Digital Commons Network^™

Evolving Contexts And Diverging Strategies: Federalism And The Politics Of Immigrant Welfare Exclusion In The Us, Ping Xu, Ling Zhu, Sebastian Ege

Political Science Faculty Publications

The intersection of immigration and welfare has taken a central stage in the politics of social policy and garnered increasing scholarly attention in welfare politics research. While prior research has examined how immigration affects welfare support and welfare generosity in the US, less is known about the determinants of immigrant-related welfare policies. This paper investigates how state-level policymakers shape immigrant welfare policies in response to changing social and economic state contexts across the U.S. states from 2000 to 2020. Using data from the Urban Institute's Welfare Rules Database, we create a policy index of welfare inclusion of immigrants to track …

Governing Ai Without Agencies: Self-Regulatory Organizations And The Federal Backstop, Aram A. Gavoor

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

Artificial intelligence is accelerating American innovation and strategic advantage. The governance task is to provide predictable compliance baselines that support scale and competitiveness while remaining workable under executive branch policy, statutory baselines, and the rules that now govern the administrative state. Congress remains slow and factional, and agencies face rising procedural and remedial constraints. Recent Supreme Court doctrine has reduced the administrative state’s interpretive and enforcement leverage. Regulated entities can challenge agency rules when those rules newly impose concrete harm, litigate statutory meaning without Chevron-style mandatory deference to agency statutory interpretations with limited exceptions, and invoke strengthened procedural safeguards in …

Deploying The “Trade Bazooka”: How The Anti-Coercion Instrument Reshapes Eu Public Procurement, Amanda Lythgoe, Christopher R. Yukins

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

As trade disputes continue to batter the relationship between the U.S. and its partners in the European Union, a new countermeasure by the EU—the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI)—has emerged as a serious threat to trade flows, including in public procurement. Although formally framed as a trade-defense mechanism, the ACI is a legal instrument capable of addressing a broad range of economic coercion. Notably, although the ACI is presented as a means of deterrence and de-escalation, the ACI authorizes countermeasures that extend well beyond tariffs, and can severely restrict foreign firms’ access to EU public procurement markets. This article provides an historical …

Brief For International Law Scholars As Amici Curiae In Support Of Respondents, Cisco Systems, Inc. V. Doe I, William S. Dodge

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

This amicus brief was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of international law scholars in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe I. The brief addresses whether claims for aiding and abetting violations of international human rights may be brought under the Alien Tort Statute. Part I argues that, under Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain (2004), whether aiding and abetting claims are actionable is determined by customary international law rather than U.S. domestic law. Part II argues that customary international law’s prohibition against aiding and abetting human rights violations meets the Sosa standard. Drawing on instruments establishing the Nuremberg tribunals, the International …

Two Heads Are Better Than One: Integrating International Law And Global Public Health Approaches To Firearm Violence To Promote Public Safety And Human Rights, Arturo J. Carrillo, Jonathan E. Lowy

GW Law Faculty Publications & Other Works

In his Advisory of June 25th, 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek H. Murthy, declared firearm violence a public health crisis and presented a damning picture of the widespread deaths, injuries and trauma caused by gun violence in the United States. A critical feature of the firearm violence crisis in the United States that the Surgeon General did not expressly address in his report–or even mention–is the role of the manufacturers, distributors, and dealers of firearms, collectively referred to as “the gun industry.” It is an open secret that the U.S.-based firearm industry engages in manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sale …

Shrinkflation And Consumer Demand, Aljoscha Janssen, Johannes Kasinger

Research Collection School Of Economics

This study investigates shrinkflation—the practice of reducing product size while maintaining or slightly changing prices—in the U.S. retail grocery market. We analyze a decade of retail scanner data to assess the prevalence and patterns of product size changes across various product categories. Our findings show that approximately 1.92% of products have been downsized. When comparing total sales, product downsizing is more than five times as prevalent as upsizing. Product downsizing typically occurs without a corresponding decrease in price and is widespread across product categories. Consequently, consumers end up paying more per unit volume. We further find that consumers are more …

Childlessness And Health In Middle Age And Older Adulthood: Evidence From Singapore, Christine Ho, Dahye Kim, Rohan Ray, Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan

Research Collection School Of Economics

Health and well-being in mature adulthood are important concerns given the prevalence of individuals aging without children. We exploit two new instruments for childlessness— infertility and the number of childless siblings—and condition our analyses on a rich set of covariates including childhood health and financial status, to investigate the causal relationship between childlessness and health in middle age and older adulthood. Using a nationwide dataset of 1,500 Singaporeans aged 50 and above, we show that OLS underestimates the negativeeffects of childlessness on health. We find that childlessness leads to higher likelihood of poorer self-reported health and mental distress. The results …

