Digital Commons Network^™

Not Quite Fit To Fly: A Reflection On Due Process And Agency Rulemaking In The Faa’S Approach To Pilot Certification, Emily Ryter

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

Judicial and legislative involvement in agency rulemaking is a relevant and particularly salient topic. The authority of an agency to make sound policy with flexibility and discretion often comes into conflict with the judiciary’s duty to prevent arbitrary regulations, which lack solid evidence or convincing rationale. Considering that more than three million passengers fly every day, it is no surprise that establishing a robust certification process for pilots is among the Federal Aviation Administration’s top priorities. The courts and the Legislature have also recently made notable strides to exert more control over the standards for medical certification. In July, the …

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 …

Outer Space Employment Tax And Grounded Enforceability: A Node-Based Approach Under International Space Law, Binbin Guo

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

As commercial space activities move from state-led exploration to market operations, outer space is changing from a mission space into a workspace. As a result, the traditional connecting point for employment taxes, centered on the workplace, begins to lose force. This Article develops the concept of outer space employment taxation and argues that its key issue is not taxation in orbit, but enforceability. International space law does not directly provide the tax base, tax rates, or specific withholding rules. But through state responsibility, authorization and continuing supervision, and registration coupled with jurisdiction and control, it already provides institutional interfaces through …

Are Trains In Space Legal? Examining Problems With A Multilateral Space Resource Management Regime And Public-Private Partnerships, Maitland Rames

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

As governments plan to expand into outer space and private parties continue to participate in space operations, the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty) has the potential to inhibit any ambitions for all but the most basic exploratory missions. That is because Article II of the Outer Space Treaty forbids national appropriation in space, which calls into question the legality of any infrastructure and land use in space. This uncertainty has far-reaching implications for the future economy of space. Fortunately, …

Critical Feminist Editorial Praxis: My Tenure As The First Journal Editor Of Color Of Communication Monographs, Srivi Ramasubramanian

Media Studies - All Scholarship

In this essay I theorize about Critical Feminist Editorial Praxis, which envisions journal editing as a site for scholar-activism. I use the term activism because to counter the hegemonic whiteness and coloniality of Communication knowledge requires active efforts to go against the taken-for-granted processes and practices. Journal editing is a significant location for interventions because this is often where we learn what is considered cutting-edge scholarship within our discipline. This significance is especially clear when the journal in question is a flagship publication of a leading professional organization. As I end my tenure as the first editor of color of …

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 …

“He Will Always Love Me”: Authentic Romance And Reciprocal Love In Otome Games, Elena Yifei Zhao, Nick Bowman

Media Studies - All Scholarship

This study investigates how players construct and articulate emotionally meaningful relationships in otome games. Drawing from 293 open-ended responses from Chinese players, a thematic analysis identified six recurring themes: authentic romance, companionship, shared experience, integration into daily life, game features, and personal growth. The most dominant theme, authentic romance, reveals that players often describe otome boyfriends as emotionally responsive partners who provide validation, support, and affection. Functional descriptions of gameplay mechanics were notably disconnected from other themes (primarily emotional engagement themes). A follow-up analysis of the most popular otome games in the same …

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 …

Examining The Role Of Agroecology In Food Security Prediction: Evidence From Burkina Faso Using Machine Learning Methods, Theodore Nikiema, Pamela Giselle Katic, Sylvain Kpenavoun Chogou, Eugene C. Ezin

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Background

Food insecurity affects a large proportion of the world's population, with enormous disparities to the disadvantage of low-income countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa. In this context, public decision-makers, funders, and NGOs urgently need streamlined indicators on households in precarious situations to better orient their policies and aid. However, existing food security monitoring tools focus on isolated dimensions of the problem, and some remain static. We aim to fill these gaps by focusing on a composite metric of food security to explore associations and identify variables with predictive relevance for food security outcomes using machine learning techniques.

