Digital Commons Network^™

Sustainability In Global Shrimp Supply Chains, Michael Behr

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

This chapter explores sustainability challenges within the global shrimp supply chain, comparing the environmental impacts of wild-caught shrimp trawling and shrimp aquaculture. While trawling has historically met global demand, its high levels of bycatch and damage to marine ecosystems make it increasingly incompatible with modern environmental standards. In response, aquaculture now supplies more than half of global shrimp production and is becoming a preferred sourcing option for major buyers.

From a supply-chain perspective, the chapter examines how trade dependence, regulatory pressure, and ESG commitments are shifting procurement strategies toward farmed shrimp. Using examples from large retailers, it shows how buyer-driven …

From Spark To Agency: Metalinguistic Awareness, Investment, And Liberatory Autonomy In Introductory And Honors Intermediate Spanish And Intermediate Italian At Cod, Brian Kapustka

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

This field experience capstone documents the application of sociocognitive, reflective, and equity-oriented pedagogy across multiple Spanish and Italian instructional contexts at the College of DuPage, a large and diverse community college. Grounded in applied linguistics frameworks including sociocognitive second language acquisition (Atkinson, 2011), learner motivation and identity through the L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2009), the inseparability of cognition and emotion in second language learning (Swain, 2013), learner autonomy and postmethod pedagogy (Kumaravadivelu, 2002; 2003), learner investment (Darvin & Norton, 2015), willingness to communicate as a volitional process (MacIntyre, 2007), and transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000), the project examines language learning …

Enhancing Alumni Data Integrity And Collection Practices At The College For Social Innovation, Rhea A. Shirodkar

Business Analytics Student Projects and Publications

The College for Social Innovation (CFSI) is an educational nonprofit that provides 15-week credited social sector internship programs for undergraduate and gap year students. To assess program impact and support strategic decision-making, donor engagement, program improvement, and recruitment initiatives, CFSI collects alumni outcome data through two FormAssembly surveys integrated with their Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP). However, organizational and data infrastructure changes taking place from 2020-2021 created a misalignment between FormAssembly and NPSP data structures, resulting in inconsistent field types, variable naming conventions, data mapping errors, and duplicate records entering the NPSP from 2021-onward. Compounded by the issue of low …

A Multi-Factor Quantum-Resistant And Privacy-Preserving Authentication Protocol For Decentralized Systems, Ahmed Kh. Zamil, Ammar D. Jasim

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

This paper presents a Quantum-Resistant and Privacy-Preserving Authentication Protocol (PPAP) designed for decentralized systems. PPAP integrates lattice-based cryptographic primitives, particularly Module-Lattice Key Encapsulation Mechanisms (ML-KEM), addressing both quantum computing threats and stringent privacy requirements. The protocol introduces advanced identity masking techniques and a multi-factor authentication layer employing Cheon-Kim-Kim-Song (CKKS) homomorphic encryption, enabling secure and privacy-aware authentication that supports approximate knowledge-based factors such as biometrics and handwritten signatures. Rigorous formal analysis, including cryptographic proofs and automated verification using the Tamarin Prover, validates PPAP's resilience against classical and quantum adversaries, as well as common security threats such as replay attacks, impersonation, and …

Enhancing Advanced Persistent Threat Detection With Federated Learning And Neural Networks For Secure Cloud Computer Environment, Baydaa Flayyih Hasan, Wafaa Ayoub Kassara, Bushra Raad Zahi

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

Rapid internet expansion and global cloud storage use have heightened the risk of stealthy, persistent, multi-stage Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). Distributed and resource-limited cloud environments make identifying these stealthy and dynamic threats difficult for traditional Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs). This paper present FedNN-APT, a Federated Learning (FL) and hybrid Neural Network (NN) APT detection system to overcome these difficulties. High detection accuracy and distributed, privacy-preserving training over several cloud devices are achieved by this approach. FedNN-APT integrates Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to learn temporal and spatial APT behavior features effectively. The framework trains local models …

Index: Subject Index—12 Months Ended August 1972; Author Index—12 Months Ended August 1972, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Proposed Regulations: Comments, Herbert Finkston

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Study Of Corporate Experience With Sec. 482, Walter F. O'Connor, Samuel M. Russo

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Tax Trends, Harry Z. Garian

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Professions At Work: Proposed Regulations: Comments, Herbert Finkston

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Working With The Irs: Regulating Tax Return Preparers— The Commissioner’S Views, Gilbert Simonetti Jr.

