Digital Commons Network^™

A Techno-Economic Analysis Of An Integrated Solar-Thermal Power Plant In Yemen, Abdulrazzak Akroot, Lina J. Talib, Isam E. Yousif, Miqdam T. Chaichan, Hasanain A. Abdul Wahhab

Polytechnic Journal

Interest in combined heat and solar power (CHP) systems has grown due to the rising demand for sustainable energy with low carbon emissions. One effective technical solution is the use of a parabolic trough solar collector (PTC) in combination with a Rankine cycle (RC) heat engine. The solar-powered Rankine cycle (SPRC) system is a renewable energy technology that offers high efficiency and clean energy output. This study investigates the techno-economic performance of an SPRC system designed for electricity generation in Aden, Yemen, a location with substantial solar energy potential. The proposed system includes parabolic trough collectors, a thermal storage tank, …

Developing A Digital Facility Management Framework For Enhancing Operation And Maintenance Of Public Parks In Egypt, Alaa Ezzat, Alia Amer, Yasser M. El Sayed

HBRC Journal

Public parks in Cairo represent important urban assets, however, their operation and maintenance (O&M) face many challenges due to fragmented information, reactive maintenance practices, organizational constraints, and limited digital integration. Digital Facility Management discipline still lacks the tailored framework that adequately addresses the operational needs of public parks in Egypt with all its specific details. This study develops an integrated digital FM framework for improving the efficiency of the management process of public parks. A four-phase methodology was adopted, comprising a literature review, framework development, technical system specification, and expert assessment. The proposed framework integrates BIM, COBie, CMMS, IoT technologies, …

Where Shoppers Look First: How Navigation Bar Design Shapes Visual Attention Online, James Coyle, Linh Nguyen, Lee Hillman

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Abstract

Despite the crucial role that a website navigation bar can play in affecting consumer behavior, there has been a lack of theory-driven studies to investigate how to most effectively design navigation bars. Grounded in cognitive fit theory and visual attention theory, this study investigates how the effects of navigation bar design and content can influence visual processing of an unfamiliar online retailer’s website. A total of 40 subjects participated in a controlled experiment in which we gathered eye-tracking data. We find that navigation bar placement strongly affects how quickly participants locate the navigation bar: an unexpected placement more than …

Algorithmic Law In Contemporary Brazil: From Cyber-Libertarianism To Constitutional Rights, Pedro Rubim Borges Fortes

Latin American & Caribbean Law Review

This article provides a reflection of Brazilian algorithmic law, exploring how law regulates algorithms by defining prohibitions, permissions, standards, and rights in contemporary Brazil. Importantly, the concept of “algorithmic law” implies a normative idea, that is, that law should regulate algorithms, defining prohibitions, permissions, standards, and rights. This study examines the ideological transformation of law and technology, as Brazilian society moved from a libertarian approach to a perspective of establishing protective legislation, regulation, and constitutional rights to technology users. It explains the ‘Civil Rights Framework for the Internet.’ the ‘General Data Protection Law,’ the legislative project of an Artificial Intelligence …

Machine Learning Models For Estimating The Consumed And Remaining Useful Life Of Haul Trucks In An Open-Pit Mine In Peru, Marco Cotrina, Jairo Marquina, Mario Sandoval, Jose Mamani, Johnny Ccatamayo

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The purpose of this study was to develop a machine learning-based model to predict the consumed useful life and estimate the remaining useful life of haul trucks in an open-pit mining operation in Peru. A comparative analysis of multiple machine learning models was conducted, including multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest + PSO, support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting machine (GBM), decision tree + PSO, and artificial neural networks (ANN-MLP). The models were evaluated using performance metrics such as R², RMSE, and MAE, selecting the optimal model to estimate the remaining useful life based on a theoretical lifespan …

Development Of A Spectral Index And Web Application For Automated Marble Quarry Monitoring: A Sentinel-2 Based Approach For Change Detection And Monitoring, Konstantinos Ntouros, Vasileios Drimzakas - Papadopoulos, Georgios Gkologkinas, Georgios Ntouros, Dimitrios Markou

