Digital Commons Network^™

Full Issue, Fast Capitalism Editorial Team

Fast Capitalism

No abstract provided.

“You Are Not Independent In Any Way”: Biopolitics, Gig Economy Work And The Emergence Of Illegible Antagonisms, Tony Iantosca

Fast Capitalism

In this article, I examine the qualitative dimensions of gig economy work, labor power, and potentiality using two categories of biopolitical subjugation developed by Lazzarato (2012; 2015): social subjection and machinic subjugation. As Lazzarato defined and elaborated these techniques in the wake of the financial crisis, I also contextualize gig economy work as the evolution of economic processes that Marx and subsequent post-workerist scholars have analyzed, namely, circulation and formal and real subsumption. I claim that it is through Lazzarato’s two techniques of biopolitical subjection and subjugation that the gig economy attempts to manage workers’ subjective dispositions while extracting data …

Shut Your Cake Hole, You Over-Educated Whore: The Misogynistic Weaponization Of The Phd, Tara Brabazon

Fast Capitalism

The (higher) education of women is a pinball in the arcade game of contemporary masculinity. Andrew Tate, while often proclaiming the irrelevance of university degrees, has deployed their nomenclature through his Facebook page, titled the Tate University. One of his ‘courses’ was described as a PhD (Pimpin’ Hoes Degree). Why is the education of women discredited, yet the language of education summoned and activated to build the ‘alpha male’? This article does not (only) investigate Andrew Tate, alpha culture or the black pill ideology. It explores why the higher education of women – and university-educated women – is a focus …

Independent Music After Metallica V. Napster, Inc.: Seeking Liberation In The Music Streaming Simulacrum, Lukas Szrot

Fast Capitalism

In this brief paper, I note the ways in which being a musician has changed in the aftermath of the digital downloading and file-sharing developed by Napster pioneer Shawn Fanning, through the lens of the music streaming simulacrum—my term for what has unfolded since. I contrast the present environment with the potential that emerged with this technology. I theorize the music streaming simulacrum as opaque, flat, and hegemonic—a parody of both industry and culture that incomprehensible by a single human being, militates against deeper connectivity between artist and listener, and exerts outsized power over human behavior and decision-making in a …

The Artificiality Of Digital Scarcity: Contradictions Between Code, Law, Norms, And Value(S), Anthony Jack Knowles

Fast Capitalism

The rise and fall of Napster represented a major turning point in the history of the internet as it simultaneously paved the way for peer-to-peer filesharing as well as ushered in a backlash from incumbent media companies backed by an army of lawyers. This essay grapples with the ramifications of this struggle against filesharing and piracy that forever changed the internet. Much of how and why the internet is structured as it is can be explained through recognizing that this contradictory state of affairs is due to the inherent properties of the internet and digital files when "forced" to fit …

The Profitability Of Racial Diversity And Gender Balance In Modern Hollywood, M. Garrett Roth, William Mcandrew

The Journal of Economics and Politics

This paper investigates the effects of racial and gender diversity in modern Hollywood. The primary objective is to determine if an objectively measurable increase in diverse casting over the last two decades has had a positive or negative impact on profits, and a secondary objective to measure diversity’s impact on critic scores. The study utilizes data focusing on the fifty most expensive films from 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023. The findings indicate that profit is neither positively nor negatively affected by diversity, whether in ethnicity or gender. However, movie critic ratings are negatively affected by ethnic diversity when using …

Minutes Of Thirty-Second Boule & Report, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated

Josie Green Washington Papers

The minutes of the 1957 thirty-second Boule of Zeta Phi Beta Incorporated, including a report of the Executive Board Sessions.

Report Of Kappa Zeta Chatper, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated

Josie Green Washington Papers

The 1956 report of the Kappa Zet chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. It contains committee reports as well as reports from various officers. In the back of the booklet is the history of the Sorority.

Thirty-Third National Boule Pamphlet, Ida B. King

Josie Green Washington Papers

A report for the thirty-third national Boule featuring a financial report and a forward by Ida B. Grammateus for the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.

