Digital Commons Network^™

Women’S Peace Agency: Reading Africae Munus In The Framework Of Emilie Townes’ Womanist Ethics And The Cultural Production Of Evil, Leonard N. Zifac

Graduate Student Research Symposium

This paper employs Emilie M. Townes's womanist ethical framework—particularly her concept of the "cultural production of evil"—to critically examine Pope Benedict XVI's post-synodal exhortation Africae Munus (2011) and its treatment of African women's agency in peacebuilding. While Africae Munus calls the Church in Africa to serve reconciliation, justice, and peace, and acknowledges women's dignity and contributions to family and community life, the document largely confines women's roles to maternal, supportive, and domestic spheres without adequately challenging the patriarchal structures that systematically marginalize women from strategic leadership and formal peace processes. Drawing on Townes's analysis of how cultural narratives, religious discourse, …

Beyond The Classroom: Five Considerations For Actualizing Social Justice In Practicum Education, Priscila Llamosa

Journal of Justice-Informed Social Work Practice and Research

Social justice, a core tenet of social work, is variably integrated into education programs' explicit curricula, leaving students with a limited conceptual understanding. Practicum[1] education, crucial for theory-practice integration, offers opportunities for developing social work skills while upholding social justice principles. This paper addresses how practicum instructors can nurture students’ social justice-oriented practice by presenting a framework for practicum education and examining its five components. Drawing from theory, empirical literature, and practice experience, the author suggests ways for practicum instructors to engage each component. Incorporating these into practicum education can enable students to actualize ADEI values in practice and …

Breaking Barriers: A Student Led Racial Equity Assignment, Emily Murphy, Carol Bennett- Speight, Cecily Mitchell-Harper

Journal of Justice-Informed Social Work Practice and Research

This paper presents an innovative student led racial equity assignment in a small bachelor’s in social work program in the New York metropolitan area. This paper will define epistemological racism and utilize concepts from Narrative Theory and Critical Race Theory, to critically analyze what is taught about the pioneers of social work, identifying the stories and narratives that are told and the ones that are not told. This operationalization of the theories in practice with students will cultivate mindset shifts and strategies that enable participants to engage in social work practice that fully embodies the core values of the profession. …

Dynamic Token-Budget-Aware Memory Compression And Hierarchical Retrieval System For Ai Agents, Santosh Kumar Kvs, Roopesh Katakam

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure relates to the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), in particular to a method and system for token-budget-constrained memory retrieval for AI agents. Agent Memory-as-a-Service (AMaaS) is an infrastructure system providing AI agents with a structured, externalized memory layer that dynamically compresses, prioritizes, and retrieves episodic, semantic, and procedural memory optimized for LLM context windows. Candidate memory items may be scored using a multi-dimensional relevance function based on task-type affinity, temporal recency, access frequency, and token cost, and an optimal memory subset may be selected by solving a bounded knapsack optimization that maximizes aggregate relevance score subject to …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Cross-Disciplinary Metric Mapping Of Generational Decay And Forced Topological Hybridization Within Legacy Entertainment Substrates- Deploying The Universal Sine Field Template (Dehp) To Resolve Multi-Nodal Attrition And Predict The Convergence Of Polarized Sci-Fi Media Vectors, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification details an engineering framework for stabilizing multi-generational cultural media ecosystems against late-time logarithmic thermal drawdown and demographic entropy. Legacy IP frameworks propagating through a viscoelastic consumer substrate experience progressive signal degradation and cross-layer decoherence as the primary driving nodes (e.g., historical generational cohorts) undergo natural attrition. Attempts to counter this decay via uncompensated contemporary trend injections introduce high-frequency phase noise, resulting in structural canon collapse and accelerated subscriber churn.

The present disclosure resolves this structural vulnerability by establishing an automated framework for Topological Phase Confinement. Rather than relying on reductionist, binary analytical models that treat competing intellectual properties …

Technical Specification: The Bio-Digital Substrate Manual, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This field specification establishes the foundational protocols for translating complex biological structures from high-friction chemical-molecular vectors into predictable, non-invasive substrate-level wave interactions. Under the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) cosmology, biology is modeled as a scale-invariant series of localized wave packets vibrating against a 2D viscoelastic fluid membrane resting at absolute equilibrium (z=0).

