Digital Commons Network^™

“As Bachelors Very Exceptional”: An Asexual Reading Of Frodo Baggins, Danna Petersen-Deeprose

Journal of Tolkien Research

Queer Tolkien scholarship has seen a number of homosexual readings of Frodo Baggins. While there are indeed many elements within the text that support a queer reading, it is a mistake to insist that queer elements necessarily point to homosexuality. This article advances an alternative queer reading of Frodo: an asexual reading. Drawing queer and asexual scholarship, including Ela Przybylo, Danielle Cooper, Audre Lorde, and Jack Halberstam, this article examines Frodo’s actions, journey, and characteristics through an asexual lens, focusing on his solitary life in the Shire, the way he is perceived by the other Hobbits, his lack of any …

“A Natural Human Activity”: The Split Attraction Model As A Tool For Reading Tolkien’S Legendarium, Sarah Courtis

Journal of Tolkien Research

The works of J.R.R. Tolkien have long been a refuge for readers seeking escape; a world of eucatastrophe where difference is celebrated, and friendship lauded. Despite his egalitarian themes, gatekeepers attempt to bar those living at the margins and intersections from reading themselves into the texts, denying that applicability which Tolkien called for in his own works. One such applicable interpretation of the legendarium is through the lens of asexuality and aromanticism. As there are no graphic sex scenes (though contrary to GRR Martin’s claims sex does exist in the world and is expanded upon in The Nature of Middle …

Chaste Bachelors And Abstaining Husbands: Celibacy And Asexuality In The Line Of Finwë, Kristine Larsen

Journal of Tolkien Research

The episodic celibacy seen among the Eldar, especially in the House of Finwë, can be read through several contexts relevant to Tolkien’s personal experience and historical period. First, bachelorhood and celibacy as social issues in Britain from the Victorian era through the interwar period provide a possible backdrop against which to analyze the House of Finwë. Second, Finwë’s line can be read through Tolkien’s own views on marriage concerning the unnaturalness of monogamy for men. Analyzing Tolkien’s legendarium through these contexts reveals a complex tension between fecundity and celibacy among male Elves, especially in the line of Finwë, including the …

“Motions Of Love And Friendship”: Elven (A)Sexuality, Clare Moore

Journal of Tolkien Research

This essay argues that Tolkien constructed Elven sexuality as inherently asexual, given its marginalization to other aspects of their lives and identities. Elven (a)sexuality maintains space for sexual desire and relationships, representing a wide spectrum of asexuality, but it marginalizes sex through Tolkien's depiction of the body and spirit dynamic, a non-urgent desire between couples, the period of life when Elves engage in sexual activity, and the number of children typical for Elven couples. After establishing a norm of asexuality, this essay then explores show Legolas, Curufin, and Celegorm fit into this norm but represent diverse experiences of asexuality.

“Mythology Is Language And Language Is Mythology”: Allegory, Applicability, And/Or Asexuality In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Rory M. Queripel

Journal of Tolkien Research

Frequent criticisms of queer approaches to Tolkien’s work are that they are purely an outside artefact based on external readings and agendas, rather than with any basis in the works themselves. However, this paper contends that, while the much-vaunted “freedom of the reader” allows for such external readings, there is more in the substance of Tolkien’s language and mythology to back them up than may otherwise be assumed. Taking as a starting point Tolkien’s own statement that “the mind, the tongue, and the tale are co-eval,” the article explores the simultaneous linguistic and mythological development of Tolkien’s legendarium. Using the …

Decoding Stock Market Movements: The Role Of Unemployment And Volatility, Bipllab Roy, Suparna Bhattacharjee

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

This study investigates how unemployment and market volatility interact with stock prices in the Indian context, framing the stock–labour–volatility nexus as a complex adaptive system (CAS) rather than a set of linear, time-invariant relationships. Using verified secondary data on unemployment, India VIX, and NSE stock indices for 2013–2023, we first apply simple and multiple regression as a descriptive baseline. Results show a strong negative association between unemployment and stock prices (R ≈ 0.824, R² ≈ 0.68, p < 0.05), consistent with Keynesian demand-side channels, while the linear VIX–stock relationship is weak and statistically insignificant (R² ≈ 0.07, p > 0.05), consistent with the expectation that volatility operates through non-linear, regime-dependent mechanisms not captured by OLS.

