Digital Commons Network^™

Building Design - Bsc App Tools For Thermal Comfort, Control, Heat Flow And Solar Energy, Jens G. Pohl

Architecture

Relationship to Building Science (BSc) App: In the domain of Building Science (BSc), this paper focuses on thermal comfort fundamentals, climate concepts and design principles, and solar energy opportunities that should be considered during the early stages of building design. It provides direct access to a BSc App that offers more than 420 calculation and information functions (https://research.chobugroup.com/buildingscience/analyzer/) in the entire range of building science areas, comprising daylighting, artificial lighting, noise control, room acoustics, climate and thermal comfort, solar energy, and structural systems.

Information Content: The paper briefly explains the principles of biology and physics that underlie thermal comfort at …

Man On Mars: How Can International Space Law Limit The Environmental Consequences Of The Coming Rush For Resources In Space, Elizabeth Anne Henderson

Michigan Journal of International Law

The body of international law governing space has stood at a standstill for decades. The five central treaties regulating this area of law are not only vague, but they have also become a hindrance to the global community’s ability to address the rapidly intensifying second space race. The treaties do not adequately state who space belongs to, who is entitled to take advantage of the natural resources of celestial bodies, or what protections are afforded to celestial environments in the face of impending mining and resource extraction projects. This impasse within international law has not stopped entrepreneurs and corporations from …

When Does Top Management Team Diversity Matter In Large Organizations?, James M. Plecnik, Shan Wang, Frances Fabian

Accounting Faculty Works

Top management teams (TMTs) drive strategic leadership, but there is little clarity on when the composition of these upper echelons most impacts organization performance. Drawing from the categorization-elaboration model, we study an 18-year sample of approximately 4500 organizations and over 32 000 executives and find a positive relationship between TMT functional diversity and organization performance, but only for the smaller organizations. We tested how organization size (and correlates of age/complexity) negatively interacts with functional diversity. Testing for TMT integration proxies, top management tenure counteracted the negative impact of size, making functional diversity beneficial in large organizations as well. Additionally, CEO …

The Economic Structure Of Trade Secret Law, Tun-Jen Chiang

Minnesota Law Review Vols. 106:2 onward (2021-present)

The standard economic account of trade secret law focuses on providing incentives for creating new inventions. The incentive-to-invent theory, however, provides little explanation for why the key doctrinal features of trade secret law are structured the way that they are. For example, providing ex ante incentives to invent does not easily explain the requirement that an inventor must take measures to preserve secrecy even after the invention has been created. Nor does it explain why trade secret misappropriation, unlike patent and copyright infringement, requires “improper” conduct by the defendant for liability. This Article gives a different theory of trade secret …

Valorization Of Biomass Derivatives To Monomers By M-Mox Catalytic Hydrogenation & Hydrodeoxygenation, William Steere, Samir Castilla-Acevedo, Ben Auer, John Styers, Alan Allgeier

UNH URC Open (2026 and after)

With increasing concern regarding global warming contributions by fossil fuels in petrochemical production, the potential use of biomass-derived molecules to serve as a more eco-friendly feedstock has grown in popularity. Specifically, sebacic acid, a versatile chemical used to produce nylons, plasticizers, and lubricants, has the potential to be obtained from bio-renewable feedstocks and alleviate environmental drawbacks from fossil fuel petrochemical production. Our research validates the catalytic conversion of the biomass-derived 2,2’-bifuran 5,5’-dicarboxylate (BFDCM) to sebacic acid (SA), through M-MO_x catalyzed hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation. Catalytic activity tests were conducted for four different Pd-supported catalysts (C, Al₂O₃, …

Legalized Surveillance: The Historical To Modern Policing Of Black Life, Nile Blass

Upper Level Writing Requirement Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Drag Reduction In Ground Vehicles Using A Model Porous Medium, Abdullah Ikram Nabi

Master’s Theses

This research investigates aerodynamic drag reduction on a 25° Slanted Ahmed Body (SAB) by integrating porous media model rods through combined experimental and computational methods at a Reynolds number of 1.16×10⁴. Two porous media configurations: short rods (6.75% of the model height) and long rods (20.0% of the model height), both featuring cylindrical rods with 80% porosity, were systematically compared against a baseline SAB. In-depth analyses were performed to investigate the wake flow topology, recirculation region characteristics, pressure coefficient distribution, Reynolds stress distributions and drag coefficient. Experimental investigations employed particle image velocimetry for precise flow visualization, while Reynold Averaged Navier-Stokes …

