Digital Commons Network^™

Book Review: Max Weber's Sociology Of Civilizations: A Reconstruction, Stephen T. Satkiewicz

Comparative Civilizations Review

Max Weber (1864-1920) remains one of the most seminal figures in the social sciences, and his influence continues well over a century since his death. His explanation for the connections between the rise of capitalism and the Protestant Reformation still remains his most famous and most highly debated thesis. In spite of his prominence in the social sciences, Weber’s status within the civilizational field can be more ambiguous. He is not seen as a foundational figure at least when compared to others such as Pitirim Sorokin, Arnold J. Toynbee, or Oswald Spengler. That is not to say Weber is never …

Towards The Systematic Cross-Civilizational Comparison: How Civilizations Work Case 2: The Indic Civilization, Monika Monika

Comparative Civilizations Review

Building on Liah Greenfeld’s (2024) framework of Systematic Cross-Civilizational Comparison, as outlined in her Spring 2024 CCR essay, this paper examines the cultural realities of the Indic civilization. Civilizations differ at both the individual level, including cognitive aspects (the structure and content of thought), moral dimensions (values and principles guiding behavior), and emotional patterns (typical emotional responses); and the societal level, i.e., distinct institutions, institutional systems, and historical trajectories (Greenfeld 2024).

In each civilization, these modal dimensions stem from and are shaped by the first civilizational principles — the foundational ideas framing the reality unique to that civilization. In Indic …

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

Experimental Study Of Gas-Dynamic Heating In Hartmann-Sprenger Tubes For Rocket Engine Ignition, Jacob T. Huff

Master's Theses

Ignition systems for chemical rocket engines typically rely on hypergolic propellants or auxiliary electrical hardware to supply the energy required to initiate combustion. The resonance igniter is a simple and robust alternative to these conventional methods, capable of inducing autoignition of non-hypergolic propellants without an external ignition source. At the core of this concept is the Hartmann-Sprenger Tube (HST), a device in which a high-velocity jet of gas impinges on a resonance cavity. This interaction establishes self-sustaining gas oscillations within the cavity that heat the propellants to their autoignition temperature. To facilitate the development of a functional resonance igniter at …

Lung Injury Risk Curves From Behind Armor Blunt Trauma Using A Live Swine Model, Narayan Yoganandan, Lewis Somberg, Danielle Wilson, Alok Shah, Jared Michael Koser, Brian D. Stemper, Valeta Carol Chancey, Joseph Mcentire

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

From structural, anatomical, and functional perspectives, components of the thoracoabdominal region are heterogeneous and physiologically and functionally different. Although their tolerances to injury are expected to be different, the current Roma Plastilina No. 1 clay penetration criterion for behind armor blunt trauma (BABT) is not specific to the body region. It is important to develop regional injury criteria to ensure its specificity. The objective of the study is to conduct impact tests on the lung region using a live animal model and develop injury risk curves using velocity and deflection metrics via parametric survival analysis.

Materials and Methods

Live …

Scspatialsim: A Simulator Of Spatial Single-Cell Molecular Data, Alex C. Soupir, Julia Wrobel, Jordan H. Creed, Oscar E. Ospina, Christopher M. Wilson, Brandon J. Manley, Lauren C. Peres, Brooke L. Fridley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The increasing use of spatial molecular technologies such as multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) and spatial transcriptomics (SRT) has driven the need for robust statistical methods to analyze the spatial architecture of tissues. However, a lack of consensus on “gold standard” approaches present challenges for benchmarking and comparison. To address this gap, we developed “scSpatialSIM”, an R package for simulating biologically realistic spatial single-cell molecular data. “scSpatialSIM” enables users to efficiently simulate single-cell spatial patterns without requiring reference datasets, incorporating features such as cell clustering, cell co-localization, tissue compartments, and tissue holes. Additionally, the package supports simulation of both categorical data (e.g., …

