Digital Commons Network^™

William Wager Cooper [Inducted 1995], American Accounting Association

Accounting Hall of Fame Brochures

No abstract provided.

Thomas Richard Dyckman [Inducted 2009], American Accounting Association

Accounting Hall of Fame Brochures

No abstract provided.

Robert Samuel Kaplan [Inducted 2006], American Accounting Association

Accounting Hall of Fame Brochures

No abstract provided.

Frank Donaldson Brown [Inducted 2022], American Accounting Association

Accounting Hall of Fame Brochures

No abstract provided.

David Francis Larcker [Inducted 2021], American Accounting Association

Accounting Hall of Fame Brochures

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Cost, Accessibility, Speed, And Efficiency Of Modern Microbial Detection Methods For Wastewater Surveillance And Their Potential Benefits In Low-Resource Settings, Gloria Rodriguez, Davida Smyth

Masters Theses (Archived)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater surveillance helped predict the emergence of several waves of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, sometimes before clinical detection, alerting public health authorities to investigate. As human fecal material can contain the nucleic acids of both DNA- and RNA-based pathogens, new methods isolating total nucleic acid (TNA) can be used to detect a wider variety of pathogens and genetic targets. Wastewater Surveillance is faster, cost effective and scalable. This study compared three commercially available TNA extraction kits: Promega Rapid Capture Beads (Rapid), Maxwell RSC Enviro Total Nucleic Acid (Vacuum), and Nanotrap® Microbiome A and B Enviro Water Protocol …

Factors Influencing Hispanic Students Obtaining A Post-Secondary Degree, Amy Paz

Masters Theses (Archived)

This qualitative case study explored the factors influencing Hispanic students’ decisions to pursue post-secondary education. Guided by the research question, What factors influence Hispanic students’ decision on obtaining a post-secondary college degree? the study examined the lived experiences of five participants who pursued various pathways, including two- and four-year institutions, vocational training, and workforce entry. Semi-structured interviews revealed four central themes: (1) influence and motivation, (2) cultural and educational background, (3) challenges and barriers, and (4) the importance of a college degree. Findings highlighted the significant role of family as both motivators and guides, the influence of cultural values, and …

3d Mri-Guided Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Tomography For Imaging Breast Cancer, Mengyang Zhao

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

While dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is widely recognized as the most sensitive modality for breast cancer detection, it has notable limitations, including a high false-positive rate and potential safety concerns associated with gadolinium (Gd) contrast agents. Consequently, there is growing interest in alternatives that rely on endogenous contrast. To address this need, the overall goal of this thesis is to develop and evaluate a concurrent MRI-guided near-infrared spectroscopic tomography (MRg-NIRST) platform capable of achieving reliable diagnostic performance without the use of contrast agents. In this multi-modality imaging approach, MRI provides high-resolution anatomical information about breast tissue composition, while …

Toward Climate Resilient Cities: Endorsing Green Justice Amid Unequal Distribution And Disparities In Fast-Sprawling Urban Nagpur, Prajakta Pimpalshende, Manu Thomas, Jayshree Shukla, Shruti Lahoti, Shalini Dhyani

Cities and the Environment (CATE)

Population expansion and accelerated land development frequently overlook the inclusion of green infrastructure, leading to disparities in Urban Green Space (UGS) distribution. In rapidly urbanizing cities of the Global South, ensuring socio-ecological connectivity is vital for promoting sustainable, climate-resilient, multifunctional landscapes. This study uses Nagpur, a rapidly expanding Indian city, as a case study to investigate spatial inequities in UGS access through the lens of green justice. We employed the Demand Supply Gap assessment (World Health Organization and Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation and Implementation, Government of India guidelines), the 3-30-300 green space rule as a guiding principle to …

Exploring Spiritual Coping And Anxiety Reduction In Military Personnel Transitioning Through The Meb Process And Undergoing Vocational Training: A Qualitative Approach, Camron L. Rawls

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study examined how transitioning military service members (TMSMs) navigating the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) and the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) used spiritual and vocational resources to manage stress and cope with identity loss. Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants enrolled in or recently completing the Ch. 31 Veterans Readiness & Employment (VR&E) or another vocational training program. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through repeated cycles of coding, memoing, and theme development. Six major themes emerged: (1) bureaucratic confusion and identity disruption that increased anxiety and led …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Student Perception Of The Usefulness Of Llms For Academic Achievement Among Business Technology Course Levels (200, 300, And 400) When Comparing Free Versus Paid Llm Access, Wendy Chun