Controlling And Protecting Quantum Information In Superconducting Oscillators, Aniket Maiti

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Modern quantum experiments allow the precise manipulation and measurement of many-body quantum states, pushing quantum mechanics from a testable theory to a utilizable technology. The central promise of these experiments is to process quantum information for exponential advantages in computing, sensing, and communication. An interesting way to achieve such a processor is to manipulate quantum information stored in the continuous-variable (bosonic) phase space of electromagnetic radiation. Since photons in free space do not interact, such an approach necessarily requires the introduction of nonlinearity through strong light-matter couplings. However, since all matter is lossy, this inevitably introduces a trade-off between the …

Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation Of Cellular Prion Protein And Its Biological Implications, Yangyi Liu

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of macromolecules allows for a variety of cellular functions such as signal transduction and regulation of gene expression and is implicated in neurodegeneration. Cellular prion protein (PrPC) as the central player in prion and Alzheimer’s diseases has been previously discovered to undergo LLPS, while its molecular underpinnings and physiological functions remain unclear.

This thesis delves into the complexity of PrPC LLPS, characterizes its biophysical properties, and initiates a connection between PrPC LLPS and its physiological functions. In Chapter 2, site-specific interactions of PrPC that drive LLPS are identified, highlighting the importance of interactions between the N-terminal …

Using Post-Supercritical Co2-Assisted Method To Deposit Niep Alloy Coating On The Micro-Arc Oxidation Layer Of Az31 Magnesium Alloy And Its Corrosion Behavior Analysis, Kang-Yu Liao, Hung-Hua Sheu, Ming-Yuan Lin, Ming-Chih Kuo, Po-Hsun Wu, Hung-Bin Lee

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In this study, a Ni-P alloy coating was deposited on the micro arc oxidation (MAO) layer of AZ31 magnesium alloy to improve its corrosion resistance. The MAO layers were prepared under different operated voltages from 300 to 400 V. The results indicated that the optimize operated parameters for MAO layer is at 350 V, the MAO coatings had the most compact microstructure and superior corrosion resistance. In order to improve the corrosion resistance of MAO coating, this study chose to deposit Ni-P alloy coating on the surface of MAO coating via the post supercritical CO₂-assisted electroless plating (PSC-CO …

The Effect Of Feedback On A Remote Operator’S Maneuvering Control For Mass Remote Navigation Competency, Hyoseon Hwang, Ik-Hyun Youn

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The rapid advancement of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) technology has highlighted the growing need for Remote Operators (ROs) to manage MASS effectively. ROs possess specialized competencies in areas such as situational awareness, crisis management, and system operation. Despite the introduction of competency-based training and assessment in the maritime sector through the international convention on standards of training, certification, and watchkeeping for seafarers convention, the framework's implementation remains incomplete, particularly in remote operator training for MASS. This study is purpose to identify which competencies improve rapidly with performance feedback and which improve slowly. This study conducted an experiment to quantitatively …

Gvsu Press Releases, 2025, Grand Valley State University

University Press Releases, 1961-Present

A compilation of press releases for the year 2025 submitted by University Communications (formerly News & Information Services) to news agencies concerning the people, places, and events related to Grand Valley State University.

Evaluation Of Carbon Sequestration In Seagrass Meadows Of Kenting: A Comparative Study With Penghu And Dongsha Island, Zih-Wei Tang, Huei-Fen Chen, Jordi Mahardika Puntu, Ping-Yu Chang, Li Lo, Jian-Jhih Chen, Wen-Chen Chou, Lan-Feng Fan, Ying-Ju Chang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study investigates the controlling factors of carbon sequestration (CS) in seagrass bed sediments across three distinct environments in Taiwan: the Kenting (KT) coastal area, the Penghu (PH) open inner bay, and the Dongsha (DS) Atoll lagoon. Actual measurements of the substrate depth beneath the sediment and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scans of the beach reveal that the coral reef bedrock in KT slopes landward. A field survey of the seagrass area in KT was conducted, and three cross-sectional profiles were analyzed to determine their topography, yielding a median sediment thickness of 88.2cm. Based on these measurements, the sediment volume was …

Calculation Of Aquifer Transmissivity From Borehole Resistance Measurements And Pumping Test Results, Fen-Rong Yang, Chien-Wei Huang, Tien-Kuen Huang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Transmissivity is a crucial hydrogeological parameter for evaluating groundwater resources. This parameter is conventionally evaluated using pumping tests; however, these tests are costly and can be conducted at few sites. Many researchers have used ground resistance and pumping test data to estimate various hydrogeological parameters. In this study, borehole resistance survey and pumping test data collected by the Taiwan Groundwater Monitoring Network were used to establish the relationship between transmissivity and formation factor for aquifers in the Zhuoshui River alluvial fan. This relationship was then used to estimate the water output of the aforementioned aquifers in a cost-effective manner from …

