Digital Commons Network^™

Cyber Warfare And The Future Of Conflict, Victor A. Mercado

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis examines whether cyber warfare now poses a more immediate threat to U.S. national security than weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Cyber operations have become a dominant instrument of contemporary conflict, with malicious actors operating in a persistent “grey zone” that blurs traditional boundaries between war and peace. These operations target military and civilian entities, both directly and often as collateral damage due to the uncontrollable nature of cyber threats. WMDs, despite their catastrophic destructive potential, remain largely constrained by established deterrence frameworks.

The evolving nature of cyber warfare warrants comparison to WMD effects and impact, as cyber capabilities …

Mirabile Dictu: The Bryn Mawr College Library Newsletter 28 (2025), Bryn Mawr College Library

Mirabile Dictu: Newsletter of the Bryn Mawr College Libraries

No abstract provided.

Modeling Healthcare Managerial And It Sophistication, Gary Hackbarth, Teuta Cata

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Sophisticated healthcare managers understand that managing information and selecting technology are two related but separate skill sets. Information Technology Governance (ITG) allows healthcare organizations to deal with complex issues, compete effectively, and support patient needs by integrating managerial and IT sophistication to improve business performance. An organizational model that merges IT and managerial sophistication by improving ITG to forecast business outcomes must grasp the intricacies of technology to acquire, manage, and utilize information technology in alignment with business strategies. The proposed model differentiates between internal and external IT management strategic thinking, emphasizing the critical need to govern IT effectively by …

Identity, Familia, And Belonging: Librarians Of Latino American Heritage And Professional Associations, Alicia Long, Denice Adkins

School of Information Faculty Publications

The lack of diversity in the library and information science (LIS) field is a historical problem in a profession that strives to provide access to information for all. Many librarians of Latin American heritage are and have been members and/or leaders of the American Library Association (ALA). Some of them are also members of and participate actively in the National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking (REFORMA). The purpose of this case study is to understand how librarians of Latin American heritage (LLAH) experience a sense of belonging within librarianship based on their …

'Typical Cases': Representation, Racializing Medicine, And The Politics Of The Case Study In The Moulages Collections Of The Hôpital Saint-Louis, Kathleen Pierce

Art: Faculty Publications

Physicians at the hôpital Saint-Louis prized their collection of wax models (moulages) for their precise representation of color: a central project of dermatology. Close looking at the collection, however, reveals the repeated use of a consistent light skin tone across the vast majority of models. Given physicians’ investment in chromatic precision, how might we understand this generic attention to skin coloration? “Typical Cases” asks how, when, and why skin pigmentation mattered to fin-de-siècle dermatologists. I first argue that the overrepresentation of light skin tones comprises an aesthetic choice made by the model-makers and their physician-patrons. I subsequently ask how this …

Resilience After Prenatal Substance Exposure: Exploring The Role Of Cumulative And Specific Protective Factors In Predicting Toddlerhood Temperament Profiles, Anjeli Elkins

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Objective

Prenatal exposure to common substances, including nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and alcohol, has been linked to a wide range of psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopmental impairments. Identifying protective factors that may improve temperament profiles in toddlers who have experienced prenatal substance exposure may protect against these adverse outcomes and is crucial for developing targeted early interventions.

Methods

Participants (n=92; Mage = 28.7 years; 47.0% White) were biological mothers of toddlers (Mage = 22.6 months) with prenatal substance exposure. Mothers responded to an online survey that gathered information on substance use during pregnancy, proposed perinatal protective factors, and child temperament. …

Dangers From Regulatory Vacuums In Outer, Inner, And Near Space, Rob Frieden

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

Space, “the final frontier,” has become an attractive but increasingly risky market for both public and private investments. Gold rush enthusiasm anticipates solutions to the digital divide via small low earth orbiting satellites, extraction of valuable minerals from asteroids, a vibrant space launch and tourism industry, and expanding earth observation opportunities. Such entrepreneurial boldness juxtaposes with a severe lag in government oversight, consumer safeguards, and essential operational guardrails. The ambitious plans of Elon Musk and other space entrepreneurs could fail—despite recent market success—as SpaceX’s plans for 148 rocket launches in 2024.