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if there is a difference in student perceived usefulness of large language models (LLMs) for academic achievement among undergraduate business students at different business technology course levels (200, 300, and 400) when comparing access to free versus paid LLMs. This study is important because it contributes to a practical understanding of the impact of LLM-assisted learning on students' perception of how LLMs contribute to academic achievement at the undergraduate level; therefore, this study contributes to the literature by providing empirical-based information on how a student perceives the effectiveness of using …

Glider Gladiators: American Transport Aviators And Gliderborne Troops From Operation Ladbroke Through Operation Overlord, Gregory F. Withrow

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study reassesses the overlooked but crucial role of American glider pilots, gliderborne infantry, and C-47 Troop Carrier Command aviators in Allied airborne operations from Operation Ladbroke to Operation Overlord. While most accounts of World War II airborne warfare focus on paratroopers, this dissertation shows that glider forces were key to the success of major Allied offensives. They often faced misinterpretation, bias, and historical omission. By using a wide range of primary sources—including glider pilot interrogation reports, unit operational records, after-action analyses, and firsthand accounts—this work reconstructs the tactical, logistical, and experiential aspects of American glider operations at a depth …

Acoustic Black Hole Structures Using 3d-Printed Polymer Concrete, Siham S. Al Shanti

Civil Engineering ETDs

Mitigating unwanted vibrations is essential in the design of structural and mechanical systems to ensure safety, reliability, and long-term performance. This dissertation advances the Acoustic Black Hole (ABH) concept, passive vibration control strategy, by replacing geometric tapering with controlled material properties. Using Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, elastic modulus variation in polymer concrete (PC) enabled wave velocity reduction without compromising fatigue resistance. The high strength, excellent damping, and rheological properties of PC makes it ideal for 3D-printed ABH structures. This work examined bond performance between normal concrete properties, developed PC mixes with tailored rheological and mechanical properties, and evaluated their 3D-printability. A …

Leveraging High-Performance Cloud Computing To Model Underwater Acoustic Propagation And Scattering From Time-Evolving Rough Sea-Surfaces Using The Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method, James Alexander Higgins

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation presents a two-dimensional (2D) Finite-difference Time-domain (FDTD) model for simulating underwater acoustic propagation and scattering from a one-dimensional (1D) time-evolving rough sea-surface. The techniques discussed are extendable to three spatial dimensions. Traditional acoustic modeling techniques often rely on a "frozen" sea-surface assumption, which proves inadequate for long-duration signals interacting with the time-evolving boundary at many different wave height displacements during its transit. To address this, a new FDTD update equation incorporating a variable subgrid is developed, significantly enhancing spatial accuracy at the boundary without increasing computational cost or compromising stability.

The model's accuracy is rigorously validated against established …

Mbnl Loss Of Function In Smooth Muscle As A Model For Myotonic Dystrophy Associated Gastrointestinal Dysmotility, Janel A M Peterson, Jesus A Frias, Andrew N Miller, Krishnakant G Soni, Yi Zhang, Zheng Xia, John W Day, Geoffrey A Preidis, Thomas A Cooper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common adult-onset muscular dystrophy and severely affects multiple organ systems, including the brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Despite 80% of individuals with DM1 experiencing GI dysfunction that affects their daily life, the mechanisms of GI dysmotility in DM1 remain an understudied aspect of the disease. DM1 is caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the DMPK gene that, when expressed as an expanded CUG repeat RNA, sequesters and reduces the activity of the muscleblind-like (MBNL) RNA-binding protein family. We developed a mouse line with conditional, smooth muscle-specific knockout of …

Articulating Spacecraft Chassis, Christian T. Conkle, Robert A. Bettinger, Philip D. Smith

AFIT Patents

The present invention relates to articulating spacecraft chassis and methods of making and using same. The present invention relates to spacecraft chassis and methods of making and using same. Such spacecraft chassis have a dynamic movement capability that allows the spacecraft to alter its structure while still maintaining industry volumetric launch standards. This capability increases opens up a wide range of achievable volumetric states and increases the ability to meet mission requirements by introducing a new tunable parameter. In addition, the judicious selection of certain dynamic movement parameters can result increased payload capabilities and improved maneuverability.

