Digital Commons Network^™

Origins Of Mitochondrial Diversity In Turkish Sheep Breeds: Anatolia As A Contact Zone Or Refugial Center?, Nezi̇h Ata, İbrahi̇m Cemal

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Advances in molecular genetics, especially the integration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses, have significantly transformed our understanding of the origins, geographical centers, and dispersal dynamics of domestication, a field traditionally based on archaeological and morphological evidence. In this study, the mtDNA control-region sequences of 296 individuals from 15 native Turkish sheep breeds were analyzed to clarify their maternal genetic diversity and evolutionary origins. Sequencing of a 531-bp D-loop fragment revealed 53 polymorphic sites and 78 distinct haplotypes, indicating substantial haplotypic diversity (Hd = 0.918) and nucleotide diversity (π = 0.01391) within these populations. All five major ovine mitochondrial haplogroups (A, …

Immunohistochemical Expression Of Lgr5 In The Bovine Ovary, Oviduct, And Uterus, Aytül Kürüm, Yasi̇n Özkabadayi, Hakan Kocamiş, Mustafa Türk, Si̇yami̇ Karahan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) has recently been considered as a stem cell marker seen especially in mitotically active tissues. The aim of the present study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of LGR5 in the bovine reproductive tract, which is regularly renewed in response to hormonal changes throughout the estrous cycle. The oviduct (ampulla, isthmus, and fimbria), uterus, and ovary tissue samples were collected from 12 cows at a local slaughterhouse. The samples were further identified as follicular (n = 6) or luteal (n = 6), subjected to routine histological procedures, and processed for immunohistochemical expression of …

Understanding Whole-Brain Dynamics Through Generative Modeling, Ruiqi Chen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

A central goal in cognitive neuroscience is to map mental processes onto their physical substrates. Traditionally, this goal is pursued by associating different mental processes with spatially-based anatomic localization. On the contrary, much less is known about the temporal dynamics of neural activity, particularly at the scale of the whole brain. Research into whole-brain dynamics has been challenging primarily due to the lack of an analytic framework that can summarize such dynamics, expose the underlying mechanisms, and associate the mechanisms with cognitive processes. In this dissertation, I describe my doctorate research aimed at building such a framework and deploying it …

Using Ai To Add Tables Of Contents To Cataloging Records, Marissa Bischoff, Lance Hansen

Faculty Publications

A table of contents and summary are important metadata that improve the discoverability and description of our materials. They are optionally included in catalog records, though, because transcribing these by hand is time intensive.

We sought the most efficient way to scan and AI format the table of contents pages for inclusion in the 505 field of catalog records.  We explored different AI software, iterative prompting and the time-effectiveness of the process, in comparison to hand-typed metadata fields.

Why Critical Ai Literacy Matters: A Scoping Review Of Ai Literacy Literature And Its Implications For Governance, Anabel Quan-Haase, Katharine Willis, Hillary Anderson, Selena Gignac, T Maeda

School of Art, Design and Architecture

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in public infrastructure, AI literacy has emerged as a critical priority. While AI is often said to have the potential to improve efficiency, growing evidence shows that, when left unchecked, it can deepen inequality and reinforce systemic biases. This gap between promise and practice exposes an urgent need for a more socially grounded understanding of AI literacy that accounts for lived experiences, not just technical skills. Current understandings of AI literacy need to include informed decision-making, critical engagement and resistance to technological coercion by taking an agency-driven approach. This project is a scoping …

The Impact Of Slow Tourism On The Psychological Well-Being Of Urban Recreational Tourists In Jakarta, Ahmad Ghazy Dananjaya

Journal of Indonesian Tourism and Policy Studies

This study addresses the urgent need for psychological escape among Jakarta's population due to high life pressure, noise pollution, and density. While slow tourism offers tranquility and deep connection, its application in fast-paced metropolitan settings remains under-researched. This study analyzes the impact of Tranquility and Physical Activity Involvement on the Psychological Well-being of urban recreational tourists. Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-method design, quantitative data were collected from 200 purposively selected domestic tourists and analyzed using Multiple Linear Regression, followed by in-depth interviews. Surprisingly, statistical results indicate that neither tranquility nor physical activity significantly influences psychological well-being, either simultaneously or partially. …

Plant-Assisted Synthesis Of Cobalt Oxide (Co3O4) Nanoparticles Using Ziziphus Jujuba And Capparis Decidua Extracts And Evaluation Of Antioxidant Activity, Muhammad Yaseen Khan

