Digital Commons Network^™

Pine Fruit Activated Carbon Modified With Cuco2se4 For The Application In High-Performance Battery-Type Supercapacitor, Farshad Tavakoli, Ali A. Ensafi, Behzad Rezaei

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Biomass has attracted considerable interest in the field of energy storage because of its outstanding characteristics, such as superior charge transport ability, affordability, eco-friendly, structural versatility, and renewability. Moreover, biomass-derived activated carbons, combined with pseudocapacitive materials, have recently gained popularity as efficient electrochemical components for energy storage devices. In this study, activated carbon was prepared from pinecone flowers as the biomass precursor through a process involving alkaline treatment and pyrolytic carbonization in an inert gas environment. Subsequently, CuCo2Se4 nanoparticles (CCS) were synthesized on the Pine Fruit Activated Carbon (PFAC) surface via a hydrothermal method. CCS serves as a pseudocapacitive material …

Predicting Groundwater Withdrawals Using Machine Learning With Limited Metering Data: Assessment Of Training Data Requirements, Dawit Asfaw, Ryan G. Smith, Sayantan Majumdar, Katherine Grote, Bin Fang, B. B. Wilson, V. Lakshmi, J. J. Butler

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The future of major aquifer systems supporting irrigated agriculture is threatened due to unsustainable groundwater pumping. Metering of pumping is key for implementing robust groundwater management, but metering is limited in most aquifers. Although machine learning methods have been used to estimate pumping over certain regions, these studies have not fully demonstrated the data quantity and input parameter requirements to accurately estimate regional groundwater pumping. This study determined the data quantity required and identified relevant features to develop Random Forests-based annual groundwater pumping estimates (2008–2020) over the Kansas High Plains aquifer. We predicted pumping at two spatial scales, i.e., point …

Rsif Nigeria Country Report 2025, Regional Scholarship And Innovation Fund (Rsif)

Rsif Country Progress Reports

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy. Investment in higher education and research can be a catalyst for positive change and innovation. Moreover, Nigeria’s participation in Rsif is advancing a Pan-African approach, internationalization and intra-Africa mobility. Nigeria is one of the nine African countries that is contributing to the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) of the Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) since 2022. Its contribution of USD 4 million is through the World Bank supported Africa Centres of Excellence for Higher Education for Development Impact (ACE Impact) project, to train Nigerian PhD students in selected African …

Rsif Kenya Country Report 2025, Regional Scholarship And Innovation Fund (Rsif)

Rsif Country Progress Reports

Kenya is the leading economy in East Africa. World Bank projects average GDP growth of 4.9% from 2025-27. Kenya pursues its Vision 2030 and a bottom-up economic model, which prioritizes agriculture, healthcare, affordable housing, micro and small enterprises, and the digital and creative economy. Consistent investment in human capital and higher education is paving the way for a skilled labour force that is contributing to sustainable inclusive growth, job creation and socio-economic transformation. Kenya is one of the nine African countries that is contributing to the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) of the Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, …

Rsif Senegal Country Report 2025, Regional Scholarship And Innovation Fund (Rsif)

Rsif Country Progress Reports

Senegal’s economy is expected to be among the fastest growing in the world, with 10.3% real GDP growth expected in 2025 and 7.1% in 2026 according to the African Development Bank. Highly qualified human capital is the driver for implementation of the Senegal 2050 National Transformation Agenda. Senegal is one of the nine African countries that is contributing to the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) of the Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) since 2020. Its contribution of USD 2 million is financed through the World Bank supported Africa Centres of Excellence for Higher Education …

Rsif Tanzania Country Report 2025, Regional Scholarship And Innovation Fund (Rsif)

Rsif Country Progress Reports

Tanzania’s GDP grew by 5.6% in 2024, driven by services and industry according to the African Development Bank. Tanzania has vast natural capital and energy potential. Higher public education spending would contribute to boosting human capital and social inclusion in line with the ambition of Tanzania’s Vision 2050 as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals. World-class scientists and skills development that matches business demand combined with an improved business environment hold promising potential for quality jobs and improved livelihoods. Tanzania is one of eleven African countries that are active in the Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and …

The Moderating Role Of Digital Multi-Sided Platform On The Firm Value Of Traditional Value-Chain Firms, Chee Pheng Lim

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation examines the strategic value and performance implications for traditional value-chain firms (TVCFs) that adopt digital multi-sided platforms (DMSPs) to augment their existing businesses. DMSPs facilitate interactions among multiple user groups through digital intermediaries, generating self-reinforcing network effects that enhance value creation, reduce operational and transaction costs, and enable collective innovation. Despite the prevalence of platform-based firms, 60% of global unicorns and 7 of the world’s 10 most valuable companies operate digital platforms, empirical research on the value-creation mechanisms of DMSPs remains limited. Anchored in the resource-based view and platform theory, this study investigates how DMSP moderates the relationship …

