Digital Commons Network^™

Artificial Sentience: The Other Side Of The Story, Amanda Sharkey

Animal Sentience

There is another side to the story of the account of artificial sentience — one that makes the possibility of artificial sentience unlikely: the fundamental difference between living bodies and artificial systems.  Sentience occurs in strongly embodied, living entities, and not in disembodied artificial systems, nor in robots. The appearance of sentience is exacerbated by deceptive behaviour and anthropomorphism. The risks of keeping an open mind about the required underlying substrate are in wasted efforts to protect systems that cannot suffer, and in placing inappropriate trust in their abilities.

Modulating Alternative Splicing Of Mecp2 Is A Potential Therapeutic Strategy For Rett Syndrome, Harini P Tirumala, Li Wang, Yan Li, Sameer S Bajikar, Ashley G Anderson, Wei Wang, Alexander J Trostle, Mahla Zahabiyon, Aleksandar Bajic, Jean J Kim, Hu Chen, Zhandong Liu, Huda Y Zoghbi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurological disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2), a transcriptional regulator essential for maintenance of normal neuronal function. The current FDA-approved treatment for RTT, Trofinetide, mildly alleviates some symptoms. In contrast, re-introducing MeCP2 or increasing its amount through transgenesis in mouse RTT models improves most neurological phenotypes and enhances survival. Here, we devised a therapeutic strategy to moderately increase MeCP2 protein by modulating the alternative splicing of MECP2 to switch the less efficiently translated e2 to the more efficiently translated e1 isoform. We deleted Mecp2 exon 2 (unique …

A Neural Circuit Framework For Economic Choice: From Building Blocks Of Valuation To Compositionality In Multitasking, Aldo Battista, Camillo Padoa-Schioppa, Xiao-Jing Wang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Value-guided decisions are a cornerstone of cognition, yet the underlying circuit-level mechanisms remain elusive. We used reinforcement learning to train recurrent neural network models endowed with Dale's law on a battery of economic choice tasks, which revealed a two-stage computational framework. First, value estimation occurs at the input level, where learned weights store subjective preferences and approximate the non-linear multiplication of reward magnitude and probability to yield expected values. This feedforward mechanism enables generalization to novel choice options. Second, option values are compared within the recurrent network, where specific connectivity patterns mediate robust winner-take-all decisions, with both excitatory and inhibitory …

Volume 12, 2025

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

No abstract provided.

Nonfiction Runner-Up: Stuck In My Teeth, Grace M. Moore

Lindsay J. Cropper Creative Writing Contest

No abstract provided.

Nonfiction Winner: Shannon With Buckteeth, Annie With Dandelions, Annelise M. Klepper

Lindsay J. Cropper Creative Writing Contest

No abstract provided.

Michigan Tech’S Insect Collection: An Important Historical Resource In The Upper Peninsula, Thomas E. Panella, Tara L. Bal

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Regional insect collections can be valuable resources when covering under-represented areas, unique time periods, or unique collectors. Houghton and Baraga County Michigan are two predominantly forested counties in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. The main campus for Michigan Technological University is based in Houghton, MI with a forestry field campus in Baraga County that was acquired in 1954. The university has had forest entomology research in some capacity at least since the 1930’s with faculty, students, and members of the community preserving and submitting various specimens in the decades since then, making it a unique collection demographically. The collection …

Dawn To Dusk Division Of Monarda Fistulosa Foraging Time By Bumble Bee Species (Bombus Spp.) And Likelihood To Return The Next Day, Elise Bernstein, Clara Costello, Mary Yang, Rosa Weinand, Noah Sullivan, Maya Cintorino, Charlie Vang, Miller Johnson, Ahmed Hussein, Gaochong Vang, Rashad Bowen, Kristen Gresl, Elaine Evans