Methodology

This …

Agroclimatic Sensing, Communication, And Computational Systems-Based Methods And Technologies For Precision Irrigation Management: Current State And Prospects, Aminata Sarr, Abhilash K. Chandel, Lamine Diop Lamine Diop, Yrébégnan Moussa Soro, Alain K. Tossa, Smrutilipi Hota, Arunachalam Manimozhian

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Agriculture uses most of the world’s fresh water. Given that the worldwide population is expanding at an alarming rate, more land cultivation is apparently in demand. As a result, much more water would be required to irrigate cultivable lands. However, fresh water is becoming scarce at a faster rate due to climate uncertainties and over-exploitation. Several controlled irrigation techniques, such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, have been introduced to safeguard water resources. However, these techniques do not readily meet crop water demands and often end up causing overapplication of water. Under these circumstances, smart precision irrigation is the best solution. …

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 …

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 …

Quantifying Power Quality In Stand-Alone Minigrids Using Fuzzy Power Quality Indices: A Case Of Illaut Minigrid In Sub-Saharan Africa, D. E D. E. Nkolokosa, Sebastian Waita, Mutugi Kiruki, Walbermark Marque Dos Santos

All Rsif Scholars' Publications

Recently the concept of power quality in stand-alone minigrids is gaining wide recognition. The inherent uncertainties and dynamic operating conditions of the decentralised energy systems have promoted calls for increased research activities in power quality assessment and improvements. This study proposes an innovative approach for quantifying power quality in stand-alone minigrids. The existing conventional power quality indices have limited operational capacity; hence, they require improvement in terms of accuracy, reliability and versatility. The proposed methodology incorporates a hierarchical evaluation index comprising harmonic distortion, frequency fluctuation, voltage variation, dips and interruptions. Results indicate that interruptions got the lowest power index (0), …

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 …

No Harm, No Foul: Investor Loss And The Future Of Sec Disgorgement, Evan Barth

Western New England Law Review

It is a foundational principle of law that no one should profit from their own wrong. In the securities context, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforces that principle through disgorgement, a remedy designed to deprive violators of unjust enrichment and deter misconduct. Although disgorgement has long played a central role in securities enforcement, its legal scope has recently become unsettled. In Liu v. SEC, the Supreme Court held that disgorgement must maintain traditional equitable principles. Shortly thereafter, Congress amended the securities laws providing the SEC its authority for disgorgement.

These developments have led to a circuit split over how …

Paying Up To Uncle Sam: Fbar Penalties, The Eighth Amendment’S Excessive Fines Clause, And A New Circuit Split, Christopher J. Nasta

Western New England Law Review

The Bank Secrecy Act requires those with foreign financial accounts to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) with the United States Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Those who do not file are subject to a variety of criminal and civil penalties.

The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that excessive fines cannot be levied by the American government against individuals. How does this apply to those with foreign financial accounts who willfully choose not to file the required reporting forms with the United States government? A circuit split has arisen …

Tempering Trademark Tactics: Alloying Anti-Slapp Laws With Massachusetts’ Proven Petition Principles, Brian A. Pattengale

Western New England Law Review

Legitimate criticism of corporate actions or rights creates a free speech dilemma. When speech implicates or even indirectly relates to a trademark, costly litigation can arise where a plaintiff trademark holder is positioned to, or even obliged to, bury a defendant with numerous attendant claims only tangentially related to substantive trademark issues. If those claims are well-pled, the trademark holder succeeds in defeating constitutional speech rights unless the defendant mounts First Amendment defenses against the attendant claims at great cost.

Where a defendant’s speech—trademark or otherwise—is of public value, such lawsuits have been termed strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). …

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 …

A Cautionary Tale: A Case For Abolishing The Addict-Inpossession Statute On Constitutional Grounds, Jonathan Bruce

Western New England Law Review

Are drug users second-class citizens under the Second Amendment? The Federal Government enacted the Gun Control Act in 1968 which imposed heaps of new regulations relating to private gun ownership, including enacting criminal statutes, namely 18 U. S. C. §922(g), which allows an individual to face charges if that individual is categorized under any of § 922(g)’s enumerated subsections. In 2010, the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in District of Columbia vs. Heller, establishing the right of the people to own and possess firearms for self-defense, regardless of any association with “the militia” as described in the …

Banking Vs. Tech: The Fight For The Future Of Money, Gopika Shah

Case Western Reserve Law Review

No abstract provided.

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.