Digital Commons Network^™

Prototyping Pinhole Collimators For Imaging Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Narrie Loftus, Ashish Avachat, Joseph T. Graham, Ryan Fronk, Jordan Fox, Rachel Shaffer, Seth Kilby

Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Collimator design and fabrication is a costly and time-consuming process that does not lend itself to simplified testing. This manuscript presents an approach for the rapid prototyping of sub-millimeter pinhole collimators for nuclear fuel applications using low-melting-point, high-mass-density materials. Multiple collimators were fabricated to test collimator parameters and properties, including acceptance angle, aperture diameter, and magnification. The fabricated collimators were paired with a position-sensitive CdZnTe detector to determine the detector response convolved with the collimator. Preliminary analysis using these collimators showed that they were effective in collimating multi-energy gamma laboratory sources. Radiography was performed to confirm magnification and determine coarse …

Keyframe Selection From Motion Capture Data With Dual-Agent Reinforcement Learning, Kun Hu, Wang, Clinton Mo, Mingyang Ma, Shaohui Mei, Zebin Chen, Zhiyong Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Animation production workflows centered around motion capture techniques require animators to edit motions based on a set of keyframes. However, most existing keyframe selection methods are optimization-based, which suffer from the issues of flexibility and efficiency. In this paper, a novel deep reinforcement learning method with dual agents are proposed for unsupervised keyframe selection. First, an S-Agent and an R-Agent evaluate the actions of selection and refinement, respectively. A deep spatio-temporal network, namely graph keyframe evaluation network (GKEN), is proposed for the agents. Then, an animation specified reward is devised based on reconstruction, which fulfills three important properties of the …

Codee Expects That Every Mathematician Will Do Their Odes: From The Battle Of Trafalgar To Calculus (Or Nelson To Newton), Steven Miller

CODEE Journal

Using the historical Battle of Trafalgar as a case study, we introduce students to mathematical modeling to describe and explore real-world systems. Starting with the question—how do force sizes and combat effectiveness determine which side wins?—we show how to use a blend of mathematics and computational tools to investigate the answer. Beginning by defining a simple differential equation model for combat dynamics, we analyze its behavior using differential equations and accessible algebraic techniques. We show how computational methods and simulations can support systematic, visual exploration and suggest conjectures that mathematical analysis can then establish. This material could serve as the …

Defense-To-Attack: Bypassing Weak Defenses Enables Stronger Jailbreaks In Vision-Language Models, Yunhan Zhao, Xiang Zheng, Yige Li, Xingjun Ma

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Despite their superb capabilities, Vision-Language Models (VLMs) have been shown to be vulnerable to jailbreak attacks. While recent jailbreaks have achieved notable progress, their effectiveness and efficiency can still be improved. In this work, we reveal an interesting phenomenon: incorporating weak defense cues into the attack pipeline can significantly enhance both the effectiveness and efficiency of jailbreaks on VLMs. Building on this insight, we propose Defense2Attack, a novel jailbreak method that bypasses the safety guardrails of VLMs by leveraging defensive patterns to guide jailbreak prompt construction. Specifically, Defense2Attack consists of three key components: (1) a visual optimizer that embeds universal …

Semantic-Structural Decoupling: Disentangling Semantic Attention From Structural Bias In The Attention Manifold, Pengkun Jiao, Bin Zhu, Jingjing Chen, Yu-Gang Jiang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The empirical success of attention mechanism in Multimodal Large Language Models (MLLMs) often obscures its inherent, subtle flaws. Specifically, MLLMs consistently exhibit disproportionate attention toward certain semantically uninformative visual tokens, a phenomenon termed "register" or "Visual Attention Sinks." While existing inference intervention methods attempt to identify these sink tokens and redistribute their attention weights, such approaches typically treat these tokens in isolation and suffer from computational inefficiency. Instead, we reframe this phenomenon as a generalized textual bias exerted over visual features that extends beyond isolated sink tokens. From this perspective, a pervasive structural bias leads to the dilution of the …

Updated Library Publishing Curriculum Policy Module: Policy Narrative, Alexandra Marcaccio, Talea Anderson, Corinne Guimont, Esther Jackson, Michelle Wilson, Perry Collins

Library Publishing Curriculum

The Policy Module covers how library publishers develop policies that guide specific areas of their work. Policy is an area where publishing programs interface with the legal and political environment, which has seen dramatic changes since the original Policy Module was written, and these units provide the up-to-date guidance that library publishers need. The units in the updated Policy Module are:

• Accessibility by Alexandra Marcaccio
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Talea Anderson
• Preservation by Corinne Guimont
• Publishing Ethics by Esther Jackson & Michelle Wilson
• Rights & Rights Management by Perry Collins

Book Review: Disability And Evangelism:The Good News Of The Fullness Of God's Kingdom, By Rochelle Scheuermann, T.S. John

Witness

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Christian Faith Sharing Through Social Media On Christian And Non-Christian Young Adults, Glen Bowman, Ruben Williams, Tyler Sheppard

Witness

This paper explores the influence of Christian faith sharing through social media on young adults, both Christian and non-Christian. Drawing on two qualitative descriptive studies using semi-structured interviews and focus groups, the research synthesized codes and identified key themes regarding positively oriented Christian content on social media. The content generally appealed to young adults and frequently enhanced their spiritual thinking, motivation, and behavior. However, posts with a negative tone, poor scriptural use, or perceived hypocrisy tend to provoke adverse reactions, including negative thoughts about Christianity and “fight-or-flight” behavioral responses. The findings also reveal that young adults often underestimate the influence …

A Review Of Gallium And Germanium Recovery From Industrial Solid Residues, Ernest V. Oteng, Marthias Silwamba, Lana Alagha, Alex Luyima

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The global demand for critical elements such as gallium (Ga) and germanium (Ge), and the shift toward circular mining has accelerated the development of new extraction and recovery processing these metals from industrial solid residues. This transition is driven by a substantial surge in demand for advanced technologies and the depletion of primary ore. Consequently, industrial solid residues, particularly zinc processing residues, smelter slags, flue dusts, and coal fly ash, are emerging as viable alternative sources. These residues incorporate Ga and Ge through isomorphic substitution in phases such as ferrites, silicates, and glassy aluminosilicates, and are enriched by industrial processes, …

November 2026 Library & Learning Newsletter, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Library & Learning Dean's Office Communication Team

Library & Learning Newsletters

PDF version of the November 2026 (Volume 5, Issue 3) Library & Learning Newsletter.

Meeting Survivors Where They Are: Gbv Service Fit And Mismatch In Rural Communities, Ziwei Qi, Rachel Dolechek, Naishuo Sun

Social Work Faculty Publications

Gender-based violence (GBV) poses ongoing challenges in rural communities, where structural and cultural barriers often hinder effective support. This qualitative study analyzed six listening sessions and two survivor panels with over 50 participants in a Midwestern state. Using trauma-informed care and cultural humility frameworks, we conducted reflexive thematic analysis to explore service alignment with local values and survivor needs. Two themes emerged: service fits, marked by adaptive, trust-based practices; and service mismatches, involving rigid systems and cultural isolation. Findings highlight the need for survivor-led, flexible, and culturally grounded responses to enhance rural GBV service delivery and promote long-term well-being.

Data Bits To Identify Survey Bots And Insincere Respondents, Elena P. Noetzel, Abigail Beavers, Erin Dannecker

International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities

Information technologies increasingly influence the quality of online survey data. To better understand the quality of online survey data, the researchers conducted a secondary analysis of a survey’s (Study 1; N = 98) data elements and a pilot study (Study 2; N = 20) with a new online survey. The researchers asked: (1) what data elements differed between suspected sincere or insincere survey participants and, (2) how have other researchers checked and perceived checked data from online surveys? In Study 1, the researchers grouped participants into suspected sincere or insincere cohorts based on their survey access method and email address …

Mgrre_Thinsections_Mgrre_11_2, Mgrre

Thin Sections

No abstract provided.

Tribal Federalism: Expanding The Indian Gaming Paradigm, Adam Crepelle

Michigan Law Review

Federalism has long been celebrated for its ability to foster policy innovation, transforming states into “laboratories of democracy.” Yet, federalism discourse has largely neglected Indian tribes, the third sovereign in the American constitutional order. Tribes regularly implement novel policies. However, tribal policy innovation is hindered by uncertainty over whether tribes or states govern Indian country activities.