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Tax Clinic, Dominic A. Tarantino

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Application Of Adversarial Volumetric Cnns To 3d Face Generation Using Latent Space Gaussian Embeddings, Ali Raad Abdulkareem, Marwa Jabberi, Islem Jarraya, Tarek M. Hamdani, Khmaies Ouahada, Adel M. Alimi

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

Although 3D face generation is extensively studied in computer vision, most existing methods prioritize reconstructing 3D geometry from available 2D or 3D inputs rather than generating novel faces directly from latent representations. To bridge this gap, we present the application of Adversarial Volumetric Convolutional Neural Networks (AVCNN), a tailored adaptation of the vanilla 3D Generative Adversarial Network (3D-GAN), to 3D face generation using latent space Gaussian embeddings. We first assemble a custom 3D facial dataset to provide the requisite facial characteristics and to ensure sufficient coverage of geometric variation across identities. The generator, implemented as a decoder, maps latent space …

Comprehensive Risk Assessment For Construction Site Managers In Kosovo: A Mixed-Method Approach, Muhamet Ahmeti, Besian Sinani

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study developed and validated a hybrid ISO 31000:2018 Kosovo-compliant risk assessment framework tailored for construction site managers operating within transitional economies. The research employed audits of 20 ISO-certified contractors in Pristina, Kosovo, along with field observations, interviews, and quantitative risk matrices. The findings indicate a critical concentration of risk, with 70% of firms classified as "High" or “Very High” risk. The most prevalent hazards identified were working at height without collective protection, unprotected electrical systems, and manual handling of heavy materials. Regression analysis revealed that firms with a designated safety champion achieved significantly lower risk scores, whereas those with …

Behaviour Of Internally Strengthening Hollow Stainless-Steel Hot-Rolled Circular Columns Filled With Crumb Rubber And Recycled Aggregate Concrete, Wadhah M. Tawfeeq, Mohammed M. Rasheed, Mithaq Kohees, Ahmed W. Al Zandd, Saif Al-Balushi, Hamed Al Abdul Salam

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Stainless-steel sections are increasingly being utilised in favour of their higher durability. Simultaneously, the use of recycled materials in concrete is aligned with the global concern to encourage sustainable and environmentally friendly construction. The paper examined the behaviour of stainless-steel columns filled with concrete with crumb rubber (CR) and recycled aggregate (RA). It analysed the effect of different percentages of CR (0, 15, and 30) and RA (0, 15, and 50) on the compressive strength of the concrete and the performance of the columns using stainless-steel hollow sections. 20 specimens were manufactured, 18 of which were cast with concrete containing …

Impact Of Small Group Reading Instruction On Student’S Academic Achievement, Celeste M. Cote

Graduate Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper reviews the effects and benefits of small group reading instruction on students’ academic achievement, a topic of increasing importance due to the growing achievement gap. Fifteen studies, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and meta-analyses, were examined. The review identified key themes, including the benefits of small group reading instruction, instructional strategies used to implement it with a focus on scaffolding, and the equity and access it provides. The findings indicate that small group reading instruction has a greater impact on student success compared to whole-class instruction. It has been shown to foster collaboration, critical thinking skills, and improved …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Academic Achievement, Leah A. Brehmer

Graduate Teacher Education

The paper examines the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on student success. Through the literature review, three themes emerge: the first is the impact of ACEs on learning, the second is the usage of trauma-informed practices, and the third is how resilience plays a role in student success. Awareness regarding how ACEs impact students and academics, changes can be made to prioritize the student and their success in schools. The review incorporates statistics from studies primarily conducted in the United States, supplemented by a few international studies that support the research findings. Nearly half of the students in the …

Impact Of Small Group Literacy Instruction For English Language Learners, Olivia R. Freehauf Kirchoffner

