Digital Commons Network^™

Review Of Soa Transition To Microservices And Beyond, Arbnesha Berisha Qerimaj, Merita Kasa Halili, Festim Halili

UBT International Conference

Oriented Architectures ( SOA ) emerged as a paradigm for distributed com-putting, e-business processing and enterprise integration. The benefits of SOA are multifaceted. It provides dynamism, as new in-stances of the same service can be launched to split the load on the system. Although microservices can be seen as an evolution of SOA, they are inherently different regarding sharing and reuse. SOA is built on the idea of fostering reuse: “a share as much as possible” architecture style, whereas microservice architectures seconds the idea of a “share as little as possible” architecture style: the goal became how to build systems …

International Conference On Computer Science And Communication Engineering, University For Business And Technology (Ubt) In Kosovo

UBT International Conference

UBT Annual International Conference is the 14th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make them be aware of the recent …

Dimensional Stability And Hydric Behavior Of Lime-Slag Stabilized Compressed Earth Blocks, Ines Bouteldja, Khaled Grine, Said Kenai

UBT International Conference

This study investigates the dimensional behavior of compressed earth blocks stabilized with 4% lime and varying amounts of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Four formulations containing 0, 4, 8, and 12% slag were tested to evaluate linear shrinkage, swelling, and capillary absorption. The results show that increasing slag content leads to a consistent reduction in both shrinkage and swelling, indicating improved dimensional stability. For the mixture containing 12% slag, shrinkage and swelling decreased by about 27% compared to the reference, while capillary absorption dropped by nearly 70%. These improvements are attributed to matrix densification and reduced capillarity resulting from …

The Impact Of Water On Concrete Quality, Ibush Luzha, Bujar Aliu, Teodor Zguro

UBT International Conference

Water is vital to concrete, and it has a dual role. This paper will examine the impact of the quantity (water/cement ratio - W/C) and water quality on concrete. W/C directly affects workability, mechanical strength, porosity, and durability. A low W/C gives stronger concrete but with difficult workability; a high W/C improves workability but weakens mechanical properties and durability. Water quality is also critical; impurities such as chlorides, sulfates, and organic substances can negatively affect cement bonding and strength, cause corrosion of reinforcement, and degradation. Water is also essential for curing, which maximizes strength and durability. Therefore, strict control of …

Continuous Integration And Continuous Deployment (Ci/Cd) In Modern Software Engineering: A Comparative Study Of Jenkins And Github Actions, Zana Sadiku, Lavdim Beqiri

UBT International Conference

The rapid evolution of software delivery models has shifted the focus from manual releases toward fully automated pipelines. Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) have become central pillars of modern software engineering, enabling faster iterations, early defect detection, and consistent delivery across environments. Among the most widely adopted tools for implementing CI/CD are Jenkins, an open-source automation server known for its extensibility, and GitHub Actions, a cloud-native CI/CD platform tightly integrated with GitHub repositories. This paper provides a comparative analysis of Jenkins and GitHub Actions in the context of DevOps practices, focusing on setup complexity, scalability, customization, integration flexibility, and …

Friends Recommendation In Dynamic Social Networks Using Breadth-First Search Algorithm, Rigon Pira, Jeta Domi, Besnik Qehaja, Edmond Hajrizi

UBT International Conference

Social networks are constantly evolving, and recommending new con- nections is essential for improving user engagement. This paper proposes a friend recommendation system using the Breadth-First Search (BFS) algorithm on dy- namic graphs, offering a simple, scalable, and efficient solution. The network is modeled as an undirected graph, where users are vertices and friendships are edges. BFS explores the graph level by level, identifying potential friends through mutual connections while excluding existing friends. An adjacency list representation ensures memory efficiency and supports real-time updates. Can- didate friends are ranked by the number of shared mutual connections, with higher counts indicating …

An Experimental Study On The Breakthrough Pressure Of Different Co2 Phases Against Cap Rocks For Carbon Storage In Saline Aquifers, Dan Wendong, Li Yi, Wang Fugang, Hu Zhikai, Diao Yujie, Ma Xin, Liu Ting