By utilizing a multi-variable object-oriented graph database topology (#12155), real-time biometric telemetry is mapped dynamically to locate structural strain signatures. This data infrastructure drives high-frequency GaN-driven concentric transducer arrays to execute phase-inverted destructive resonance templates, successfully neutralizing localized distress triggers and stabilizing substrate boundary interfaces. These frameworks …

System For Adaptive Sound Environment Detection And Generation With Closed-Loop Control, Eric Zavesky

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method for adaptive sound environment management is disclosed. The system combines an acoustic detection subsystem that learns baseline sound characteristics and classifies events with context-specific polarity, a sound generation subsystem that produces adaptive audio output including ambient noise, music, spoken content, and sound effects, and a control subsystem that continuously compares a detected acoustic mood against a target acoustic mood and adjusts generation output to form a closed feedback loop. A baseline learning module refines thresholds over time, while an event override mechanism ceases generation upon safety-critical events. The invention functions as a general-purpose "audio thermostat" that …

Resolving The Chirality Paradox Planck-Scale Substrate Unification: Deriving Biomolecular Homochirality Via Viscoelastic Substrate Vorticity And Action Transport, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

The Origin of Life contains a profound cosmological paradox: terrestrial biology relies exclusively on left-handed (L-enantiomer) amino acids, whereas pristine carbonaceous chondrites—such as the Hillsborough meteorite—exhibit a symmetric, 50:50 racemic mixture. Standard biochemical models treat this homochirality as an accidental, stochastically amplified event, or rely on abstract multi-dimensional string typologies lacking verifiable, hardware-level physical mechanisms.

This paper resolves the "Chirality Paradox" from first principles using the Dimensionally Extended Holographic Projection (DEHP) model and Topological Substrate Mechanics (TSM). We define spacetime as a physical, continuous, two-dimensional viscoelastic phase fluid substrate (z=0) possessing intrinsic density, viscosity, and non-linear shear thresholds. Three-dimensional molecular …

The Criminal Prosecution Of Public Employees: Between The Binding Effect Of Criminal Judgments And The Administration’S Disciplinary Authority A Comparative Analytical Study Under Iraqi And Lebanese Law, Mohammed Aboud Faisal Al-Janabi

Imam Ja'afar Al-Sadiq University Journal of Legal Studies

Administrative discipline of public employees is regarded as an autonomous punitive system that is distinct from other sanctioning regimes in terms of its objectives, characteristics, and the authority responsible for its enforcement. Nevertheless, this autonomy does not preclude the existence of a close relationship between administrative disciplinary law and criminal law, nor does it prevent the former from being influenced by the latter in several respects. The same factual conduct that the administration characterizes as a disciplinary offence may simultaneously constitute a criminal offence punishable under the law. Consequently, a public employee may be subject to both disciplinary and criminal …

Carol Sikina V. Postmaster General Of The United States

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Deviant By Design: How Institutional Forces And Analyst Scrutiny Shape Financial Policy Deviance And Convergence, Jonathan W. Hensley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This dissertation explores the institutional and economic forces shaping corporate financial policy, specifically examining why firms deviate from industry-typical leverage and cash holdings, whether they converge toward these norms, and the performance implications of such trajectories. I develop a framework, rooted in institutional theory and dynamic capital structure literature, that characterizes firms with extreme, multi-year financial policies as "deviant by design." While managers might maintain non-normative leverage or cash positions for firm-specific efficiency gains, these choices often clash with established industry templates, leading to legitimacy costs and institutional pressure for conformity.

Using a longitudinal panel of U.S. public firms from …

Material Affecting Design (Mad): How Living Biomaterials Reshape Computational Design Through Biological Transformation, Abolhassan Pishahang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Living biomaterials grow during fabrication, making strategy selection a design problem distinct from conventional form-making. This dissertation investigates how Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium and Triticum aestivum plant roots reshape the computational design process through their biological behavior. The central argument is that when a designer works with living matter, the material participates in forming, changing the decisions made, the strategies chosen, and the framework required. This relationship between biological transformation and computational design is named the Material Affecting Design (MAD) framework. The research was conducted through a research-through-design methodology grounded in American pragmatist philosophy, particularly the work of Dewey, James, and …

Point 2440 Realty Llc V. Garcia

All Decisions

In this nonpayment proceeding, Respondent moved to dismiss on the ground that the building was occupied in violation of Multiple Dwelling Law § 301 due to HPD violations and a DOB partial vacate order for illegal conversion of the basement. The court granted the motion, finding the building substantially deviated from its certificate of occupancy and that under GVS Properties v. Vargas, the landlord is barred from collecting rent for the entire building.

Optical Integrated Sensing And Communication: Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Beam Tracking For Dynamic Vehicle-To-Everything Networks, Akshat Sharan

Theses and Dissertations

Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) promises ultra-high bandwidth for vehicular networks but suffers from critical beam misalignment in dynamic environments. The emerging paradigm of Optical Integrated Sensing and Communication (O-ISAC) addresses this challenge by unifying the sensing and communication functions over a single shared optical aperture, enabling real-time environmental awareness to guide beam steering. However, the multi-objective, stochastic nature of this joint optimization problem renders classical closed-form controllers inadequate. This thesis proposes and evaluates a deep reinforcement learning framework for continuous beam tracking in a 2D vehicular O-ISAC scenario. We conduct a comprehensive comparative study of four state-of-the-art deep RL algorithms: …