Without substantial refinement of global space treaties and effective …

Department Of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University: Historical And Personal Reflections, Richard A. Glennon

VCU University History Books

This book presents a historical account of Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of Medicinal Chemistry, compiled and recollected in 2025 by Professor Emeritus Richard A. Glennon. Included are personal reflections alongside a historical overview of the department's origins and faculty, as well as newly developed programs and initiatives.

Managing The Impact Of Workplace Trauma For Australian First Responders: Harmonizing Policy And Practice, Aglae Hernandez Grande, Fleur Sharafizad, Ben Farr-Wharton, Yvonne Brunetto, Matthew Richman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Police, fire, ambulance, and emergency services workers face an increased exposure to traumatic events while at work, negatively affecting their mental health, and with broader financial, legal, and moral implications for the public sector organizations that employ them. To better support these workers, and to mitigate the potential financial burden resulting from workers’ compensation claims, many first responder organizations are implementing wellbeing initiatives. This article examines the efficacy of an initiative for a sample of 530 frontline and administrative first responders, working in one state jurisdiction in Australia. The results indicate that wellbeing programmes moderate the impact of trauma on …

Measuring Variation In Gaze Following Across Communities, Ages, And Individuals: A Showcase Of Tango-Cc (Task For Assessing Individual Differences In Gaze Understanding-Open-Cross-Cultural), Julia Christin Prein, Florian M. Bednarski, Ardain Dzabatou, Michael C. Frank, Annette M.E. Henderson, Josefine Kalbitz, Patricia Kanngiesser, Dilara Keşşafoğlu, Bahar Köymen, Maira V. Manrique-Hernandez, Shirley Magazi, Lizbeth Mújica-Manrique, Julia Ohlendorf, Damilola Olaoba, Wesley R. Pieters, Sarah Pope-Caldwell, Umay Sen, Katie Slocombe, Robert Z. Sparks, Roman Stengelin, Jahnavi Sunderarajan, Kirsten Sutherland, Florence Tusiime, Wilson Vieira, Zhen Zhang, Yufei Zong, Daniel B.M. Haun, Manuel Bohn

School of Psychology

Cross-cultural studies are crucial for investigating the cultural variability and universality of cognitive developmental processes. However, cross-cultural assessment tools in cognition across languages and communities are limited. In this article, we describe a gaze-following task designed to measure basic social cognition across individuals, ages, and communities (the Task for Assessing iNdividual differences in Gaze understanding-Open-Cross-Cultural; TANGO-CC). The task was developed and psychometrically assessed in one cultural setting and, with input of local collaborators, adapted for cross-cultural data collection. Minimal language demands and the web-app implementation allow fast and easy contextual adaptations to each community. TANGO-CC captures individual- and community-level variation …

Bibliography Of Scholarship From 2025, University Of San Diego

Annual Bibliography of USD Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Productivity History Of The Central Okhotsk Sea And Northeast Russia During The Mid-Pleistocene Transition, Li Lo, Wei Zhu Chen, Julie Lattaud, Yi Hsueh Tsai, Simon T. Belt, Lukas Smik, Yuen Tung Kiki Wan

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Biological productivity, shaped by climate and environmental factors, is critical to climate feedback mechanisms and the global carbon cycle. This study investigates the measurement of six phytosterols (β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, dinosterol, epi-brassicasterol, and 24-methylene cholesterol) from core MD01-2414 in the central Okhotsk Sea, covering the past 1.5 million years (Ma). These sterols serve as proxies for terrestrial and marine productivity in the central Okhotsk Sea and northeast Siberia. Sterol concentrations reflect global glacial/interglacial cycles between 1.2 and 0.6 Ma, with higher and lower values during interglacial and glacials intervals, respectively. X-ray fluorescence (Ba/Ti) and total organic carbon/total nitrogen (TOC/TN) ratios …

Role And Evolution Of Islamic Education In Kazakhstan, Yeleukhan Kaliyeva, Albina Duissenbayeva, Aııtmamat Karıev, Bekzhan A. Azhimov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper examines the evolution of religious education and the professional development of clergy in Kazakhstan, with particular emphasis on the establishment of institutions aimed at enhancing the competencies of imams and religious educators. It traces the evolution of the Islamic educational system throughout various historical periods until the present day. Particular focus is given to blending Islamic teachings with contemporary educational structures. The researchers heuristically analyzed the current state of the field, identified the main problems, and suggested prospects for Islamic education for further development. The research utilizes the historical method, which uses primary and secondary data sources. This …

