Digital Commons Network^™

Working Paper No. 97, Business Sabotage In Theory And Practice, Nathan Lewis-Lusso

Working Papers in Economics

This inquiry seeks to establish that theoretical advances offered earlier on by one Karl Marx and some decades later by one Thorstein Veblen offer insights into forms of business sabotage. Drawing upon their writings, this inquiry considers how in the writings of Marx, already in the mid-nineteenth century surplus value extraction and pecuniary sabotage serve as structural features found in a market-based economy. Marx’s consideration of surplus labor and artificial scarcity reveals how private investment seeks to constrain production in order to preserve and enhance profitability. Veblen’s theory of institutional sabotage complements Marx’s view by showing how firms could delay …

Is Anoxia Tolerance A Common Trait In Fish Cell Lines?, Lori Tran

University Honors Theses

Most vertebrates need a constant supply of oxygen to sustain life, with disruption to O₂ supply or delivery quickly leading to cell and tissue damage and death. Many aquatic species are able to withstand long periods without O₂ due to evolving to survive the regular periods of hypoxia and anoxia in their natural habitat. The Austrofundulus limnaeus, or the annual killifish, in particular have shown the highest anoxia tolerance in all vertebrates and is a promising model for developing effective treatments for anoxia-related damage, such as heart attacks and strokes. The A. limnaeus are not the only …

Beyond Capitalist Realism: Indigenous Worldviews As Critique And Alternative, Celine Jessup

University Honors Theses

This paper engages Mark Fisher's Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? as a foundational critique of late capitalism's ideological dominance, and proposes Indigenous worldviews as both a critical lens and a generative alternative. Fisher defines capitalist realism as a pervasive structure that colonizes imagination, depoliticizes systemic crises, and renders other ways of living unthinkable. He illustrates how capitalism commodifies resistance, pathologizes dissent, and obscures accountability, particularly through institutions like the call center and discourses on mental health and climate change. In contrast, the paper turns to Indigenous political theories—drawing on thinkers such as Kim TallBear, Daniel Heath Justice, Ocean Ripeka …

The Echo Of Surrealism: Introspecting The Enigma In Selected Poems Of David Gascoyne, Hanan Abd Zaid, Nadia Ali Ismael

Alustath Journal for Human and Social Sciences

The research seeks to provide a clear vision of the contribution of David Gascoyne (1916-2001) to British surrealism, the main surrealist elements, and the psychological scope of this movement; more precisely to expose the enigmatic allure of the unconscious. It presents Gascoyne's surrealist phase as a creative breakthrough in poetry. The selected poems from his volume Man's Life Is This Meat (1936) will be discussed in this research through the lens of Freud's theories of dreams and the unconscious. This approach helps to unravel the mysterious nature of the poems, which parallels the enigmatic qualities of the dreams. Surrealism, as …

Sex Offender Prison Treatment Programs: Outdated Science Masquerading As A Legitimate Penological Objective, Shelby Jones

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (2012 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Minding The Gap: The Berne Convention’S Silence On Available Copyright Infringement Damages, Kylie Johnston

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (2012 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Cuba And The Constitution Of A Stable State Of Misery: Ideology, Economic Policy, And Popular Discipline, Larry Catá Backer

Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs (2012 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Transmedialidad E Intertextualidad En El Caso De Five Nights At Freddy's Desde La Semiótica De La Cultura, Daira Pando Tamayo

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

El presente artículo busca establecer, notar y delimitar que la intertextualidad y la transmedialidad juegan un papel de gran importancia al momento de crear narrativas en los videojuegos en la contemporaneidad. Enfatizando la creciente complejidad (y por lo tanto remarcando la diferencia de estructuras narrativas convencionales) que existe en las narrativas de los videojuegos y necesidad de interacción y configuración no lineal dentro de las historias de los mismos.

Narrativas Transmedia, Fandom Y Convergencia Mediática: La Reconfiguración Contemporánea De La Industria De Los Juegos De Rol En Brasil, Diogo De Almeida Camelo

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

Este artículo analiza cómo la industria de los juegos de rol (JDR) ha evolucionado en Brasil en respuesta a los cambios tecnológicos, culturales y económicos. El objetivo es investigar cómo la convergencia mediática, las prácticas de narrativa transmedia y el fandom han remodelado las dinámicas de producción, circulación y consumo de los juegos. La metodología utilizada fue cualitativa, fundamentada en análisis documental de fuentes primarias y en revisión histórica, con base teórica en Jenkins (2006) y Fine (1983). El estudio es parte de una tesis de maestría, y muestra que en Brasil el rol se ha transformado en un ecosistema …