Balancing Act: Addressing Child Quantity-Quality Trade-Off In The Philippines Households With Educational And Health Social Programs, John Andrew A. Alsol, Zed Tristan L. Dy, Maire Carroline T. Magante

Economics Department Faculty Publications

The child quantity-quality (CQQ) trade-off has been extensively studied in economic research since it was first introduced by Becker and Lewis in 1973. Studies have argued that the current economic circumstances and the presence of government aid in education and health determine the existence and extent of the CQQ trade-off. However, there is a dearth of empirically tested research on the possible decreasing effects of social programs on the CQQ trade-off. Using the 2019 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey, this paper seeks to determine the effect of education and health social programs on the CQQ trade-off in the Philippines. Probit models …

Enabling Carbon Dioxide Mineralization And Active Set Control In Portlandite-Based Cementitious Suspensions, Xiaodi Dai, Sharu Bhagavathi Kandy, Rui Xiao, Manas Sarkar, Shubham Wani, Thiyagarajan Ranganathan, Narayanan Neithalath, Aditya Kumar, Mathieu Bauchy, Edward Garboczi, Torben Gädt, Samanvaya Srivastava, Gaurav Sant

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The real-time control of concrete's stiffening allows users to better control pumping and extrusion during 3D-printing processes. Here, a portlandite-based cementitious formulation (i.e., slurry or suspension) that features the potential for rapid CO₂ uptake is adapted for 3D-printing applications. In particular, we showcase a portlandite-fly ash binder system combined with a thermo responsive polymer, wherein precise control via thermal activation allows set control and rapid solidification. Through the thermally induced polymerization of polyacrylamide, the hybrid binder system rapidly undergoes stiffening at trigger onset temperatures ranging from 60 °C to 80 °C, exhibiting average stiffening rates of up to 2600 …

Short–Range Hard–Sphere Potential And Coulomb Interaction: Deser–Trueman Formula For Rydberg States Of Exotic Atomic Systems, Gregory S. Adkins, Ulrich D. Jentschura

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In exotic atomic systems with hadronic constituent particles, it is notoriously difficult to estimate the strong-interaction correction to energy levels. It is well known that, due to the strength of the nuclear interaction, the problem cannot be solved using Wigner–Brillouin perturbation theory alone. Recently, high-angular-momentum Rydberg states of exotic atomic systems with hadronic constituents have been identified as promising candidates in the search for new physics in the low-energy sector of the Standard Model. We thus derive a generalized Deser–Trueman formula for the induced energy shift for a general hydrogenic bound state with principal quantum number n and orbital angular …

Nanostructured Zinc Stannate Perovskite Films Synthesized Via Molten Salt Modified-Solvothermal Method For Enhanced Piezoelectric Properties, Christopher Munoz, Alyssah Fuentes, Christian Alaniz, Tarik Dickens, Mohammed Jasim Uddin

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Three dimensional (3D) piezoelectric zinc stannate (ZnSnO3) nanoweb arrays are synthesized using a molten salt modified solvothermal method and deposited in PDMS films for electrochemical analysis of its piezoelectric response. This work is a preliminary assessment of comparative piezoelectric efficacy influenced by changes in synthesis, effecting dimension and particle size. Advantages of hydrothermal, molten salt, and solvothermal synthesis methods were leveraged to facilitate several chemical and surface engineering techniques to enhance piezoelectric properties by increasing the surface area of zinc stannate nanoparticles. The combination of these treatments reduce the size of zinc stannate to approximately ∼40nm-80nm weblike networks. Scanning …

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Mice Tourism, Gülay Cakmak, Gurel Cetin, Cemil Kilic, Erol Sozen

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

The sector of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism play an integral role in the tourism industry not only because of its volume but also per capita spending. MICE tourism is predominantly characterized by its international reach and the significant number of participants it attracts. However, Covid-19 pandemic precipitated a marked, leading to far-reaching ramifications and transformations. This study is focused on evaluating the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the MICE tourism sector. It aims to explore both the anticipated and the actual shifts within the industry amidst the pandemic. Adopting a qualitative research methodology, this investigation utilized …

The Double-Edged Role Of Cognitive Reappraisal: A Moderated Mediation Model Of Manager Support And Emotional Exhaustion Among Hotel Supervisors, Han Chen, Yvette Green