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective CO₂ breakthrough pressure, a core parameter for characterizing the sealing performance of saline aquifers as cap rocks, holds important scientific significance and application value for ensuring the safety of CO₂ geological storage engineering and assessing its storage potential. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on the variation patterns and mechanisms of breakthrough pressure under different occurrence phases of CO₂ (supercritical, liquid, and gaseous) currently. Accordingly, universal and reliable conclusions are yet to be reached. Methods This study conducted experiments on a natural low-permeability unsaturated sandstone core. Using the step-by-step method, 13 groups of breakthrough …

Numerical Simulations Of The Influence Of Vegetation Configuration On Dust Migration In Open-Pit Coal Mines, Han Li, Li Renjie, Bi Yinli

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Dust pollution emerges as a major environmental challenge in the open-pit mining of coal mines. Ecological restoration has found widespread applications in mining areas as a crucial measure. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on the role of vegetation configuration in dust migration. Methods Using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method for numerical simulation, this study constructed a comprehensive simulation framework incorporating wind field reconstruction, dust migration, and the dust retention capacity of vegetation. By setting different particle sizes and wind speeds, this study systematically analyzed dust migration patterns. Furthermore, vegetation configuration was introduced into the simulation …

Mechanisms Underlying The Impacts Of Reservoir Pore Structures On Near-Well Salt Precipitation In Co2 Geological Storage, Deng Chenguang, Sun Xiaolong, Liu Keyu, An Senyou, Yuan Guanghui, Wang Yuxiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Method High CO₂ injectivity in reservoirs is essential for high-quality sites of CO₂ geological storage (CGS). Salt precipitation in the vicinity of injection wells due to brine dissolution in CO₂ emerges as a critical factor impairing CO₂ injectivity. To explore the differences in the mechanisms behind salt precipitation and damage degree across various reservoirs, this study conducted salt precipitation simulation experiments on sandstone samples with distinct pore structures using a high-temperature and high-pressure fluid displacement system. By combining methods such as cast thin section observations, scanning electron microscopy and resulting spectra, micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) …

14th International Conference On Business, Technology And Innovation 2025, University For Business And Technology - Ubt

UBT International Conference

Welcome to IC – UBT 2025

UBT Annual International Conference is the 14th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make …

Capacity Of Microbial Strains And Communities To Degrade Sewerage Fats, Oils, And Grease Clog Deposits, Allondra M. Woods, Catherine J. Pettinger, Catherine Harris, Tanya Soule, Garth Farley, Erica L.-W. Majumder

Biological Engineering Student Research

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) deposits are hardened, sticky, insoluble solids that accumulate in sewage systems globally. These deposits contribute to pipe blockages and sanitary sewer overflows, releasing pathogens and pollutants into the environment, posing significant environmental and public health risks. Current removal methods are labor-intensive and costly, emphasizing the need for alternatives. While biological strategies offer a viable alternative, the microbial breakdown of FOG is poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the potential of individual microbial strains and synthetic microbial communities to biodegrade wastewater-derived FOG deposit samples. These biological agents were applied to a range of FOG samples, …

Invisible Aircraft In U.S. Airspace: Regulatory Gaps And Mid-Air Collision Risk For Part 121 Operators, Philip Vandette

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Scheduled air carrier aircraft operate at large and small commercial airports across the U.S. National Airspace System. These turbine-powered aircraft fly at high speeds during departure and approach, yet many commercial airports are not covered by regulations requiring general aviation aircraft to transmit their positions, and some remain exempt from existing requirements. This regulatory gap forces airline pilots to rely on see-and-avoid methods that are impractical at turbine aircraft speeds. This study conducts a quantitative exploratory analysis of three data sources, using a PRISMA-style flow diagram, to examine the frequency of near mid-air collisions involving airline and general aviation aircraft …

Fuel Adulteration Detection Using Open-Ended Coaxial Line And Circular Waveguide Techniques, Abdulrahman Alofi, Ahmed Shamseldin, Sharif Iqbal M. Sheikh, Hussein Attia