Of Modern Monsters And Scientific Magic: The Design Challenges Of Simulating An Enchanted World In Dungeons And Dragons 5th Edition, Leonid Moyzhes

Journal of Roleplaying Studies and STEAM

This article analyzes the magical system of Dungeons and Dragons 5 edition in the context of an idea of the enchanted world, highlighting controversial relationships between this concept and the rules of the game. On the one hand, D&D’s magic constantly borrows the imagery and ideas from different texts that follow the logic of enchanted world, starting with the idea of magic itself and ending with particular spells being grounded in the fundamental traits of enchanted world like ubiquitous of liminality and the anxiety about agency. On the other hand, broader logic of D&D’s rules inadvertently influences the way those …

Blockchain-Based Physical Election Votes Digitally Secure Transfer, Mohanad A. Mohammed, Hala B. Abdul Wahab

Journal of Soft Computing and Computer Applications

Responsibility for maintaining election transparency over time and ensuring democratic values intact is held by the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). However, transferring physical election votes from election centers is a critical duty, where many challenges appear regarding accountability and security measures. This study proposes a system that utilizes blockchain technology to solve any challenges or difficulties and ensure an effective and improved election process by providing its highest trustworthiness and legitimacy and ensuring a decentralized security process. This system offers unique blockchain characteristics such as immutability, decentralization, and transparency, providing an extra level of security to the data …

Cunning Commies, Dumb Democrats, And Exiled Germans: A Holistic Postmortem Of The 1948 Czechoslovak Coup D'État, Douglas Joys

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

The role played by the post-WWII expulsion of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia in catalyzing the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état has been underexplored in favor of the traditional narrative of an East-West clash between Czechoslovak democratic and communist parties backed by the United States and Soviet Union, respectively. Scholarship on the expulsion and the coup has on occasion brought up connections between the two events, albeit briefly and only as a small part of larger examinations of one of the two. The Eastern and Western forces at play in Czechoslovakia were undoubtedly key factors in the coup’s outcome: the end of …

Elemental Analysis Of Sediments In Johnson County, Kansas: Applications In Fluvial Suspended Sediment Tracing, Kiena Campbell

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This exploratory study investigates whether bulk elemental analysis of sediment samples using inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can reveal chemical signatures that identify anthropogenic contributions to sedimentation and increased fluvial suspended sediment loads, and whether these contribution sources can be identified. Human activity, urbanization, and changes in land use increase erosion, resulting in higher-than-natural suspended sediments (SS) in waterways and increasing sedimentation in reservoirs across the state of Kansas. These threats to freshwater storage capacity are especially urgent given the projected rise in freshwater demand in the Great Plains region driven by climate change. Understanding the origin of anthropogenic SS …

Analysis Of Synaptotagmin Isoforms In Lßt2 Gonadotrophs, Caitlin Vahl

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

The anterior pituitary is comprised of five cell types which secrete regulatory hormones into the bloodstream. Specifically, gonadotrophs synthesize and release sex hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH signals from the hypothalamus regulate the differential secretion of LH and FSH from the anterior pituitary. Exocytosis of FSH and LH from dense core vesicles (DCVs) occurs in response to an intracellular calcium signal, sensed by the synaptotagmins proteins. Various isoforms of synaptotagmins exist and each isoform has varying affinity for calcium, causing calcium-regulated exocytosis to be finely controlled. Because LH and FSH …

Transitional Justice: Understanding The Impact Of The Initiatives In Bosnia-Herzegovina And Guatemala, Rachel Bienstock

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis examines the impact of transitional justice initiatives on reconciliation and healing in regions that have experienced mass atrocities, with a focus on Guatemala and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). While transitional justice processes aim to address the legacies of human rights violations and foster sustainable peace, their impact varies significantly depending on the context and the mechanisms employed. By analyzing existing scholarship and using a case study methodology to gather in-depth data about each instance, this research explores how different approaches to transitional justice can serve a diverse group of communities and how different factors contribute to their success. …

Support For The Us Endangered Species Act Is High And Steady Over The Past Three Decades, John Vucetich, Jeremy T. Bruskotter, Robyn Wilson, L. Mark Elbroch, Adam Feltz, Thomas Offer-Westort

Michigan Tech Publications

Conservation professionals expect increased attempts to weaken the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) during the second Trump administration. As such, it is important to understand Americans’ level of support for the ESA. Prior research indicates that support for the ESA remained consistently strong across four studies conducted over a two-decade period, 1996–2015. The research presented here extends those observations to six studies conducted over a three-decade period, 1996–2025. We find that support of the ESA over that period has remained consistently high, at about 84%, and opposition has remained consistently low, at about 12%. We also report on other trends …