Multilevel Text Protection System Using Aes And Dwt-Dct-Svd Techniques, Nuha Mohammed Khassaf, Nada Hussein M. Ali

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

In the digital age, protecting intellectual property and sensitive information against unauthorized access is of paramount importance. While encryption helps keep data private and steganography hides the fact that data are present, using both together makes the security much stronger. This paper introduces a new way to hide encrypted text inside color images by integrating discrete wavelet transform (DWT), discrete cosine transform (DCT), and singular value decomposition (SVD), along with AES-GCM encryption, to guarantee data integrity and authenticity. The proposed method operates in the YCbCr color space, targeting the luminance (Y) channel to preserve perceptual quality. Embedding is performed within …

Merit Transference And The Paradox Of Merit Inflation, Matthew Hammerton

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Many religious traditions and ethical systems hold that individuals accrue merit through their good intentions, acts, and character, and demerit through their bad intentions, acts, and character. This merit and demerit, accumulated by individuals throughout their lives, gives each person a kind of ethical “score” that can determine what they deserve, and influence whether good or bad things happen to them (e.g., divine punishments and rewards, a favourable or unfavourable rebirth, etc.). In some traditions (most notably Buddhism, but also to a limited extent in Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity), “merit transference” is a feature of these merit-based ethical systems. This …

Firm Digitalization And Accounting Jobs, Amanda Awyong, Qiang Cheng, Tian Deng, Rencheng Wang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This study examines how firm digitalization affects the demand for corporate accountants and their digital skills. Using more than 373,000 job posts for corporate accountants by U.S. non-technology firms between 2010 and 2019, we find that firm digitalization does not change the overall demand for financial specialists-accountants who are responsible for financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting-but reduces the demand for financial clerks-accountants who primarily perform administrative financial tasks. We further show that firms digitalization increases the demand for digital skills among financial specialists, but not among financial clerks, and that such demand is greater than that for other employees within …

Tetrigidae Of Ethiopia: First Species Delimitation Via Dna Barcoding And Description Of Three New Species †, Tarekegn Fite, Hendrik Devriese, Dustin Kulanek, Josip Skejo, Niko Kasalo, Manaye Misganaw, Tadele Tefera, Jandouwe Villinger, Martin Husemann

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tetrigidae is a caeliferan family of Orthoptera constituting a diverse and relatively ancient lineage of small Orthopterans, which has its greatest diversity in tropical and subtropical areas. However, to date, few studies have been conducted on the identification and description of Tetrigidae species in Ethiopia, and even fewer molecular data are available. Hence, we performed the first species delimitation study via DNA barcoding of species belonging to the genera Paratettix, Leptacrydium, Dasyleurotettix, and Morphopoides from Ethiopia. We provide 35 new sequences of the COI gene belonging to six species of these genera. We show that Ethiopian Tetrigidae can be successfully …

Lumbar Microdiscectomy: A Rare Case Of A Duplicate L5 Exiting Nerve Root., Sahil Garg, Sean M Muir, Arianna K Gill, Komi E Afetse, Sanjitpal S Gill

Surgery Articles

The microdiscectomy procedure has been regarded as the preferred method for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Intraoperatively, the procedure may be further complicated due to underlying anatomical variations in the lumbar spine or nerve root variations. Nerve root anomalies (NRAs), in particular, are relatively underdiscussed within the literature. Despite the rarity of these variations to the exiting nerve root, the increased surgical risk that an NRA may add warrants the need for increased awareness and associated complication mitigation. This case describes a rare instance of a symptomatic duplicate L5 nerve root discovered preoperatively and highlights the steps taken …

Low-Temperature Performance Evaluation Of Additive Modified Asphalt Mixtures, Adeniran Oluwatobiloba Coker