Financial Barriers And Inequity In Medical Education In India: Challenges To Training A Diverse And Representative Healthcare Workforce, Manmeet Ahluwalia

All Publications

India has been historically challenged by an insufficient and heterogeneously clustered distribution of healthcare infrastructure. While resource-limited healthcare settings, such as major parts of India, require multidisciplinary approaches for improvement, one key approach is the recruitment and training of a healthcare workforce representative of its population. This requires overcoming barriers to equity and representation in Indian medical education that are multi-faceted, historical, and rooted in inequality. However, literature is lacking regarding the financial or economic barriers, and their implications on equity and representation in the Indian allopathic physician workforce, which this review sought to describe. Keyword-based searches were carried out …

Impact Of Urban Development On Uv Exposure: A Clustering And Machine Learning Assessment, Taufik Roni Sahroni Mr., Verdi Yasin, Lulut Alfaris, Reza Ariefka, Ruben Cornelius Siagian, Mohammad Alfin Karim, Nana Rahdiana, Ade Suhara

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

The relocation of Indonesia's capital city is anticipated to promote inclusive economic growth while embracing cultural diversity. However, this transition may affect ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure patterns. The study investigated variations in UV exposure in the IKN region, focusing on urban development factors such as land use and population density that affect public health, sun protection, and skin cancer prevention. The research hypothesized that UV radiation is significantly correlated with these factors. UV Index data from 2010-2023, a hierarchical clustering method, identifies complex data patterns without determining the number of clusters. XGBoost, a machine learning model, was used for handling …

Love As A Commitment Device : Evidence From A Cross-Cultural Study Across 90 Countries, Marta Kowal, Adam Bode, Karolina Koszałkowska, S. Craig Roberts, Biljana Gjoneska, David Frederick, Anna Studzinska, Dmitrii Dubrov, Dmitry Grigoryev, Toivo Aavik, Pavol Prokop, Caterina Grano, Hakan Çetinkaya, Derya Atamtürk Duyar, Roberto Baiocco, Carlota Batres, Yakhlef Belkacem, Merve Boğa, Nana Burduli, Ali R. Can, Razieh Chegeni, William J. Chopik, Yahya Don, Seda Dural, Izzet Duyar, Edgardo Etchezahar, Feten Fekih-Romdhane, Tomasz Frackowiak, Felipe E. García, Talia Gomez Yepes

School of Psychology

Given the ubiquitous nature of love, numerous theories have been proposed to explain its existence. One such theory refers to love as a commitment device, suggesting that romantic love evolved to foster commitment between partners and enhance their reproductive success. In the present study, we investigated this hypothesis using a large-scale sample of 86,310 individual responses collected across 90 countries. If romantic love is universally perceived as a force that fosters commitment between long-term partners, we expected that individuals likely to suffer greater losses from the termination of their relationships—including people of lower socioeconomic status, those with many children, and …

Construction And Correction Of A 3d Digital Twin For A Complex Gangue-Bearing Coal Seam, Zhang Meichen, Zhao Lijuan, Wang Yadong, Zhang Kai

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective 3D digital twin for complex gangue-bearing coal seams are designed to achieve an information-based description of physical coal seams and faithfully map their virtual forms. digital twin is identified as a prerequisite for exploring the efficient cutting of intelligent shearers while providing an effective data guarantee for achieving unmanned mining. Methods Using data on samples from the mining face of coal seam 17 in the Yankuang Energy Group Co., Ltd. Shandong Province, this study proposed a methodology that integrates more information about the geological structural conditions of coal seams. Specifically, digital twining of iron sulfide nodules was performed using …

A Calculational Model For 3d Fault Complexity Based On Curvature Analysis And Fractal Dimensions, Yan Junsheng, Liu Zaibin, Fan Tao, Yang Hui, Liu Wenming, Du Wengang, An Lin, Liu Chenguang, Wang Xiaohui

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods Faults are identified as one of the most threatening geological structural factors among hidden disaster-causing factors in coal mines. However, the 3D quantitative assessment of them remains challenging. Considering that existing quantitative indicators fail to fully reflect fault morphologies and there is a lack of 3D methods, this study proposed a calculational model for 3D fault complexity based on curvature analysis and fractal dimensions. This model improved the morphologies of traditional measurement volumes of fractal dimensions by employing the Delaunay tetrahedralization algorithm, thus effectively reducing the invalid values in calculating the 3D fractal dimensions of faults. Moreover, …