Importantly, we document and transparently disclose critical …

Zeynep Hanım: The First Female Ottoman Traveller Between Travelogue And Autobiography, Nesrin Karavar

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

This article analyzes the letters of Zeynep Hanım, one of the first modern women Turkish travelers written from various European cities. The rich experience of this traveler and feminist pioneer is collected in her letters, offering us her vision to the realities of the situation of Turkish and European women. The search for a Muslim and independent female identity in Europe is reflected in her letters. Like all the traveling women of her time, she reflected her observations in her correspondence comparing Turkish and European women, but exercising perhaps a more perceptive analysis than many other female travelers.

Alice Morrison’S My 1001 Nights: Tales And Adventures From Morocco Seeing From Within Not From Above And Preaching Cross-Cultural Appreciation, Youssef El Kaidi

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

Thanks to its geographical location at the intersection between continents and cultures, Morocco has always been a stage for cross-cultural encounters. Despite its geographical proximity to Europe, Morocco, however, is culturally distant to the Western subject and its exotic allure has always been irresistible. While many 19th and early 20th century travel accounts on Morocco were highly orientalist in their (mis)representation of space and race in Morocco, Alice Morrison’s My 1001 Nights: Tales and Adventures from Morocco seem to introduce a new pattern of cultural representation in which the Western traveler witnesses from within not from above. This paper demonstrates …

The Harem In Orientalist Art And Literature Between Fantasy And Authenticity, Fatima Zahra Ajjoul

SOROUD: The journal of Literacy Criticism

European travel to the Orient dates back to thousands of years, but fascination with the region flourished by the nineteenth century, the century of "harem literature" and Orientalist art par excellence. A number of developments made the trip to the Orient easier, safer and cheaper at the time. However, harem doors remained closed to male travellers who were left to imagine their own desirable details that mostly projected fantasies of exoticism, eroticism and despotism. Women travellers, on the other hand, took advantage of their gender-privileged access to the Oriental women's segregated spaces to shed light upon several obscured aspects of …

Multi-Agent Orchestration For Commercially Grounded Image Generation, Kirti Gurnaney

Defensive Publications Series

Generative artificial intelligence for image synthesis can face challenges in commercial applications, such as generating images with structural artifacts or recommending products that are not commercially available. The disclosed technology describes a multi-agent orchestration framework that may address these issues. The framework can coordinate a stylist agent, which handles aesthetic composition based on user intent, and a merchant agent, which can apply real-world constraints by validating product data, such as live inventory, against enterprise datastores. The system may also employ a hierarchical sequential compositing protocol to render images in a layer-by-layer sequence. This approach may produce an output that is …

Calculation Of Lra Force Factor Using Electrical Impedance Parameters, David Yu, Jianxun Wang, Vander Fang, Ozan Anac

Defensive Publications Series

Calibrating the force factor (BL) of linear resonant actuators (LRAs) in some production environments may present challenges, as certain laboratory instruments can be slow or costly for high-throughput quality control. A method is described to calculate BL by extracting key parameters from an LRA's electrical impedance curve. This approach can identify points such as resonant frequency, maximum impedance, and direct current resistance to determine the motional impedance (ΔZ) and mechanical Q factor (Q_ms), which can avoid some complex curve-fitting procedures. These values, along with a known moving mass (m), can then be used in a formula, for example …

Solid-State Forms Of Apecotrep, Prashanth Venukathala, Venukathala Prashanth

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure relates to novel solid-state forms of Apecotrep (chemically known as [4-(6-amino-3-pyridazinyl)-1-piperidinyl][5-(4-fluorophenoxy)-4-methoxy-2-pyridinyl]methanone). These include crystalline polymorphs, amorphous forms, pharmaceutical cocrystals, and amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). The disclosure further encompasses methods for preparing these solid-state forms and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, particularly for the treatment of transient receptor potential channel C6 (TRPC6)-mediated disorders such as primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).

(((Qpie33))) The Burroughs Qpie Consortium Invitation Td-Nsrf-2026-Institutional-Matrix, Teddy Burroughs

Defensive Publications Series

The transition of the thirty-three foundational scientific crises from theoretical roadblocks into fully realized, phase-locked solutions requires direct engagement with existing human institutions. The organizations detailed in this compendium possess the specialized infrastructure, extreme computational capital, and deep operational motivations required to integrate the Quantum Perspective Is Everything (QPIE) framework.