Faculty Publications

Fuel adulteration, the practice of blending lower-quality substances like kerosene with gasoline, poses significant challenges for ensuring fuel quality and safety. This study investigates two electromagnetic-based methods for detecting such adulteration: the open-ended coaxial line method and the circular waveguide method. The results reveal that the open-ended coaxial line technique is particularly effective in detecting kerosene contamination, identifying levels as low as 10% by measuring changes in the dielectric constant of the gasoline-kerosene mixture. Operating in the frequency range of 0.25–1.25 GHz, this method captures subtle changes in permittivity. In contrast, the circular waveguide method evaluates contamination by monitoring shifts …

Graphene Screen-Printed Electrode For Wound-Related Biosensing, Chanyapat Sriviroch

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring wound healing is critical for improving patient outcomes, especially for chronic wounds, which often have complications like delayed healing and infections. Current methods for monitoring wound healing are invasive and costly. Also, these methods have a limited ability to provide real-time, continuous data. This study seeks to explore a graphene screen-printed electrode (SPE) electrochemical biosensor that is non-invasive and efficient to constantly monitor wound healing in real time. This research study focuses specifically on the electrochemical detection of the Human Neutrophil Elastase (HNE) and Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor (SLPI), which is one of the most abundant neutral proteinases in …

Penggunaan Microsoft Excel Di Kehidupan Sehari-Hari, Dimas Hafidz Alfarisi, Bilal Al Kindi, Aisya Mardatila, Reni Anggraeni, Desi Wulandari

Bhakti: Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat

Community Service Program (KKN) is one of the main parts of the tridharma of higher education, which requires students to play an active role in community empowerment through education, research, and service. This article discusses one of program from the KKN team from Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES), which took place in Tlogopucang Village, Kandangan District, Temanggung. In today's digital era, mastery of information technology has become a crucial requirement, including the ability to operate data processing applications such as Microsoft Excel. Unfortunately, many people, especially in rural areas, are still unfamiliar with the benefits of Excel. However, this application has …

Treating Low-Concentration Methane Emissions Via A Methanotroph-Based Biotrickling Filter: Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Assessment, Waaseyaaban Landgren, Robert Handler, David Shonnard, Mary E. Lidstrom

Michigan Tech Publications

Methane, a greenhouse gas which has a global warming potential 80 times greater than carbon dioxide on a 20-year time scale, greatly contributes to global warming. Removing 1 Gt of atmospheric methane by 2050 would limit global temperature increase from reaching 1.5 °C. Currently, biotrickling filter systems for removing atmospheric methane via methanotrophs exist, but not for very low methane concentrations (< 1 v%). Recent work at the University of Washington to isolate and improve a microbial strain which thrives at 500 ppmv CH4 has removed one obstacle in making this technology feasible. In this study, techno-economic and environmental life cycle assessment analyses conducted on this process have assessed its economic feasibility, greenhouse gas reduction potential, and possible areas of improvement. Study results show that at 500 ppmv CH4, this process could remove atmospheric methane at a cost of USD 3992–5224/tCH4. The best-performing case also produces annual net reductions in warming potential by 276–311 tCO2e/120 m3 process unit deployed. Many opportunities exist to improve the outcomes of the baseline analysis even further, especially related to reducing the transport distance of media and harvested biomass.

Scalable Biosynthesis And Recovery Of Poly-3-Hydroxybutyrate Produced From Cotton-Derived Glucose By Cupriavidus Necator, Ashley M. Clark, Lucia E. Gargano, Gabriella M. Fioravanti, Hannah M. Schapiro, Ron G. Kander

School of Design and Engineering Papers

To combat the growing issue of petroleum plastic waste, alternative bio-based polymers are being developed. Many of these biopolymers are made from bio-derived materials, or are biodegradable, but the most promising polymers fall in both categories. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are one such class of polymers, and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB), the most popular PHA, has shown great potential. This study utilized two types of cotton-derived glucose, alongside commercial glucose, as a feedstock for the biosynthesis of P3HB by Cupriavidus necator (also known as Ralstonia eutropha). The fermentation took place in a 2-L bioreactor, showing potential for scale-up. A single-solvent extraction method was …