Strategies To Reduce Safety Accidents In Chemical Facilities, Travon Eshawn Herriotte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chemical-industry accidents remain a persistent threat capable of injuring workers, damaging communities, and destabilizing organizations, despite decades of safety regulations and technological advancements. Chemical facility managers, workers’ families, emergency responders, local communities, and entire supply chains bear the burden of every preventable failure. Grounded in human capital theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic research project was to identify and explore effective strategies that managers use to reduce safety accidents in chemical facilities. The participants were six managers from chemical facilities in the eastern United States. Data were collected using semistructured and publicly available documents. Through reflexive thematic analysis, five …

Accelerating Direct Ink Write (Diw) Design: Functional Fillers, Data Optimization, And Prediction, James Tata, Grant Martin, Andrew Ahn, Sam Trout, Sid Scott, Estevan Sandoval, Jillian O’Neel, Joseph Torres, Miles Beaux Ii, Rachel Collino, Rebecca Stevens, Aaron Pital, Vanessa Job

Innovative Materials & Methods for Additive Manufacturing III (IM²AM)

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Exploring Runtime Sparsification Of Yolo Model Weights During Inference, Tanzeel-Ur-Rehman Khan, Sanghamitra Roy, Koushik Chakraborty

Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Research

In the pursuit of real-time object detection with constrained computational resources, the optimization of neural network architectures is paramount. We introduce novel sparsity induction methods within the YOLOv4-Tiny framework to significantly improve computational efficiency while maintaining high accuracy in pedestrian detection. We present three sparsification approaches: Homogeneous, Progressive, and Layer-Adaptive, each methodically reducing the model’s complexity without compromising its detection capability. Additionally, we refine the model’s output with a memory-efficient sliding window approach and a Bounding Box Sorting Algorithm, ensuring precise Intersection over Union (IoU) calculations. Our results demonstrate a substantial reduction in computational load by zeroing out over 50% …

Interview With Orca Award Winner Reuben Rieke, Unl Chemistry; Discoverer Of Rieke Metals, Mark Griep, Reuben Rieke

UNL ORCA Interview Series

Emeritus Prof. Reuben Rieke was awarded the ORCA in 1995. Reuben was born in Fairfax, Minnesota. Something in his youth must have sparked an interest in science because he traveled 100 miles east to The University of Minnesota where he earned a bachelor’s in chemistry. Next, he earned a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin, and did postdoctoral work at the University of California Los Angeles. In 1977, after about 11 years as a faculty member in the chemistry department at the University of North Carolina, he joined UNL as a full professor of chemistry. I’ll share two remarkable facts …

Automating Academia: Implications Of Genai Use In Doctoral Research And Online Mentoring, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea M. Wilson

Journal of Online Mentoring

This study critically examines the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, in the development of doctoral dissertation proposals, highlighting both its potential and its ethical implications. Through a content analysis of a dissertation proposal created using ChatGPT, the study investigates how GenAI supports structural organization, academic writing, and citation formatting while exposing significant concerns related to fabricated references, methodological misalignment, and diminished scholarly rigor. Although GenAI accelerates the proposal-writing process, its outputs often lack the depth, coherence, and originality expected at the doctoral level, thereby threatening the integrity of academic research. Findings reveal that GenAI-generated content may deceive …

Primate Gut Microbiota Induce Evolutionarily Salient Changes In Mouse Neurodevelopment., Alex R Decasien, Jacob E Aronoff, Elizabeth K Mallott, Sahana Kuthyar, Sriram Chitta, Brian T Layden, Maria L Savo Sardaro, Stanton Gray, Lawrence E Williams, Emma R Liechty, Hyo M Lee, Won Lee, James P Curley, Christopher W Kuzawa, Katherine R Amato

Faculty Research 2026

Multiple primate species, including humans, evolved brains that are exceptionally large relative to their body sizes. These large brains coevolved with metabolic adaptations that enhance cerebral energy supply, including increased circulating glucose levels. While the gut microbiota (GM) is known to influence host metabolism, its potential role in primate brain evolution remains unclear. To investigate this, we inoculated germ-free mice with the GMs of primate species selected to separate the effects of brain size (encephalization) from phylogenetic relatedness: humans (large-brained, Catarrhini), macaques (smaller-brained, Catarrhini), and squirrel monkeys (large-brained, Platyrrhini). We first show that differences in brain gene expression between mice …

Pork Freshness Monitoring Based On Near-Infrared Spectroscopy And Random Forest Improved By Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm, Zhang Li, Li Zhihui, Ma Mingxing

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To achieve rapid, non-destructive, and high-precision monitoring of pork freshness, addressing the low efficiency, high destructiveness, and insufficient prediction accuracy of single models in conventional monitoring. [Methods] A pork freshness monitoring model was proposed based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with random forest (RF) improved by the fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA). With the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content as the freshness indicator, near-infrared spectral data of pork samples at different storage stages are collected (scanning range: 1 000~1 800 nm). Spectral noise and baseline drift are eliminated via a preprocessing method combining multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and …

