Digital Commons Network^™

Spatialimaginer: Towards Adaptive Visual Imagination For Spatial Reasoning, Yian Li, Yang Jiao, Bin Zhu, Tianwen Qian, Shaoxiang Chen, Jingjing Chen, Yu-Gang Jiang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Spatial intelligence, which refers to the ability to reason about geometric and physical structure from visual observations, remains a core challenge for multimodal large language models. Despite promising performance, recent multimodal large language models (MLLMs) often exhibit fragile reasoning traces in spatial intelligence tasks that involve consistent spatial state recognition. We argue that these failures stem from a mismatch between the spatial recognition mechanism and the text-only reasoning behavior of these MLLMs. Effective spatial reasoning requires low-level geometric structure to be faithfully preserved and updated throughout the reasoning process, whereas textual representations tend to abstract away precisely these critical details. …

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre_11_1, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Pentagonal Pdte2 Monolayer For Sustainable Solar-Driven Hydrogen Production, Narender Kumar, Shambhu Bhandari, Dario Alfè, Ravindra Pandey, Nacir Tit

Michigan Tech Publications

This investigation demonstrates that the pentagonal PdTe2 (penta-PdTe2) monolayer is a highly tunable two-dimensional (2D) photocatalyst, characterized by the bandgap of 1.87 eV and high hole mobility. Using density functional theory calculations with the HSE06 functional, we show that tensile strain engineering (particularly at +2% and +3%) is essential for enabling spontaneous water splitting. At these strain values, the valence-band maximum and conduction-band maximum straddle the water redox potentials (H+/H2 and O2/H2O) under both acidic (pH = 0) and neutral (pH = 7) conditions. The monolayer's low hole effective mass facilitates rapid charge extraction, mitigating recombination and driving the oxygen …

Assessor Experiences In Cmmc Level 2 Certification Assessments: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Role Expectations, Samuel Heuchert, John Hastings

Research & Publications

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program requires that third-party assessments be conducted under a non-consultative model. The model is intended to ensure impartiality for organizations seeking certification. While this structure defines expectations for assessor behavior, assessor experiences and interpretations of these constraints remain underexamined. The study examines the lived experiences of CMMC-Certified Assessors and how they navigate role expectations within the non-consultative model. Using Role Conflict Theory as a guiding framework, the study applied Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to semi-structured interviews to explore how assessors make sense of their roles. The analysis identified experiential themes that describe how assessors construct …

Geometric Puzzles On A Circular Track: A Recreational Introduction To Quantization, Sayandip Pandit, Amit Priyadarshi, Mrinal Kanti Roychowdhury

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Imagine a circular running track with several water stations placed around it. If only a few stations may remain open, or if a few new stations may be built, where should they be located so that runners travel the shortest possible distance to reach one? This simple question leads to a collection of recreational geometry puzzles involving distance, symmetry, optimization, Voronoi regions, and quantization. Quantization is the mathematical problem of replacing a large collection of points by a smaller set of representative points while minimizing the approximation error. Using only elementary mathematics, we investigate several configurations of points on a …

Web-Mapping Viewers To Enhance Environmental Education And Watershed Planning, Austin L Holland, John Strauser, Eric Olson

Journal of Extension

Extension professionals have been using web-based geographic information system (GIS) viewers to aid in education, outreach, and planning. This article highlights the Center for Land Use Education's new Watershed & Conservation Planning Web-Viewer, which was created in collaboration with Extension Lakes using publicly available GIS data. The tool has two objectives: to enhance public education on the relationship between land and water resources and to support the use of geospatial data in conservation planning. This article outlines the justification for the tool, its usefulness, and a path forward for those who can create their own version for their region or …

"Making The Familiar Strange": The Ecocentric Power Of Climate Fantasy, John Cook

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Contributing to the failure to address climate change is a lack of public imagination, both in perceiving the threat of climate change and conceptualizing solutions. Climate fiction engages readers on an emotional level and speculative fiction in particular can invent alternative worlds illustrating different ways of thinking and living. Fantasy fiction is uniquely suited as a form of climate fiction, with its immersive, subversive qualities, prioritization of the nonhuman, and a tendency towards sprawling, multiple-volume epic series. This paper explores two categories of climate fantasy themes. One category is recovery—regaining a clear view of the natural world. The other is …