Master's Theses and Capstones

The incorporation of additives in asphalt mixtures is an innovative method of improving the performance of asphalt pavement and promoting economic and environmental sustainability in asphalt pavement construction and maintenance. However, the long-term performance of various additive-modified mixtures under different climatic and traffic conditions, as well as the aging effect of additives, is still being studied. The various types of additives and processes for incorporating additives into asphalt mixtures significantly impact the performance of asphalt pavements modified with additives. This study focused on the low-temperature cracking performance of various additives, including rubber, plastic, and aramid fibers, incorporated into asphalt mixtures …

Temporal Variability In The Bulk Nutritional Quality Of Estuarine Plankton, Marley Gonsalves

Master's Theses and Capstones

The temporal variability of plankton is well documented, particularly in constantly changing tidal systems such as estuaries, but the extent to which this variability applies to plankton nutritional quality is less well known. As the base of the aquatic food web, variation in phytoplankton nutritional quality stands to constrain fishery production, particularly of filter-feeders. Here, community and nutritional data was collected from Great Bay, NH, a model estuary, over seasonal, tidal, and daily time scales to identify the range and variability of nutritional quality in plankton. Bulk spectrophotometric neutral lipid and protein measurements were compared to plankton community composition data …

Differentiated Learning In An Upper-Level Undergraduate Physics Theory Course, Christina Gurney

Master's Theses and Capstones

‘One-size-fits-all’ education aims to cater to the ‘average’ student, but the ‘average’ student does not exist. Students are individuals, each with a set of needs, abilities, preferences, and interests unique to them. A variety of instructional approaches should thus be used to differentiate students’ learning. This differentiation has been studied mostly for K-12. My study extends this research into an upper-level undergraduate physics theory course. For this phenomenographic pilot study, I interviewed ten students about the differentiated homework assignments in their upper-level undergraduate classical mechanics course at the University of New Hampshire. I performed an issue-focused analysis of the data, …

Assessing Satellite-Derived Bathymetry Map Accuracy: A Comparison Of Manual And Algorithmic Icesat-2 Bathymetric Extraction Methods And The Impact Of Depth-Weighted Sampling, Andrea Granger

Master's Theses and Capstones

Satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) provides a cost-effective and scalable approach for large area bathymetric mapping in remote, shallow nearshore environments, where conventional techniques such as ship-based sonar or airborne LiDAR bathymetry (ALB) are often costly and logistically difficult. Since its launch in September 2018, NASA’s ICESat-2 satellite has emerged as a valuable source of cost-effective training data for SDB mapping. However, ICESat-2 photon event (PE) data exhibits significant noise, and existing literature has yet to thoroughly investigate whether algorithmic denoising methods can achieve comparable performance to the traditional manual extraction approach. Furthermore, ICESat-2’s limited depth penetration results in shallow-biased PE data, …

Atomic Agency: South Africa, Détente, And The Cold War’S Peripheral Proliferation, Travis Clyde Nason

Master's Theses and Capstones

In August 1977, a Soviet satellite obtained evidence that the South African government was preparing to detonate a nuclear device. Though the test never occurred, one thing was for certain: Pretoria sought the bomb. This thesis traces the path to that moment and argues that while détente, in Henry Kissinger’s vision, was meant to preserve global order by managing great-power rivalry and avoiding direct confrontation, it could not be all things at once – and South Africa slipped through the cracks. Both Washington and Moscow explicitly condemned the spread of nuclear weapons, yet the logic of détente – prioritizing stability …

Modeling Ungulate Population Parameters Across Human-Modified Landscapes, Sarah Richard

Master's Theses and Capstones

As human activity and development continue to alter natural landscapes, large ungulates are increasingly exposed to changing habitat structures, altered mortality risks, and climate-related stressors. These ecological shifts can influence their survival, behavior, and population dynamics. Understanding how such complex and evolving conditions shape demographic trends in these species is critical for effective management. In this thesis, I examined two ecologically and culturally important ungulate species, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and moose (Alces alces), across human-modified environments. Specifically, I analyzed how intrinsic factors, behavioral development, and landscape composition influence stage-specific mortality in deer neonates and population parameters in moose in …

