Digital Commons Network^™

Litigating Workplace Sexual Harassment In China: Practical Challenges & Proposed Solutions

Washington International Law Journal

Abstract: The development of China’s anti-sexual harassment laws and policies over the past few decades has raised the hopes of many. However, the sheer volume of regulations can easily create the false impression that the Chinese legal system is effectively dealing with workplace sexual harassment. Statistics show that the number of lawsuits filed in Chinese courts remains trivial, even though workplace sexual harassment continues to be widespread. This article argues that courts in China misunderstand how to apply important concepts in litigation such as how to define sexual harassment and employer liability. The difficulty of carrying the burden of …

Racial And Ethnic Minority Supervisees’ Experiences In Clinical Supervision, Destiny Chanel Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinical supervision practices, although essential to counselor development, often reflect limited cultural competence among supervisors contributes to unclear expectations, conflicting roles, and isolation, leading to stress, negative internalization, and compromised professional development. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority supervisees in clinical supervision within the mental health counseling profession. The research question was: What are the lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority supervisees who have been involved in clinical supervision? The framework guiding the study was hermeneutic phenomenology. Data from interviews with eight participants were analyzed using the …

Strategies To Manage Business Process Outsourcing Initiatives, Zienisha Bailey-Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations increasingly rely on business process outsourcing (BPO) to reduce costs, access specialized expertise, and improve efficiency; however, failure rates in BPO initiatives remain high, leading to financial loss, operational disruptions, and reduced competitiveness. Business leaders who lack effective strategies to manage outsourcing projects risk eroding customer satisfaction and organizational performance. Grounded in transaction cost economics and the resource-based view, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore strategies some business leaders used to successfully manage BPO initiatives. The participants included 10 senior managers from organizations in the southeastern United States who had demonstrated success in overseeing outsourcing …

Perception Of Prosodic Speech Patterns Of Autistic Individuals, Rebecca Lunt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the perception that neurotypical individuals have of autistic individuals’ speech, including their speech prosody. Speech samples were collected from four neurotypical and four autistic young adults as they answered interview questions. Then, 50 neurotypical listeners (28 female, 22 male) were recruited to listen to the speech samples and rate the speech on visual analogy scales on their likeability and ability to communicate. Participants were told prior to listening to the speech samples whether or not the speaker had autism; however, there were both deceptive and truthful listening conditions, with some autistic speakers …

January 5 Elections, Census & Redistricting Update, Jeffrey M. Wice

Elections, Census & Redistricting Updates

No abstract provided.

Datamut: Deterministic Algorithms For Time-Delay Attack Detection In Multi-Hop Uav Networks, Keiwan Soltani, Federico Corò, Punyasha Chatterjee, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have gained popularity in various fields such as agriculture, emergency response, and search and rescue operations. UAV networks are susceptible to potential security threats, such as wormhole attacks, jamming, spoofing, and false data injection. Time-Delay Attack (TDA) is a unique attack in which malicious UAVs intentionally delay packet forwarding, posing significant threats, especially in time-sensitive applications. It is challenging to distinguish malicious delay from benign network delay due to the dynamic nature of UAV networks, intermittent wireless connectivity, or the Store-Carry-Forward (SCF) mechanism during multi-hop communication. Some existing works propose machine learning-based …

Staff Education Project For Nursing Staff At An Adult Mental Health Clinic To Address Inconsistencies And Inadequacies In Suicide Risk Screening, Grace Oluwasade Awodele

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education initiative was designed for nursing personnel at an adult mental health clinic, aiming to address inconsistencies and inadequacies in suicide risk screening practices among health care providers. Despite regular patient interactions, staff frequently lack the necessary knowledge, confidence, and standardized tools to identify individuals at risk for suicide, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention. The existing gap in practice jeopardized patient safety, led to preventable harm, and highlighted the need for evidence-based screening protocols, such as the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) tool, to facilitate timely, equitable, and effective suicide prevention in nursing practice. The project focused …