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

The plant-assisted synthesis method was employed to synthesize cobalt oxide (Co₃O₄) nanoparticles using the Ziziphus jujuba (Z. jujuba) (Jujube, Chinese Date, and Red Date) leaves and Capparis decidua (C. decidua) (Karira, Kair, and Bare Caper) stem. The Co₃O₄ NPs were characterized by various techniques. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrum disclosed that Z. jujuba-based Co₃O₄ NPs had absorption peaks at 347, 384, and 423 nm. Whereas the C. decidua-based Co₃O₄ NPs showed absorption peaks at 327, 376, and 402 nm. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum showed the …

Laser-Ablated Au@Ag@Au Core-Double Shell Nanoparticles To Fight Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria, Ahmed A. Aktafa, Uday M. Nayef, Majid S. Jabir

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

This work involved synthesizing Au@Ag@Au core double-shelled structures in deionized water (DW) using various laser energies (300, 500, and 700 mJ). These compounds served as antimicrobial agents against two bacterial types: Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii). The findings showed that bactericidal efficacy increased with higher laser energy. During production, a pulsed Nd-YAG laser synthesized Au@Ag@Au core-double-shell nanoparticles (NPs) in a 5 mL DW solution. The laser generated 250 pulses at energy levels of 300, 500, and 700 mJ. The device operated at a wavelength of 1064 nm. XRD analysis confirmed the crystal structure, …

Radiation-Driven Transformations In Polystyrene: Optical, Mechanical, And Morphological Insights Under High-Dose Gamma Exposure, Samah M. Hussein, Nahida J. Hameed, Evan T. Salim

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

The radiation sensitivity and the structure's stability of polystyrene (PS)-based polymers have been thoroughly investigated. The PS films were exposed to Gamma doses ranged between 10 to 30 kGy. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra showed a direct correlation between the dose of radiation and absorption. As the dose increases, the intensity of the absorption increases steadily, especially in the UV region below 400 nm. The exposed PS films to Gamma radiation demonstrated a linear response at wavelengths of 450, 650, and 850 nm. The response displayed a slight deviation of approximately ± 2, revealing a praised optical measurement. The optical band …

Synthesis And Characterisation Of Bioactive Glass 45s5 By Sol-Gel Method And Evaluation Of Biological Properties In Vitro, Khulood Haleem Yousif, Enas Muhi Hadi, Nehia Naema Hussein, Raid A. Ismail

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

Bone defects resulting from trauma or pathological events are among the most significant clinical, social, and economic problems. Bioactive glass (BG) is a possible alternative to inert graft materials. In this study, BG was fabricated from a SiO₂–CaO–NaO–PO₅ system using a new acid-catalyzed sol-gel method. Field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the morphology of 45S5 BG powders, and their microstructural properties were investigated in detail. The common distinctive peaks of hydroxyapatite (HA) formation were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Bioactivity and degradation were evaluated by immersion in simulated body …

Medical Image Integrity Protection Through U-Net Based Roi Segmentation And Hybrid Integer Wavelet–Quadtree Embedding, Muna M. Jawad, Rasha F. Nadhim, Noor A. Yousif, Ashwaq T. Hashim

Journal of Intelligent Informatics, Networking, and Cybersecurity

For decades, secure techniques in medical images have focused on securing the sensitive information through limiting direct access to the images themselves. Nonetheless, these methods tend to cause distortion on the images that can affect the diagnostic value and cause loss of crucial information. There arises the fundamental problem of secure embedding of medical data in such a way that does not affect the diagnostic integrity of the image. To overcome this limitation, a secure yet hidden data-hiding mechanism is introduced that is exploited U-Net-based deep learning for accurate Region of Interest (ROI) segmentation. Therefore U-Net architecture is used for …

Predictive Intent Proposal And Gestural Confirmation In Head-Worn Displays Via Multimodal Large Language Model Analysis, Ilia Labzovsky, Tamar Yakar

Defensive Publications Series

Traditional interaction models for wearable displays often present challenges such as physical fatigue, social friction, and unintended activations. Fully autonomous execution based on inferred intent may also lead to high-stakes errors. This disclosure describes a method for predictive intent proposal and non-verbal confirmation using multimodal data analysis. Video streams, eye-vector data, and inertial measurement unit data are ingested. Raw eye movements are converted into semantic tokens. An on-device multimodal large language model processes these tokens and the visual scene to infer a likely user intent. A non-intrusive augmented reality overlay is generated to propose a specific action. The action is …