Bargaining Inefficiency Due To Mispricing Under Incomplete Information : Evidence From The Bilateral Oligopolistic Containership Time Charter Market, Jaeung Cha

World Maritime University Ph.D. Dissertations

A well-established body of bargaining studies theoretically demonstrates that inherent limitations in observing the counterplayer’s private information give rise to an incomplete information setting in bargaining, leading to efficiency losses associated with mispricing, costly delays, and even bargaining failures. As the shipping market, a business-to-business market in which products are generally heterogeneous and the number of both sellers and buyers is limited by high entry/exit barriers, relies on a bargaining mechanism to determine tailored transaction prices, market pricing is prone to inefficiencies associated with incomplete information. However, the relevant empirical evidence remains underexplored in both the shipping finance and bargaining …

Integrating Literacy Into A High School Climate Change Unit, Bailey Bushman

Graduate Research Papers

The ability to read is an important skill for members of society. Teaching students to read is often left up to elementary teachers and then secondary English teachers are expected to expand on those skills, but other content areas can help teach the needed literacy skills to students. In addition to typical literacy skills like reading and writing, students need to be able to understand climate science in order to make responsible decisions about the Earth’s future.

One way to ensure that students are getting both literacy skills and disciplinary content would be for science teachers to include a variety …

University Of Northern Iowa Fact Book, 2025-2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Institutional Effectiveness & Planning.

University of Northern Iowa Fact Book

Table of Contents

Quick Reference ... Inside front cover
Mission Statement and Institutional Goals ... 1
UNI Organizational Chart ... 2
UNI Administration ... 3
Definitions of Terms Used ... 4
Calendar ... 6

New Students
Fall New Students ... 9
New Student Applications, Admissions and Enrolled ... 10
New Students Enrolled by Residence ... 12
New Freshmen Enrollment by Residence ... 13
New Undergraduate Transfer Students by Type of Transfer College ... 14
New Freshmen ACT Composite Scores and High School Class Rank ... 15

Enrollment
Fall Students Profile by College ... 19
Headcount Enrollment ... 20
Headcount Enrollment …

Outcomes Of Allogeneic Ocular Surface Stem Cell Transplantation, Albert Y. Cheung, Natalia Quiroz-Casian, Enrica Sarnicola, Gautam C. Ramanathan, Siddharth Nath, Edward J. Holland

Department of Ophthalmology Faculty Publications

Allogeneic ocular surface stem cell transplantation (OSST) is an established therapeutic approach for limbal stem cell deficiency, utilizing techniques such as keratolimbal allograft (KLAL), living-related conjunctival limbal allograft (lr-CLAL), allogeneic cultivated limbal epithelial transplantation (allo-CLET), and allogeneic simple limbal epithelial transplantation (allo-SLET). This review synthesizes evidence from 35 studies encompassing 1, 268 eyes with at least 24 months of follow-up to evaluate intermediate- and long-term outcomes. Overall, OSST is associated with improvement in visual acuity and restoration of ocular surface stability, although success rates vary widely by technique, ranging from 13% to 87%. Outcomes appear to be influenced by the …

Ocular Surface Disease Following Lasik And Cataract Surgery: A Review Of Their Interrelated Complications, Matthew D. Spangler, Nila Kirupaharan, John D. Sheppard

Department of Ophthalmology Faculty Publications

Background: Ocular surface disease is a multifactorial condition that is very commonly caused by dry eye disease (DED). Ophthalmic procedures intended to improve visual outcomes, laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and cataract surgery, can paradoxically cause or exacerbate underlying ocular surface disease. This results in worsening vision and quality of life.

Areas covered: This review examines the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to ocular surface disease development following LASIK and cataract surgery. Both procedures are associated with the transection of corneal nerves, leading to decreased tear production, surface instability, altered neurotrophin production, and impairment of the blink reflex. Furthermore, these incisional procedures …

Hyphema Associated With Water Bead Projectile Toys: A Retrospective Comparative Study, Aashri I. Aggarwal, Priya K. Singh, Diego E. Arias, Peter A. Netland

Department of Ophthalmology Faculty Publications

Purpose: Superabsorbent water beads can be used in projectile toy guns. We aimed to characterize water bead-related hyphema and compare the prevalence with other causes of traumatic hyphema.