Capitalization Of Bundled Amenities And Hazards In Home Prices: The Case Of Wildfire Exposure, Brett Watson, Jennifer I. Schmidt, Matthew Berman

ISER Reports

Wildfires represent a growing threat to property and human life due to climate change and development into higher exposure areas. These risks are particularly salient in the Arctic and subarctic where changes are occurring quickly. This paper uses a hedonic model of home sale prices in Alaska to estimate individuals’ willingness to pay to avoid wildfire exposure. A hedonic housing price analysis shows that the homes most exposed to wildfire actually sell at a premium compared to those homes that are least exposed. However, this premium disappears once proximity to public firefighting infrastructure is accounted for, suggesting that the premium …

Trends In The Implementation Of The Cyberchondria Severity Scale: Bibliometric Analysis, Adam C Powell, Cayetana Calderon-Smith

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Cyberchondria, a combination of the words "cyber" and "hypochondriasis," is a condition that is receiving increasing attention from clinicians and researchers globally. Researchers are currently using multiple instruments to quantify it. Furthermore, the instruments have been translated into multiple languages.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the extent to which researchers are measuring cyberchondria using the 33-item Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) and its 12-item abbreviated version, the CSS-12. It also examined the relative use of cyberchondria instruments in different languages.

METHODS: PubMed and PsycInfo were searched for articles published between May 1, 2019, and December 31, 2024, featuring the …

Allocating Data Protection Duties The Chinese Way

Washington International Law Journal

Abstract: China has been enacting data protection laws with distinctive features at an unprecedented pace, which makes it necessary to update existing studies on the Chinese approach to data protection. Unlike its predecessors, this Article focuses on developing a structured approach to dissecting the Chinese regime, especially the Personal Information Protection Law and latest case law. It analyzes how the laws allocate responsibilities among the three major parties involved in data protection—individual data subjects, data controllers, and regulators—and draws comparisons with European Union (EU) laws that inspired the Chinese laws. It argues that the way Chinese laws allocate data …

Annual Report Of The Tennessee Emergency Communications Board Fiscal Year 2025, Tennessee. Department Of Commerce And Insurance.

Emergency Communications Board Annual Report

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Proaftn Classifier With Ant Colony Algorithm: Enhanced Diabetes Detection Benchmarking, Feras Al-Obeidat

All Works

The increasing global prevalence of diabetes highlights the need for accurate diagnostic tools to improve early detection and effective treatment planning. Traditional classification models often struggle to achieve optimal performance due to limitations in parameter tuning and adaptability to complex datasets. To address these limitations, this article introduces PROAnt, an innovative learning approach designed to enhance the robustness and efficiency of the PROAFTN multicriteria classification method. PROAnt leverages the computational power of ant colony optimization (ACO) to dynamically fine-tune and optimize the key parameters, such as intervals and weights, at the core of the PROAFTN classification process. This learning methodology …

Teachers’ Experiences With The Use Of Read-Alouds For Fourth- And Fifth-Grade Students, Shervita Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem addressed in this basic qualitative study was the inconsistent use and implementation of teacher read-alouds among fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in an urban district. Guided by Clark and Peterson’s cognitive process teacher model, Rumelhart’s schema theory, and Gough and Tunmer’s simple view of reading, the purpose of this project study was to explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions regarding their use of read-alouds as part of their regular reading instruction. Two research questions were developed to explore teachers’ experiences of the support received for using the read-aloud. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers. Data …

Wedges: A Microeconomic Perspective On Misallocation, Lauren Falcao Bergquist, Daniel Lashkari, Eric Verhoogen

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This chapter, prepared for the Handbook of Development Economics (Vol. 6), reviews recent microeconomic evidence on the causes of resource misallocation in developing countries. It distinguishes between “technological” and “distortionary” wedges, develops a unified theoretical framework linking market power, taxes, financial frictions, and firm dynamics, and summarizes empirical findings from the “direct approach” to misallocation. The authors emphasize how wedges vary by firm size and discuss policy implications for improving allocative efficiency.