A Neural Network-Based Sliding Mode Adaptive Control System For Unmanned Surface Vehicles, Sun Qiaomei, An Liang, Jiang Linglin

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Over the past decades, numerous studies have explored the use of autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). Successful USV operation requires a robust tracking control system to perform a range of tasks. However, USV dynamics are uncertain, time-varying, and nonlinear. This paper presents a neural network-based sliding mode adaptive control (NNSMAC) system to enhance USV tracking performance. Trajectories were generated using spline and polynomial interpolation based on a set of N predefined waypoints. Simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms traditional sliding mode control in error reduction, enabling more effective tracking.

Social Justice Unionism: Intersectionality In The Twenty-First Century Workplace, Shirley Lin

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Quantum Computing In Discrete- And Continuous-Variable Architectures, Shraddha Singh

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

This dissertation develops a theoretical framework for hybrid discrete-variable (DV) and continuous-variable (CV) quantum systems, focusing on control, state preparation, and error correction. Quantum computing holds the potential to surpass classical computation in tasks such as factorization, secure communication, and quantum simulation. Hybrid CV-DV systems offer a promising path by combining the stability and long coherence times of oscillators with the fast gate operations of qubits.

A central contribution of this work is the development of “non-abelian quantum signal processing” (NA-QSP), a generalization of quantum signal processing (QSP) [1] where the control parameters are non-commuting quantum operators, such as oscillator …

2025-2026 Course Catalog, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of The Registrar

University of Montana Course Catalogs, 1895-2024

An annual catalog of courses and course descriptions offered at the University of Montana.

It's My Data And I'Ll Protect It If I Want To: A Proposal To Standardize Biometric Data Privacy Laws Between The United States And European Union, Haley Rubin

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Access Or Sovereignty, John T. Holden

Emory Law Journal

Despite centuries of genocidal assimilation and forced removal, Indigenous communities in the United States have persevered and even thrived. A key driver of economic success for many tribes is gambling. While states objected, perhaps out of greed, the Supreme Court held that, as sovereign governments, gaming operations on tribal land were largely beyond the reach of state governments and law enforcement. The Supreme Court’s Cabazon decision furthered a congressional push to develop a negotiated solution to recognize Indigenous communities’ rights as sovereigns while balancing states’ desire to limit the volume of gambling taking place within their borders. The Indian Gaming …

The Protection Of “Style” Under Copyright And Its Application To Generative Artificial Intelligence, David Lane Nielsen

Emory Law Journal

Since it began to pick up steam in the mid-2010s, generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly developed breathtaking capabilities. It has found applications in a great variety of industries, and in the last couple of years it has developed to the point where it has captured public attention by producing artistic works that match the quality of human-made works. While bringing great advantages, this development is not without concern, especially within the artistic community. Much has been made of the use of artists’ works in training generative AI, the likely replacement of artists with AI models, and the threat these …

Civil Society And The Crisis Of Privacy Law, Ari Ezra Waldman

Emory Law Journal

Based on interviews with key players, public reports, and previously undisclosed primary sources, this Article tells the inside story of the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA) and the role of privacy nonprofit organizations in crafting it. It uses ADPPA’s drafting as a case study about larger questions of expertise, the lawmaking process, and the role of law in setting the context of advocacy. The Article’s descriptive argument is that background law and the dynamics of privacy policymaking in the United States Congress channeled and constrained the choices made by privacy civil society organizations while negotiating and drafting key …

A Deep Look At Copyright’S Volitional Conduct Doctrine And Generative Artificial Intelligence, Aleksander J. Goranin

Emory Law Journal

This Article examines copyright’s volitional conduct doctrine, as applied to generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It traces the doctrine’s origins and evolution through key court decisions, analyzing its underlying rationale as a response to the harshness of the RAM copy rule and its elaboration as a proximate causation doctrine. The Article then evaluates how classic volitional conduct analogies to copy shops and photocopies may fit generative AI systems. Ultimately, the Article proposes a jury instruction to guide application of the volitional conduct doctrine in generative AI cases. The Article argues that the doctrine serves an important role in copyright law, …