Community-Based Water Management Through Cultural Ecosystem Services: Traditional Wisdom And Modern Adaptation In Senjoyo Spring, Indonesia, Puji Winarti, Sri Haryani, Sri Wardani, Langlang Handayani

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Small-scale freshwater ecosystems play vital ecological and cultural roles. However, community-based water management (CBWM) often lacks a clear analytical approach to integrating cultural ecosystem services (CES) and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), limiting the practical understanding of culturally grounded governance. To address this gap, this qualitative study explores the interactions between CES and TEK, analyzes their roles within CBWM, and identifies their implications for sustainable water governance. The integration between cultural value and local ecological knowledge makes Senjoyo Spring an appropriate location for this study. Data were collected through interviews with 20 key informants, field observations, forum group discussions (FGDs), and …

Community-Based Well Testing And Outreach To Mitigate Human Health Risk From Unsafe Drinking Water, W. Adam Sigler, Katharine Sutphen, Margaret J Eggers, Kaleena Miller, Michelle Grocke-Dewey

Journal of Extension

Twenty-two percent of groundwater wells tested nationwide have one or more contaminants above a health threshold, yet many private well owners are unaware of these risks because they have not tested their water. Researchers piloted a community well testing clinic for education/outreach and surveyed participants about outcomes. Two months later, 75% of participants with high or intermediate health risk water quality results had taken action or intended to, indicating that community private well testing clinics can be effective in mitigating human health risks from contaminated drinking water.

Expressing Matrix Powers With Pell Numbers, Walby Encarnacion Cena

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

Abstract. Motivated by the theory of Cayley hash functions, we aim to write a matrix as a product of another set of given matrices. Riley gave such an algorithm using Fibonacci numbers. We extend Riley’s work to the Pell numbers. We compare our algorithm to Riley’s method and find that it is an improvement in certain cases.

The Impact Of Urban Morphology On Spatial Configuration And Socio-Spatial Structure: A Comparative Space Syntax Analysis, Tazra Kamaran Ismael, Abdulrazaq Zamil Menshid Al-Saedi

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Urban morphology plays a crucial role in shaping the spatial configuration, movement patterns, and socio-spatial interactions within cities. However, despite the extensive development of Space Syntax research, limited research has comparatively examined how contrasting urban morphologies influence spatial hierarchy, accessibility, and intelligibility within the same urban context, particularly in the rapidly transforming cities of the Global South. This study investigates the configurational characteristics of two contrasting urban sectors in Koya City, Iraq: the organically developed historic city centre and the planned grid-based Zanko neighbourhood. A Space Syntax analysis was conducted using axial maps generated in DepthmapX. The analysis was supported …

Investigation Of The Production Technology Of Environmentally Safe Urethane Oligomers Based On Local Raw Materials, Bakhtiyor Kudratovich Shaykulov, Dilafruza Ruziboevna Akbarova Gulboeva, Fayzulla Nurmuminovich Nurqulov

Technical science and innovation

This paper investigates the step-by-step poly condensation pathway for synthesizing environmentally friendly, non-isocyanate urethane oligomers derived from local and safe raw materials: urea and ethylene glycol. The influence of thermodynamic parameters on the target product yield was systematically evaluated to determine the optimum technological matrix. Specifically, a 1:2 reactant mass ratio, a stable stationary temperature of 150-155 °C, and a reaction duration of 2 hours under an inert nitrogen atmosphere resulted in a sustainable and reproducible yield of 72%. Thermal degradation and competitive side-product condensations were activated above 160 °C, leading to a sharp drop in overall chemical efficiency. The …

Good Governance In The Concept Of Climate Justice: Decarbonisation Policies In Economic Considerations Of Losses And Sacrifices, Daryanti Daryanti, Albertus Sentot Sudarwanto, Erna Dyah Kusumawati, Rosita Candrakirana

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Projections of losses resulting from the impacts of climate change in Indonesia are estimated to reach USD 30.5 million, affecting four key sectors: agriculture, water supply, health, and the maritime sector. This study shows that good governance based on climate justice in the implementation of decarbonization policies is the most important factor in avoiding long-term economic losses caused by the adverse impacts of climate change or investing in climate resilience. This study employed a normative methodology using a statutory approach to examine efforts related to climate change mitigation and adaptation. The findings of this research indicate that regulations in Indonesia, …