Perceptions Of Juvenile Justice Professionals Regarding The Effectiveness Of Juvenile Reentry Programs And Recidivism In The Southwest Region, Lei Anne Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile recidivism persists in the U.S. justice system, highlighting the need for effective reentry programs. However, limited research exists on juvenile justice professionals’ perceptions of program success. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore these professionals’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of juvenile reentry programs in reducing recidivism. Guided by Bandura’s social learning theory, the study examined how observation and modeling influence youth behavior during reentry. The research questions focused on professionals’ perceptions of program effectiveness and how these perceptions impact recidivism reduction efforts. A qualitative phenomenological design involved semi-structured interviews with 13 juvenile justice professionals in the southwest …

The Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model: A Life Course Framework For Understanding Matrescence, Identity, And Attachment In Black Family Systems, Brianna A. Baker

Publications and Research

This study introduces the Black Mother-Daughter Developmental Model (BMDDM), a life course framework that theorizes the evolving relational, psychological, and cultural dynamics of Black mother-daughter relationships across generations. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 Black women aged 18 to 65 and analyzed to examine patterns of attachment, identity development, rupture, and relational repair over time. Findings yielded a five-stage developmental model: (1) Black Matrescence and Prenatal Conditions, (2) Initial Attachment, (3) Separation and Detachment, (4) Negotiation and Reattachment, and (5) Matrescence Redux and Grandmatrescence. Across stages, participants described how gendered racial socialization, maternal …

A Case Report Of Olfactory Reference Disorder With Childhood Trauma: Aetiological And Neurobiological Insights, Davut Ocak, Bengu Yucens

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

We report a 22-year-old male, who presented in 2020 to a clinic in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, with a 5-year history of a fixed preoccupation with the belief of emitting a ‘plastic smell’ from his anal region. This case illustrates a clinically significant link with a history of childhood sexual abuse. The patient was diagnosed with olfactory reference disorder (ORD) with poor insight and comorbid depressive disorder, based on ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR criteria. Extensive medical workups ruled out organic causes. He responded well to a combination therapy of sertraline and aripiprazole, showing significant symptom reduction. This case supports a diathesis-stress model where …

System And Method For Autonomous Cross-Domain Collaborative Artificial Intelligence–Driven Discovery And Innovation, Chiranthan N

Defensive Publications Series

The presented proposal discloses a system and method for autonomous, collaborative artificial intelligence–driven discovery and innovation. The techniques presented herein enables structured interaction among multiple specialized AI software agents, each possessing domain-specific expertise, to perform real-time cross-domain reasoning without continuous human intervention. An interaction controller governs communication, reasoning exchange, and collaboration rules among the agents, while an evaluation module assesses novelty, feasibility, and domain validity of generated outputs. Through iterative feedback and refinement, the proposed system synthesizes knowledge across disciplines to generate robust, non-obvious solutions and inventive outcomes. The proposed architecture overcomes limitations of conventional single-domain and task-parallel AI systems …

Emergent Bias And Fairness In Multi-Agent Decision Systems, Maeve Una Madigan, Stuart Burrell, Kamalaruban Parameswaran, Glenn Moynihan, David Sutton

Defensive Publications Series

The present subject matter relates to a systematic study of emergent bias and fairness dynamics in multi-agent LLMdecision making. In particular, the present disclosure compares single-agent performance with memory-based and collective refinement multi-agent discussion paradigms across a suite of group fairness metrics on tabular datasets with sensitive attributes. Across settings, fairness changes from multi-agent collaboration relative to single-agent baselines are typically concentrated around small negative values or near zero, indicating that bias is most often only marginally reduced or remains unchanged, while a thin but long positive tail shows rare cases where multi-agent interaction can substantially worsen bias. These findings …