Methods: In this 10-month retrospective review, we identified 35 consecutive patients with traumatic hyphema presenting to the emergency department. Cases were grouped by injury mechanism, water bead-related compared with all other causes. Clinical data on initial presentation and subsequent visits were compared.

Results: In the patients with traumatic hyphema, 8 (23%) cases were due to water bead trauma. Bead-related cases involved significantly younger patients (16 ± 9 years) compared with other cases …

Board Attributes, Firm Performance, And The Moderating Role Of National Culture: A Meta-Analysis, Matthew Farrell, Chris H. Willis, Nathapon Siangchokyoo, Ryan L. Klinger, Jamil Kreugel, Hami Usta, Timiry R. Tian, Ying Thaviphoke, Samuel Wilson

Management Faculty Publications

Research Question/Issue

The impact of board structures on firm performance remains a contentious governance topic with competing theoretical paradigms and inconclusive empirical support. Scholars propose that national culture could reconcile contradictory evidence; yet, argumentation is fragmented and direct tests are rare. We meta‐analyzed 513 samples across 54 countries to examine relationships between board structures (i.e., board size, board independence, and CEO duality) and firm performance. We model national culture, using Hofstede's six cultural dimensions, as moderators to test whether these relationships align with agency or stewardship theory across different cultural settings.

Research findings/insights

Findings indicate a substantial moderating role of …

What Makes An Internationalizing Firm Entrepreneurial?, Daniel R. Clark, Robert J. Pidduck, Nicole E. Coviello

Management Faculty Publications

Zahra et al. (2024) argue that prior research has insufficient understanding of the entrepreneurial nature of internationalization. To address this, they integrate theories from management and international business to develop a firm-level typology that incorporates (1) the degree of radicalness of the firm’s entrepreneurial behavior and (2) the firm’s level of foreign market commitment. We advance these efforts by proposing that, to understand what makes an internationalizing firm entrepreneurial, researchers will also benefit from direct insights from entrepreneurship research. We retain Zahra et al.’s (2024) behavioral focus in our arguments but shift attention to the individuals …

The Emerging Social Media Water Cooler? Motivations For Reddit Use In A Niche League, Jan Boehmer, Brendan O'Hallarn

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

Social media play a key role in sport marketing—with athletes, teams, and leagues directly engaging with their audiences. While Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have received much attention in the sport marketing and communication literature, research on Reddit is scant. This is particularly noteworthy, as the platform is growing rapidly and promises utility for users with nonmainstream interests to find and engage with each other. This study employs a uses and gratifications approach to investigate how prevalent Reddit use is among fans of the United Football League (UFL), what motivates users to engage with the platform, and whether Reddit use leads …

Stages Of Being Foreign As Portrayed In Daughter Of Keltoum And Lost Birds, Fran Hassencahl

Communication & Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

In this paper, I use the intercultural communication model, The Stages of Being Foreign, developed by anthropologist Oberg (1960) and modified by Gullahorn & Gullahorn (1963), Lewis & Jungman (1986), and Ward, Bochner, and Furnham (2001) to explain the experience of culture shock. This model describes the stages that individuals experience when they leave, either voluntarily or involuntarily, their home country/culture and must adapt to a new culture. These stages as described by Oberg are a preliminary stage (a spectator stage), an increasing participation stage, the pit of the culture shock stage, the adaptation stage, and for some migrants a …

Enlem: Ensemble Learning-Based Model To Detect Phishing Websites, Most Nilufa Yeasmin, Md Abu Rumman Refat, Bikash Chandra Singh, Zulfikar Alom, Zeyar Aung, Mohammad Azim

School of Cybersecurity Faculty Publications

Phishing involves manipulating individuals into revealing private data, e.g., user IDs, bank details, and passwords. The observed surge in fraud is related to increased deception, impersonation, and advanced online attacks. Thus, effective phishing detection methods are required to mitigate escalating global phishing threats. Existing methods (e.g., heuristics-based, signature-based, and visual similarity-based methods) attempt to detect phishing sites, and machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods are effective in the cybersecurity context in terms of learning from data, offering insights, and forecasting. However, independent ML algorithms are limited when handling complex data, and DL techniques surpass traditional ML methods in …

Voyage Of Injustice: The Socioeconomic Exploitation In The Cruise Industry, Tarissa L. Peterson