Beyond Bindis, Bhajis, Bangles And Bhangra: Promoting Multiculturalism In Primary Schools In Predominantly White British Places, Suparna Bagchi

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Twenty-first-century education as a powerful means of knowledge will possibly be shaped by the emphasis it places on having classrooms that are race-conscious and multicultural. The present article is based on a doctoral study that explores an under-researched area: experiences and understanding of multiculturalism in mainstream primary schools situated in the predominantly White places of Southwest England. The study was underpinned by a sociocultural theoretical framework; data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the adult participants, students’ classroom activities, and documentary analysis of school displays. The article focuses on the data generated from the students’ classroom activities. Findings show differences …

Develop New Quality Science-Communicative Forces To Support New Quality Productive Forces, Jiarui Wu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The importance of science communication has been elevated to an unprecedented height in China, as an important part of the national innovation system, and as important as scientific and technological innovation. Scientific and technological innovation is the core driving force for the development of new quality productive forces, and it is obvious that science communication plays an equally important role in promoting the development of new quality productive forces. This kind of role of science communication is named as new quality science-communication forces, which is mainly reflected in four aspects: creating an ecological environment conducive to innovation; advancing cutting-edge new …

On Relationship Between Experiment And Theory In Basic Scientific Research, Changpu Sun

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Understanding how experiments in basic scientific research “confirm” theories is crucial for upholding the spirit of science and fostering technological innovation. Mr. Zhou Guangzhao conducted an in-depth discussion on this topic in his early work. This study further analyzes the issue from the perspective of the philosophy of science. We derive falsificationism from a Bayesian perspective, providing a philosophical understanding of the proper handling of the relationship between scientific theory and experiment. By examining the relationship between theory and experiment in physics, this study proposes a philosophy of science concept of progressive falsifiability, emphasizing that through Bayesian methods, experiments can …

Scientifically Improving Human-Nature Relationship In Desertification Areas, Bojie Fu, Yanxu Liu, Shuai Wang, Junfeng Song, Zejiang Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The expansion trend of desertification in China has been fundamentally restrained. In the new era, scientifically improving the relationship between human and nature in desertification areas to promote regional sustainable development has become an important demand for desertification combat in China. We summarize four key challenges to sustainable development in desertification areas, including increasing human demand on water, increasing land use intensity, increasing climatic risk, and insufficient industrial innovation. Based on the theoretical understanding of the coupling relationship between human and nature, the evolution of human-nature relationship in combating desertification can be divided into four stages, namely, extensive land exploitation, …

Action Logic And Agenda Game Of Global Methane Emission Control And China’S Countermeasures, Bo Zhang, Jinling Guo, Bing Zhong, Junlian Gao, Guosheng Zhang, He Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Originated from the global response to climate change, methane emission control has evolved into a focus of international climate negotiations in recent years. At present, the agenda for controlling methane emission in global climate governance is basically taking shape, but in the process of shifting from scientific consensus to political consensus, the content of the topic and the focus of the game continue to evolve. To carry out global action, it is necessary to address issues such as the allocation of responsibilities, international rules, climate investment and financing, and risk prevention, as well as the basic capacity guarantees behind them. …

Architecture And Key Technologies Of New Research Informatization Infrastructure Platform Under The Fifth Research Paradigm, Fangyu Liao, Yang Wang, Rongqiang Cao, Bo Zhang, Zhenyu Li, Huajin Wang, Xin Chen, Dong Li, Yangang Wang, Xin Wei

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The basic platform of research informatization is an indispensable pedestal for modern scientific research and an important manifestation of national scientific and technological innovation capability. As the research paradigm continues to evolve, the architecture and technologies of research informatization infrastructure platform are bound to evolve as well. The new research paradigm brings unique demands and challenges to the algorithmic computility, network transmission capacity, and data storage and management. Consequently, it is an urgent requirement for research informatization infrastructure platform to make technological breakthroughs in the areas of intelligent computility, large-scale data storage and high throughput read/write, cross-network software and hardware …