2026 Revised Draft Final Bpsou Backfill And Cover Material Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Does Adding An Interbody Cage In L4–L5 Posterolateral Fusion For Degenerative Spondylolisthesis And Stenosis Improve Clinical Outcome?, Enrico Aimar, Lucrezia Di Stefano, Federico Longhitano, Alberto Bona, Marco Meloni, Tommaso Alfiero, Federica Valente, Roberta Bonomo, Giulio Bonomo, Flavio Tancioni, Guglielmo Iess

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: As the population ages, L4-L5 degenerative spondylolisthesis is increasingly common. Posterolateral fusion was long standard; interbody cages are widely used for perceived higher fusion rates.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Does adding an interbody cage to posterolateral fusion improve outcomes or reduce complications in elderly patients with grade I spondylolisthesis and severe stenosis?

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 319 adults aged 60-85 who underwent single-level L4-L5 fusion (2011-2018) after failed conservative care. Patients received posterior lumbar fusion (PLIF, n = 155) or posterolateral lumbar fusion (PLF, n = 164). Primary outcomes were Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) change and complications over a …

Ga2o3 Tcad Mobility Parameter Calibration Using Simulation Augmented Machine Learning With Physics-Informed Neural Network, Edric Khai Jieh Ong, Le Minh Long Nguyen, Matthew Eng, Yuhao Zhang, Hiu Yung Wong

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In this article, we demonstrate the feasibility of performing automatic technology computer-aideddesign (TCAD) parameter calibration and extraction using machine learning (ML), with the machine trained solely by TCAD-simulation data. The methodology is validated using experimental data. Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) with different effective anode workfunctions (WF) are fabricated with emerging ultrawide bandgap material, Gallium Oxide (Ga2O3), and are measured at various temperatures (T). Their current-voltage (I–V) curves are used for automatic Ga2O3 Philips unified mobility (PhuMob) model parameters calibration. Five critical PhuMob parameters (µmax, µmin, Nref, α, and θ) were calibrated. The machine consists of an autoencoder (AE) and a …

Conclusions Are Not Supported By The Published Statistical Analysis Comment On López-Toledo Et Al Flaxseed Improves Glucose And Lipid Metabolism In Mexican Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes: A Parallel Randomized Clinical Trial, Robert W Spitz, Deependra K Thapa, Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Wasiuddin Najam, Andrew W Brown, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

López-Toledo et al [...].

Xenobot-Inspired Diatom Analogues For Synthetic Kinematic Renewal Of Regenerative Nanobot Payloads, Suma Mallapragada, Vaishnavi Sankepally, Anishkumar Manoharan, Muhamed Fazl, Cherukuri Dhawal, Shreya Abhijit Patki, Kethavarapu Uma Eswar Datta Sai

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method are presented for a time-bounded, non-genetic regeneration framework in which synthetic, diatom-shaped functional organelles are continuously produced, deployed, and exhausted within a confined system. The approach relies on geometry-driven kinematic assembly, droplet and gel physics, and swarm-level population homeostasis rather than cellular replication or organism growth. A critical design invariant enforces the release of exactly two functional organelles per release event, ensuring bounded output, predictable dynamics, and safety. The disclosure provides laboratory-recognizable implementation pathways suitable for materials science, soft-matter physics, and bioengineering groups and is released for public use to establish prior art.

Reviewing Crowdsourcing And Community Engagement In Museums, Paul Longley Arthur, Lydia Hearn, Isabel Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Over the past two decades, museums have increasingly experimented with digital technologies to connect with broader contemporary culture. This review article investigates the role crowdsourcing can play in transforming museums into more engaged environments, raising visibility and inclusivity, and involving diverse voices and populations in knowledge-creation processes. Its contribution is to provide an overview of the history, definitions and concepts of crowdsourcing, and examples of crowdsourcing policies and practices that have been adopted by museums. Participation in crowdsourcing has been influenced by gender, education, and socio-economic and cultural background. In the past, historical structures and traditions and infrastructural complexities have …