Sensor-Driven Machine Learning Framework For Rock Climbing Skill Assessment Using Climbing Core Ability And Contact Force Metrics, Blaise Xavier O'Mara

Master's Theses and Capstones

Rock climbers lack tools for skill assessment. Climbers ascend routes, each with varying difficulty (grade); as such, climber skill level is typically described as the highest grade recently climbed. But the subjectivity of rock climbing route difficulty grading presents complications with standardized skill assessment. Measures of climbing core abilities (power, strength, endurance, speed, control, and stability) through non-specific sport exercises and contact forces metrics present more objectivity in climber skill assessment. Presented in this study is a custom force sensor network instrumented in a bouldering route for recording contact force metrics. Twenty-four climbers, split into IRCRA Intermediate and Advanced skill …

A Geoacoustic Bayesian Inversion For Large Calibrated Singlebeam Echosounder And Ground Truth Datasets, Andrew Paul Niedbla

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis describes the development of a geoacoustic inversion technique to estimate seafloor sediment characteristics that is designed for use with existing fisheries survey single beam echosounder (SBES) datasets. The geoacoustic inversion technique consists of a forward model and inversion algorithm. The forward model is a high frequency, physics-based, near normal incidence acoustic backscatter model enhanced with a density depth gradient model and geoacoustic sediment regressions. The inversion algorithm is a parallel tempered Markov-chain Monte Carlo Bayesian inversion. The geoacoustic inversion produces posterior probability distributions for mean grain size, density, porosity, sound speed, seafloor roughness characterization, and sediment volume scattering …

From Apomediation To Aimediation: Generative Ai And The Reconfiguration Of Informational Authority In Health Communication, Luis M Romero-Rodríguez, Bárbara Mercedes Castillo Abdul Hadi

Artículos científicos

Objective:

Method:

Consumer Carbon Footprint Of Fashion E-Commerce: A Comparative Analysis Between Omnichannel And Pure-Player Models In Spain, David Antonio Rosas Espín, Carlos Lli Torrabadella, María Tamames Sobrino, Irene Miguel Corbacho, José Luis Olazagoitia

Artículos científicos

The rapid expansion of fashion e-commerce has raised concerns over the environmental cost of last-mile deliveries, especially in pure-player models. This preliminary study examines the estimated carbon footprint of TENDAM’s omnichannel model—based on in-store pickup and returns—compared to pure-player home delivery, using a customer-level approach across 11 Spanish cities of varying sizes. A total of 3106 face-to-face surveys were conducted in TENDAM stores, capturing data on mobility behavior, transport modes, trip chaining, and service types. Emission factors were applied using a Python-based analytical model, and results were contrasted with Monte Carlo simulations from existing literature on pure players. Our findings …

Cynicism, Distrust And Dissatisfaction Among Spanish And Mexican Millennials And Centennials In Audiovisual Consumption On Streaming Platforms, Carlos Fernández-Rodríguez, Luis M. Romero-Rodríguez, Jorge Alberto Hidalgo Toledo

Artículos científicos

El cinismo político es un sentimiento psicosocial de desconfianza e insatisfacción hacia la política y el establishment. En los tiempos actuales, dominados por la incertidumbre social y económica, el cinismo político está llegando a afectar la forma en que nos relacionamos con la información y la tecnología, lo que promueve la búsqueda de espacios seguros en las narrativas de entretenimiento que se pueden ver en plataformas de streaming. El objetivo principal de este estudio era analizar si los espectadores millennials y centennials de España y México consideran que los grandes estudios, productoras y distribuidoras audiovisuales solo se preocupan por sus …

Use Of Perioperative Scores In Predicting Postoperative Event And Selection For Discharge After Elective Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Brian Nyamweya Bundi