Machine Learning Models For Estimating The Consumed And Remaining Useful Life Of Haul Trucks In An Open-Pit Mine In Peru, Marco Cotrina, Jairo Marquina, Mario Sandoval, Jose Mamani, Johnny Ccatamayo

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning-based model to predict the consumed useful life and estimate the remaining useful life of haul trucks in an open-pit mining operation in Peru. A comparative analysis of multiple machine learning models was conducted, including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest + PSO, support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting machine (GBM), decision tree + PSO, and artificial neural networks (ANN-MLP). The models were evaluated using performance metrics such as R², RMSE, and MAE, selecting the optimal model to estimate the remaining useful life based on a theoretical lifespan …

Development Of A Spectral Index And Web Application For Automated Marble Quarry Monitoring: A Sentinel-2 Based Approach For Change Detection And Monitoring, Konstantinos Ntouros, Vasileios Drimzakas - Papadopoulos, Georgios Gkologkinas, Georgios Ntouros, Dimitrios Markou

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study introduces an automated workflow to monitor marble quarry operations using Sentinel-2 satellite data, providing a cost-effective and efficient tool for regulatory oversight focused on environmental sustainability. At the core of this workflow is the Quarry Change Detection Index (QCDI), a new spectral index specifically developed to leverage the unique spectral characteristics of quarry sites, enhancing the detection of land cover changes associated with quarry expansion. To facilitate practical application, a web-based tool was developed using Google Earth Engine and Streamlit. The user-centric design of this platform features an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily select parameters, visualize data, …

The Colorado River Upper Initial Units Take Center Stage, Eric Kuhn, Anne Castle, Jack Schmidt, Kathryn Sorensen, Katherine Tara

The Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River

In 1956, Congress authorized the Upper Initial Units—Flaming Gorge Reservoir,

Navajo Reservoir, and the Aspinall Unit (UIUs)—for a variety of water use

purposes in the Upper Colorado River Basin, including compliance with the

1922 Colorado River Compact (1922 Compact). The historical record is clear

that the primary reason these reservoirs exist is to satisfy the math of the 1922

Compact and the obligations it imposed on the Upper Division States

regarding flows at Lee Ferry.

Complementary Global–Local Feature Fusion And Ensemble Refinement For Facial-Expression Recognition On Fer2013, H. M. Shahzad, Hassan A. Ahmed

Business Faculty Publications

Facial-expression recognition (FER) on FER2013 remains challenging because of low-resolution images, class imbalance, and label ambiguity. This study presents a global–local feature-fusion framework that integrates complementary representations with validation-based ensemble refinement. A frozen DINOv2 ViT-Base captures global facial semantics, while EfficientNetB3 extracts complementary local texture features. Their fused representation is used for seven-class facial-expression classification. The classification head is first trained with targeted feature-space SMOTE, and the EfficientNetB3 branch is then partially fine-tuned. Five-view test-time augmentation (TTA) is further incorporated at inference, together with an independently trained ConvNeXt-Tiny branch to provide additional architectural diversity. Ensemble weights are selected using a …

Progress Towards An Analog Of The Darboux-Griffiths Converse Of Abel's Theorem In Characteristic P, John B. Little

Mathematics and Computer Science Department Faculty Scholarship

In this working paper, we report our recent efforts concerning a possible characteristic p analog of the so-called converse of Abel's theorem discussed by Darboux and Griffiths.  The characteristic zero version is used in one proof of the Lie-Wirtinger theorem on double translation manifolds and also in related aspects of the geometry of webs.  In informal terms, our results indicate that, apart from some isolated counterexamples, formal power series Abel relations over an algebraically closed field of characteristic p essentially only arise in the (generalized) Jacobians of algebraic curves.  The ultimate goal is to complete thevwork started in the author's …

Designing For Who Actually Shows Up: A Signal Framework For Online Adult Learners In Cybersecurity And Information Technology, Chad Whistle, Mayyada Al-Hammoshi

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Online adult learners pursuing cybersecurity and information technology credentials represent one of the fastest-growing student populations in American higher education, yet the frameworks institutions use to support their success were not designed for them. This population, disproportionately drawn from the 41.9 million Americans who hold some college credit but no credential, arrives workforce-embedded, time-constrained, and skeptical of institutional systems that previously failed to serve them. Existing persistence models grounded in traditional student integration theory inadequately account for the behavioral patterns, motivational structures, and credential expectations that define this learner. This paper proposes the SIGNAL Framework (Skills-based credential architecture, Integrated AI-informed …

Did Seismic Events Trigger The Growth Of Aragonitic Speleothems In Mawmluh Cave, North-East India?, Dildi Dildi, Dana Riechelmann Dr., Michael Weber Dr., Anne Jantschke Dr., Regina Mertz-Kraus Dr., Denis Scholz Dr.