Graduate Teacher Education

This literature review examined the impacts of small group literacy instruction for English Language Learners (ELL). ELL students often face challenges in developing literacy skills due to language barriers and limited exposure to English, making targeted instructional strategies crucial for academic success. Peer-reviewed studies published between 2008 and 2024 were analyzed to identify trends in effective literacy practices. Studies were selected from academic databases based on relevance, publication date, and focus on elementary-level ELL students. The review included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies, focusing on learning approaches, instructional strategies, and outcomes of small group instruction. Findings indicate that structured routines, …

Investigating Teacher Perceptions Of Strategies That Led To Success Of Long-Term English Learners Passing English Assessment Exams, Whitney Hodges

Ed.D. Dissertations

Long term English learners are those who have been enrolled in United States public schools for at least five to seven years yet have not exited language services via passing scores on language assessments. Those students have less opportunity to take preferred elective courses in middle and high school, and less opportunity to take higher level course work. This impacted the students, teachers, and instructional leaders when it came to scheduling, fulfilling graduation requirements, and meeting schoolwide and statewide growth and achievement goals. Previous researchers provided strategies for helping newcomers learn a language, and move from basic interpersonal communication skills …

Empowering Wireless Mesh Uav Networks Through Software-Defined Networking, Hieu Quang

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been widely deployed in applications such as environmental monitoring, disaster response, and surveillance. Effective coordination between UAVs depends on low-latency inter-UAV communication to exchange state information, decisions, and other critical data. UAV networks are inherently dynamic which necessitates a framework capable of handling scenarios such as traffic re-routing, and resilience to communication failures. To address the challenges of managing dynamic UAV networks, this thesis proposes a dual network approach composed of three main components. First, the Better Approach to Mobile Ad-hoc Networking (BATMAN) protocol is used to enable communication among UAVs. Second, the OpenFlow protocol …

San Mateo County’S Digital Jail Mail Sparks Reckoning Over Private Data, Juan A. Lasso

Capstones

This capstone examines privacy and data risks embedded in digital communication systems used in U.S. correctional facilities. As private vendors introduce tablets, kiosks, and mail digitization services, these technologies enable widespread surveillance and data collection of incarcerated people and their loved ones. The project explores how these systems track and analyze digital footprints in ways that challenge established legal and ethical expectations around privacy. It documents the personal impact on loved ones of people currently or formerly incarcerated in San Mateo County. The reporting centers on the California county jail where a civil rights lawsuit is pending over the mail …

On Sharpest Tail Bounds For Functions Of Tail Bounded Random Variables, Stephen Harrison

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

Consider n real/complex, independent/dependent random variables with respective tail bounds and g a measurable function of the r.v.’s. Consider f the “sharpest” tail bound of g (sharpest in the sense, if f were any less, then for some X1, ..., Xn satisfying the conditions, g(X1, ..., Xn) would not satisfy the tail f). Significant research has been done to approximate f often with high accuracy. These results are often of the form, for g in this family, and tail bounds of Xk in this family, f is bounded by some f′ with high accuracy. However, the question “what would it …

Dense Temporary Array Investigation Of Jemez Uplift Seismicity, Jillian D. Podmore

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

A protracted multi-stage tectonic and magmatic evolution combined with low regional crustal strain rates make it challenging to characterize active structure that may host earthquakes in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. Here, we leverage temporary 1-month deployments of nodal seismometers to gain new insights into seismicity of the Jemez Mountains, which only have continuous seismic monitoring on their eastern flank as a result of the Los Alamos Seismic Network. Our catalog is built using 4 steps: phase picking in continuous seismic data, association of picks to detect unique events, event magnitude estimation, and absolute hypocenter estimation. We detect and …

Seismological Investigations Of Magmatic Systems Using Dense Nodal Arrays, Wenkai Song

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Understanding the internal architecture of magmatic systems is crucial for volcanology, yet conventional geophysical techniques often lack the resolution to image their fine-scale structures. This dissertation leverages unique datasets from dense nodal arrays to investigate the upper crustal magmatic systems beneath Yellowstone Caldera, Valles Caldera, and Mount St. Helens. At Yellowstone, I processed vibroseis data to delineate the top of the modern magma reservoir and evaluate the thermal connection between the magmatic and the overlying hydrothermal systems. At Valles, 3D radial seismic anisotropy imaging reveals strong positive radial anisotropy within the reservoir, indicating an organized structure of horizontally sill-like melt …