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Applying the Conservation of Resources Theory and the Affective Event Theory, this study explores the interplay between perceived manager support (PMS), negative emotions, and emotional exhaustion among hotel supervisors. The study also examines the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal strategy on the above relationships. Data were collected from a sample of U.S. hotel supervisors. Results showed that negative emotions play a mediating role in the relationship between PMS and supervisors’ emotional exhaustion. Cognitive reappraisal amplified the negative effect of PMS on negative emotions, the positive relationship between negative emotions and emotional exhaustion, and the indirect effect of PMS on emotional …

Customer Food Intake: An Empirical Analysis Of Gender, Restaurant Use And Attitude Toward Fast Food Among Adolescents And Young Adults, In Nairobi, Kenya, Gerishom G. Madivoli, Rosemarie Ayuma Khayiya, Beatrice Kamau

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Fast food is the fastest- growing food category worldwide, providing young people and adolescents with a quick, cost- effective, and easily accessible alternative to home- cooked meals. There has been considerably less research into how gender, restaurant usage, and attitudes influence patterns of fast- food consumption. Moreover, the growth of the fast- food industry in every nation creates a significant environmental impetus for increasing fast food consumption and promoting unhealthy eating behaviours. If this issue is not addressed, the prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, along with the costs of managing these conditions, will escalate, particularly in Kenya. This …

Mentoring In The Age Of Uncertainty: Why Gen Z, Millennials, And Gen X Need Feedback More Than Ever, Abrar Ahmad Khan

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Uncertainty now defines professional and personal life, particularly for Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X. Despite being highly educated and digitally connected, these generations face growing decision paralysis, burnout, and confidence gaps when navigating careers. HSBC’s Seizing Uncertainty (2024) reports that over half of younger professionals regret missed opportunities, while Gen X struggles to adapt to new realities and lead younger teams. Traditional feedback models—hierarchical, infrequent, and retrospective—no longer meet the demands of today’s fast-changing workplace. This article argues that mentoring, anchored in real-time and emotionally intelligent feedback, is not a “soft skill” but a leadership necessity. Especially in hospitality …

Reframing Service Quality In Ai-Powered Hospitality Environments, Olena Ciftci

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

The hospitality and tourism industry is experiencing a technological shift through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), transforming both guest experiences and service operations. While AI offers hyper-personalization, efficiency, and scalability, it challenges traditional notions of service quality rooted in human interaction. This viewpoint explores the emerging concept of tech-augmented hospitality, where AI and human employees co-create guest experiences. The paper highlights key research directions for reconceptualizing service quality in the era of AI-enhanced hospitality. It argues for the development of new evaluative frameworks that encompass hybrid service models, cultural adaptability, inclusivity, and AI literacy.

Max-Share Misidentification, Liyu Dou, Paul Ho, Thomas Lubik

Research Collection School Of Economics

While max-share identiffcation has become increasingly popular in a wide range of applications, we show that its validity requires necessary and suffffcient conditions that are rarely satisffed in practice—the target variable’s response to the target shock must be (i) orthogonal to its responses to untargeted shocks and (ii) larger than combinations of those responses. Imposing additional restrictions on the target shock weakens but does not fully eliminate these conditions. We show that in practice, the weight max-share places on an identiffed untargeted shock can be obtained by projecting the response to that shock on the max-share response. We also theoretically …

Speculative Bubbles In The Recent Ai Boom: Nasdaq And The Magnificent Seven, Rerotlhe B. Basele, Peter C. B. Phillips, Shuping Shi

Research Collection School Of Economics

The recent artificial intelligence (AI) boom covers a period of rapid innovation and wide adoption of AI intelligence technologies across diverse industries. These developments have fueled an unprecedented frenzy in the Nasdaq, with AI-focused companies experiencing soaring stock prices that raise concerns about speculative bubbles and real-economy consequences. Against this background, this study investigates the formation of speculative bubbles in the Nasdaq stock market with a specific focus on the so-called Magnificent Seven (Mag-7) individual stocks during the AI boom, spanning the period from January 2017 to January 2025. We apply the real-time PSY bubble detection methodology of Phillips et …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, September 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Meet our Energy Efficiency Extraordinaire
--- Where’re having a party! Will you be there?
--- Textile Brewing Company joins the Platinum Green Brewery Certification Family
--- Iowa DNR composting rules now open for public comment
--- Free Assistance Available
--- Industry News

Teaching Information Literacy In The Emerging And Dynamic Fields Of Preparedness And Security, Abigail Adams

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

Emergency preparedness and security are comparatively new academic fields, but they have grown tremendously in the last ten years.1 Colleges and universities all over the United States and Canada are adding and expanding programs dedicated to various facets of these subjects. While the specific subtopics and focal areas can vary by program, they all explore threat assessment, risk management, and disaster mitigation in some capacity. Emergency preparedness or emergency management programs prepare students to pursue careers dealing with crisis mitigation and response, whether that crisis is a result of natural disaster, climate change, war, civil unrest, infrastructure failure, economic instability, …

