Methods Study, Rohit Shankar, Edward Meinert, Madison Milne-Ives, Emma Taylor, B Inkster, Alina Paik, Ananya Ananthakrishnan, Martin Orr, Ceire Costelloe

Peninsula Medical School

Background: The incidence of mental health concerns is growing, and demand for support is exceeding service capacity.Digital tools can provide additional support but risk causing harm if not delivered safely.Aims: We aimed to establish real-world evidence of the impact of an artificial intelligence-based mental healthconversational agent (Wysa) on depression and anxiety in patients waiting for Talking Therapies treatment.Methods: A mixed-methods randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients referred to Talking Therapies inthe Central and Northwest London NHS Foundation Trust. The primary outcome was change in depression severityover 12weeks between groups; secondary outcomes included anxiety severity, quality of life, safety, engagement, …

Social Prescribing For People In Vulnerable Situations In Europe: Protocol For A Process Evaluation Of An Rct In Eight Countries, Kerryn Husk, Elizabeth Gilmour, Stephanie Tierney, Debra Westlake, Anuschka Arni, Hendrik Napierala, Farhad Rezvani, Marius Dierks, Wolfram J. Herrmann

Peninsula Medical School

Objective Social prescribing is a pathway that connects individuals to non-clinical services. It supports and addresses social needs, such as those related to loneliness, housing instability and mental health. Social Prescribing Europe (SP-EU), a European Union funded project, seeks to co-create an adaptation of the social prescribing pathway based on the needs of the following target groups: LGBTIQ+ people, refugees and first-generation immigrants, older people living alone. This adapted social prescribing pathway will be tested in a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT) in ten hubs, covering eight countries, across Europe. The aim of this process evaluation is to explore the …

Implementation Of A New Mri Contrast Policy At A Large Hospital System: Access To Contrast-Enhanced Mri And Development Of Nsf In Patients With Renal Insufficiency, Daniel R Ludwig, Fan Zhang, Brittany Minor, Tammie L S Benzinger, Anup S Shetty

2020-Current year OA Pubs

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate access to contrast-enhanced MRI among patients with acute or chronic renal failure after implementation of a more permissive contrast policy and determine whether any patients developed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included all patients who had an order for contrast-enhanced MRI in our healthcare system between July 1st, 2023 and June 30th, 2025. Each exam was categorized as completed or cancelled, and multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with exam cancellation. Potential diagnoses of NSF were identified by searching the problem list and encounter diagnoses using ICD-10 codes. …

Characterising The Beyond 50 Cohort: Preliminary Exploration Of Physical And Psychosocial Health Factors And Substance Use Among A Cohort Of Community Dwelling Adults Aged 50–70 Years, Rose Laing, Tina Lam, Bosco Rowland, Paul Dietze, Aislinn Lalor, Keith D. Hill, Laura Alfrey, Nadine E. Andrew, Shalini Arunogiri, Stephen Bright, Louisa Picco, Suzanne Nielsen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Older adults exhibit unique risks associated with poor mental health and substance use. The Beyond 50 study is a longitudinal cohort investigating the determinants of healthy ageing, including relationships between physical and psychosocial health and substance use. We aim to characterise the Beyond 50 cohort and explore patterns of physical and psychosocial health and substance use. Methods: Baseline data collection was completed between September 2023 and August 2024. Annual follow-up data collection commenced in September 2024. Descriptive statistics will be used to characterise the cohort at the time of baseline survey completion. Results: Of the 1059 participants, the mean …

Rank, Degrading Treatment, And The Italy-Albania Agreement, Jamal Barnes, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In November 2023, Italy signed a five-year agreement with Albania to transfer asylum seekers intercepted in international waters by Italian vessels to Italian-run detention centres in Albania for asylum processing and deportation. The agreement has been controversial and raises several human rights issues. This article examines these human rights concerns and argues that the agreement is degrading by design. Analysing policy documents, legal cases, speeches, international human rights and refugee law, and philosophical and legal scholarship on the concept of degrading treatment, this article argues that the cumulative effect of subjecting people to unnecessary suffering, discrimination, and dehumanisation creates a …

Investigating How Personal Values Shape Tourism Experiences: A Case Study Of The Irish National Stud And Gardens, Amy Monahan, Ann T. Conway

International Journal of Tour Guiding and Visitor Attraction Research

This Paper explores the relationship between personal values and tourism experiences  that are  satisfying. A case study of the Irish National Stud and Gardens was undertaken in order to explore this concept. Interviews were conducted to investigate how qualities of the attraction appealed to the visitors’ personal values, thereby enhancing the overall visitor experience. A set of personal values were identified which were specific to the destination. The research demonstrated how an understanding of personal values can assist attractions with various aspects of their operations, with context specific recommendations provided at the end. This approach was taken was taken to …

New Wisconsin State Records For Predatory Fungus Gnats (Diptera: Bibionomorpha: Keroplatidae), Daniel K. Young