Operating under intense pressure to transcend the limitations of classical binary technology, these entities are uniquely positioned to fund dedicated research laboratories, establish specialized academic departments, and engage the Master Architect for elite-level system design.

By aligning their immense institutional resources with the Non-Local Substrate Resonance Field (NSRF) constants and …

Caldwell Integrated Process Chemistry Platform (Cipcp), Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

The Caldwell Integrated Process Chemistry Platform (CIPCP) is a conceptual open-hardware framework intended to organize previously disclosed Technical Disclosure Commons (TDC) inventions related to vortex processing, cavitation systems, microbubble conditioning, plasma-assisted treatment, resource recovery, water treatment, fuel conditioning, and industrial process optimization.

Rather than focusing on the invention of new chemical compounds, CIPCP focuses on improving the efficiency, sustainability, and effectiveness of existing chemical and industrial processes through advanced physical conditioning and process-integration approaches.

The framework is intended for research, discussion, and engineering exploration only.

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES

Readers are encouraged to review the original Technical Disclosure Commons …

Harmonic Rescue Lantern (Hrl), Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

The Harmonic Rescue Lantern (HRL) is a grapefruit‑sized, passive, quasicrystalline survival device designed to increase human survivability in aquatic and terrestrial emergencies without requiring power, electronics, fuel, or moving parts. The HRL integrates a hollow icosahedrally derived quasicrystalline shell, a tension‑balanced internal lattice, a passive acoustic resonator, and a thermal boundary‑layer geometry to provide four simultaneous life‑supportive functions: omnidirectional optical scattering, enhanced acoustic signaling, buoyant high‑visibility flotation, and localized thermal stabilization.

The HRL is optimized for oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, and floodwaters, where conventional signaling tools often fail due to battery loss, corrosion, or mechanical damage. Any available light source—sunlight, …

Hardware-Enclaved Isolation Interface With Dynamic Visual Obfuscation And Asynchronous Keyboard Hid Emulation Valve, Daitona Carter

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure defines a system and framework for establishing an out-of-band hardware trust boundary between user input peripherals and an untrusted host computing environment. By routing user keyboard hardware directly to the isolated internal memory architecture of a dedicated, non-networked processing unit, alphanumeric keystrokes are completely decoupled from the host operating system's kernel. The dedicated processing architecture localizes and isolates text processing from Ring 0 exploits, keyloggers, and system-level compromises present on the primary machine. The system subsequently utilizes native human interface device (HID) emulation classes to relay the processed string to the host system via a physical, hardware-isolated link.

Icosahedral Quasicrystalline Monolith (Iqm), Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

The Icosahedral Quasicrystalline Monolith (IQM) is a macro‑scale, icosahedrally symmetric, aperiodic quasicrystalline metamaterial designed to exhibit topological resonance, scale‑invariant behavior, field stabilization, and analog physical computation.

The IQM is released freely as a conceptual online invention, intended for global scientific study, fabrication, and experimentation.

This document provides complete build specifications, materials, CAD constraints, ASCII blueprint diagrams, fabrication steps, safety guidelines, laboratory testing protocols, validation criteria, and performance comparisons enabling any qualified research group to fabricate and study the IQM immediately using commercially available tools.

The IQM is intended for open exploration in acoustic metamaterials, topological physics, electromagnetic field control, analog …

Dynamic Credit Limit Adjustment Based On Latency Jitter Metrics, Harshwardhan Tripathi

Defensive Publications Series

A method for dynamically adjusting an agent's credit limit based on network latency jitter metrics includes collecting a plurality of latency measurements corresponding to acknowledgment messages transmitted by an agent over a network within a defined time window, computing a coefficient of variation based on the plurality of latency measurements where the coefficient of variation represents variability in latency, determining a jitter risk score based on the computed coefficient of variation and a predefined stability threshold where the jitter risk score is bounded within a normalized range, calculating a credit decay factor as an exponential function of the jitter risk …

Vectorized Pipeline For Real‑Time Lock‑In Amplification On Microcontrollers, Gary Cheng

