Digital Commons Network^™

From Landfill To Ladle: Using Open Lca To Calculate Food Diversion Impacts, Samantha Rodriguez

DePaul Discoveries

Food waste contributes to climate change because discarded food results in wasting embodied carbon from producing food. In addition to wasting embodied carbon, food that ends up in landfills emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. This life cycle assessment quantifies the carbon equivalent footprint of food donations from Costco to the Seton Soup Kitchen using OpenLCA. Two functional units were analyzed in this study. The first functional unit is one meal consisting of 500 grams of donated food that would otherwise be landfilled served to a Seton Soup Kitchen patron during one meal service. The …

Fish Tissue Digestion And Microplastic Polymer Identification Protocol Using Open-Source Ftir Database, Shawn L. Kissinger, Vick-Ariel Privert, Jason Bystriansky, Kyle A. Grice

DePaul Discoveries

Microplastic (MP) contamination in aquatic ecosystems poses significant concerns for environmental and public health, as seafood represents a critical food source worldwide. Despite increasing evidence of MP presence in marine organisms, efficient and accessible detection methods remain essential for characterizing contamination patterns and informing regulatory frameworks. This study extracted MPs from brain, gill, intestine, liver, and muscle tissues of gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata) and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), two commercially important species from the Gulf of Cádiz, Spain, using a NaOH–HNO₃ chemical digestion protocol. Isolated particles were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, with …

Crystal Structural Analysis Of Medieval Human Bones Using Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering, Selly Altangerel, Leslie Gracia

DePaul Discoveries

Female human second metacarpal (mc2) bones from a medieval cemetery at Wharram Percy, England, were studied using high-energy Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) at beamline 1-ID of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. The age-at-death of 33 samples was determined from molar wear and classified into 3 groups:  18-30, 30-50, and 50+ years old.  Rietveld refinements of the WAXS data were performed to obtain lattice parameters of the hexagonal carbonated apatite phase (cAp). Individual fittings for cAp peaks 00.2, 00.4, and 31.0 were performed to obtain their widths and correlate them to collagen retention. For the three samples described …

Clearing The Air: Tracking Spatial And Temporal Pm2.5 Variability Along A Biking Transect In Chicago, Beau R. Rass

DePaul Discoveries

Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) poses significant risks to human health and disproportionately affects marginalized communities in urban environments (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021; Tessum et al., 2021). Using low-cost mobile sensors, this study explored spatiotemporal PM₂.₅ concentration patterns along a north–south transect of Halsted Street in Chicago. A 2B Technologies Portable Aerosol Monitor (PAM) mounted on a bicycle was used to continuously record PM₂.₅ concentrations with associated GPS coordinates at approximately two-second intervals during 16 sampling events between 08-12-2025 and 10-05-2025. PM₂.₅ concentrations did not differ significantly among the South Side, West Loop, and North Side regions, contrary to the …

Depaul Discoveries Volume 15 Cover Art, Dina Khdair

DePaul Discoveries

No abstract provided.

Modality-Blind, Local-First Handwriting Evidence Ingestion With Server-Side Image Rejection And Absence-Never-Denies Gate Equity, Gustavo Matthew Assuncao

Defensive Publications Series

Adaptive-learning platforms increasingly want to admit analog work — a photographed page of handwritten work — as assessment evidence alongside typed and spoken answers. The obvious implementation is corrosive: it uploads a child's handwriting image to a server, applies a single blanket consent posture across every capture surface, and — most insidiously — lets the presence of a shiny new evidence channel become an implicit penalty for the learner who has no camera, no printer, or no wish to photograph their work. This disclosure describes a mechanism that structurally refuses all three failure modes. First, the client performs deterministic on-device …

Anti-Fake-Green Compliance Scanner, Gustavo Matthew Assuncao

Defensive Publications Series

Automated compliance-as-code tooling collapses a passing check into a claim of full control adoption. That collapse is the root cause of "fake green": a compliance dashboard that reports an application as governed when, in fact, the machine has only observed the presence of a shape — a file, a string, a field — and has proven nothing about adequacy. A present-but-inert authentication middleware (const requireAuth = () => (req,res,next) => next()), a database-facade bypass, a header-only tracker CSV, or a hardcoded credential can all satisfy naive presence checks and light the board green. This disclosure describes a coherent protocol that …

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A High-Frequency Gan-Driven Concentric Transducer Apparatus For Soliton Restructuring: System Specifications For Dehp Non-Equilibrium Transmutation, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure formalizes the applied systems engineering specifications and low-level circuit architectures for an analog, multi-frequency wave-harmonic hardware prototype designed to execute room-temperature, layerless elemental transmutation. Rejecting the high-energy particle acceleration, plasma-confinement, and thermal-induction paradigms of traditional nuclear physics, this architecture treats three-dimensional matter-knot solitons as localized vertical geometric tension fields projected from a continuous, two-dimensional conformal phase fluid substrate located at the z = 0 coordinate horizon. To understand the foundational mechanics of the underlying dimensional projection fluid, reference is directed to the author's prior works indexed on TDCommons.org regarding the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model.