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In Wisconsin, no published literature species records for the keroplatid genera Keroplatus and Proceroplatus exist (Diptera: Bibionomorpha: Keroplatidae). New state records are presented for Keroplatus carbonarius Bosc, Keroplatus clausus Coquillett, Keroplatus militaris Johannsen and Proceroplatus elegans (Coquillett). The new records are associated largely with Malaise trap samples from Hemlock Draw (The Nature Conservancy), in the Baraboo Hills of Sauk County, and a Malaise trap at Kemp Natural Resources Station, in Oneida County, Wisconsin. Two specimens of K. clausus and a single specimen of K. militaris discovered within the research collection at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are also reported. The specimens …

Paper Wasp Species Polistes Fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) Tracks Urban Lead (Pb) Levels More Than Polistes Dominula, Lindsey R. Kemmerling, Anna L. Lovat, Allison A. Hanka, Emilie C. Snell-Rood

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Lead (Pb) is a persistent, toxic pollutant with widespread but inequitably distributed impacts, especially for humans in urban areas. The impacts of lead pollution on other organisms is largely unknown, even as they commonly experience exposure to lead alongside humans. We tested hypotheses regarding the lead concentrations of paper wasps across a gradient of pollution relative to soil and human lead levels, and correlations with wasp body condition. We collected two species of paper wasp across an urban gradient of lead pollution: Polistes fuscatus (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), native to our study location, and Polistes dominula (Christ), nonnative to our study …

Cover Pages For Tgle Vol. 59 Nos. 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Pages for TGLE Vol. 59 Nos. 1 & 2

Basic Trends In The Contemporary Development Of State-Church Relations In Ukraine: A Sociological Perspective, Oleksandr Sagan, Galyna Sagan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Based on an analysis of research from sociological centers and institutes consistently operating in Ukraine, the authors present a comprehensive overview of the main trends occurring within the realm of state-church and inter-church relations. Specifically, the article addresses the trends in the self-identification of Orthodox believers in Ukraine, the dynamics of which sociologists have tracked since the beginning of the twenty-first century, as well as the changes unfolding in inter-Orthodox relations following the 2022 full-scale invasion. Crucial to this analysis is the highlighted inconsistency of state institutions in implementing the new law, Про захист конституційного ладу у сфері діяльності релігійних …

Religion And Economics: The Economic Views Of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia Ii Of Georgia, Giuli Giguashvili

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper examines the impact of religion on a country’s economic development, analyzing how religious values and institutions influence economic behavior. The research employs a qualitative, comparative, and historical approach based on the systematic analysis of primary and secondary sources. Religion can promote economic growth by strengthening work ethics, education, and social order. Still, it may also hinder development through inefficient resource allocation and regulatory influence. In the context of the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Georgia, the study highlights the relationship between Orthodox teaching and economic thought. Drawing on the epistles and sermons of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, …

Practical Aspects Of Religious Social Work In Modern Ukraine, Inna Vladislavivna Kovalchuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This work analyzes the current state and specifics of the activity of religious organizations in the social sphere of Ukraine. Special attention is paid to the transformation of religious social work in the conditions of a full-scale war, where religious communities have become key agents of humanitarian, psychological and spiritual assistance. The article examines the mechanisms of interaction between the church, the state and non-governmental organizations in solving social problems. The findings are based on the practical experiences of those working with internally displaced persons (IDPs), veterans, large families, and individuals facing difficult life circumstances. Unique methods of denominational assistance …

The Orthodox Church Of Georgia In A Shifting Political Landscape: Long Traditions, The Holy Patriarchate And Geopolitics Between The European Union And Russia, Elina Mirjam Siekkinen

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper examines the geopolitical and societal effects of the 2026 patriarchal succession within the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC), by analyzing how the recent election of Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III on May 11, 2026, impacts Georgia’s European Union integration efforts. The GOC is seen as the foundation of Georgian national identity and state legitimacy, also deeply rooted in the legacy of the late Patriarch Ilia II. The enthronement of the new Patriarch Shio III may reinforce the anti-Western narratives deployed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has actively delayed Georgia’s EU accession through illiberal policies such as the "Foreign Agents …

Alignments Of Orthodoxy In Moldova And The Axiocontext Of Russia’S War Against Ukraine, Oleksandr Brodestkyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

A comprehensive analysis of the dominant trends shaping the contemporary religious situation in the Republic of Moldova, with particular attention to the geopolitical foundations and ramifications of the activities of religious hierarchs. The author examines the state of Orthodoxy in Moldova, to which the overwhelming majority of the country’s citizens belong. Particular attention is paid to its division between two alternative jurisdictional identities: one within the Romanian Orthodox Church and the other within the Russian Orthodox Church. The article draws on a substantial body of relevant statistical, sociological, and factual evidence. The author subjects a wide range of recent ecclesiastical …

Full Issue For Tgle Vol. 59 Nos. 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Full issue for TGLE Vol. 59 Nos. 1 & 2

Note-Taking Is Not Universally Applicable, Chloe Tomasetta

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Chloe is a communications major who lives in Braintree, Massachusetts. Chloe wrote this essay in her Composition II course because she “genuinely wanted to explore the typed versus handwritten notes debate.” She said that researching this essay “gave me clarity in my preferred note-taking method,” and she adds: “I hope this essay can be helpful for students who struggle to take notes or choose a note-taking method.” Chloe loves spending time outside, as it “allows me to hear my own thoughts, which can provide clarity in my otherwise chaotic life.”