Gating Spatial Coordinates Utilizing Inertial Detection, Tushar Chugh, Aditya Shrikant Mone, Karthik Kumara

Defensive Publications Series

Extended reality (XR) input systems relying solely on optical hand-tracking face critical limitations, including contact ambiguity between hovering and touching, processing pipeline latency, and field-of-view occlusion. This disclosure describes a multimodal sensor fusion framework that addresses these challenges by integrating spatial coordinate mapping from head-worn devices with high-frequency inertial event detection from wrist-worn devices. When a wrist-worn sensor detects the sharp acceleration of a physical impact at a specific timestamp, the system triggers retroactive event gating. The system accesses historical visual buffers to retrieve spatial coordinates corresponding to the impact time, then applies an update that dynamically forces the depth …

Ai-Driven Application Policy Infrastructure Controller Managed Object Configuration And Validation System, Ramesh Babu Radhakrishnan, Bharathan Thangam Madhavenpillai, Amrit Tickoo, Praveen Kumar Tarikere Nagaraj

Defensive Publications Series

A system is proposed herein that provides an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven autonomous testing framework that programmatically transforms network-controller object schemas into executable validation pipelines. The framework enables systematic and scalable validation of managed objects (MOs) in an intent-based networking system, such as an application policy infrastructure controller (APIC). Large language models (LLMs) interpret structured MO metadata and synthesize hierarchically valid configuration payloads, attribute-complete valid, invalid, and boundary test cases, deterministic verification logic, and cleanup sequences.

Contextual Hardware Security Using Autonomic Physiological State Signatures, Sudeep Chauhan, Ehsan Nourbakhsh

Defensive Publications Series

This document describes techniques and architectures for securing a computing device against physically coerced access by utilizing dynamic autonomic physiological state signatures. Processing circuitry of a computing device (e.g., a primary computing device, a wearable sentinel device, or an industrial control terminal) continuously determines a dynamic physiological baseline from sensor data (e.g., heart rate, galvanic skin response, inertial data). A physiological baseline and anomaly engine utilizes a machine learning model, which accounts for contextual states such as active exercise tracking to filter false positives, to detect a distress state corresponding to a non-voluntary autonomic deviation relative to the dynamic physiological …

Veti-3.0 (Vortex Ejector Tip Integrated, Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

The VETI-3.0 is a passive, bolt-on exhaust scavenging device engineered for naturally aspirated internal combustion engines. Unlike static "vortex cones," this system utilizes Multi-Band Helmholtz Acoustic Tuning to prevent exhaust pulse reversion and an Adjustable Coaxial Ejector to lower effective backpressure via ambient air entrainment. It requires no electronics, no moving parts, and no engine modifications, targeted performance upgrades if this works.

Peak Horsepower Gain: +4% to +7% (Engine-dependent).

• Steady-State Cruise MPG: +5% to +8%.

Operational Range: Optimized from idle to redline.

Techniques For Preventing Anchoring Bias In Ai Investigative Analysis Through Staged Data Redaction And Hypothesis-Gated Revelation, Avneet Singh Chhabra

Defensive Publications Series

Presented herein is a system for preventing anchoring bias in large language model (LLM) investigative analysis. Bias in LLMs is not typically addressed by instruction-level approaches; rather, it is most effectively mitigated by physically separating the biasing data from an LLM's input during the hypothesis formation phase. The proposed system includes five core components: a Data Redaction Engine, a Staged Analysis Protocol, a Structural Gate, a Corrections Bridge, and a Procedural Attestation Record. The Data Redaction Engine operates to separate source data into a redacted evidence set and an attribution set, validated by a multi-layer validation pass. The Staged Analysis …

Active Mini-Tank Immersion Cooling, Stephen A Scearce, Phong Ho, Joel Richard Goergen, Hari Pillai, Rakesh Bhatia

Defensive Publications Series

With increased power density in artificial intelligence (AI) servers, there is increased heat produced. However, the present solutions are not able to remove the heat efficiently or provide for the full capability of the processors, either in a central processing unit or a general processing unit. Presented herein is a hybrid liquid cooling system that allows modular Active Mini-tank immersion cooling (AMTIC) modules as the final stage, in conjunction with or without Direct liquid cooling loops, to facilitate server cooling.