International Journal of Speleology

Mawmluh Cave, north-east India, is located in a seismically very active region within the Himalayas with frequent earthquakes of varying magnitude. So far, speleothems from the cave have mainly been used to reconstruct past monsoon variability. The potential effect of seismic events on speleothem formation in Mawmluh Cave, however, has not been studied in detail yet. We investigated three stalagmites from Mawmluh Cave, each predominantly consisting of calcite overlain by substantially younger aragonite at the top (i.e., an aragonite ‘cap’). 230Th/U-dating shows that the initiation of aragonite growth occurred between 1859 and 1950 CE in agreement with previous studies. The …

Integrating Gis With Interim Payment Valuation In Road Construction Projects: A Conceptual Framework, Abdulrahman I. Iro, Juma M. Matindana, Julian Ijumulana

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Abstract

Interim Payment Valuation is a critical process in road construction contract administration, yet conventional valuation practices remain heavily dependent on manual measurements, fragmented documentation, spreadsheets, and professional judgement. These limitations can affect measurement accuracy, transparency, traceability, and the timeliness of payment certification. Although Geographic Information Systems have increasingly been applied to construction planning, quantity measurement, progress monitoring, infrastructure management, and decision support, their integration with contractual and financial processes for interim payment valuation remains insufficiently explored. This study therefore develops a conceptual framework for integrating GIS with Interim Payment Valuation in road construction projects. A PRISMA-guided structured literature review …

Funding And Financing Mechanisms For Decarbonization At Higher Education Institutions, Emma Coopersmith, Dimitra Prassa, Alexander R. Barron

Environmental Science and Policy: Faculty Publications

A growing number of higher education institutions (HEIs) are decarbonizing their campuses, with thermal energy networks supported by ground-source-heat pumps (GSHPs) as the most common approach (Barron et al., 2025). The value proposition of these systems includes net savings on energy and maintenance, increasing occupant comfort, reducing air pollution and addressing deferred maintenance, guarding against future regulatory risk, providing education and research opportunities, and helping institutions meet climate goals. Despite the many benefits of decarbonization, funding and financing pose a significant challenge given the high upfront costs for GSHPs and building retrofits. “How will we pay for this?” is likely …

Navigating Text-To-Speech (Tts): Ethical Leadership In The Use Of Generative Ai For Extension, Xue A Dong, Paul A Hill

Journal of Extension

Text-to-speech (TTS) AI technology transforms written content into natural-sounding speech, offering a useful tool to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in Extension work. This article examines the role of TTS AI in bridging communication gaps, particularly for diverse and multilingual communities, and demonstrates the importance of ethical leadership in its adoption. By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, Extension professionals can leverage TTS AI to foster greater connection and engagement. Practical applications and examples are provided to guide the integration of TTS AI into programs. The article also offers recommendations for experimenting with innovative technologies to improve educational outcomes and increase the …

The Evolving Wildfire Crisis: The Need To Adapt Statewide Extension Efforts To Address Diverse Challenges, Alison L. Deak, Kathryn E. Low, Luca Carmignani, Ryan E. Tompkins, Barbara Satink Wolfson

Journal of Extension

There are many factors that contribute to wildfire preparedness in California. Although effective wildfire preparedness requires tailored regional approaches, it is crucial to understand how statewide Extension programs can address shared challenges while augmenting region-specific strategies. For the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network to meet the growing demands for fire-related Extension programming, a team of advisors surveyed California residents to refine the goals of our Extension programs. Survey results highlight key gaps in fire-related Extension education that residents in California and beyond need to reduce their wildfire risk.