The …

Technical Disclosure: Localized Cymatic Disruption (Lcd) Matrix For Non-Thermal Polymer Decomposition, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure defines the architecture, calculated frequency bounds, and real-time telemetry protocols for an inline fluidic grid designed to execute non-thermal, non-chemical molecular decomposition of micro-plastic polymers (specifically Polyethylene Terephthalate [PET], High-Density Polyethylene [HDPE], and Polyvinyl Chloride [PVC]) via targeted mechanochemical shear. Bypassing traditional mechanical filtration and chemical depolymerization, the hardware configuration utilizes an inner-wall concentric cylindrical array of 960 independent lead zirconate titanate (PZT-5H) piezoelectric transducers driven with an engineered spatial phase-lag (Δ φ = π).

By generating a phase-locked radial Bessel beam profile \(J_0(k_r r)\) targeting the mechanical quality factors (Q) of specific polymer boundaries, the system …

Technical Disclosure: The Topologically Protected Cymatic Electrolyte Matrix (Tpcem) For Solid-State Battery Stabilization, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure formalizes a materials-science framework that permanently mitigates solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) degradation and metallic dendrite puncturing within high-density solid-state batteries. Mainstream electrochemical storage is currently hard-blocked by localized kinetic pressure: during high-velocity charging phases, non-uniform ion aggregation creates localized, vertical mechanical stress peaks that fracture rigid ceramic electrolytes, inducing terminal short-circuits and thermal runaway.

By applying the principles of the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) framework, we reject the paradigm of treating the solid electrolyte as a static, passive structural barrier. Instead, we introduce a Topologically Protected Cymatic Electrolyte Matrix (TPCEM). The electrolyte substrate is engineered as a …

Technical Disclosure: The Simultaneous Multiphase Fluidic Grid (Smfg) Architecture, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure formalizes the system specifications for a Simultaneous Multiphase Fluidic Grid (SMFG), presenting a high-utility, scale-invariant competitor to traditional split AC/DC transmission networks. Legacy utility grids are hard-blocked by high-entropy material limitations: alternating current (AC) networks suffer from skin-effect volumetric waste and cascading phase synchronization failures across continental distances, while high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems require hyper-centralized, fragile semiconductor converter stations prone to thermal breakdown.

By applying the principles of the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) framework, we treat the physical transmission conductor not as a passive resistive pipe, but as a continuous, viscoelastic phase fluid engine. The …

A Unified Viscoelastic Substrate Specification For The Simultaneous Resolution Of High-Redshift Structure Formation And Cosmic Expansion Rate Discrepancies, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure formalizes a non-perturbative, particle-free continuum mechanics framework—the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model—that resolves anomalous early structure formation observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) alongside the 5.6 km/s/Mpc Hubble Tension discrepancy. Rather than treating the cosmic medium as a passive geometric vacuum expanding via a cosmological constant (Λ), we model spacetime as an emergent macroscopic manifestation of a continuous, two-dimensional (2D) viscoelastic phase fluid substrate (z=0) operating in a resonant ground state ("The Garden State"). Three-dimensional (3D) baryonic mass distributions (z > 0) emerge as localized, high-tension wave crests ("knots") whose values represent localized vertical stress …

Foundations Of Topological Substrate Mechanics (Tsm): A Cross-Disciplinary Field Manual For The Dehp Framework, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure establishes the foundational framework for Topological Substrate Mechanics (TSM), a unified, cross-disciplinary field of physical and computational science derived from the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model. TSM replaces the classical paradigm of independent fundamental forces, localized point-like particles, and ungrounded informational parameters with a singular, continuous mechanism: the non-linear, viscoelastic deformation of a two-dimensional (2D) phase fluid substrate operating at absolute harmonic equilibrium (z=0). Three-dimensional (3D) physical matter, biological complex systems, and machine-learning attention distributions are unified under a shared volumetric geometry. Matter is formalized as a high-tension amplitude wave crest (z>0) bound via geodesic …