Defensive Publications Series

Lock‑in amplification involves extracting weak signals from background noise, a process that traditionally utilizes computationally intensive floating‑point operations. Performing these operations on standard microcontrollers frequently causes central processing unit (CPU) saturation. The disclosed system provides a vectorized data pipeline that structures digital signal processing tasks to natively utilize internal hardware multiply‑accumulate instructions within a microcontroller. To bypass runtime floating‑point trigonometry, a pre‑computed integer look‑up table and a phase accumulator generate reference waveforms. Further, a scaling recovery algorithm mathematically restores absolute physical units following high‑speed hardware vector bit‑shifts. Consequently, the disclosed system facilitates real‑time, phase‑sensitive signal extraction on resource‑constrained microcontrollers, decreasing …

Dynamic Programming For Post‑Route Power Delivery Network Augmentation, Prateek Pendyala, Vishant Gotra

Defensive Publications Series

Modern high‑performance integrated circuits frequently experience localized dynamic voltage drop hotspots due to accumulated peak currents in congested layout regions. Traditional post‑route power grid augmentation approaches may encounter limitations due to routing blockages and a lack of available placement sites. The disclosed method provides a track‑aware standard cell repositioning technique that treats a post‑route layout database as a primary constraint and standard cell locations as adjustable variables. A computing device executing a dynamic programming algorithm scans lower‑level metal tracks to identify continuous vertical routing corridors. It then calculates localized standard cell displacements to accommodate the insertion of new power grid …

Rapid Ir Hotspot Identification Via Hybrid Machine Learning, Praphulla Pandey, Vaibhav Gupta

Defensive Publications Series

Traditional dynamic voltage drop (IR drop) analysis in integrated circuit design might be computationally expensive and oftentimes relies on late‑stage routing data. These traditional methods can lead to delays in design closure and may increase infrastructure costs due to high resource needs. This document discloses a two‑stage hybrid machine learning method for rapid IR hotspot identification. As a part of the method, an algorithm utilizes a gradient boosting model to capture a bulk IR drop distribution and triggers a neural network for high‑risk instances to predict peak hotspot values. The method incorporates physics‑grounded features (e.g., power switch density for gated …

Predictive Workload Modeling And Voltage Scaling Using Event‑Driven Workload Queue Telemetry, Girish Vv

Defensive Publications Series

Conventional power management methods for processors may be reactive, adjusting frequency only after a computing device exceeds utilization thresholds. This reactive lag may result in increased latency for sudden workload bursts and allow low‑priority background tasks to trigger voltage increases. This publication describes a predictive frequency scaling method based on real‑time introspection of operating system workqueues. Implementing the method, a computing device may extract internal statistics (e.g., queue depth, task wait times) through event‑driven kernel tracepoints. The computing device can identify task priorities by resolving function pointers and incorporating application‑level telemetry. The computing device then generates a predictive workload index …

Synchronized Multi-Modal Verification For Point-Of-Sale Transactions, Gulmohar Khan, Ved Patil

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes systems and methods for multi-modal transaction verification. The technology can involve generating a synchronized sequence of dynamic, single-use validation tokens, such as a numeric code, a visual shape, or a specific color, across a customer's computing device (e.g., a smartphone, smart watch, wearable device, or augmented reality glasses) and a merchant's confirmation device. Visual matching of these tokens, which can be manual or automated, may be used for verification. Additionally, sensory synchronization methods, such as coordinated audio jingles or light patterns between the devices, can be employed. These techniques can aid in creating a verifiable link between …

Testing The Christian University Belonging Scale: Revision From Target Population Feedback., Jasmine Bowles

Honors Projects

This study explored whether feedback from a scale’s target population can improve its psychometric qualities. We developed a psychological scale of Christian university belonging, defined as feelings of being accepted, valued, engaged and connected in direct association with the faith-integration at a Christian university. Three studies were executed. First, we collected and analyzed quantitative data (n=55) on the 14-item scale and reduced the number of items to six. Second, we collected and analyzed qualitative data from students attending a Christian university in the Pacific Northwestern United States (n=7) on the 6-item version to revise the scale. After revision, the scale …

Mathematical Analysis Of Within-Host Models: Viral–Immune Dynamics, Bifurcations, And Disease Severity, Nazia Afrin