Overall Promotion Of Integrated Management And Utilization Of Saline-Alkali Land In Northwest China: Conditions, Challenges, And Recommendations, Qi Feng, Xinwei Yin, Meng Zhu, Jutao Zhang, Wei Liu, Haiyang Xi, Tengfei Yu, Linshan Yang, Wen Liu, Zhixiang Lu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Cultivated land is the lifeblood of grain production and the foundation for food security. Saline-alkali land in Northwest China is an important cultivated land reserve resource and a potential granary for guaranteeing national food security, so the high-quality promotion of comprehensive management and utilization of saline-alkali land in Northwest China is a strategic measure to achieve the goal of “storing grain in land and technology”. Based on a profound understanding of the great significance for promoting the integrated management and utilization of saline-alkali land in Northwest China, this study systematically summarizes the quantity, distribution pattern, and utilization potential of saline-alkali …

China’S Rare Earths Trade Flow Analysis: Trade Patterns And Strategic Insights, Linbin Tang, Peng Wang, Wei Chen, Yawen Han, Yuning Jin, Zilong Peng, Weiqiang Chen

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Rare earth elements are strategic critical metals that support low-carbon energy, aerospace, and defense technologies. Currently, China’s rare earth industry lacks competitiveness and faces the risk of “multidimensional pressures” in global competition. Therefore, it is crucial to systematically analyze the supply-demand and trade patterns of rare earths, accurately identify the bottlenecks and pain points in China’s entire rare earth industry chain, and provide strategies to transform China’s rare earth resource advantage into a strategic competitive edge. Based on customs trade data, this study traces the trade flows of various forms of rare earth products across the full industry chain in …

A Study On Common Characteristics And Mechanisms On Growth Of Strategic Scientists From Perspective Of Life Course Theory, Chenghua Lin, Weijia Zhang, Yanyi Wu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

This study was conducted on six renowned strategic scientists in China using the life cycle theory framework. The research explored the key competency characteristics, growth trajectories, and influencing factors in their growth process. The findings revealed that the capabilities of Chinese strategic scientists encompass four dimensions: scientific metacognition, strategic planning, team coordination, and spiritual leadership. These capabilities exhibit staged development characteristics, including phases of enlightenment, wisdom enhancement, and molding. They are influenced by a comprehensive range of factors, including the influence of others, resource conservation, and career construction. To further optimize the environment for cultivating and utilizing strategic scientists in …

Five Key Issues And Governance Strategies In Integration Of China’S National Computing Power, Tao Hong, Le Cheng

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Computing power, as a core element of artificial intelligence, has not received sufficient research and attention compared to data and algorithms, and has become the short board of China in international artificial intelligence competition. In fact, the integrated construction of the arithmetic system is not only an inherent requirement for the development of the digital industry, but also a regular guide for the growth of the digital economy, and a core driver for the transformation of the digital society. Although it has always secured endorsement by national policy, the relevant legal norms and actual layout are still insufficient, and the …

How Should China Respond To “Pan-Data Sovereignty” Competition Among China, U.S., And Eu—An Analysis Based On The Digital Stack Model?, Yan Liu, Congjing Ran

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Data sovereignty has become deeply intertwined with various economic and social development factors such as technology, trade, economy, culture, society, and politics, leading to a “Pan-Data Sovereignty” competition pattern in the digital space. Through the digital stack model, which examines digital technologies in a layered framework, we can more clearly assess the competitive capacities in“Pan-Data Sovereignty” of China, United States, and European Union. The analysis identifies a three-tiered global “Pan-Data Sovereignty” competition structure among China, U.S., and EU, with each entity holding distinct advantages across various layers of the digital stack. Intense future competition is anticipated in fields such as …

Research And Reflection On Transformation Of Resource-Based Cities In China—A Case Study Of Datong City, Shanxi Province, Zhijian Xiong, Hong Zhao, Xiuli Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Currently, there are 262 resource-based cities in China, of which mature and declining cities account for 79.39%. These cities have made significant contributions to the country’s economic and social development, but now they are facing severe challenges and difficulties, and their transformation problems urgently need to be solved. This work studies the mechanism of resource-based transformation and proposes strategies for the transformation of resource-based cities: (1) Transformation should be comprehensive, balanced, and sustainable; (2) Transformation should fully leverage the leading role of the market while also taking into account the fundamental role of the government; (3) Transformation should fully leverage …