Interrater Reliability Of Software Optimized Movement Assessment With Traditional Methods And Video-Based Functional Movement Screen Scoring And Compensatory Movement Identification, Joshua Paul Verdillo, Nj Ermina, Tanya Mariel Capilla, Russel James Balane, Evriel Prince Apura, Daryl Reymon Apla-On, Ressyl Love Salvador

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Introduction: The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a seven-part movement assessment used to identify injury risks caused by faulty biomechanics. There are three barriers in traditional FMS assessments that could affect the tool’s validity: the subjectivity of human scores that could cause bias, the need for in-person evaluations which limit access for remote patients, and the requirement of specialized training to use the tool, which makes it less accessible. This study investigates the effectiveness of SOMA, an AI-based web application that uses the MediaPipe framework to automatically assess (FMS) performances.

Methods: This study employs a quantitative, cross-sectional, comparative design to …

Identifiability, Sequentiality And Infinity (--Remarks--), Jose L. Menaldi

Mathematics Faculty Research Publications

Two sections are added to my previous article with similar title, in relation to the so-called dynamic logic-error, other complications with modern mathematics and some details on the philosophy behind scene. These remarks could be seen as more details on the axioms of math-arguments and the actual basis-inspiration of the meta-math previously developed. In other words, this `continuation' gives the connection between (meta-)mathematics and the science of the creation-energy.

Beyond Intent: Teacher Capacity, Opportunity To Learn, And The Persistence Of Math Equity Gaps In Tennessee (2000-2025), Soso Dede

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

For a quarter-century (2000–2025), Tennessee pursued mathematics reforms aiming for equity, yet stark racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps endure. Framed by Opportunity to Learn (OTL) and Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT), this study investigates the intersection of equity, teacher capacity, and policy. By synthesizing assessment data, program evaluations, policy documents, and research literature, this study reveals that systemic OTL inequities—disparate access to quality instruction, adequate resources, and teachers possessing strong MKT—are primary drivers of these enduring gaps. Such inequities deny marginalized students a fair chance at mathematical proficiency. The interplay between OTL and MKT is critical: inadequate OTL constrains knowledgeable …

Voltage-Related Power Quality Issues And Impacts On Distribution Networks With Sensitive Loads - A Review, Godwin Elinazi Mnkeni, Jackson Justo, Aviti Thadei Mushi, Bakari M. M. Mwinyiwiwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Voltage disturbances are the most important power quality (PQ) complications that customers and power utilities face in this smart era. The growing adoption of sophisticated electronic equipment and integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into power grids has increased the susceptibility of power distribution networks (PDNs) to voltage sags, swells, interruptions, flicker, and voltage imbalance. These disturbances, mainly caused by upstream faults, switching operations, and RES integration, compromise voltage PQ and system reliability. Consequently, they accelerate equipment degradation, increase electronic waste (e-waste), raise reactive power demand and maintenance costs, increase power losses, and impose substantial economic losses on customers and …

Exact Formulas For Restricted Coprime Representations Of Even Integers, Andres Mauricio Salazar

Communications on Number Theory and Combinatorial Theory

Let p ≥ 5 be prime, and let g(2n,p) denote the number of unordered representations by positive integers 2n = h + k, with h ≤ k and gcd(h,6p) = gcd(k,6p) = 1. Every positive integer coprime to 6 belongs to exactly one of the families 6z + 1 and 6z + 5. In each family, divisibility by p excludes one explicit residue class of z modulo p. We use these two excluded classes to derive an exact formula for g(2n,p) from finite residue counts and nonnegative lift counts. The formula is valid for every positive integer n, including all …

Radiological And Chemical Safety Assessment Of Drinking Water From Treatment Plants And Rivers In Kut City, Iraq, Ahmed A. Alswaty, Hadi D. Alattabi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities, particularly wastewater discharge into rivers, have raised pollution levels in the water sources of Kut City, necessitating an assessment of the radiological and chemical safety of drinking water at the city's treatment plants. Thirteen water samples were collected, comprising ten treated and three raw water samples from the source rivers. An HPGe detector was used to measure the radionuclides ²¹⁴Bi, ²¹⁴Pb, ²¹²Bi, ²¹²Pb, ⁴⁰K, and ¹³⁷Cs. All measured radionuclides were below the minimum detectable activity (MDA). ICP-OES analysis supported these findings, as U concentrations in most samples were …