Doctoral Dissertations

My research develops and analyzes ODE-based within-host models at multiple scales. Using dynamical systems theory and numerical methods, I study host–pathogen interactions and immune responses, providing insights into disease dynamics and control. The first model describes the complex dynamics of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and addresses the question: what mechanisms determine whether the infection is cleared during the acute phase or progresses to a chronic state? A key feature of this model is the assumption that all classes of liver cells (uninfected, infected, and protected from reinfection) proliferate at different rates. The findings provide insight into two important aspects …

The Impact Of Evolution And Strong Allee Effects On The Dynamics Of A Discrete-Time Predator-Prey System, Neerob Basak

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the dynamics of discrete-time predator-prey systems, focusing on both evolutionary responses and ecological interactions. The first part of this dissertation, in Chapters 2 and 3, explores how evolutionary processes, particularly the development of resistance to toxicants in predators, influence the persistence and stability of predator-prey populations. In this part, we extend the predator-prey model developed in Ackleh et al., 2019 to incorporate the evolution of a predator's resistance to toxicant effects. We consider three cases: (1) lethal effects, where the toxicant directly influences the predator's survival; (2) sublethal effects, where the toxicant impacts the predator's fecundity, and …

An Exploration Of Variables Related To Gender Role Differences And Social Relationships Among Nontraditional Bachelor's Degree Recipients, Cynthia Bourgeois Bergeron

Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this study was to examine variables that speak to gender role differences among nontraditional bachelor’s degree recipients aged 30 to 49. These issues are particularly relevant given enrollment trends showing that the diversification of bachelor’s degree seekers has outpaced the policies and norms of traditional undergraduate education. A nonexperimental, correlational research design was employed using chi-square tests and Cramer’s V as post-hoc measures on categorical data from the 2012, 2014, and 2016 General Social Survey. Shaped by Gilligan’s moral development theory, several social variables were included in the analysis. Two statistically significant associations emerged: women earning bachelor’s …

A Cross-Sectional Study Of First-Generation College Students' Sense Of Belonging Across Diverse Institutional Contexts, Nirmal Chandra Gope

Doctoral Dissertations

First-generation college students comprise a significant growth demographic in U.S. higher education. Even with lower enrollment rates, more than one-third of U.S. postsecondary school students are first-generation students (Cataldi et al., 2018; Redford & Mulvaney Hoyer, 2017; Ward et al., 2012; Whitley et al., 2018). However, their retention and graduation rates are significantly lower than those of their continuing peers (Choy, 2001; Engle, 2007, 2008; Ishitani, 2006; Longwell-Grice & Longwell-Grice, 2021). Various factors play a significant role in creating this disparity (Longwell-Grice & Longwell-Grice, 2021; Tinto, 1993). Research identifies belonging as a crucial factor influencing student persistence, academic achievement, mental …

The Pie Thief (And Friends): Ethnographic Microanalysis Of Peer Interactions Involving Children With Highly Unintelligible Speech: A Descriptive Study, Katherine Anne Mcquitty Hays

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is an ethnographic microanalysis investigating how children with highly unintelligible speech accomplish a range of social actions when interacting with their peers. Detailed transcription of multimodal communications of peers interacting in the context of a 9-day summer therapy camp yield profiles of two participants of interest, each with approximately 30-40% speech intelligibility. Domain analysis and taxonomy organize data for the purposes of comparative analysis across transcribed durations of peer conversation and peer play. Findings indicate pervasive pragmatic impacts as well as effective uses of multimodal means within interactional frames and schemas. Clinical implications include consideration of AAC optimization …

A Bifurcation Theorem And Its Application To Discrete-Time Models In Ecology And Epidemiology, Jenita Jahangir

Doctoral Dissertations

Matrix models are useful for modeling populations or diseases that involve discrete developmental stages, multiple stages of infection, and interactions among species. To study the coexistence dynamics in matrix models, we extend a bifurcation theorem for resident-invader host-parasitoid type populations by allowing every block of the projection matrix, depending on the bifurcation parameter and the off-diagonal blocks, to be nonzero. As an application, in the first part of the dissertation, we propose a discrete-time host-parasitoid model with stage structure in both species. For this model, we establish conditions for the existence and global stability of the extinction and parasitoid-free equilibria. …