The Globalization Of Copyright Exceptions For Ai Training, Matthew Sag, Peter K. Yu

Emory Law Journal

Generative AI, machine learning, and other computational uses of copyrighted works pose profound conceptual questions for copyright law. This Article surveys multiple countries with different legal traditions and local conditions to explore how they have responded to these questions in relation to the use of copyrighted works for AI training without express permission from the relevant rightsholders. Our survey suggests an emerging international equilibrium in which jurisdictions from around the world have found ways to reconcile copyright law and AI training. In this equilibrium, countries recognize that text and data mining, computational data analysis, and AI training can be socially …

Playing Politics: Social Media, Censorship, And Speech Gamification, Khaled A. Beydoun

Emory Law Journal

Forty percent of Americans self-censor their speech online. While staggering, the hidden phenomenon beneath this figure reveals a more dystopic outlook for the future of free speech. The powerful predictive technologies driving social media platforms, which the Supreme Court dubbed “the most important spaces for the exchange of views,” control the terms of modern speech and the scope of political discourse. The Supreme Court’s laissez-faire posture toward online speech moderation has only empowered digital dominion over modern expression and citizenship to the detriment of free speech principles.

As such, the primary threat to free speech today is not the state …

A Haven For Polluters: Examining Cercla Successor Liability Under State Law, Hannah R. Behar

Emory Law Journal

This Comment explores how businesses exploit variability in state corporate law to evade liability for hazardous waste pollution. In particular, it examines the tension between the successor liability doctrine and environmental accountability under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). While CERCLA purports to hold polluters responsible for site cleanup under a broad liability scheme, some states have effectively—through limiting statutes and rigid judicial interpretation—allowed businesses to retain control of environmental assets while casting off associated liabilities. This trend is particularly concerning because most jurisdictions apply state law, as opposed to a uniform federal rule, when considering …

An Evaluation Of Kentucky’S Policy Landscape And Its Impacts On High-Growth Firms In The Commonwealth, Ivanna Patrick, Jordan Arnold, Devin Dunigan

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

There is significant research on high-growth firms (HGFs), though there is little research focusing on such businesses in Kentucky. By comparing Kentucky to two similar states that are economic competitors and in the context of the Kentucky Innovation Act of 2000, we find that Kentucky has a relatively fewer number of HGFs, even compared to itself at the time of the bill’s passage. Ultimately, we determined that there was a focus on high-tech firms in Kentucky that may be detrimental to the growth and success of HGFs in other industries; furthermore, it would serve the state to focus enhanced efforts …

Addressing Municipal Road Aid Funding In Kentucky During The Era Of Electric Vehicles, Jacob Bruce, Tyler Chapman, Blake Girdler

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The rapid rise of electric vehicles (EVs) poses a growing threat to Kentucky’s Municipal Road Aid Fund, which relies heavily on fuel tax revenues. As EV adoption increases and fuel consumption declines, the existing funding model becomes increasingly unsustainable, jeopardizing road maintenance, infrastructure development, and municipal services across the state. Commissioned by the Kentucky League of Cities, this study investigates viable policy solutions to ensure long-term fiscal stability for municipal road funding in an electrifying transportation landscape. Drawing from comparative analyses of peer and neighboring states, the report evaluates alternative funding mechanisms such as road usage charges, EV-specific registration fees, …

Strategic Alignment Of Lexington Public Library And Art Community, Jonnisa Ferguson, Samantha Metzger-Elder

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Amidst the evolving economic, political, religious, social, and technological landscape of the United States, one enduring element across communities has been the presence and importance of public libraries. Despite the decreasing number of genuinely public spaces in America, public libraries remain accessible and welcoming to all (Howard, 2019). Modern public libraries unite people and are "rewriting common assumptions of what people think a library does" (Carlson, 2024). Going far beyond books, libraries are serving as a "trusted public common for social innovation and civic engagement," partnering with community organizations to address daily living issues (i.e., food insecurities and professional development), …

Ensuring A Future For The Past: Balancing Heritage Tourism And Historic Preservation, Kyra Frew Sexauer

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Savannah’s historic city plan, Charleston’s colonial architecture, and New Orleans’ Creole and Cajun culture and cuisine all have a commonality: they tangibly and intangibly connect the past to the present. Each city has a distinct and recognizable landscape, shaped by its built environment, history, and culture, which is listed as a National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) – the most prestigious recognition a historic district can receive in the United States. Heritage tourists are drawn to these places by their history, culture, and authenticity. In 2022, a combined 42,320,000 million tourists poured into the streets of Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans. …