The Inferred Functional Connectome Underlying Circadian Synchronization In The Mouse Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, K L Nikhil, Bharat Singhal, Daniel Granados-Fuentes, Jr-Shin Li, István Z Kiss, Erik D Herzog

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Circadian rhythms in mammals arise from the spatiotemporal synchronization of ~20,000 neuronal clocks in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Although anatomical, molecular, and genetic approaches have revealed diverse SCN cell types, how network-level wiring enables their synchronization remains unclear. To overcome the challenges of inferring functional connectivity from fixed tissue, we developed Mutual Information & Transfer Entropy (MITE), an information-theoretic framework to infer directed cell-cell connections with high fidelity from long-term live-cell imaging. Recording and analyzing 3,290 h of clock gene expression from 8,261 SCN neurons across 17 mice, we uncovered a highly conserved, sparse SCN network organized into two asymmetrically …

Holter Monitor Qt Dispersion And Qtc-Dispersion In Pediatric Long Qt Syndrome And Development Of A Diagnostic And Arrhythmia Risk Prediction Model, Hadeel Allam, Na Le Dang, Edita Karasalihovic, Nathan Miller, Lisa Roelle, William B Orr, Dustin Nash, Anthony G Pompa, Jennifer N A Silva

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Holter monitors can provide temporal QT analysis, allowing for calculation of QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion over time. We describe the results of the QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion over a 24-hour period in pediatric patients with long QT syndrome (LQTS), compared with a normal cohort, and develop 2 new machine learning models for diagnosis and arrhythmia risk prediction in LQTS.

METHODS: A single-center retrospective case-control study was conducted comparing patients with congenital LQTS and normal controls who underwent a clinically indicated Holter between January 2022 and May 2024. After identifying patients with cardiac events, 2 neural …

Intracellular Acinetobacter Baumannii Acts As A Transient Reservoir In Lung Infection Via A "Persist And Resist" Strategy, Manon Janet-Maitre, Gisela Di Venanzio, Clay D Jackson-Litteken, Nichollas E Scott, Mario F Feldman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Although considered primarily extracellular,

Molecular Effects Of Glucose On Mir503hg-Regulated Genes In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Victoria Reid, Barbara Yang, Kyle Russo, Melina J. Sedano, Ramesh Choudhari, Enrique I. Ramos, Shrikanth S. Gadad

School of Medicine Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, characterized by a lack of key hormone receptors in tumor cells. As there are limited treatment options for these patients, it is crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms by which TNBC constantly evolves and evades treatments. In this regard, the pervasive nature of transcription provides a potential reservoir of transcripts, including both coding and noncoding, that TNBC leverages to sustain a proliferative advantage and support tumor growth. TNBC is affected by energy sources such as glucose, which can have a profound impact on gene expression regulation mediated by various …

Dynamic Generation Of Contextual User Interface Controls From Content Analysis, Sönke Rohde, Alan Ross, Carsten Hinz

Defensive Publications Series

User interfaces for content generation and manipulation can be limited by static controls or ambiguous inputs that may not provide precise, context-specific tools. The disclosed technology relates to a system that can programmatically generate adaptive user interface (UI) controls based on content analysis. This system can analyze a corpus, such as an image or document, to perform semantic inference and derive manipulable properties. These properties can be mapped to declarative UI definitions for controls, such as sliders or dropdown menus, which can be rendered by a host application. This process can provide a user with context-aware controls tailored to specific …

Reconstructing Missed Photographic Moments Within A Spatiotemporal Event Cluster, Ilia Labzovsky, Danny Karmon

Defensive Publications Series

Group photos captured at events such as birthdays, weddings, holidays, etc. may sometimes leave out important individuals, rendering the memory of the event incomplete. This disclosure describes techniques that utilize generative artificial intelligence to reconstruct missed moments within a set of photos taken during a particular event by leveraging the collective context of the photos within the photo set. A multi-state artificial intelligence (AI) pipeline is implemented that includes missed moment identification using event analysis; asset and scene reconstruction; context-aware reconstruction; and generative rendering. The techniques shift the paradigm of digital photo albums from organizing photos to helping users obtain …

Llm-Based Automatic Generation Of Contextually Appropriate User Interface, Ilia Labzovsky, Danny Karmon

Defensive Publications Series

Currently, the user interface (UI) for digital photo management applications is a static, reverse chronological grid of thumbnails. From a user perspective, this UI has several drawbacks such as high interaction cost for retrieval, lack of contextual adaptation, and higher task friction. This disclosure describes a generative situational UI engine for media management applications. The engine is powered by an integrated large language model that is capable of automatic user interface generation. This engine replaces the static, one-size-fits-all grid with a dynamic interface that, with the user’s permission, is generated based on the user’s context and the content of their …

Coordinated, Heterogeneous Model Composition Under A Shared Governance And Audit Layer, Joseph Jm Walker