Gci Vortex Sentinel (Av‑1), Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

The GCI Vortex Sentinel (AV‑1) is a zero‑filter, chemical‑free micro‑pollutant remediation system that uses acoustic‑vortex concentration and plasma‑cavitation mineralization to neutralize PFAS, microplastics, and polymeric contaminants in municipal and coastal water streams. The system integrates multiple GCI inventions including the Arachne‑Chip microfluidic thermal interface, CMRS‑1 harmonic controller, and the VMR Titan v2.5‑T cavitation core. The architecture is modular, open‑hardware, and designed for global deployment. All components, schematics, and operational logic are released under CERN‑OHL‑P for unrestricted engineering use.

Multimodal Handwriting Recognition: Fusing Stylus Dynamics With Synchronized Visual And Audio Biometrics, N/A, Purvam Pujari

Defensive Publications Series

Traditional handwriting recognition relies entirely on spatial geometry, leading to high error rates when characters share identical stroke patterns. This paper presents a multimodal system that resolves these geometric ambiguities by fusing spatial stylus trajectory data with synchronized acoustic vocal data (e.g., via a microphone) and optical perioral (mouth) movements (e.g., via a camera). When the system detects an ambiguous pen stroke, a verification loop cross-references the synchronized optical and acoustic data at that exact millisecond to confirm user intent. For example, if a stroke looks like both a "5" and an "S", the optical sensor detecting an "F" lip …

The Impact Of The Relationship Between Gross Tonnage And Accommodation Area On Seafarers' Satisfaction And Spatial Evaluations In Cargo Ships, Dilara Kılıç, Ayşen Özkan

Seatific Journal

This study investigated seafarer satisfaction and perceptual evaluations regarding cabins, recreation, and social areas on cargo ships over 10,000 GT, and also examined the relationship between gross tonnage (GT), accommodation area size, and floor area per person on cargo ships. In the preliminary stage, the floor areas of the accommodation area were calculated using the plans of 20 cargo ships grouped according to MLC-defined GT categories. In the main study, a survey was conducted with 179 Turkish seafarers working onboard cargo ships over 10,000 GT. One-way ANOVA and chi-square tests were applied to measure differences among rank groups. According to …

Enhancing Sustainability And Durability In Asphalt Pavements: Evaluating The Impact Of Low-Carbon Sulfur Polymer Modifiers And Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement, Mohammad Doroudgar, Shadi Saadeh, Elham Fini

Mineta Transportation Institute

The asphalt industry faces major challenges, including the need for pavements that last longer and are more sustainable, as traditional asphalt production is costly and has a high environmental impact. To address this, researchers have been exploring modified asphalt binders such as rubber, charcoal, and waste cooking oil, which have shown promise in extending the lifespan, resistance to deformation, and durability of asphalt pavements. In addition, governments and industries are investing in the use of recycled and “green” materials to reduce the carbon footprint and environmental degradation of conventional asphalt mixtures. Building on this momentum, this study investigates the performance …

Bouillean - Ai Recipe Model, George Mouratoff, Hanol Yang, Helen Wang, Sebastian Verbinski

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

AI generated food recipes are the second most desired AI innovation, however relatively few commercial systems exist to fill this niche. This is because while the solution is highly desired, cooking shouldn’t be approached with the same method by most LLMs and standard AIs. The leading models struggle to solve the issue of generating a semantically clear recipe while maintaining memory of the recipe status between steps. This is before we can even attempt to solve the flavor problem.

Cooking represents a unique challenge for AI, since it requires minimal loss in memory alongside already high quality text generation making …

Mixed-Signal Intergrated Circuit Design And Fabrication, Jack Demeulemeester, Aris Ozark, Alan Rieger

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

Integrated circuit design is a key aspect of the quickly-growing semiconductor industry. Familiarity with high-level design, layout, and validation is critical for students seeking an industrial or academic career in the field. Learning full-stack design at an academic institution is made difficult by the amount of resources required and limited timeframe. In this project, we develop a thermometer-coded digital-to-analog converter from concept to fabrication as a means to create a new integrated circuit design and fabrication course at Santa Clara University. We also develop a design flow using software from Cadence Design Systems and the 250 nm CMOS process node …

The Regional Ai Ecosystem: Faculty Fellows, Elearning Execution, And Community Partnerships Powering Workforce-Aligned Ai, Christopher Prokes

Teaching & Learning with AI

No abstract provided.