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Pathways, Outputs And Impact Of Nih-Supported Bioinformatics And Genomics Graduate Trainees In Africa, Daudi Jjingo, Andrew Walakira, Suhaila Hashim, Cisse Cheickna, Ronald Galiwango, Caleb Kibet, Florence N. Kivunike, Gerald Mboowa, Fredrick Elishama Kakembo, Babajide Ayodele, Jean Baka Domelevo Entfellner, Santie De Villiers, Karen Wambui, Segun Fatumo, Tinashe Chikowore, John Mukisa, Alfred Ssekagiri, Nicholas Bbosa, Julius Mulindwa, Samuel Kyobe, Mike Nsubuga, Grace Kebirungi, Eric Katagirya, Savannah Mwesigwa, Ibra Lujumba, Rogers Kamulegeya, Samuel Kirimunda, Stephen Kanyerezi, Shahiid Kiyaga, Ivan Sserwadda, Davis Kiberu, Daniel Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Global biomedical and health research is increasingly relying on genomic and computational approaches, largely driven by the increasing volumes of nucleic acid sequencing. Concurrently, epidemiological studies and clinical records are generating enormous amounts of data amenable to disease modeling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence techniques. Bioinformatics and data science expertise is therefore essential for improved population health. Accordingly, in 2012, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) in partnership with the Wellcome Trust, and with support from the African Society for Human Genetics, initiated the H3Africa (Human Heredity and Health in Africa) consortium. One of its key goals was to …

Exploring Slow-Release Plasma Nitrogen Nano-Fertilizer For Improved Maize Production And Nutrient Use Efficiency, Stewart Kyebogola, Richard Onwonga, Stella Kabiri, Onesimus Semalulu, Swidiq Mugerwa, Russell Shelley Yost, Samuel Ikendi, Dennis Beesigamukama, Julius Opio, Godfrey Sseruwu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer in maize production is constrained by scarcity, low use efficiency, and high costs. Plasma technology presents a more environmentally friendly nitrogen source (PN). When incorporated into nanocellulose composites to control fertilizer release (NPN), they improve N supply and mitigate environmental risks, thereby optimizing benefits. However, the productivity of NPN relative to urea and its nanoform (NU) remains unexplored. Screenhouse and field experiments were conducted twice on maize using five fertilizer treatments: control, urea, PN, NU, and NPN. All treatments were applied once at 66 kg N ha^-1 and replicated four times. Maize cultivated …

Symbolism And Choreographic Practice: Exploring The Application Of Symbolism To Dance Through The Creation Of A Solo Choreographic Work, Ruby Brazzalotto

Theses : Honours

This research project explored the significance of symbolism as a communicative tool within dance theatre. The project drew upon Symbolist theory and Pina Bausch’s choreographic approaches, in an attempt to understand how the symbolic use of props and gestural movement can communicate and elevate meaning within dance performance. This project involved the creation of a new solo dance work, self-reflexivity, and analysis of how Bausch’s and Symbolists’ modes of presenting ideas overlap. The project sought to document how symbolic props can be chosen, developed and combined with theatrical choreography to convey meaning to audiences.

Directing Young Actors, Mitchell Whelan

Theses : Honours

This reflective practice case study examines the studio environment of a small ensemble of female actors aged 16-19, in the rehearsal of a one-act play. Performing arts researchers working in youth spaces commonly adhere to conventions of ethnodrama and facilitate a process in which participants contribute personal stories as performance material. The present paper uses a published text (Slut by Patricia Cornelius) to position participants as actors, rather than devisors who must conjure original material. Through critical reflection, the project assesses the impact of developing performance material slowly while also making time for socialisation between castmates. Drawing on my repertoire …

A Creative Exploration Of Bud Powell's Bebop Vocabulary For Modern Jazz Harmony, Flavio Colonetti

Theses : Honours

This thesis presents a practice-led research (PLR) exploration of adapting Bud Powell's bebop improvisational language for contemporary jazz performance. Through transcription and analysis of Powell's right-hand melodic material, this study employs an iterative framework to identify and transform several core stylistic traits. The initial investigation, focused on creatively transforming two extended melodic phrases, demonstrated success in traditional functional harmonic contexts but revealed a limitation when applied to the more modern, vertical chord progressions.