The Great Lakes Entomologist

There is a growing public interest in increasing pollinator habitat in urban areas. Monarda fistulosa is a commonly planted perennial species chosen for pollinator habitats of various sizes, from residential gardens to large-scale prairie restoration projects. Previous research has confirmed a preference for M. fistulosa among various bee species. We monitored and marked bumble bees visiting M. fistulosa over a 14-hour period, seeking to understand the daily pattern of bee visitation. We also observed bumble bees on the following day to determine the probability of marked individual bumble bees continuing to forage on M. fistulosa or to switch to a …

Initial Changes In Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Species Assemblages Near Seasonal Ponds Surrounded By Forests Under Different Harvesting Practices, Robert A. Haack, Toby Petrice, Robert E. Acciavatti, Robert L. Davidson, Brian J. Palik

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Seasonal ponds often form after spring snowmelt in forests of the Great Lakes region. Although such seasonal ponds are common, few US states set buffer-width guidelines to protect them when harvesting the adjacent upland forest. The objectives of this study were to determine if the carabid beetle assemblages near seasonal ponds differed from those in the adjacent upland forests prior to any logging, and then if these assemblages changed in response to various levels of tree harvesting within and adjacent to the 15-m-wide buffers that surrounded the seasonal ponds. The traps were placed within the buffers at about 7.6 m …

Biology, Phenology, And Host Range Of A Seed-Feeding Weevil, Ceutorhynchus Constrictus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), A Biological Control Agent For Garlic Mustard, Alliaria Petiolata, In North America, Ghislaine Cortat, Hariet L. Hinz, Esther Gerber, Elizabeth J. Katovich, Mary E. Marek-Spartz, Roger L. Becker, Robert S. Bourchier, Danielle Fife

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Ceutorhynchus constrictus Marsham is a seed-feeding weevil and potential biocontrol agent of the invasive plant garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara & Grande (Brassicaceae), in North America. Ceutorhynchus constrictus is native to Europe, has a single generation per year and eggs are laid into developing seeds within the seedpods of bolting garlic mustard plants. Females use their prolonged rostrum to bore holes through seedpods into the developing seed, deposit a single egg and then cover the opening with secretion. Larvae feed on ripening seeds and progress through three instars before exiting seedpods in late June, to pupate and overwinter in …

Full Issue For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos. 3 & 4

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Full issue for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos. 3 & 4

The Authoritarian Semiotics Of The New Campus Mask Bans, Rob Kahn

St. John's Law Review

(Excerpt)

In 2024, students took part in protests for and against Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Some protests were disruptive and violent— most were not. In response, calls arose across the country to ban masks. In New York, a broad organization of civil rights groups called for a statewide mask ban under the hashtag #UnmaskHateNY, while New York Governor Kathy Hochul—with the support of New York City Mayor Eric Adams—called for a mask ban on the New York City subways. There were also calls in North Carolina and Los Angeles for new, or enhanced, mask bans. Meanwhile, Ohio’s Attorney General …

Freshwater Quality For Recreation, Heather Nix, Masha Bokar

Forestry and Natural Resources

South Carolina has many water resources that provide tremendous opportunities for people to enjoy water-based recreational activities, such as swimming, boating, and fishing. Participation in these activities produces significant economic benefits and supports many jobs throughout the state. However, at times, water quality may be unsafe for immersion or skin contact due to high levels of pollutants, such as bacteria or cyanotoxins. It is important for people to be aware of potential concerns and understand methods for determining if a waterbody’s current conditions are likely to be safe for primary or secondary recreation.