Neurobehavioral Mechanisms Of Psychotic-Like Experiences And Cannabis Use, Ethan Campbell

Psychology ETDs

As cannabis use has increased steadily over the past decade, there is critical need to evaluate early cannabis use as a potential risk factor for the development of psychosis. Neurobehavioral mechanisms underlying novelty salience could clarify how cannabis exposure may influence subclinical psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). The present study leveraged dynamic functional connectivity and task-fMRI to assess the role of novelty processing in cannabis use and PLEs. A group of brain regions dynamically tied to the salience network while viewing short films were found to increase their activation as a function of stimulus novelty during a novelty bandit task. PLEs were …

Testing Tocqueville’S Troops: American Democracy At War In Mexico, Corbin V. Cali

History Theses

This thesis explores Alexis de Tocqueville's theory of democratic armies through the lens of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), testing his predictions about how democratic social conditions influence military institutions and performance. Tocqueville argued that armies in democratic societies would face tensions between egalitarian ideals and military discipline, with citizen-soldiers resisting hierarchy while professional officers, often isolated from civil society, grew dangerously ambitious for war. He predicted that democratic armies would show energetic initiative but struggle with weak formal discipline, and that equality would fundamentally change the relationship between the military and the broader society. The Mexican-American War serves as an …

Contemporary Martian Geomorphic Processes And The Suitability Characterization Of Terrestrial Analogues, Daniel Paul Mason

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Both historical and contemporary evidence for geomorphic activity on the surface of Mars is apparent. This evidence is showcased by features including a) well-preserved deltaic remnants in an otherwise cold and arid environment, present along the western flank of Jezero Crater, and b) the seasonal appearance of candidate recurring slope lineae throughout Martian equatorial, lower, and mid-latitudes as seen within both the Eos Chasma region and on the walls of Raga, Lohse, Rauna, and Tivat Craters. In this dissertation, I elucidate the role that geomorphic processes, whether aqueous or dry, have played in shaping both the ancient and contemporary Martian …

Guillaume Dustan's Ethico-Politics Of The Body, Noah Mertz

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

In this MA Thesis, I lay out a synthetic overview of polemical French writer Guillaume Dustan's (1965-2005) political philosophy. He is criticized first as irresponsible and dangerous for his defense of barebacking (sex without condoms) in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, and then, after his death, as a neoliberal/anarcho-capitalist for his focus on individual liberty. My overview touches on Dustan's Freudian belief that repression is the root of all social ills, his functional ethics of self-responsibility, the revaluation of heteronormative Judeo-Christian morality towards 'virtusex,' and his social contract that minimizes repression. Dustan’s goal is for you to autonomously subjectify …

Physical Education Through The Lens Of A Transgender Individual, Allison L. Graham

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Transgender students face unique challenges in K–12 physical education (PE) that other groups of students do not experience. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the life history of a transgender woman, Evergreen, with a focus on her experiences in PE throughout K-12 school. This study was guided by Queer Theory (Jagose, 1996) and Atkinson’s (1998) life history methodology, data was collected through nine semi-structured interviews and participant-selected artifacts. Data was analyzed using Merriam and Tisdell’s (2016) coding procedures to identify themes. Findings revealed distinct experiences across four areas: (1) Elementary School PE—positive memories centered on play …

Predicting The Unpredictable: Advancing Risk Management In Fitness Centers Through Data Science-Driven Judicial Outcome Modeling, Hongyoung Kim

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

This study developed a prediction model of judicial outcomes in fitness exercise-related injury lawsuits to identify key factors influencing fitness centers’ success in litigation. Using 209 U.S. court cases from Westlaw, Phase One employed text mining and content analysis to identify legal variables. Phase Two applied descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression to evaluate the combined influence of these variables on judicial outcomes. For the multiple logistic regression analysis, the sample size was reduced to 184 cases after excluding 25 remanded cases.

Results showed that victim behavior, hazardous facility conditions, and enforceable waivers or exculpatory clause defenses significantly predicted judicial …