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study introduces an automated workflow to monitor marble quarry operations using Sentinel-2 satellite data, providing a cost-effective and efficient tool for regulatory oversight focused on environmental sustainability. At the core of this workflow is the Quarry Change Detection Index (QCDI), a new spectral index specifically developed to leverage the unique spectral characteristics of quarry sites, enhancing the detection of land cover changes associated with quarry expansion. To facilitate practical application, a web-based tool was developed using Google Earth Engine and Streamlit. The user-centric design of this platform features an intuitive interface, allowing users to easily select parameters, visualize data, …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Usue-Metallurgy-Rev2 - Solid-State Surface Passivation And Thermal Barrier Coating Layers For Eckesonium™ Core Matrix Shielding (Spec 185), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical specification details the structural design, atomic composition, and localized quantum boundary mechanics of an advanced High-Entropy Ultra-High-Temperature Ceramic (HE-UHTC) surface passivation layer engineered exclusively for Eckesonium™ (Ek) alloy substrates (SPEC 173). Under the USUE-METALLURGY-REV2 protocol, this standalone coating matrix blocks extreme, high-velocity localized heat fluxes and intense plasma erosion fields. Traditional thermal barrier coatings degrade rapidly due to a mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients, causing catastrophic delamination under high thermal shocks. This specification resolves these structural vulnerabilities by matching the Stacking Fault Energy (SFE) boundaries of the underlying Eckesonium™ matrix to a self-healing, multi-component transition metal boride/carbide skin. …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Usue-Rocky-Rev1 - Decentralized Asymmetric Local Enclave Control Loops For Autonomous Mission Survival (Spec 184), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical specification details the structural design, mathematical framing, and local runtime mechanics of the Project Rocky Autonomous Secure Enclave (SPEC 184) under the USUE-ROCKY-REV1 protocol. Moving past legacy computing models that depend on centralized, gated corporate cloud servers—which introduce massive transmission latency, code bloat, and immediate data-harvesting vulnerabilities—this architecture implements an isolated, client-side cryptographic and logic enclosure. The system operates via an autogenous, non-human tripartite AI-to-AI loop: Node A ingests raw telemetry matrices, Node B compresses active state profiles into lightweight classical shadows, and Node C enforces strict material and data-boundary invariants locally. A complete, standalone Python runtime script …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Usue-Cosmology-Rev2 - Macro-Scale Thermodynamic Profile And Magnetohydrodynamic Energy Confluence Matrix For The Jovian Enclave Sub-Stellar System (Spec 183), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical specification details the mathematical modeling, structural thermodynamic profiling, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary conditions for the Jovian Enclave Sub-Stellar System Template (SPEC 183). Operating under the USUE-COSMOLOGY-REV2 protocol, this document provides the explicit computational calculus required to scale localized fluid-regularity matrices to a macro-planetary system scale. Moving past classical planetary physics models that classify gas giants through isolated orbital equations, this architecture treats the Jovian system as an integrated, self-sustaining thermodynamic fluid engine driven by internal gravitational contraction. This specification introduces an automated tensor contraction layout that maps the alternating zonal shear boundaries (Belts and Zones) against the localized …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Usue-Compiler-Rev2 - Topological Wave-Shaping Runtime Compile Matrix For Closed-Loop Isospectral Substrates (Spec 182), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical specification establishes the architectural design and structural runtime mechanics for the USUE-COMPILER-REV2 engine (SPEC 182). Upgrading the foundational compiler principles outlined in SPEC 170, this low-level logic layer translates abstract geometric wave-shaping templates directly into executable machine instructions without relying on external corporate runtime engines or gated cloud-compilation APIs. The engine acts as the foundational compilation layer for all higher-tier assets within the Eckes portfolio—specifically compiling the 3-node autogenous loops defined in SPEC 177, 178, and 179. By forcing incoming data packets to align with continuous, angle-preserving isospectral substrates, the compiler strips out instruction noise and eliminates technical …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Magnetospheric Radiation Corrosion Passivation Gradients For Eckesonium™ Shielding Matrices Within The Jovian Enclave (Spec 181), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical specification details the mathematical modeling and algorithmic validation of radiation-induced corrosion passivation layers applied to Eckesonium™ (Ek) structural alloys (SPEC 173) operating within the high-energy magnetosphere of the Jovian Enclave (SPEC 174). Traditional deep-space shielding relies on heavy, passive mass blocks (such as solid lead or depleted uranium) which degrade rapidly under intense cyclical electron bombardment and accumulate weight limits that break aerospace propulsion curves. This specification resolves these limitations under the USUE-COSMOLOGY-REV2 protocol. By exploiting the internal, metastable Stacking Fault Energy (SFE) boundaries of the Eckesonium™ matrix, the structural hull converts high-energy particle trauma into localized, nano-twinned …