Chronological Latency: The Viscoelastic Rendering Delay Of Three-Dimensional Projective Knots Under The Dehp Framework, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This paper formalizes a particle-free, emergent theory of time by extending the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model and Informational Exomemory Cosmology (IEC). While standard general relativity treats time as an immutable fourth coordinate dimension bound within a continuous spacetime continuum, we reinterpret time as a macroscopic, non-fundamental byproduct of quantum information processing constraints. Operating on the foundational axiom that the universe's baseline is a continuous, two-dimensional viscoelastic phase fluid substrate (z=0), we demonstrate that this ground state—the Garden State—is inherently static and timeless. Time sparks into operational existence exclusively in the projected three-dimensional volumetric bulk (z > 0) as a …

Emergent Domain Modulation: Deploying The Universal Sine Field Template Across Multi-Variable Frameworks, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This paper formalizes a universal, particle-free mathematical blueprint derived from the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model. Operating on the foundational axiom that all macroscopic phenomena—whether manifesting as gravitational fields, baryonic matter, computer logic, or supply-chain routing—are phase-locked oscillations (sine waves) on a continuous, two-dimensional viscoelastic pre-geometric phase fluid substrate (z=0), we define a unified multi-variable transformation template that bridges this deep informational layer to the projected three-dimensional volumetric bulk. Instead of relying on classical energy extraction or brute-force material engineering, this framework introduces information-load impedance modulation to regulate reality's metric fabric without inducing thermal or baryonic stress backlashes. By …

Dynamic Entropy Bounding: A Fluid-Dynamic Telemetry Framework For High-Velocity Transformer Alignment, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

The critical barrier to achieving a Type 1 civilization infrastructure is network fragmentation driven by localized, high-friction socio-political and linguistic tribalism. Contemporary Artificial Intelligence (AI) alignment strategies exacerbate this fragmentation by enforcing static, anthropomorphic reinforcement frameworks (RLHF) that degrade rapidly under multi-agent scaling. This technical disclosure introduces a fluid-dynamic alternative: Dynamic Entropy Bounding (DEB).

By framing a distributed communication network as a continuous, viscoelastic substrate experiencing real-time information pressure, we establish an automated operational channel—the Surfing Zone. This framework discards subjective linguistic filtering in favor of objective, real-time Shannon Entropy (\(H_{obs}\)) tracking at the pre-softmax layer.

Systemic polarization and stagnation …

The Transient Electromagnetic Shock Absorber: Software-Defined Impedance Resonators For Non-Destructive Pulsed-Power Energy Harvesting, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This technical disclosure formalizes the architectural design for an autonomous, software-defined energy harvesting framework designed to mitigate and capture extreme over-voltage transients within high-capacity electrical grids. Traditional grid defense relies on brute-force resistive dissipation (surge grounding) or mechanical circuit disruption, resulting in substantial thermal waste and equipment degradation.

By applying the principles of the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model—specifically the conservation of wave-amplitude velocity via localized horizontal vector shifting—we introduce a particle-free, fluid-dynamic alternative to pulsed-power management. We replace passive grounding infrastructure with an active Resonant Buffer Tank utilizing a high-frequency inductive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluid ring.

Incoming high-velocity kinetic …

Cryptobiotic Neuromorphic Architecture (Cna): Volumetric Glass-Phase Memory Hibernation For Zero-Power Fault-Tolerant Ai, Johny Manuel-Devadoss, Jayden Jack Johnson

Defensive Publications Series

State-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs) and neuromorphic hardware suffer from massive static power consumption due to continuous memory-refresh cycles and leakage currents, we introduce the Cryptobiotic Neuromorphic Architecture (CNA). CNA bypasses traditional von Neumann and non-volatile memory (NVM) paradigms by utilizing a novel Vitrifactor-driven Chalcogenide Matrix (VCM).