This prompted a methodological shift to a more modular system, whereby a catalogue of 26 short "Vocabulary Seeds" (VS) drawn from across Powell's discography was created. As …

Musicking In The Greek Diaspora Of Perth, Western Australia, Alix Simatos

Theses : Honours

This research investigates music making among second- and third-generation Greek Australians in the diaspora community of Perth, Western Australia. It explores how musical practices serve as a medium for expressing and negotiating Greek identity, with particular attention to how multiculturalism is embodied through music education, performance and communal exchange. Fieldwork was conducted in Perth between July and September 2025, using a methodology that included semi-structured interviews, participant observation and experiential learning through musical events. The findings highlight music’s significance in sustaining cultural heritage and shaping identity within diaspora communities. Key themes include the influence of physical and digital media on …

Hiding An Ear In Plain Sight: On The Practicality And Implications Of Acoustic Eavesdropping With Telecom Fiber Optic Cables, Youqian Zhang, Zheng Fang, Huan Wu, Sze Yiu Chau, Chao Lu, Xiapu Luo

Department of Construction, Environment and Engineering

Optical fibers are widely regarded as reliable communication channels due to their resistance to external interference and low signal loss. This paper demonstrates a critical side channel within telecommunication optical fiber that allows for acoustic eavesdropping. By exploiting the sensitivity of optical f ibers to acoustic vibrations, attackers can remotely monitor sound-induced deformations in the fiber structure and further recover information from the original sound waves. This issue becomes particularly concerning with the proliferation of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) installations in modern buildings. Attackers with access to one end of an optical fiber can use commercially available Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) systems …

A Comparative Case Study Of Esg Integration Strategies In Hong Kong Region Using The Cepar Methodology, Xiaoying Lu, Xiaofang Liu, Chi Him, Alpha Tsang, Juan Zhang, Yuxi Chen

Department of Construction, Environment and Engineering

This study adopts the five-stage CEPAR (Challenge, Evaluation, Planning, Action, Review) methodology to conduct a comparative case analysis of ESG integration strategies across five key sectors (Real Estate, Financial Services, Technology, Logistics, and Retail) in Hong Kong region, based on simulated data of 15 enterprises. It explores sectoral differences in ESG implementation maturity, operational practices, developmental barriers, and alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The results reveal significant cross-sector maturity disparities: Financial Services ranks the highest (84.4/100) with robust evaluation and review mechanisms, followed by Technology (82.0), Retail (77.4), and Real Estate (73.2), while Logistics scores the lowest …

Optical Fiber Identification Via 2-D Rayleigh Backscattering Fingerprints, Huan Wu, Fang Zheng, Youqian Zhang, Chao Lu

Department of Construction, Environment and Engineering

We propose an image-assisted optical fiber identification method that exploits the unclonable Rayleigh backscattering signatures measured by optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR). A two-dimensional binary optical fiber identifier (OFID), analogous to a digital fingerprint image, is derived from the Rayleigh backscattering spectrum (RBS) matrix, enabling identification when combined with structure similarity index measure (SSIM). Experiments show that the proposed scheme offers 109% improvement in robustness over conventional one-dimensional local-RBS matching, while reducing data storage from 0.98 MB to 39.6 kB per measurement. A systematic analysis of OFDR parameters reveals that identification accuracy is maximized at a spatial resolution of approximately 3 …

Analysis Theories On Artificial Intelligence, Chatgpt, Data Science, And Metaverse: The Case Of Digital Medicine, Yin Yang, Xingyun Liu, Jorge Luis Cuyubamba Dominguez, Yuan Fang, Wen Xie, Bairong Shen, Keng Siau

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Healthcare organizations are increasingly adopting digital technologies, with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, and the metaverse driving significant advancements in smart healthcare. Al facilitates personalized medicine and efficient drug development, while Data Science enables predictive analytics and big data management, enhancing patient outcomes and healthcare quality. The metaverse introduces immersive training and telemedicine platforms, revolutionizing patient engagement and healthcare research. This study conducts' a scoping review of 6,171 articles, analyzing the transformational impact of AI, ChatGPT, Data Science, and the metaverse on healthcare. It highlights the benefits and risks of these technologies, identifies research gaps in their application within the …

Trajlens: Visual Analysis For Constructing Cell Developmental Trajectories In Cross-Sample Exploration, Qipeng Wang, Shaolun Ruan, Rui Sheng, Yong Wang, Min Zhu, Huamin Qu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Constructing cell developmental trajectories is a critical task in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis, enabling the inference of potential cellular progression paths. However, current automated methods are limited to establishing cell developmental trajectories within individual samples, necessitating biologists to manually link cells across samples to construct complete cross-sample evolutionary trajectories that consider cellular spatial dynamics. This process demands substantial human effort due to the complex spatial correspondence between each pair of samples. To address this challenge, we first proposed a GNN-based model to predict cross-sample cell developmental trajectories. We then developed TrajLens, a visual analytics system that supports biologists in …