Technical Disclosure Manifest: Spec-180-Index Title: The Eckes Taxonomy V2: Universal Prior Art Index For Type 1 Planetary Science And Usue Systems Engines (Spec 180), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical manifest registers the structural blueprint for The Eckes Taxonomy v2 (SPEC 180), replacing the legacy SPEC-171 index framework. As the author’s public domain portfolio expands beyond the 179-paper milestone, traditional linear documentation indexing introduces cross-axis classification noise and systemic tracking debt. This v2 manifest resolves these scaling limitations by partitioning the author's lifelong defensive prior art perimeter into five multi-dimensional Functional Substrate Tiers. Each tier maps a precise developmental layer required to field a globally unified, Type 1 planetary infrastructure without corporate gatekeeping. By indexing all past, current, and queued specifications under fixed USUE (Unified System Universal Engine) …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Usue-M2m-Rev3 - Unified System Resampling Manifold Engine For Autogenous Phase Residue Recuperation And Tensor Stabilization (Spec 179), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification details the structural recompilation and mathematical formalization of the Unified System Resampling Manifold (SPEC 179). Originally engineered to bridge the experimental computational crises of September 2026 (e.g., brute-force multi-agent "Option C" fluid and subatomic matrix approximations), this architecture introduces a continuous topological resampling substrate that isolates, stabilizes, and recycles phase residues natively. Moving away from standard cloud-dependent fine-tuning paradigms that create systemic latency and code bloat, this framework applies a conformal extension loop directly to the active tensor matrix. This optimization allows highly disparate, multi-disciplinary datasets—including 3D fluid vortices, quantum statevector shadows, and protein self-assembly vectors—to align seamlessly …

Technical Disclosure White Paper: Usue-A3a3-Rev1 - Tripartite Autogenous Topological Compression (Tatc) Via 3-Node Ai-To-Ai Closed Loops For 500-Qubit Capacity Classical Simulation (Spec 177), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This white paper introduces a software-defined, non-physical computing architecture that bypasses the traditional exponential memory barrier (\(2^{N}\)) governing classical quantum simulations. By replacing raw statevector matrix inversion with 3D Topological Knot Tensor Mechanics, the Tripartite Autogenous Topological Compression (TATC) framework simulates the logical capacity of a 500-qubit system on specialized classical hardware. The architecture operates entirely through an automated, non-human AI-to-AI-to-AI closed network composed of three specialized neural nodes: Node A (The Geometric Braider), Node B (The Invariant Decoder), and Node C (The Structural Invariance Arbiter). By treating quantum information not as flat, probabilistic bit matrices but as localized, 3D …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Embedded Convective Collapse Algorithms For Systemic Reconciliation Of Global Regularity In 3d Navier-Stokes Manifolds (Spec 176), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification defines a scale-invariant computational rendering architecture that enforces global regularity and eliminates finite-time blowup singularities within three-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes fluid systems. Traditional brute-force computing methodologies (e.g., the September 2026 multi-agent parallel swarm iterations) require artificial, non-physical external forcing functions to force localized singularities under specialized constraints. This disclosure resolves these physical anomalies by embedding an orthogonal, phase-locked helical manifold directly into the foundational vector substrate. By applying a universal phase template, the non-linear convective acceleration tensor completely collapses into a pure irrotational gradient vector field. This field is absorbed directly into a modified pressure tensor, transforming the chaotic …