Sex And Control In Redeemer Georgia, Anthony Michael Kreis

Georgia State University Law Review

This Essay explores the interplay of history, law, and morality behind the first abortion law in Georgia. Examining the philosophical underpinnings of liberty and equality as articulated in Georgia’s constitutional history through time, this Essay highlights the moral contradictions inherent in the legal frameworks of Reconstruction Georgia. The origin of Georgia’s 1876 abortion law contains multitudes—rooted in race-based contestations for political power, the sociological evolution of medical practice, and evolving attitudes on individual rights. At times, White elites used abortion to attack Yankee culture and stir up racist fears about moral contagion associated with Radical Republicans. To this end, when …

The Preliminary-Hearing Swindle: A Crime Against Procedure, Michael D. Cicchini

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

It is incredibly easy for a prosecutor to file a complaint, thus setting the criminal litigation machinery in motion. But in felony cases, defendants are entitled to a preliminary hearing which serves as a check on prosecutorial power. The “prelim” is an adversarial hearing at which the prosecutor must present evidence and call witnesses who are subject to cross-examination. The prelim’s purpose is to test whether there is probable cause to believe the defendant committed a felony, thus preventing “hasty, malicious, improvident and oppressive prosecutions.”

Nearly all states allow prosecutors to use hearsay, with limitations, at the prelim. Given that, …

To Educate A Mockingbird: California’S Commitment To Inclusive Education, Nicholas Mckenna

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

Education in the United States has long been a battleground where state authority and individual liberties intersect, shaping what and how students learn. California enacted Assembly Bill 1078 (AB 1078) to counter restrictive trends on classroom discussions about race and gender. The bill mandates that instructional materials reflect the state’s diverse heritage, which has raised critical questions about state power in public education.

This Note argues that AB 1078 aligns with and reinforces the Supreme Court’s vision of public education as a space for the free exchange of diverse ideas. By embodying antitotalitarian principles, AB 1078 ensures that public schools …

Freedom To Misinform: The First Amendment Victory Against California’S Medical Speech Law, Brennan O'Boyle

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

In 2022, California was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Heightened political polarization and the unmitigated spread of misinformation was straining state and federal governments’ ability to rein in the pandemic through collective action. The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) issued a warning that doctors spreading misinformation were violating their ethical and professional responsibility to accurately inform their patients. In response, California passed AB 2098, classifying COVID-19 misinformation in the patient-doctor context as unprofessional conduct subject to stiff penalties, including suspension or loss of the offender’s medical license. The law was quickly challenged in federal district court on content-neutrality and …

A Capstone Review: Bi-Lateral Growth Of Outdoor And Business Skills, Ben Casteel

University Honors Theses

This paper explores the development of my leadership skills through the Portland State University School of Business and the Portland State University Outdoor Program. Drawing from my four years as a trip leader and equipment rental center coordinator and my capstone experience with Team Flamingos, the cross-disciplinary business team I was a part of, I examine how both of these experiences have shaped and grown my skills as a leader. In this paper, I analyze leadership competencies such as communication, decision-making, adaptability, and self-awareness, through the National Outdoor Leadership School's 4-7-1 Leadership Model. This model acts as a framework to …

Artistic Exploration Of Synesthesia, Lexi James

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis investigates synesthesia as both a neurological condition and a broader sensory perception shaped by culture, cognition, and creative practice. Although not a synesthete in the medical definition of the condition, I explore how sensory overlaps particularly between sound, sight, touch, taste, and smell can be simulated and explored through art. Through historical research, theoretical analysis, and personal experimentation, I examine synesthesia as a potential extension of universal perceptual pathways rather than an isolated anomaly. Drawing from semiotic theories by Ferdinand de Saussure and Charles Sanders Peirce, the project considers how meaning is made through sensory signification and how …

Narrating The New Cold War: Investigating Chinese Cyber Propaganda And Sino-American Tensions On Bilibili, William G. Highfill

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis examines Bilibili, a Chinese video-sharing platform originally known for its anime, comics, and gaming (ACG) content, as a critical site for the formation and circulation of nationalist discourse in the context of a “New Cold War” between the United States and China. As ideological rivalry increasingly shifts from traditional state media and military posturing to decentralized digital platforms, Bilibili offers a unique case study in how propaganda evolves in participatory online spaces. Through a combination of digital ethnography and discourse analysis, this research explores how Bilibili’s algorithmic infrastructure, comment culture (弹幕), and remix-oriented design allow users to not …