Using C/Μ Test To Investigate The Coding And Noncoding Regions To Identify Selective Pressures In Hiv-1 Virus., Annie Tran

Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a single-stranded RNA retrovirus whose error-prone reverse transcriptase drives a high mutation rate, enabling adaptive mutations on drug target proteins that confer antiviral resistance and complicate long-term treatment. This study therefore aims to detect such adaptive mutations on HIV-1 drug target proteins using our novel analysis framework (c/µ) on 5,711 genomic sequences, with findings expected to inform timely therapeutic adjustments and guide the development of more robust antiretroviral strategies. In Chapter 1, our novel mathematical framework (c/µ) and the Near Neutral Unbalanced Selection Theory (NNUST), which posits that most mutations experience weak but …

From Compliance To Inclusion Through Collaborative Action Research (Car): Service-Animal Access In Experiential Settings In Higher Education, Allison Christina Gainer

Theses and Dissertations

Experiential learning is essential for degree completion, licensure, and professional preparation, although access to service animals in practical contexts is often ambiguous and inconsistently implemented. This study examined the disconnect between legal access protections and institutional practices in real-time access decisions driven by safety, program integrity, accrediting standards, and decentralized decision-making. The purpose of this qualitative Collaborative Action Research (CAR) study was to examine Rowan University’s understanding, interpretation, and implementation of service animal regulations and procedures and to suggest alternatives for legal and equitable access. The study was based on the social model of disability and used four CAR cycles. …

The White Hat Hacker's Approach: A Vulnerability Analysis Of U.S. Cyber Laws, Carlissa R. Carson

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Punishing The Pursuit Of Punitive Damages: The Constitutional Flaws In Montana's Punitive Pleading Bar, Colin P. Spear

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Montana Supreme Court, The Montana Legislature, And Judicial Reform, Brit Englund

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Montana Supreme Court – The Statistics, Simon Mcmahon, Bryn Sokoloski

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Adaptation Of Malay Culture In The Society 5.0 Era In Malaysia From Cultural Geography Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review, Yanur Merny, Syafri Anwar, Dedi Hermon, Febriandi Febriandi, Saiful Adli

Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi

Society 5.0 and globalization have transformed social organization in physical and digital spaces, reshaping cultural practices and the construction of Malay identity in Malaysia. Although previous studies have examined Malay culture, modernization, and identity, a systematic synthesis of how Malay culture adapts to technological and social change from a cultural geography perspective remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the patterns of Malay cultural adaptation and identity reconstruction in the Society 5.0 era in Malaysia. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines to review 22 scientific articles published between 2020 and 2025 concerning …

Strategic Surveillance Against Newsgathering, Courtney C. Douglas

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Court-Connected Mediation In Montana: Law, Practice, And Recommendations For Reform, Paul F. Kirgis, Brianna Anderson, Brock Flynn

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Significant Montana Cases, Claire Bagnell, Meredith Iams

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

Generative Ai Adoption And Perceived Academic Impact Among Undergraduate Students: A Cross-National Study In Indonesia, Tajikistan, And The United States, Vyacheslav Dushenkov, Ernawati Sinaga, Astri Rozanah Siregar, Alamkhon Akhmedov, Saidbeg Satorov

Publications and Research

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming higher education, yet comparative evidence from diverse international settings remains limited. This cross-national study examined undergraduate students’ adoption and perceived academic impact of generative AI tools at institutions in Indonesia, Tajikistan, and the United States. A harmonized online survey was administered to 584 undergraduates during Spring 2026 (Indonesia n = 235; Tajikistan n = 226; United States n = 123). The survey assessed AI familiarity, adoption patterns, frequency and purpose of use, perceived academic impact, and factors encouraging AI engagement. AI adoption differed significantly across sites, with the highest adoption observed in Indonesia …

Voices Of The Homeless: Phenomenological Portraits Of Parental Engagement Among Parents Experiencing Homelessness, Geneva Marie Winterbottom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Family homelessness is a widespread crisis that disrupts the educational experiences of thousands of children, including South Carolina where rates of family homelessness continue to grow. Although research has explored families and homelessness, limited research has focused on the parental engagement of homeless parents. This study explored the parental engagement among homeless parents in South Carolina.

Guided by van Manen’s (1990) interpretive phenomenology, four parents residing in a South Carolina homeless shelter participated in semi-structured interviews and created self portraits, which were analyzed using the hermeneutic circle to derive phenomenological insight.

Findings revealed that parental engagement while homeless was like …

Usa V. Jaime Gonzalez

2026 Decisions

USDC for the District of Delaware

Jean Buteau Remarque V. Attorney General United States Of America

2026 Decisions

Agency

2026 Hon. James R. Browning Distinguished Lecture In Law: Pride And Precedent: Some Thoughts On Judging, Danielle J. Forrest

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Seven Deadly Sins Of Ai Policy, Kevin Frazier

Montana Law Review

No abstract provided.