Manufacturing Of Origami-Inspired Mechanisms Via Sheet Lamination, Tyler R. Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Origami-inspired mechanisms combine compact, lightweight, reconfig- urable devices, yet despite decades of growth in origami theory, industrial uptake remains limited. As a result, origami predominately appears as prototypes or in low-volume, bespoke applications. Manufacturing (which has received little development) remains the chief bottleneck: most origami fabrication routes are still under-explored, labor-intensive, and fundamentally unsuited to scale. This dissertation addresses that barrier by establishing a process-centric framework for origami manufacturing and demonstrates fabrication workflows capable of transitioning designs from prototypes to production. A survey of more than 180 publications on origami manufacturing approaches yields a manufacturing-oriented taxonomy that links each surrogate …

Improved Streamflow Forecasting Through Swe-Augmented Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks, Akhila Akkala, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Pouya Hosseinzadeh, Ayman Nassar

Computer Science Student Research

Streamflow forecasting in snowmelt-dominated basins is essential for water resource planning, flood mitigation, and ecological sustainability. This study presents a comparative evaluation of statistical, machine learning (Random Forest), and deep learning models (Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN)) using 30 years of data from 20 monitoring stations across the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). We assess the impact of integrating meteorological variables—particularly, the Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)—and spatial dependencies on predictive performance. Among all models, the Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Network (STGNN) achieved the highest accuracy, with a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.84 …

Sensing The Pulse Of A Data Stream In Real Time, Vishnu S. Pendyala

Open Educational Resources

In an era where data never sleeps, streaming algorithms offer a powerful toolkit for extracting meaningful insights from high-velocity data flows. This talk explores some foundational techniques that enable efficient, real-time analytics with minimal memory requirements. The algorithms covered include a clever bit-based strategy for approximating the count of 1s in a sliding window, ideal for binary streams where space efficiency is paramount. Another algorithm helps estimate statistical moments (mean, variance, skewness) using compact sketches, enabling a deeper understanding of stream distributions without storing the entire dataset. One other algorithm identifies trending items with exponential decay, giving more weight to …

Magnetically Recoverable And Adsorptive Alginate Hydrogel Composite Beads Reinforced With Cellulose Nanocrystals, Corbon M. Moss, Mohammad Jahid Hasan, Monishita Deb, Sarah Watzmann, Esteban Ureña-Benavides, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1.9 million deaths occur annually due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable, biobased materials for water purification. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of magnetically responsive, alginate-based hydrogels designed for pollutant adsorption and magnetic recovery. Magnetic cellulose nanocrystals (mCNC) were produced by coprecipitating Fe3O4 nanoparticles onto cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and subsequently embedded into an alginate hydrogel matrix at two loading concentrations (0.1 and 1% w/v). The resulting mCNC–alginate hydrogels, along with CNC–alginate and pure alginate hydrogels as controls, were fabricated in both thin film and …

Condition Optimization For The Synthesis Of Castor Oil Templated Mesoporous Silica, Godlisten Namwel Shao

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The present work provides suitable conditions for the synthesis of mesoporous materials with improved porosity using an optimization technique. The proposed preparation method involves forming final products by varying the amount of castor oil, media, and template removal. The obtained samples were examined by TGA, XRD, DRIFT and nitrogen physisorption studies. It was observed that the porosity of the obtained samples was dependent on the conditions under which the materials were synthesized. All synthesized materials showed the Type IV adsorption-desorption isotherm features of mesoporous, regardless of the conditions utilized during the synthesis. The sample synthesized using 2.5 g of a …

Adoption Of Agrivoltaics In Developing Countries: A Review On Challenges, Opportunities And Future Prospects, Abdi J. Athumani, Pater Makolo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper provides a review of agrivoltaics technology and how it has been applicable in developing countries, including African countries. Agrivoltaics, the integration of agricultural production with photovoltaic energy generation, offers promising solutions to water- energy-food nexus in developing countries. This technology offers the dual benefit of increasing agricultural productivity while generating clean energy, which is very important for regions facing frequent electricity shortages and declining agricultural yields due to climate change. However, despite its potential, the adoption of agrivoltaics in developing nations remains limited in comparison to developed countries due to financial, technical and policy constraints. This paper explores …

Cnn-Based Hybrid Model For Detecting Blight Diseases In Potato Crops With Advanced Image Processing Techniques, Farian S. Ishengoma