Proceedings Of The Seventh Annual Women In Melanoma Conference, Yana G. Najjar, Marlana Orloff, Tara C. Mitchell, Tawnya L. Bowles, Allison Betof Warner, Kathryn Bollin, Sunandana Chandra, Justine V. Cohen, Zeynep Eroglu, Pauline Funchain, Elizabeth Gaughan, Isabella Glitza Oliva, Sherry Hsu, Siwen Hu-Lieskovan, Lucy B. Kennedy, Thach-Giao Truong, Meredith Mckean, Janice Mehnert, Helen Moon, Katy K. Tsai, Melissa Wilson, Thuy Tran, Elizabeth I. Buchbinder, Leslie A. Fecher, Samantha Guild, Sapna P. Patel

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Jurisdictional Values, Scott R. Bauries

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

This Article explores the values underpinning judicial decision-making in the constitutional domains of personal and legislative jurisdiction. It begins with a brief examination of value theory, emphasizing how intrinsic and teleological values shape legal frameworks and judicial outcomes. The analysis reveals that traditional jurisdictional doctrines have historically prioritized sovereignty and federalism, balancing these state-centric concerns with the individual fairness protections afforded by the Due Process Clauses. Through a detailed review of recent Supreme Court cases, the Article highlights a jurisprudential shift toward integrating additional values such as international comity, access to justice, and the mitigation of forum shopping. The Article …

Revolution By Proxy: Affordable Housing Law And Practice In California’S Ministerial Age, Colin Ryan

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

Passed in 2017 amid a historic housing shortage, California’s Senate Bill 35 offers a streamlined, ministerial approval process for affordable housing projects in jurisdictions that have missed agreed-upon targets for housing production. The law upends the prevailing—and arguably dysfunctional—model of development approval in California, which affords cities significant discretion and gives resident opponents powerful tools for delaying or defeating projects based on environmental and other concerns. To date, SB 35 has withstood legal challenges and created nearly twenty thousand new residential units. Yet the law is controversial, with some questioning its effectiveness and others decrying it as an unjustified intrusion …

Extended Abstract—Using Augmented Reality To Teach The History Of Classical Athens: A Presentation Of The Methodology And Preliminary Findings, Christopher Tripoulas, George Koutromanos

Publications and Research

In this extended abstract, the methodology for a study in progress regarding the design, development and evaluation of an Augmented Reality application for the teaching of the History of Classical Athens to students of Greek descent living abroad is presented. Following a review of the reasons necessitating the adoption of this technology for the teaching of History – and specifically relating to fifth-century B.C. Athens – the preliminary findings including a review of the literature and results of interviews with teachers, students, and parents are also shared. The detailed methodological framework of Design-Based Research guiding this study is detailed, as …

Germanic Identity And Othering At The Inception Of Modernity: A Critical Translation Of The Geographic Addendum Of The Nuremberg Chronicle (1493), Nina Martin

University Honors Theses

The Nuremberg Chronicle (1493) is a late medieval humanist world chronicle compiled in its original Latin by Hartmann Schedel and translated into vernacular German by Georg Alt in the same year. It features exquisite woodcut illustrations from the studio of Michael Wohlgemut which bolstered the text's contemporaneous popularity among scholarly and lay audiences along with the unauthorized cheaper editions released by Johann Schönesperger within the decade. This project investigates depictions of collective identity as presented in the Geographic Addendum, a section of the endmatter discussing the peoples and lands of Europe which Schedel compiled from the writings of humanist scholar …

Digital Domination: How Technology Threatens Privacy Rights, Kirsten Zonkowski

NSU Undergraduate Law Journal

This paper examines how rapid technological advancements have outpaced existing legal protections for privacy rights in both the U.S as well as world-wide. By analyzing landmark Supreme Court cases and federal legislation, it highlights the vulnerabilities individuals face from digital surveillance, data mining, and third-party data collection. The paper argues that current legal frameworks are fragmented and outdated, calling for comprehensive reforms. Recommended solutions include adopting federal privacy legislation modeled after the GDPR, passing a constitutional amendment to safeguard digital privacy, and implementing mandatory transparency and accountability measures for technology companies. These reforms are essential to preserving individual freedoms in …

The Melodic Maze Of Generative Ai: Navigating Copyright And Publicity Protections, Brooke Sause

Florida Entertainment and Sports Law Review

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years has fundamentally altered the landscape of creative expression. Specifically, generative AI technology has revolutionized how we interact with information, art, and entertainment, blurring the lines between human creativity and machine-generated content. As AI-generated works proliferate across various domains, from visual arts to music composition, profound legal questions and ethical dilemmas have emerged. We currently find ourselves navigating a landscape filled with legal gray areas regarding protections and guidance for creators. As we grapple with whether existing laws can adequately address these revolutionary AI-driven innovations or if entirely new legal frameworks …