Path Planning Method For Robots In The Ground-Pot Areas Of Fermentation Workshops, Guo Shoujie, Tian Jianyan, Cheng Long, Wang Sugang

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To address the path planning challenges for robots in the ground-pot areas of light-flavor Baijiu fermentation workshops. [Methods] A robotic path planning method, named C-EAFO-YBWC, is proposed. First, gamma correction and unsharp masking are used to enhance image quality, combined with the adaptive FAST threshold to improve ORB feature point extraction, ensuring the localization accuracy of the ORB-SLAM 2 algorithm under complex lighting. Second, BiFPN and Coordinate Attention (CA) mechanisms are integrated into YOLOv 10n and optimized with WIoU to detect fermentation pots and generate path points. Finally, by combining robot self-localization and ground-pot detection, the path points are …

Design And Application Of An Online Evaluation System For Blueberry Quality Based On Spectral Image Fusion Technology, Xun Shihu, Xian Jiawei, Wang Weina, Shi Linying, Chen Qiuxi, Fan Wei

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To achieve precise non-destructive detection and sorting of blueberry quality. [Methods] An online evaluation system for blueberry quality based on near-infrared spectroscopy and visible light image fusion is designed.The system consists of a fruit box chain conveyor module, a linear array image detection module, a near-infrared spectroscopy detection module, and a control system. A diffuse reflection optical path is designed by the near-infrared spectroscopy detection module, and a partial least squares regression model is established to predict the soluble solids content in blueberries through S-G convolution smoothing, second-order derivative connection preprocessing, and sequential projection algorithm for feature variable extraction. …

The Relationships Between Ego Depletion And Social Behaviors Across Different Degrees Of Psychological Flexibility, Jacob Cage Norris

Masters Theses

Social behavior includes behaviors that are influenced, directly or indirectly, by the realistic, anticipated, imagined, or implied presences of others. Particular social behaviors such as altruism or aggression may vary in how accessible they are, depending on the degree of self-control that has been recently exerted. Specifically, self-control fatigue, or ego depletion, seems to make aggression more likely and altruism less. However, individuals who are psychologically flexible, or who tend to be in contact with the present moment while engaging in behaviors that support the pursuit of values may not respond to ego depletion with the same changes to social …

Classroom To Campus: A Qualitative Case Study Of Exemplary First-Year Seminar Instructors In Student Transitions At A Louisiana University, Brianna J. Doucet

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how exemplary first-year seminar (FYS) instructors design and implement pedagogical strategies that support students’ transitions into higher education through the lens of Schlossberg’s (1981) Transition Theory. Conducted at a public university in Louisiana, the study explored how university-identified, award-winning instructors foster academic, social, and emotional adjustment among first-year students, a critical priority amid the impending enrollment cliff and the growing need to retain enrolled students. Using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, findings revealed exemplary instructors design intentional, relational, and reflective learning environments. They view transition as a shared institutional process, model adaptability and lifelong learning, …

Optimized Photoemission From Organic Molecules In 2d Layered Halide Perovskites, Muhammad S. Muhammad, Dilruba A. Popy, Hamza Shoukat, John M. Lane, Neeraj Rai, Vojtěch Vaněček, Zdeněk Remeš, Romana Kučerková, Vladimir Babin, Chenjia Mi, Yitong Dong, Mark D. Smith, Novruz G. Akhmedov, Daniel T. Glatzhofer, Bayram Saparov

Faculty Publications

In recent years, hybrid organic–inorganic metal halides have been at the forefront of materials research. Typically, the functional (e.g., optoelectronic) properties of hybrid halides are derived from the inorganic structural part, whereas the organic structural units can add extra advantages in terms of stability, rigidity, and processability. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of two new hybrid materials in which the outstanding photophysical properties originate from the organic structural part. The new compounds, (C₁₅H16N)₂CdCl₄ and((Br)C₁₅H₁₅N)₂CdCl₄, have 2D layered Ruddlesden–Popper-type perovskite structures. These hybrids are blue-white …

Disease Burden Of Asthma Patients Utilizing Short-Acting Beta-2 Agonist-Only Inhalers As Rescue In The United States, Njira Lugogo, Rena C. Moon, Yen Chung, Joy David, Omar Motawakel, Ning A. Rosenthal, Neil Skolnik

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Purpose: We aimed to describe the disease burden of asthma and examine relationships between short-acting beta-2 agonist (SABA) use and asthma exacerbations. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study used geographically diverse Premier Healthcare Database (PHD) and linked insurance claims (10/01/2021-09/30/2022) for US patients aged ≥18 years with a SABA-only prescription and a history of asthma exacerbation within 12 months before index date (the earliest SABA prescription date). Three asthma control groups were defined based on SABA usage: well controlled-low (0–1 prescriptions), not well controlled-medium (2–3 prescriptions), very poorly controlled-high (≥4 prescriptions). Four asthma severity groups were defined using asthma …