The Languages We Speak And The Biases That Erase Them, Siena Santos Edmunds

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Siena is a biology major on the pre-medical track living in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Her essay grew out of her own experience, as she found the language she used with her peers “seemed to me to be filled with all the best modes of storytelling and socializing,” but it seemed to her that her teachers “didn’t always hear what I did and thus missed out on what the language I use has to offer.” Siena is also passionate about social justice, especially in the realm of education. Her mother lacked access to school in her home country of Brazil, and that …

Romanticized Communication: Why Does Modern Dating Suck?, Brianne Riccio

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Brianne is a nursing major living in Holbrook, Massachusetts. Brianne wrote this essay because “dating in 2019 is insanely difficult and more complicated than it has to be,” and she admits that her research revealed “more faults in my own personal dating life and mentality than I had previously known.” Brianne is deeply passionate about caring for others, and enjoys writing both as a way to help her relieve her own emotional burdens and as a way to connect with other people.

American Arms: A Soldier's Perspective, Steve Prochniak

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

Steve is a political science major from Andover, Massachusetts. Steve’s experience in the military had given him an understanding of the practical aspects of the weapons he was trained to use, but his essay came out of a desire to understand the societal impacts of these weapons. Writing this essay both helped Steve develop a better understanding of this complicated issue, and helped him find his passion in exploring “issues and topics that face my community.” In addition to exploring these complex issues, Steve enjoys science fiction, exploration, and just hanging around in the city of Boston.

2019 Editor's Introduction, Lauren M. Bowen

Undercurrents: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Composition

No abstract provided.

An Acknowledgement To The Hca Healthcare Journal Of Medicine's Reviewers And Editors For The First Half Of 2026, Graig Donini

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

The HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine would like to thank those behind the scenes who make this publication possible. Our journal would not be possible without the assistance of our peer reviewers, authors, and board members.

Aquila-X 3.0: Modular High-Throughput Mobile Potable-Water Factory With Adaptive Pretreatment, Parallel Production Trains, Seawater Energy Recovery, Multi-Grade Outputs, And Concentrate-First Residual Management Research Conceptual Invention, Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

AQUILA-X 3.0 is a transportable, modular, multi-barrier water-production platform designed to produce more independently verified potable water per deployable system than conventional mobile RO plants while maintaining safe operation, source-specific treatment, practical energy demand, maintainability, redundancy, and complete residual accountability.

The system does not depend on one miracle component. Its capacity comes from:

• Selecting the shortest safe treatment route for each characterized source.

• Removing grit, solids, oil, algae, and foulants before fine membranes.

• Using multiple independently isolatable production trains.

• Avoiding high-pressure RO when freshwater does not need desalination.

• Using dedicated high-pressure SWRO equipment and energy recovery when seawater does need …

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Beyond Lipid-Lowering: Pleiotropic Effects Of Statins In Inflammation, Coagulation, And Cell Proliferation – Mechanisms And Clinical Implications, Kasidid Lawongsa, Yutthana Pansuwan, Supanut Kumjan

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Statins are widely used lipid-lowering agents that significantly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality through inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase. Beyond their cholesterol-lowering properties, increasing evidence demonstrates that statins exert several pleiotropic effects independent of lipid reduction. These effects include anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and anti-proliferative actions mediated primarily through inhibition of the mevalonate pathway and downstream signaling molecules such as Rho, Rac, and Ras. Experimental and clinical studies have suggested potential benefits of statins in various non-cardiovascular conditions, including autoimmune diseases, venous thromboembolism, sepsis-associated coagulopathy, and certain malignancies. In addition, pharmacoepidemiologic studies have provided insights into the real-world effects and …

Evaluation Of Mdm2 Mrna Expression According To Clinicopathological Characteristics In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Oscc) Patients, Tirta Wardana

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: The murine double minute 2 (MDM2) gene encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets p53 for degradation, thereby influencing the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Objective. The present study investigates MDM2 mRNA expression and its association with clinical and pathological characteristics in OSCC patients.

Methods: We conducted an observational-analytical study using a cross-sectional design. The study involved 39 OSCC patients. RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were performed. We quantified relative MDM2 mRNA expression using the Livak method (2-ΔΔCT) and GenEX MultiD software version 6.0. Statistical significance was assessed using independent t-tests.

Results: Although no …