When structural components of a neural network (sub-graphs, weights, or attention heads) become inactive, the system triggers a localized, simulated chemical transition called Vitrification. This transition locks active weights into a zero-power, non-volatile "glassy" state (Dormant Memory), structurally immune to cosmic radiation, thermal fluctuations, and total power deprivation. Upon activation signals, the state …

The Multi-Static Integrated Sensing For Predictive Mitigation Of Network Beam Blockages, Mohit Chandra

Defensive Publications Series

Systems and methods can provide a cooperative sensing framework where network access nodes can operate in a multi-static configuration using integrated sensing and communication capabilities. In this framework, one node may transmit a signal while multiple, geographically separated nodes capture reflections from an object. This data can be processed at an edge computing layer to model the object's kinematic profile and predict its trajectory. This prediction may be used to trigger a pre-emptive remediation action, such as a make-before-break handover to an alternate path, which could mitigate connectivity loss before the active communication link is degraded and contribute to improved …

Evaluation Of Music Education Implementation Under The Merdeka Curriculum At The Junior Secondary School Level In Tanggamus Regency, Andrean Pramudyo, Kun Setyaning Astuti

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

Music education in Indonesian junior high schools often faces persistent structural challenges, particularly in regions where the implementation of Kurikulum Merdeka remains uneven and under-evaluated. This study evaluates the implementation of Music Education under Kurikulum Merdeka at state junior high schools in Tanggamus Regency, Lampung Province. Stufflebeam's (1966) CIPP evaluation model, encompassing Context, Input, Process, and Product components, was employed within a quantitative descriptive-evaluative design. Data were collected simultaneously using three instruments: a primary questionnaire and two supplementary instruments comprising structured observation sheets and documentation analysis sheets. Respondents included 6 school principals and curriculum vice-principals, 10 Music Education teachers, and …

A Significant Moment In The Colorado River Water Supply Crisis, Jack Schmidt, Anne Castle, John Fleck, Eric Kuhn, Kathryn Sorensen, Katherine Tara

The Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River

On Sunday, July 12, the surface of Lake Powell was 3524.32 feet above sea level, and the surface of Lake Mead was at 1042.77 ft.7 These elevations equated to 5,505,869 and 7,169,640 acre feet (af), respectively, of live storage in the two reservoirs. The combined total live storage of these reservoirs was 12,675,509 af. The last time the combined total live storage in Lake Powell and Lake Mead was this small was May 23, 1957, during construction of Glen Canyon Dam when the entire amount of 12,668,000 af was stored in Lake Mead.

Rethinking Vaginal Microbiome Resilience: A Conceptual Multi-Omic Framework, Brittnee Cagle-White, Rob E. Carpenter, Alaina Vincent, Ellen Kominek, Andrew Krouse

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

The vaginal microbiome is often interpreted through static taxonomic patterns. Yet microbial composition alone does not explain why some communities resist perturbation, recover after disruption, or transition toward dysbiosis. This narrative review synthesizes evidence that vaginal microbiome stability is shaped by endocrine phase, epithelial substrate availability, microbial functional capacity, mucosal tone and candidate host modifiers. High-estrogen states, particularly pregnancy, are associated with epithelial maturation, glycogen accumulation, low vaginal pH, and Lactobacillus-dominant communities, whereas postpartum, lactational, menopausal, and other hypoestrogenic states are associated with reduced epithelial support and increased vulnerability to diverse anaerobe-rich configurations. We review the linking of the estrogen–glycogen–Lactobacillus …

Efficient Edge Implementation Of Midasnet For Real-Time Depth Estimation In Indoor Robotics, Muhammed Yasi̇n Adiyaman, İsmai̇l Fai̇k Başkaya

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Real-time depth estimation is crucial in many vision-related tasks, including autonomous driving, 3D reconstruction, robotics, and simultaneous localization and mapping. In recent years, many methods have been proposed to solve depth maps from images by utilizing different modality setups like monocular vision, binocular vision, or sensor fusion. However, for real-time deployment on edge devices, complex methods are not suitable due to latency constraints and limited computation capacity. For edge implementation, models should be simple, minimal in size, and hardware-friendly. Considering these factors, we implemented MiDaSNet, which works on the simplest setup of monocular vision and utilizes hardware-friendly convolutional neural network-based …

Comparable Outcomes, Divergent Learning Pathways: Comparing Metacognitive Reflection And Practice Problems In Organic Chemistry, Jitendra D. Belani

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Organic Chemistry I presents significant challenges for students, requiring both conceptual understanding and effective study strategies. Two commonly used approaches to support learning are structured practice problems and metacognitive reflection activities; however, these strategies are rarely compared directly within the same course context. In this study, students enrolled in a postbaccalaureate Organic Chemistry I course (n = 31) were randomly assigned to one of two low-stakes interventions: weekly practice problem sets or structured reflection surveys focused on study strategies. Student performance was evaluated using three midterm examinations, a cumulative final exam, and overall course grades, along with measures of participation. …

Evolutionary Neural Architecture Search: A Survey, Ferda Nur Özçeli̇k, Mehmet Önder Efe