Respiratory Health And Environmental Risks Among California Children: The Role Of Socioeconomic Status, Wen Chieh Chia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Air pollution has been cited as a factor in the development of respiratory illness in children. Socioeconomic differences can intensify the effects of air pollution exposure on low-income children compared to higher-income children. This correlational study examined the relationship between air pollution exposure and respiratory health outcomes among California children, as well as the moderating role of socioeconomic status. The study was guided by the environmental health disparities framework and used secondary data from the California Environmental Health Tracking Program, analyzing data from 49 California counties (n = 49). Independent variables were PM2.5 concentrations and the number of ozone …

Academic Senate - Agenda, 01/13/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Academic Senate - Minutes, 01/13/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Contact Binary Stars: A Roadmap To Their Nature And Evolution, Larry A. Molnar, M. Chalov, R. Deaton, R. Reynolds

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

A complete life cycle for W UMa systems

• Mass transfer from secondary driven by primary
• Sign of flow essential to stability criteria 
• Consistent with observations of distributions of M, T, P, q, dP/dt, (P,q)merger

Ongoing

• THEORY 
• Understand f distribution 
• Compute grid of models to compare with populations of various ages • 

OBSERVATION:Rubin observatory data

• Establish parameter distributions vs. location or kinematics 
• Find the next red nova before it explodes

Public Perspectives On Sharing Profits With Biospecimen Donors, Aaron Eli Segal, Xiaobai Li, David Wendler

Faculty and Staff Publications

Introduction: In current practice, individuals rarely share in the profits of research using their biospecimens. Many commentators defend this practice on the grounds that the contributions donors make are not important enough to merit a share of the profits. Others argue that if researchers and sponsors profit, donors should too. Despite the importance of this debate, there are no data on the public’s views. Methods: Online survey of US adults selected to approximate the 2020 US census on age, gender, race, ethnicity, and geographic region. Respondents were asked whether biospecimen donors should share in the profits or receive payments across …

The Intergenerational Impact Of Parental Immigration Status: Educational And Health Outcomes Among Children Of Undocumented Immigrants, Igor Ryabov

Sociology Faculty Publications

This study examines how parental legal status operates as a fundamental social determinant of health and educational equity, focusing on long-term outcomes among U.S.-born and foreign-born children of immigrants. We hypothesized that intergenerational stress and institutional exclusion associated with undocumented status would lead to lower educational attainment and poorer health. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a nationally representative cohort, participants were classified by inferred parental legal status: native-born, documented immigrant, and undocumented immigrant. Outcomes included high school graduation, college enrollment, depression scores, and chronic health conditions. Children of undocumented parents exhibited …

Direct Effects Of Capsaicin On Voltage-Dependent Calcium Channels Of Mammalian Skeletal Muscle, Dmytro Isaev, Tatiana Prytkova, Badarunnisa Mohamed, Mohamed Omar Mahgoub, Keun Hang Susan Yang, Murat Oz

All Works

Capsaicin, a naturally occurring polyphenol, is known to affect energy expenditure and muscle fatigue and modulate contractions in skeletal muscle. The L-type Ca²⁺ channels are known to be an important ion channel involved in the various muscle functions and the effect of capsaicin on the skeletal L-type Ca²⁺ channels is currently unknown. In this study, the effects of capsaicin and capsaicin analogs on depolarization-induced Ca²⁺ effluxes through L-type Ca²⁺ channels in transverse tubule membranes from rabbit skeletal muscle and L-type Ca²⁺ currents recorded using the whole-cell patch clamp technique in rat myotubes were examined. Capsaicin, …

Anchoring Deference: The Chevron Doctrine, Loper Bright, And Alaska Administrative Law, Jon W. Katchen, Will R. Crowther

Alaska Law Review

After statehood, the Alaska Supreme Court operated on a blank legal slate. No Alaska precedent, for example, addressed the fundamental question of when courts should defer to an agency’s statutory interpretation. In addressing this issue, the Alaska Supreme Court largely adopted the framework developed by federal courts in the 1950s and 1960s, prior to the emergence of the Chevron doctrine. The federal case law from this era relied on nebulous standards to guide when an agency’s interpretations were subject to the deferential reasonable basis review. Not surprisingly, by adopting that federal jurisprudence, Alaska precedent suffers from the same shortcomings. And …