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Potato production plays a vital role in global agriculture as a major food source for large populations. However, potato crops are highly susceptible to diseases, particularly Early Blight and Late Blight, which result in substantial yield losses. Timely detection and effective control of these diseases are essential for maintaining stable crop output. This study explores the integration of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and advanced image processing techniques to differentiate between diseased and healthy potato plants accurately. Two datasets comprising original and enhanced images were used to train four CNN models: InceptionV3, Xception, Densenet201, and Resnet152V2. The original images underwent background …

Empirical Research Of A Greenhouse Monitoring And Controlling System Using Zigbee Protocol, Mohammed Hijazeh, Salah Hagahmoodi

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Greenhouses are of great importance in the agricultural field as they provide the appropriate and important environment for the growth and production of various plants regardless of the surrounding environmental conditions. Monitoring and controlling these houses are considered necessary and important in order to provide the required environment and obtain the best production. Therefore, the aim of this project is to study the monitoring and control of these houses using wireless sensor networks, which are considered modern and simple methods due to the accuracy of work and little effort they provide, and thus better production. The study will be for …

Designing An Efficient Deduplication Algorithm For Audio Files In Cloud Storage, Ammar Zakzouk, Alaa Al Sebae, Hasan Hasan

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Data duplication is a significant challenge in large-scale data storage systems, as it consumes storage space and impacts data organization, management, and processing. An optimal storage system effectively utilizes available storage space. To solve this problem, hash algorithms are employed to generate hash keys for files. Matching files have the same hash key. However, the hash key for two different files in the data may match, and this is what we refer to as a collision. The collision issue is related to the length of the hash key. As the length of the hash key increases, the probability of a …

Secure Gif Files Based On Zuc Stream Cipher And Present Algorithm, Suhad Fakhri Hussein

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

Some important security needs include authentication, confidentiality, integrity, non-repudiation, and user privacy. Many security systems include these required protections for information transmission. The encryption process is one of the most important security measures. Many secure encryption algorithms are based on different keys and key lengths to ensure a high degree of security. GIF file format is common file format that is used in several application, securing these files through transmission is imperative. In this paper, an efficient method for encryption GIF file is proposed based on using modified present algorithm, modified ZUC stream cipher, and an efficient method for key …

Examining Iot-Enhanced For Current Developments In Face Image Authentication (Fia) Methods And Their Drawbacks, Marwa Jamal Hadi, Emaan Ouudha Oraby

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The quick development of IoT and facial image manipulation (FIM) algorithms, as well as the growth of their user-friendly applications, highlight the pressing need for manipulation detection methods. These techniques need to demonstrate how face photos have been altered and validate their legitimacy. The scientific community has recently taken notice of the phrase “DeepFakes” and methods for detecting them. Take note of the latest methods for identifying watermark-based face image modification as well. The important thing to remember is that every one of these methods has its own set of drawbacks. This study provides a brief introduction to face image …

Phosphate Removal And Recovery From Aqueous Solutions Using Iron-Coated Steel Slag, Siavash Ebrahimzadeh, Guanghui Hua, Christopher Schmit

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty and Student Publications

Phosphate pollution from human activities significantly contributes to the eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, phosphorus is a finite, irreplaceable resource, making its management and recovery critical. This study explores the use of iron-coated steel slag (ICS) as a cost-effective material for phosphate removal and recovery from water. Ferric chloride was used to coat electric arc furnace slag via oven drying under various conditions. Batch adsorption tests evaluated phosphate adsorption, and the optimum coating conditions were identified as 0.5–1 mm slag, 0.5 M FeCl₃, and coating pH 1. The effect of solution pH and coexisting ions on phosphate removal were also …

Development Of A Colorectal Cancer Spheroid Model To Improve The Accuracy Of Preclinical Drug Testing, Jillian Trilevsky

Master's Theses

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide. It currently affects millions of people across the globe and is only expected to increase in impact over the coming years. The most common treatment for metastatic colon cancer is chemotherapy, however, the development of chemotherapeutic drugs is a long and expensive process. A large portion of this development process is spent in preclinical drug testing. However, the models used often lack enough physiological relevance to guarantee the drug’s success in a clinical trial. Due to this gap in testing, researchers seek to develop a more physiologically relevant …