System And Method For Autonomous Cross-Domain Collaborative Artificial Intelligence–Driven Discovery And Innovation, Chiranthan N

Defensive Publications Series

The presented proposal discloses a system and method for autonomous, collaborative artificial intelligence–driven discovery and innovation. The techniques presented herein enables structured interaction among multiple specialized AI software agents, each possessing domain-specific expertise, to perform real-time cross-domain reasoning without continuous human intervention. An interaction controller governs communication, reasoning exchange, and collaboration rules among the agents, while an evaluation module assesses novelty, feasibility, and domain validity of generated outputs. Through iterative feedback and refinement, the proposed system synthesizes knowledge across disciplines to generate robust, non-obvious solutions and inventive outcomes. The proposed architecture overcomes limitations of conventional single-domain and task-parallel AI systems …

Technical-Industrial Feasibility Report — Hci-V1 System (Ionospheric Coherence Harmonizer), Xavier Pillet

Defensive Publications Series

This document, produced with the assistance of GPT-5.2 Thinking and Gemini 3 Reasoning, is released under the Apache License 2.0. It is a voluntary defensive publication (prior art) and therefore enters the prior art upon release under the applicable patent statutes : EPC Art. 54(2) (European Patent Convention), French IPC Art. L 611-11 (French Intellectual Property Code), 35 U.S.C. §102(a) (United States Patent Act), Chinese Patent Law Art. 22(5) (中华人民共和国专利法), and Japanese Patent Act Art. 29(1) (特許法). It discloses 170 enabling technical contributions (systems, methods, devices, materials, QA, cybersecurity, data products, operational protocols, and business-grade mechanisms) to improve GNSS/GPS and …

Systemic Transition Blueprint: From Entropic Fission To Syntropic Fusion (2026–2050), Xavier Pillet

Defensive Publications Series

This document, produced with the assistance of ChatGPT 5.2 Thinking and Gemini 3 Raisonnement, is released under the Apache 2.0 licence. It is a voluntary defensive publication (prior art) and therefore enters the prior art upon release under the applicable patent statutes : EPC Art. 54(2) (European Patent Convention), French PC Art. L 611-11 (French Intellectual Property Code), 35 U.S.C. §102(a) (United States Patent Act), Chinese Patent Law Art. 22(5)(中华人民共和国专利法), and Japanese Patent Act Art. 29(1)(特許法). It provides an enabling technical disclosure (hardware, software, protocols, QA/metrology, cybersecurity, supply chain) for a 2026–2050 blueprint comparing (A) a 100% renewables-plus-storage pathway and …

Scriptor Latinus Morigeris -- Some Aspects Of Gower’S Latin Usage, Mark T. Riley

Accessus

This paper describes the distinctive characteristics of John Gower’s Latin as illustrated primarily by his Vox Clamantis, although his shorter Latin works are occasionally mentioned. Topics include Gower’s Latin education, his extensive Latin vocabulary and mythological references, the paragraphing of his poem, his procedures for using or adapting quotations, as well as his characteristic wordplay and punning. Further topics cover Gower’s medieval use of various verbs, pronouns, and conjunctions, with the accompanying grammatical structures, some of which may present difficulties for the translator. Also included is a section on the meter of the Vox Clamantis, with some notes on …

Peeling The Onion: A Study Of Audience Reactions To Anti-Classism Satire, Charisse L’Pree Corsbie-Massay, Martina Santia, Luvell Anderson

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The topics of socioeconomic status, class, and income inequality are integral to human rights. However, media misrepresentation of socioeconomic class and the pervasive national narrative of social mobility inhibit audiences’ ability to understand and mobilize around these issues. Satire can disrupt this cycle by effectively exposing the inconsistencies of class inequality and the flaws of the “American Dream.” Thus, we examine the potential of satire to challenge prevailing attitudes toward class inequality and bolster anti-classism confidence through an online study featuring written satirical articles from The Onion categorized based on style (aggressive vs. benign) and target (individual vs. institutional). Overall, …