The most influential framework for determining the scope of tribal versus state regulatory power in Indian country is derived from the Supreme Court’s opinion in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians—the case that launched Indian gaming. Cabazon held that tribes cannot permit …

Scalpels, Not Hatchets: Beyond Access Bans And Toward A Design-Based Framework For Social Media Regulation, Case Thomason

Michigan Law Review

State legislatures have enacted more than a dozen statutes restricting minors’ access to social media platforms in response to mounting evidence of harm to minors’ mental health. Nearly every one of these laws has been struck down in federal court before taking effect. The problem is structural, in that lawmakers have been using hatchets rather than scalpels to address this issue. Hatchets are sweeping, access-based restrictions that condition minors’ access to platforms on age verification or parental consent. In contrast, scalpels are precise, design-based regulations that target specific platform features such as infinite scroll, push notifications, and engagement-maximizing recommendation algorithms …

Analyzing Developer Discussions On Eu And Us Privacy Legislation Compliance In Github Repositories, Georgia M. Kapitsaki, Maria Papoutsoglou, Christoph Treude, Ioanna Theophilou

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Context: Privacy legislation has impacted the way software systems are developed, prompting practitioners to update their implementations. Specifically, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have forced the community to focus on users’ data privacy. Objectives: Relying on the vast amount of data on developer issues available in GitHub repositories, our aim is to gather empirical evidence on the issues developers of Open Source Software discuss to comply with privacy legislation. Method: We examined such discussions by mining and analyzing 32,820 issues from GitHub repositories. We partially analyzed the dataset automatically to identify …

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. …

The Human Right To Due Process In U.S. Immigration Courts, Sarah Dávila A., Alejandra Palacios, Emily Mccabe

Faculty White Papers

No abstract provided.

J Mich Dent Assoc Nov. 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The November 2026 issue of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association provides comprehensive coverage of professional, legal, and operational developments impacting Michigan dentists. Key topics include an analysis of dental emergency visits at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), leadership principles within organized dentistry, advocacy efforts surrounding Senate Bill 105 regarding virtual credit card reimbursement fees, practice transition, embezzlement prevention, employee documentation compliance, and member services. This issue highlights community, equity, and legislative engagement aimed at supporting dental practices and improving statewide public oral health.

Nov. 2026 Dentistry And The Law - Practice Break-Ups/Ownership Of Patient Records, Daniel Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This legal column addresses complex issues surrounding dental practice break-ups and the ownership of patient records. Author Daniel J. Schulte, JD, provides guidance on establishing clear employment, shareholder, and buy-sell agreements from the inception of a practice partnership. Proactive legal structuring ensures continuity of patient care, clarifies record ownership rights, and mitigates the risk of costly litigation during practice transitions.

Managing Collaboration Under Conservation Crisis: Trust, Risk, And Control In The Gulf Of Maine Fishery Management Network, Evelyn Roozee, Owen Temby, Dongkyu Kim, Antonia Sohns, Anthony Rocha Lima, Jasper R. De Vries, Gordon M. Hickey

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Transboundary fishery management and the intertwined conservation of critically endangered species represent significant governance challenges that require ongoing inter-organizational communication, collaboration, and collective action to achieve shared objectives. Previous research suggests that inter-organizational collaborative performance depends heavily on different dimensions of trust and complementary control mechanisms to mitigate the perceived risks of collaborating and enable the reciprocal sharing of resources and the coordination of activities. However, it is unclear how proposed relationships between trust, risk, and control are shaped by disruptions to established transboundary management networks. This study presents the results of survey research conducted in the Gulf of Maine …

Effects Of Demineralization Protocols On Hydrogen And Oxygen Isotope Ratios In Fossil Bone Collagen, Linda M. Reynard

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

The effect of three commonly used preparation protocols on bone collagen δ2H and δ18O values was investigated, using six generally well-preserved faunal bones (cattle, bison, horse) ranging in age from the Holocene to Late Pleistocene. The treatments tested were ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid demineralization without gelatinization and hydrochloric acid demineralization with and without gelatinization. There are significant shifts in δ18O values among preparation methods. No systematic shifts in bone collagen δ2H values were noted among the three treatments, and most offsets were low (< 2–3 ‰) and smaller than typical measurement uncertainties. A few sample/treatment combinations yielded slightly higher inter-treatment δ2H differences (∼ 5–7 ‰). Lower mass fraction of hydrogen in …

Reliability And Validity Of Upper Extremity Neurocognitive Reactive Tests In Collegiate Athletes, Matthew L. Gauthier, Marisa Pontillo, George J. Davies

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives: Neurocognitive function is vital in sports, but evidence supporting neurocognitive reaction testing in upper extremity return-to-sport testing is limited. This study's purpose was to quantify measurement properties of upper extremity reactive testing in collegiate athletes, hypothesizing acceptable measurement properties for clinical use.

Design: Cross-Sectional Study.