Desert Dichotomies: Climatic Imaginaries Of The Arid+[Ant]Arctic, Amanda Aman

Mavs Open Press Open Educational Resources

Desert Dichotomies is a research-based architecture design studio that examines the impacts of climate change across arid and polar desert environments, revealing unexpected parallels between landscapes often understood as environmental opposites. Focusing on Antarctica, Arctic Alaska and the Sonoran Desert, the project investigates how climate change, resource extraction and human systems of control are transforming ecological processes, water systems and cultural landscapes. While arid deserts face increasing drought and water scarcity, polar deserts are experiencing accelerated warming, ice loss, permafrost thaw and flooding. Despite these contrasting conditions, both regions exhibit similar consequences, including declining water quality, biodiversity loss, infrastructural vulnerability …

Statewide Multi-Year Wastewater Sequencing Reveals Dual Origins Of Hiv-1 Signal, Justin R Clark, Dylan Chirman, Harihara Prakash, Austen Terwilliger, Marlene Mcneese, Matt Ross, Mike Tisza, Sara J Javornik Cregeen, Loren Hopkins, Jennifer Deegan, Catherine L Troisi, Eric Boerwinkle, Kristina Mena, Fuqing Wu, Jason T Kimata, Marc Johnson, Devon Gregory, Faith E Fletcher, Thomas P Giordano, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) is a retrovirus which has infected 90 million people and resulted in over 40 million deaths. Despite advances in diagnostics, treatment, and prophylaxis, HIV-1 continues to spread due to undiagnosed and untreated infections. Traditional monitoring methods are ineffective when access to testing is limited or people do not seek care, particularly given the long period between infection and symptom onset, allowing undetected transmission to continue. Here, we use a hybrid-capture sequencing approach to track HIV-1 signal in municipal wastewater in 15 different cities over nearly 3 years. We obtain near-complete genomic coverage of HIV-1, enabling …

A Framework For Enhancing Utilization Of Library Electronic Resources In Higher Institutions Of Learning, Niyonsaba Innocent, Atuha Peter, Natukunda Elizabeth, Arahe Turahe Glorious

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Electronic resources are now essential for teaching, learning, research and dissemination of knowledge in higher institutions of learning. Although many universities have invested heavily in digital collections, databases, electronic journals, electronic books, institutional repositories, and online reference services, the use of these resources is not as high as expected in many universities, especially in developing countries. Low awareness, lack of information literacy skills, limited technological infrastructure, poor internet connectivity, lack of training, and weak institutional support continue to impede the effective use of electronic resources. This is a review paper that explores the current state of electronic resource utilization …

Defining Replication-Driven Vulnerabilities In High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancers, Natasha Maya Ramakrishnan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

High grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is an aggressive, highly lethal subtype of ovarian cancer. These cancers are typically diagnosed in later stages and are associated with poor patient prognosis. Additionally, HGSOC is characterized by numerous markers of genomic instability and defects in DNA repair pathways, vulnerabilities which have been exploited by the advancement of chemotherapy. Despite these clinical advancements, HGSOC remains a significant therapeutic challenge due to emergence of chemoresistance and limited targeted treatment options. Taken together, these factors highlight an ongoing need to study the development of HGSOC and its progression to identify more effective treatment opportunities. We …

Metal Oxide Nanoparticle‑Integrated Phema Hydrogels: Morphology, Chemical Properties, And Biological Interaction, Venkateswar Rao, Collin Cox, Brandon Clark, Arushi Rai, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado, Madhuri Kango-Singh, Soubantika Palchoudhury

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Hydrogels offer attractive matrices for incorporating inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) to generate multifunctional hybrid materials, but challenges remain in scalable synthesis and correlating their properties to bio-interaction. Therefore, we report the synthesis and characterization of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) hydrogels, and pHEMA hydrogels encapsulating iron oxide or zinc oxide NPs, using a modified free-radical polymerization. Dose-dependent survivorship studies on Drosophila melanogaster revealed that both NP-embedded hydrogels are tolerated over a wide dose range (e.g., 50–200 mg), although ZnO NP-gels exhibit lower survivorship at some concentrations due to their inherent composition and a wider size distribution of iron oxide NPs.