Government Vicarious Liability And The Concept Of Deemed Equality With Private Persons, Gary K. Y. Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The immunity against Crown liability was abolished in the United Kingdom in 1948 based on the Diceyan notion of rule of law and deemed equality under the law between public officials and private persons. This paper analyses government vicarious liability in respect of the acts and omissions of public officers under the Singapore Government Proceedings Act with reference to the concept of deemed equality. We will discuss the scope of the statute in light of recent common law developments in vicarious liability, statutory exceptions to government vicarious liability that may be justified by the functions of the government in the …

Routine Antenatal Ultrasound By Nurse-Midwives In Rural Kenya: A Pragmatic Trial Assessing Feasibility And Effects Of The Mimba Yangu (My Pregnancy) Project, Claudia Hanson, Lucy Nyaga, Nidhi Leekha, Michaela Mantel, Sarah Kedenge, Caroline Gitonga, Violet Naanyu, Jasmit Shah, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Introduction: Task-sharing of obstetric ultrasound between nurse-midwives and doctors has the potential to operationalize the World Health Organization’s recommendation of at least one ultrasound before 24 weeks of gestational age for every pregnant woman. Here, we report on the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of the Mimba Yangu (My Pregnancy) task-sharing approach in rural Kenya.

Methods: We conducted a pragmatic trial including 28 primary care facilities between April 2021 and March 2022, selected based on feasibility criteria. Fourteen facilities received the ultrasound intervention composed of (i) task-sharing with nurse-midwives, (ii) the use of portable ultrasound devices (Lumify™) connected to a tablet, …

The Blacker The Berry: Food Environments And Intake Associated With Perinatal Depression And Secondary Breastfeeding Outcomes Among Black Americans In The St. Louis Metropolitan Area, Najjuwah S. Walden

Brown School Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between the food environment, intake, and health is complex. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if food environments in proximity to Black pregnant women in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area were associated with prenatal eating habits and if these eating habits were associated with the risk of developing depressive symptoms in pregnancy and postpartum. The study also aimed to understand if there was a relationship between prenatal eating habits and the decision to breastfeed and if the onset of postpartum depressive symptoms has any effect on this relationship. Due to the importance of nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods …

Chesnutt Library Annual Report 2024-2025, Lawrence Treadwell Iv

Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Community Engagement Newsletter, September 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- Fall Volunteer Fair
--- The Cedar Valley Collaboration Forum
--- Community Engagement Hours
--- Events
--- Engagement Opportunity
--- National Credential

Revised Draft Final 2022 Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Sampling: Bres No. 38 – Sister Dump Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Effective Neural Connectivity Deficits During Speech Auditory Feedback Processing In Post-Stroke Aphasia: An Fmri Study, Kimaya Sarmukadam, Vahid Nejati, Roozbeh Behroozmand

Faculty Publications

Post-stroke aphasia often results in significant impairments in speech production and auditory processing, necessitating a deeper understanding of the underlying neural connectivity within sensorimotor networks. In this study, we investigated neural connectivity within sensorimotor networks in individuals with post-stroke aphasia (n = 16) compared to neurotypical controls (n = 16). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired during speaking and listening tasks, accompanied by normal or randomly pitch-shifted (±100 cents) altered auditory feedback across trials. Dynamic causal modeling and parametric empirical bayes methods were used to analyze effective connectivity. The analysis revealed significant alterations in intrinsic and …

Sex Disparities In Chlamydia And Gonorrhea Treatment In Us Adult Emergency Departments: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Rachel E Solnick, Rahi Patel, Ethan Chang, Carmen Vargas-Torres, Maaz Munawar, Carlin Pendell, Judith E Smith, Ethan Cowan, Keith E Kocher, Roland C Merchant

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Empiric antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea (GC) and chlamydia (CT) is common in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) due to the delayed availability of test results. Local studies have identified sex-based disparities in sexually transmitted infection (STI) care, with females potentially receiving less empiric treatment than males. This study evaluates how STI treatment aligns with laboratory-confirmed results to quantify potential overtreatment and undertreatment rates and investigates sex differences for these outcomes.

METHODS: We conducted a preregistered (PROSPERO #241429) systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between January 2010 and January 2025 in U.S. EDs, excluding studies conducted exclusively in pediatric settings. …

Neutrogeometry And Neutroalgebra: A Mathematical Framework For The Sustainable Development Of College Music Education In The New Era, Fang Chen

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

A New Technique To Solve Game Matrix With Neutrosophic Payoffs, Jitendra Singh, Ritika Chopra, Ratnesh R. Saxena, Pankaj Garg

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.