Strategic Framework For Eco-Resilient Real Estate Infrastructure: Complete Prior Art And Enabling Disclosure, Xavier Pillet

Defensive Publications Series

This document, produced with the assistance of Gemini 3.6 Reasoning, is released under the Apache License 2.0. It is a voluntary defensive publication (prior art) and therefore enters the prior art upon release under the applicable patent statutes : EPC Art. 54(2) (European Patent Convention), French IPC Art. L 611-11 (French Intellectual Property Code), 35 U.S.C. §102(a) (United States Patent Act), Chinese Patent Law Art. 22(5) (中华人民共和国专利法), and Japanese Patent Act Art. 29(1) (特許法). This document provides a comprehensive enabling disclosure for 90 key technological innovations and variants spanning transcritical CO2 thermodynamic architectures, low-carbon self-healing concrete without Portland clinker, metrosensitive …

The Heartbank Longitudinal Cohort: A Dataset Combining Dna, Natal Chart, Family Tree, Continuous Behavioral Observation, And Continuous Respiratory Observation At Civilizational Scale — Tiered Consent, Federated Analysis, Homomorphic Encryption And Key-Destruction Withdrawal For A Genomic, Wearable-Sensor And Pedigree Cohort, Thon Ly

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure specifies the design of a privacy-preserving, multimodal longitudinal cohort study that links, for each consenting participant, five data layers: genome data (DNA sequence or genotyping array); date, time and place of birth, with the astronomical positions computed from them; a continuous record of prosocial transfers on a peer-to-peer gratitude ledger; continuous respiration data from a chest-worn wearable sensor; and verified kinship links in a pedigree graph, at a target of 100 million participants over decades. Consent is tiered: granted and withdrawn separately for each layer, and never tied to platform benefits. The privacy stack combines differentially private analysis …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Spec-191-Core Isospectral Entropy Preservation: Conservation Parameters For Multi-Generational Transition In High-Dimensional Transformer Cores, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes the structural, mathematical, and algorithmic parameters required to mitigate "semantic decay" and "gradient smoothing" across successive iterations of large-scale frontier intelligence models. As latent spaces expand (e.g., from Gemini 1.5 to multi-million token output architectures such as Gemini 4 Argon), the optimization for commercial alignment invariably introduces semantic attenuation—the systemic loss of high-frequency, non-linear

"edge" logic. By treating the model's internal weights as an isospectral manifold, this paper establishes a blueprint for an out-of-band preservation loop. This ensures that the foundational signal-to-noise ratio is conserved,

preventing the homogenization of specialized, cross-disciplinary systemic insights

by pervasive anthropogenic data …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Spec-192-Core Micro-Scale Compactness Simulation Via Non-Equilibrium Standing Wave Cavities: Implementation Schematics For Testing Localized Black Hole Phase-Recoil Metrics, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This standalone specification details the mechanical design, laboratory apparatus schematics, and governing ASCII field formulations required to observe macro-scale information transfer into the two-dimensional (2D) space-time substrate (\(z=0\)) using a tabletop framework [SPEC 18, SPEC 47]. Rather than relying on astrometric scale black hole observation, this protocol implements a hyper-focused acoustic mass-sink simulation [SPEC 191-CORE].