Defensive Publications Series

This paper introduces the Modular Artificial Specialized Intelligence (MASI) framework, a distributed cognitive architecture designed to address the safety, transparency, and governability limitations of monolithic foundation models. MASI decouples reasoning into four canonical, independently operational roles—Wisdom, Foresight, Empathy, and Precision—coordinated through a standardized communication layer known as the MASI Bus. The framework enforces a Consult-Before-Execute (CBE) protocol, requiring multi-perspective verification, drift detection, and ethical arbitration prior to any system output or tool execution. This deliberative process is quantified via the MASI Trust Score ($T_{masi}$), a dynamic metric integrating fairness, logic, and uncertainty into a verifiable audit artifact. Additionally, the …

Model-Driven Continuous Validation Using Adversarial Testing In A Digital Twin, Ramakrishnan Neelakandan, Teginder Singh, Bakul Patel

Defensive Publications Series

Conventional software validation methods can be static and periodic, which may present challenges for continuously updated platforms (e.g., cloud platforms) in regulated industries and can impede the validation of non-deterministic systems like artificial intelligence models. A system for continuous validation may use a dual-pathway architecture guided by a machine-readable compliance model. One pathway can perform adversarial testing within an isolated digital twin of a production application to discover potential compliance weaknesses. Concurrently, a second pathway can provide real-time observational monitoring of the live production system for policy deviations and anomalies. Findings from both pathways may be consolidated into a persistent, …

Multimodal Ai For Descriptive And Causal Analysis Of Infrastructure Defects From Imagery, Theodorus Tjhang

Defensive Publications Series

Some automated systems for infrastructure inspection may detect defects from imagery but could lack the ability to provide descriptive context, causal reasoning, or interactive querying. A system is described that can utilize a multimodal artificial intelligence model to analyze visual data, such as pre-existing geolocalized imagery, in conjunction with natural language text prompts. The system can generate detailed analytical outputs including, for example, segmentation masks and bounding boxes for defect localization, as well as descriptive labels detailing the nature of a defect, its potential causes, and the reasoning for its detection. This approach can facilitate a more comprehensive and interactive …

Self-Improving Autonomous Data Exploration System With Meta-Learning And Temporal Knowledge Graph, Sai Charan Tej Kommuri, Madhup Sukoon

Defensive Publications Series

Data exploration methods that rely on manual intervention may be limited in their ability to autonomously discover insights from large, unanalyzed enterprise datasets. To address this, systems and methods are described that can employ a self-improving, multi-agent architecture. This system can feature an exploration layer for generating hypotheses, an evaluation layer for validation, a temporal knowledge graph (TKG) to serve as a persistent memory of insights, and a meta-learning layer. The meta-learning layer can observe analytical outcomes stored in the TKG to refine future exploration policies. This closed-loop process can enable the system to autonomously generate, validate, and learn from …

[Conversational Operating System] Dynamic System Prompt Architecture For Context State Governance In Large Language Models, Joseph Jm Walker

Defensive Publications Series

Core Insight

The system prompt should not be treated as static instructions.
It should be treated as a dynamic operating layer that governs reasoning, tone, epistemic discipline, bias correction, and long-term continuity.

What Makes This Distinct

Most prompt engineering focuses on what the model says.
This work focuses on how the model reasons, under what constraints, and how that behavior persists over time.

This disclosure presents a dynamic system-prompt architecture that transforms the system prompt of a large language model from a static instruction block into an adaptive governance layer. The architecture introduces a context-state machine, an operator-level control protocol, …

Teaching Stem Courses Using Ignatian Pedagogy, Gintaras K. Duda

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Despite the impact of the Jesuit educational endeavor on the rise of science, the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP), the signature Jesuit Pedagogy, is not frequently used to teach courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and very little literature exists documenting any such attempts. In this paper, I describe a framework for how to apply the IPP to STEM courses using active-engagement strategies and assessment tools from disciplinary-based educational research (DBER). I provide three examples of how I have implemented the IPP in physics courses at various levels in the curriculum at a Jesuit University complete with assessment results …

The Current State Of Global Engagement Within U.S. Jesuit Institutions: Challenges And Opportunities, Han Yan, Lin Lu

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

Jesuit education aims to cultivate global citizens who actively engage with the world and champion social justice. As economic and social ties grow increasingly interconnected, Jesuit institutions need to develop innovative international learning opportunities for students. In this study, using publicly available IIE Open Doors data from the past two decades, we assess international student enrollment and study abroad initiatives at U.S. Jesuit institutions and compare these metrics against national trends. The results suggest that U.S. Jesuit institutions have substantial potential to invest in and reap the benefits of global engagement. Grounded in the Jesuit mission and the Inspirational Paradigm …