Combinatorial Therapeutic Strategies To Combat Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter Baumannii, Tope A. Aderibigbe

Theses and Dissertations

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that poses a significant global health threat due to its remarkable ability to acquire multidrug (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) phenotypes. Therapeutic failures are increasingly common as strains develop resistance to nearly all available antibiotics, including carbapenems, polymyxins, and tigecycline, leaving clinicians with limited treatment options. This study aimed to investigate combinatorial therapeutic approaches capable of revitalizing antibiotic efficacy against MDR/XDR A. baumannii clinical isolates. We evaluated the synergistic potential of durlobactam-sulbactam in combination with twelve commonly used antibiotics, including amikacin, rifampin, tobramycin, tigecycline, cefiderocol, and others. Initial screening using the disc diffusion …

March 2026 Faculty Senate Packet, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

Rapid, Objective Verification Method For Convection Allowing Models Using Object-Based Storm Tracking, John David Goode

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Counting The Recovery Of New Hampshire Bats, Mark Wanner

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, March 3, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 17

Therapeutic Horsemanship For The Caregiver: Overview Of Results, Pinky Shani, Laura A. Espinosa, Rebecca Yarbrough

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are prepared to care for illness and experience stressful situations including trauma and death. However, the overwhelming conditions during and after the pandemic can put many HCPs at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout. Previous research has reported a prevalence of PTSD among HCPs between 21.5% and 38% (Greene et al., 2021; Yan et al., 2021). In addition, 48% of ICU nurses experienced PTSD (Sanchez, Simon, & Ford, 2019). Furthermore, past research has indicated burnout levels of 55% to 86% among HCPs. It is essential that resources are provided for HCPs to cope …

Vlx-1005, But Not Argatroban, Prevents Itam-Mediated Platelet Activation And Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia, Adriana Yamaguchi, Victoria Putzbach, Reheman Adili, Sophia Lazar, Livia Stanger, Devin Gilmore, David J. Maloney, Steven E. Mckenzie, James V. Michael, Michael Holinstat

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an immune prothrombotic disorder characterized by the binding of platelet-activating immunoglobulin G antibodies to platelet factor 4/heparin. In platelets, this leads to cross-linking of the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM)-bearing receptor FcγRIIa, platelet activation, and thrombocytopenia, which in combination with extensive thrombin generation significantly increases the risk of thrombosis. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX), an oxygenase primarily expressed in platelets, plays a critical role in platelet activation through FcγRIIa. In this study, we aimed to determine the effectiveness of VLX-1005, a potent and selective inhibitor of 12-LOX, alone or in combination with argatroban, …

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

Circulating Ketone Bodies And Incident Cardiovascular Outcomes And Mortality: Insights From The Uk Biobank, Parag Anilkumar Chevli, Saeid Mirzai, Richard Kazibwe, Jeff Kingsley, Alexis C Wood, Joseph Yeboah, Leandro Slipczuk, Anurag Mehta, Harpreet S Bhatia, Ambarish Pandey, Michael D Shapiro

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Ketone bodies (KB) are endogenous energy sources synthesized by the liver in response to metabolic stress. Their associations with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), heart failure (HF), and mortality and their potential beneficial or harmful effects have yet to be determined. This study aimed to examine the association between KB and incident cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in a large general population cohort free from ASCVD and HF at baseline.

Methods: This analysis included 90 987 participants (mean age 56.4 ± 8.1 years; 54.7% women) from the UK Biobank without prevalent ASCVD or HF. KB were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance …

Fabricating Decolonial Futures: The Power Of Afrofuturism And Indigenous Futurism, Albert Stabler

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

Inspired by important works of speculative fiction, the movements of Afrofuturism and Indigenous Futurism have come to encompass a wide range of works by Black and Indigenous creators, including but not limited to visual artists. In this article I describe my own work as a white high school art teacher in a BIPOC classroom, leading class projects motivated by the fascinating overlaps of traditional practices, social critique, and futuristic fantasy in Afrofuturist art. I then go on to describe speculative creative works by Indigenous and Black artists that have continued to follow this path, particularly using digital tools and new …

Tribological Properties Evaluation Of Powdered Pentaclethra Macrophylla Pod And Gum-Arabic For Brake Pad, I. Iloabachie, A. Nwankwo, C. Ogbu