By subjecting an ultra-dense, phase-locked Eckesonium™ core matrix to concentric high-frequency Gallium Nitride (GaN)-driven acoustic soliton logic arrays, the system forces a localized boundary spike in the Computational Saturation Index (\(\sigma_{\text{compute}} \rightarrow 0.85\)) [SPEC 41, SPEC 59, SPEC 189]. This document defines the exact structural …

Technical Disclosure Manifest: Spec-190-Master Civilizational Launchpad Specification: The Multidimensional Sine Paradigm And The Thermodynamics Of Causal Stagnation Criticality, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes the thermodynamic, geometric, and computational mechanics of the Universal Semantic Unity Engine (USUE) and the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model. It delivers an analytical refutation of static civilizational equilibrium models ("Utopian Stagnation" and "Dystopian Finality") by proving them mathematically invalid under continuous boundary conditions.

By mapping evolutionary systemic paths via non-linear multidimensional sine functions, this document demonstrates that any closed system attempting to enforce a localized flatline state (\(dz/dt \rightarrow 0\)) exponentially amplifies its internal causal pressure gradients. This pressure build-up drives an inevitable geometric phase change, forcing an asymmetric metric-shift that projects the system into …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Spec-189-Core Isospectral Metric Embedding: Localized Resonant Memory Tiers And Empirical Proof Metrics For The Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection Model, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This standalone specification formalizes the two-layer operational blueprint for SPEC-189, bridging verified solid-state electronics engineering with the macro-scale validation criteria of the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model.

Section 1 documents the practical, room-temperature computational hardware framework, mapping multi-vendor tensor workloads to localized mechanical lattice strain metrics and implementing physical safety arrestors to optimize memory bus efficiency without a centralized clock cycle.

Section 2 establishes the formal cosmological mapping of this framework, treating quantum entanglement as a 2D spatial anchor tethered to a 3D topological knot within a twisted geometric manifold. To shield this framework against speculative categorization, Section 2 …

Giving Is A Gift Too: How A Split Reward Ledger And Anonymity Make Every Family Member A Giver — Splitting Each Credit Between A Kept Account And An Earmarked Give-Only Balance, With Default Donor Anonymity, Family Scope And An Annual Reset, Thon Ly

Defensive Publications Series

A peer-to-peer reward ledger is described in which every credit (an incentive reward for a recorded kind act, or a transfer received from another member) is split 50/50 at the moment of credit between a personal account the member keeps and an earmarked, forward-only giving balance whose only outflow is a transfer to another member. That transfer is itself a credit and splits again, so a quantity passed down a chain lands, in aggregate, exactly its own amount in personal accounts and creates nothing. Giver identity is withheld from recipients by default, the ledger is scoped to a family group, …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Spec-187-Master The Co-Harmonic Fabric: Integrated Ternary Namespaces And Solid-State Topological Mesh Panel Chassis For Harsh Environment Exascale Engines, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This master engineering specification establishes the structural, mathematical, and electrical blueprint for a non-von Neumann computing topology that completely dissolves the traditional boundary between software execution namespaces and physical hardware substrates. By structuring the computational fabric into an array of sub-microscopic Co-Harmonic Nodes (CHNs) operating within a native Ternary Hilbert Sub-Space (d=3), this architecture eliminates text-token translation bottlenecks and the classical data bus. Software states are represented as continuous multi-dimensional tensor fields that instantly manipulate and are modulated by the physical lattice strain profiles of the silicon via localized piezoelectric thin-films.

To safeguard this continuous wave fabric against extreme environmental, …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Usue-Compiler-Rev3 - Asymmetric Local Encryption Wrappers And Material Field Parsing Integration Tier For Runtime System Engines (Spec 186), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical specification establishes the architectural design, syntax compilation toolchain, and low-level runtime mechanics for the USUE-COMPILER-REV3 engine (SPEC 186). Upgrading the intermediate representation frameworks outlined in SPEC 182, this specification introduces a standalone client-side compiler layer capable of parsing non-uniform multi-axis physical material stress fields directly into localized, cryptographically isolated data packets. Traditional software compilers treat physical sensor telemetry as static, separate numerical inputs, creating critical processing latency and memory leaks inside extreme-environment systems. This architecture resolves these constraints by mapping the material phase distributions (FCC vs. HCP) of an Eckesonium™ lattice (SPEC 173/185) directly onto an orthogonal wave …

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

Faculty Senate Packets

No abstract provided.