Setting: Collegiate athletics.

Participants: Sixty-three healthy athletes (25 females, age = 20.8 ± 1.6 years, BMI = 25.6 ± 2.6 kg/m2; 38 males, age = 20.8 ± 1.6, BMI = 25.7 ± 2.6 kg/m2).

Main outcome measure(s): Successful touches and average reaction time on the Upper Extremity Reactive Closed Kinetic Chain Test (UERCKCT) and …

The Influence Of Childhood Experiential History On Elon Musk’S Personality, Amelia Brower, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This paper presents the results of a developmental causal analysis of the adult personality of innovative entrepreneur and business leader Elon Musk, from the conceptual perspective of personologist Theodore Millon.

Psychodiagnostically relevant data relating to Musk’s personality were collected from biographical sources and media reports and synthesized into a personality profile using the Millon Inventory of Diagnostic Criteria (MIDC), which yields 34 normal and maladaptive personality classifications congruent with DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, and DSM-5-TR.

The findings of the personality assessment were previously reported in a separate paper. Musk’s primary personality patterns were found to be Ambitious/self-serving and Dominant/controlling, …

November 2026, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

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Organic Solvent-Assisted Pore Structure Modulation In Porous Carbons For Superior Energy Storage Performance In Supercapacitors, Jibi Kunjumon, Gurwinder Singh, Ajanya M. Ruban, Harleen Kaur, Alan Larson, Ranjit Pati, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

The pore structure is a significant feature of porous carbons that accounts for their excellent performance in supercapacitors; however, the literature on pore modulation and cleansing is scarce. Here, a novel approach based on organic solvent-assisted pore modulation is reported to tune the pore hierarchy and local carbon-layer arrangement in porous carbons derived from waste biomass. The strategy involves adsorbing n-heptane into porous carbon at room temperature, thereby facilitating realignment of the carbon layers, improving pore hierarchy, and generating short-range graphitic domains. The solvent-assisted pore modulation, together with the high surface area and graphitization, led to a significant increase of …

Nonhuman Speakers And The Constitution, Helen Norton

Fordham Law Review

Long-standing free speech law sometimes does—and sometimes does not—turn on speakers’ human character. This Essay explores how these doctrinal threads might shape the constitutional doctrine applied to generative artificial intelligence’s (AI) speech outputs if we assume that a human speaker cannot be identified as the creator of those words and images—and that those words and images are nevertheless considered “speech” for First Amendment purposes.

For example, First Amendment doctrine sometimes requires proof of a speaker’s culpable mental state before that speaker can be held liable for what would otherwise be unprotected speech. These requirements seek to prevent the chilling of …

Digital Gaze And Constitutional Democracy At 250, Catherine Powell

Fordham Law Review

The panopticon of digital surveillance undermines identity formation and realization of our authentic selves. This Essay offers a new insight by conceptualizing alienation from genuine selfhood as a form of “double consciousness.” W.E.B. Du Bois formulated the notion of double consciousness—the dual awareness inherent in negotiating between a self-defined identity and an externally imposed one. Just as Du Bois speaks of “double consciousness” for African Americans, the ever-present digital gaze to which we are now all subject—regardless of our race—creates a similar duality. I call this duality “online double consciousness,” which is compounded for people of color and other historically …

Clickwrap Accountability, Alicia Solow-Niederman

Fordham Law Review

Picture a public‑facing generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot on a government website that can answer questions about benefits eligibility. Systems like these expose a sociotechnical-legal divide: They route around the standard due process framework because there has been no formal government determination, yet they induce reliance from users, above and beyond past rounds of automated legal guidance. Moreover, if there is an error, current doctrine on government errors and equitable estoppel makes relief unlikely.

This Essay focuses on government deployment of public‑facing generative AI chatbots and critically assesses the front‑end power dynamics that determine who is filtered out of government …

Algorithmic Models And The Freedom Of Speech, Alexander Tsesis

Fordham Law Review

Intentionality and reason are intrinsic features of the human mind that large language models (LLMs) entirely lack. Although LLMs generate natural-language sentences through algorithmic processes, autonomously produced machine speech lacks the consciousness of human speakers. This intrinsic distinction between natural persons and artificial machines is consequential to whether LLM-generated outputs are covered by the First Amendment. Scholars who equate the constitutional value of human speech with algorithmic outputs tend to emphasize the informational value of those outputs to audiences while giving insufficient attention to the absence of machine consciousness. The conscious underpinnings of thought and their relation to constitutional protections …