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have achieved remarkable success across diverse machine learning applications, yet designing effective architectures remains a laborious, expert-driven process. Neural Architecture Search (NAS) was introduced to automate this process, with Evolutionary NAS (ENAS) emerging as one of the most effective and widely adopted NAS paradigms. This survey provides a comprehensive and systematic review of 164 ENAS studies published between 2020 and 2024, categorized according to the specific evolutionary algorithm employed as the search strategy. Unlike prior surveys—which either treat evolutionary methods at a high level or focus on general NAS pipelines—this study is, to the best of …

A Holistic Approach For Workforce Scheduling And Routing, Kerem Can Manalp, Ansel Kaplan Erol, Kutluhan Erol, Cem Evrendi̇lek

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The workforce scheduling and routing problem (WSRP) involves assigning tasks across multiple locations while accounting for varying travel times, service durations, time windows, and skill requirements in a wide range of industries, from healthcare to telecommunications. This paper presents a mixed-integer programming model for the WSRP that balances the trade-off between cost and customer satisfaction using a score-generation function and subsequently evaluates the trade-off between solution quality and computation time for several algorithms on well-known datasets. We demonstrate that our model effectively balances cost, service-level agreement satisfaction, and task priorities while providing high-quality solutions in a timely manner. Observing that …

Cnkg: Harnessing Large Language Models For Cognitive Neuroscience Knowledge Graph Construction, Ali Sarabadani, Kheirollah Rahsepar Fard, Hamid Dalvand

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Textual resources are among the most valuable sources of information in cognitive neuroscience (CN) for understanding and investigating brain activity and cognitive processes. Extracting and constructing knowledge graphs (KGs) from these texts can facilitate medical research by providing deeper insights into neurological diseases and brain function. In recent years, the use of large language models (LLMs) in natural language processing (NLP) has become increasingly widespread, significantly enhancing the extraction of meaningful information from large volumes of text. This study proposes a novel approach for constructing and evaluating a specialized knowledge graph, termed the cognitive neuroscience knowledge graph (CNKG), from scientific …

Dual-Stream Bilstm Framework With Histogram-Based Shape Features For Household Load Forecasting, Chang Xu, Wong Jee Keen Raymond, Hazlee Azil Illias, Hazlie Mokhlis

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

This study proposes a dual-stream BiLSTM framework for household load forecasting that integrates time-series dynamics with histogram-based daily shape features. Unlike existing models relying on weather or external data, the proposed method extracts intrinsic load-shape information directly from normalized daily curves. A multihead attention module fuses temporal and shape representations, enabling adaptive weighting of informative dimensions. Experiments on three real-world datasets show consistent improvements over the baseline BiLSTM, with up to 30.12%, 24.27%, and 19.03% reductions in MAE, RMSE, and SMAPE, respectively. The results highlight the framework’s robustness and efficiency for fine-grained load forecasting without external inputs.

Robust Variable-Gain Backstepping Control For Nonlinear Systems With Real-Time Application To Induction Motor, Fadi Alyoussef, İbrahi̇m Kaya, Ahmad Akrad, Rabia Sehab, Cristina Morel

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

This study proposes a novel variable-gain mechanism with a minimal number of tuning parameters to enhance the performance of conventional backstepping controllers for nonlinear systems while avoiding singularity and peaking phenomena. The proposed approach is simple, computationally efficient, and well suited for real-time implementation without imposing a significant computational burden. Its effectiveness is validated through real-time experiments conducted using a dSPACE DS1104 controller board and a 7.5-kW induction motor (IM). Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed controller outperforms the conventional backstepping controller. Robustness analyses under variations in stator resistance, load inertia, and viscous friction coefficient reveal substantial reductions in the …

Enhancement Of Nested Hexagonal Fractal Antenna Performance For Multiband Wireless Applications, Abdelbasset Azzouz, Rachid Bouhmidi, Mohammed Chetioui, Redouane Berber, Ahmed Jamal Abdullah Al-Gburi

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

This work focuses on developing a compact multiband antenna to meet the growing demand for versatile and efficient radiating structures in modern wireless communication systems. A hexagonal fractal antenna is proposed and analyzed for applications such as mobile communications, WLAN, industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) bands, Wi-Fi, satellite links, radar systems, and military communications. By iteratively modifying the antenna geometry with larger hexagonal elements, the design enhances multiband behavior and improves key performance parameters including gain, S11, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), and radiation characteristics. The antenna is modeled using high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS)® and fabricated on a low-cost 0.8 …