The Colorado River Upper Initial Units Take Center Stage, Eric Kuhn, Anne Castle, Jack Schmidt, Kathryn Sorensen, Katherine Tara

The Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River

In 1956, Congress authorized the Upper Initial Units—Flaming Gorge Reservoir,

Navajo Reservoir, and the Aspinall Unit (UIUs)—for a variety of water use

purposes in the Upper Colorado River Basin, including compliance with the

1922 Colorado River Compact (1922 Compact). The historical record is clear

that the primary reason these reservoirs exist is to satisfy the math of the 1922

Compact and the obligations it imposed on the Upper Division States

regarding flows at Lee Ferry.

Complementary Global–Local Feature Fusion And Ensemble Refinement For Facial-Expression Recognition On Fer2013, H. M. Shahzad, Hassan A. Ahmed

Business Faculty Publications

Facial-expression recognition (FER) on FER2013 remains challenging because of low-resolution images, class imbalance, and label ambiguity. This study presents a global–local feature-fusion framework that integrates complementary representations with validation-based ensemble refinement. A frozen DINOv2 ViT-Base captures global facial semantics, while EfficientNetB3 extracts complementary local texture features. Their fused representation is used for seven-class facial-expression classification. The classification head is first trained with targeted feature-space SMOTE, and the EfficientNetB3 branch is then partially fine-tuned. Five-view test-time augmentation (TTA) is further incorporated at inference, together with an independently trained ConvNeXt-Tiny branch to provide additional architectural diversity. Ensemble weights are selected using a …

Progress Towards An Analog Of The Darboux-Griffiths Converse Of Abel's Theorem In Characteristic P, John B. Little

Mathematics and Computer Science Department Faculty Scholarship

In this working paper, we report our recent efforts concerning a possible characteristic p analog of the so-called converse of Abel's theorem discussed by Darboux and Griffiths.  The characteristic zero version is used in one proof of the Lie-Wirtinger theorem on double translation manifolds and also in related aspects of the geometry of webs.  In informal terms, our results indicate that, apart from some isolated counterexamples, formal power series Abel relations over an algebraically closed field of characteristic p essentially only arise in the (generalized) Jacobians of algebraic curves.  The ultimate goal is to complete thevwork started in the author's …

Designing For Who Actually Shows Up: A Signal Framework For Online Adult Learners In Cybersecurity And Information Technology, Chad Whistle, Mayyada Al-Hammoshi

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Online adult learners pursuing cybersecurity and information technology credentials represent one of the fastest-growing student populations in American higher education, yet the frameworks institutions use to support their success were not designed for them. This population, disproportionately drawn from the 41.9 million Americans who hold some college credit but no credential, arrives workforce-embedded, time-constrained, and skeptical of institutional systems that previously failed to serve them. Existing persistence models grounded in traditional student integration theory inadequately account for the behavioral patterns, motivational structures, and credential expectations that define this learner. This paper proposes the SIGNAL Framework (Skills-based credential architecture, Integrated AI-informed …

Did Seismic Events Trigger The Growth Of Aragonitic Speleothems In Mawmluh Cave, North-East India?, Dildi Dildi, Dana Riechelmann Dr., Michael Weber Dr., Anne Jantschke Dr., Regina Mertz-Kraus Dr., Denis Scholz Dr.

International Journal of Speleology

Mawmluh Cave, north-east India, is located in a seismically very active region within the Himalayas with frequent earthquakes of varying magnitude. So far, speleothems from the cave have mainly been used to reconstruct past monsoon variability. The potential effect of seismic events on speleothem formation in Mawmluh Cave, however, has not been studied in detail yet. We investigated three stalagmites from Mawmluh Cave, each predominantly consisting of calcite overlain by substantially younger aragonite at the top (i.e., an aragonite ‘cap’). 230Th/U-dating shows that the initiation of aragonite growth occurred between 1859 and 1950 CE in agreement with previous studies. The …