Master of Medicine in General Surgery

Background: While daycare laparoscopic cholecystectomy is gaining momentum in developed countries, a majority of patients in low and middle-income countries are admitted overnight. This safety precaution offers prompt access to emergency services should need arise. This precautional overnight stay has implications on cost, healthcare utilization and patient satisfaction. Daycare procedures routinely utilize scoring systems for assessing discharge readiness. We explored the utility of the modified Surgical APGAR Score (mSAS) and the White Fast Track Score (WFTS) as predictors for postoperative events and their role in identifying patients who can have a safe daycare discharge after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in this retrospective …

Review Of Jerusalem And Other Holy Places As Foci Of Multireligious And Ideological Confrontation, Rivka Ulmer

Other Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The Collision Course Between Outdated State Laws And Automated Vehicles, William Hubbard, Colin Starger

Articles

America stands at the precipice of a vehicular revolution. Myriads of self-driving vehicles—often referred to as “automated vehicles” or “AVs”—are already rolling out across the nation, and innovators assert that AVs will make our roads safer, less congested, and more economically productive. However, reaching these dreams of self-driving utopias will require more than just technological progress. The uses of traditional vehicles are heavily regulated by hundreds of thousands of state laws that ensure public safety, health, and order. Will these traditional laws still make sense when AVs shift the paradigm? Despite the hype and optimism of many AV advocates, this …

Case Article—Optimizing Transportation And Equity In A District Zoning Problem For Orville Public Schools, Kelly M. Sullivan, Ashlea Bennett Milburn

Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

“Optimizing transportation and equity in a district zoning problem for ORville public schools” is a case developed to expose students to an optimization decision problem with ethical considerations incorporated. Specifically, students are asked to solve a school district zoning problem in which all residential addresses in a school district must be assigned to middle schools having capacity limits on the numbers of students that they can accommodate.

Validation And Proposed Expansion Of The Data-Driven D Region Model, Kevin M. Watson

Theses and Dissertations

Predicting ionosphere effects on radio wave propagation is critical for communications and over-the-horizon radar systems. The D region is challenging to model for several reasons, one of which is chemical complexity. Ion density changes during sunrise/sunset introduce substantial uncertainty in electron density profiles (EDPs). The Data Driven D Region (D3R) model solves electron densities through an ion chemistry model and assimilates relevant space weather inputs. This study evaluates D3R against the Faraday International Reference Ionosphere (FIRI) and measurements using Very Low Frequency (VLF) propagation paths. Space weather event impacts on D3R EDPs are evaluated during the disturbed period from 8-12 …

Teaching Strategies For Building Belonging And Creating Community In Online And In-Person Legal Education, Sara J. Berman, Barrett L. Schreiner

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

From Displacement To Design: Reframing Work, Skills, And Education For The Ai-Transformed Economy A Review, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

Between 2023 and 2025, the U.S. labor market entered a period of accelerated restructuring driven by generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Routine, entry-level cognitive roles—particularly in clerical, customer service, and junior technical positions—contracted sharply as intelligent systems assumed high-volume, rules-based tasks. While these displacements echo past automation cycles, the present transformation is distinct in its scope, affecting both knowledge work and creative functions, and in its speed, amplified by enterprise-scale adoption. Simultaneously, demand has surged for specialized AI-related positions, interdisciplinary roles blending domain expertise with AI fluency, and ―durable skills‖ that remain resistant to automation. Drawing on labor market …

Enhancing Non-Player Character Dialogue In Video Gages: An Evaluation Of Large Language Model-Generated Responses, Lam P. Quach

Master's Theses

As video games increasingly emphasize narrative depth and player immersion, the quality of Non-Player Character (NPC) dialogue has become crucial for creating engaging gaming experiences. This thesis investigates the potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate high-quality NPC dialogue by comprehensively evaluating four state-of-the-art models: Gemma 3 27B, Mistral 7B, QWEN 2.5, and LLAMA 3.1. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining human evaluation (N=50 participants) with AI-based assessment across five key benchmarks: coherence, personality expression, engagement, style/tone appropriateness, and overall quality. Participants evaluated 32 dialogue samples (8 per model) generated for a fantasy game context featuring two distinct …