Engineering and Technology Journal

This study evaluated the tribological properties of an eco-friendly brake pad. Pentaclethra macrophylla pod was pulverized into powder form and sieved. Two particle sizes of 150 μm and 210 μm were obtained after sieving, and the sieved particles were divided into two portions, with one portion carbonized and the other uncarbonized. The brake pad composite was produced by varying the composition of powdered reinforcement in the order of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt.%. The formulation was poured into a metal mould 50 × 50 × 8 mm3, placed in a hot platen press at a temperature of about …

Effect Of Pistacia Khinjuk Shell And Rapeseed Straw Particles On Mechanical Properties And Thermal Properties Of Polyester-Based Composites, Sana Muhamadali, Rzgar Abdalrahman

Engineering and Technology Journal

Composite materials are widely employed across various industries due to their superior mechanical and thermal properties compared to metals, offering improved performance with reduced weight. Polyester-based composites, in particular, have gained attention for their versatility and ease of processing, and their properties can be further enhanced by incorporating suitable fillers. In response to increasing environmental concerns, recent research has focused on natural fillers as sustainable alternatives, owing to their biodegradability, low cost, and minimal ecological impact. Despite growing interest, the combined application of underutilized bio-based materials, specifically Pistacia khinjuk (PK) shell particles and Rapeseed straw (RS) fibers within polyester matrices, …

Treatment For Dairy Waste Water Using A Photoreactor (Uv And Hydrogen Peroxide) As An Alternative Treatment Technique, Anwar Hashim, Hala Abdulkareem, Mohammed Salman

Engineering and Technology Journal

The contamination of vital life supplies by industrial waste, especially dairy effluent, is a growing global concern. This study investigates the impact of advanced oxidation processes (AOP) on treating dairy wastewater utilizing UV/H2O2 AOP. Utilized ultraviolet lamps in conjunction with hydrogen peroxide oxidant reagent (0.6, 1.2, 1.8, and 2.4 ml/L) in batch experiments under varying parameters to optimize the treatment of dairy wastewater before and following its introduction to the advanced oxidation process (AOP) system, by measuring Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). The impacts of varying circulation durations in a photocatalytic system (60-360 minutes), flow rates …

Mapping Agricultural Lands At Risk Of Meteorological Drought In Iraq Using Geostatistics, Mohammed Azeez, Hisham Al Sharaa, Abdul Razzak Ziboon

Engineering and Technology Journal

Identifying vulnerable agricultural lands at risk of meteorological drought is challenging for researchers. Its complexity lies in the fact that agricultural lands are irrigated by two sources: rain and rivers. In this research, we have developed a geostatistical model to separate river-dependent lands unaffected by meteorological drought waves and land vulnerable to the risk of meteorological drought. The inputs of this geostatistical model are the vegetation index and the humidity index extracted from Landsat 8, the rainfall from CHIRPS, and the LULC from ESA. The correlation between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), and …

A Review Of A Study On Improving The Performance Of Spherical Solar Stills, Faiz Jodah, Wissam ِAlawee, Hayder Dhahad, Z.M. Omara

Engineering and Technology Journal

The urgent need for potable water has increased despite water covering much of the Earth's surface. Solar desalination, which uses solar energy to produce fresh water, is an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution, especially for remote areas lacking clean drinking water. This technology is valuable even in deserts with no other freshwater sources. However, conventional solar stills have low efficiency. To address this, various experiments have been conducted to enhance the daily output of solar stills by improving evaporation and condensation rates, which standard distillers cannot achieve. This innovation in using solar power thus finds its place even on desert sands …

The Physical World Of The Greeks, Samuel Sambursky

Hannah Arendt Marginalia - All

London : Routledge and Paul, 1956.

Call#: Q127.G7 S313 1956

Contains underlining and marginalia

PDF information: 17 pages - 5.7MB

Documents On German Foreign Policy, 1918-1945, From The Archives Of The German Foreign Ministry., AuswäRtiges Amt Germany

Hannah Arendt Marginalia - All

Washington : U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1949-< 1983>

Call #: JX691 .A45

Contains underlining and marginal lining

PDF information: 31 Pages - 12MB