Digital Commons Network^™

An Indigenous Feminist Reading Praxis For Imagining Anti-Colonial Futurities: Honouring The Spirit And Intent Of Katherena Vermette’S Writings, Jennifer Brant, Erenna Morrison, Jasmine Rice, Gayatri Thakor

Occasional Paper Series

We conceptualize Indigenous literatures as integral tools for supporting teachers on their journeys toward truth and reconciliation. As such, we intentionally offer our work as a pedagogical guide for introducing Indigenous Children’s and Young Adult Literatures (ICYAL) in secondary level English courses, asserting that the delivery of such works must be taught in ways that align with anti-racist praxis, acknowledge varied experiences of racism, sexism, and gender-based violences, and promote liberatory thinking. Indeed, while Indigenous literatures are excellent pedagogical tools to engage conversations about social justice and anti-Indigenous racism, they must be paired with key lessons that dismantle harmful, disrespectful …

Tax Trends, E. S. Linett

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Viewpoint: The Tax Reduction Act Of 1975: A Brief Review For Individual Taxpayers, A. James Golato

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Washington Report: Congressional Tax Reform Hearings, Joel M. Forster

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Tighter Coordination For Seamless Handover And Dual Connectivity Across 5g Networks Belonging To Different Operators, Joachim W. Walewski, Carlos Guimarães

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure addresses the support of features like seamless handover and Dual Connectivity, where the respective base stations are situated in networks managed by different stakeholders. The proposed solution involves two protection proxies of a new type, which handles base station coordination between the two different domains.

Heterogeneous Graph Model For Predictive Impact Analysis In Validated Systems, Ramakrishnan Neelakandan, Teginder Singh, Bakul Patel

Defensive Publications Series

Assessing the impact of system modifications in regulated computing environments, such as on cloud platforms or on-premise servers, may be challenging, as some methods can rely on siloed tools or subjective manual reviews that may lead to inefficient re-validation or compliance risks. A system may utilize a heterogeneous graph model to create a unified digital representation of a validated system, which can integrate entities such as code, data, infrastructure, and regulatory requirements. For example, when a change is proposed, a change propagation simulator can analyze potential effects by performing a weighted traversal of the graph to determine a multi-dimensional impact …

Apparatus For Accelerated Testing Of Thermal Interface Material, Nabeel Zafar

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes apparatus and techniques to accelerate the testing of thermal interface materials (TIM) in electronic devices. Per the techniques, mechanical stresses induced by integrated circuit (IC) package warpage are simulated by applying a controlled and rapid thermal profile to either an electrically non-functional IC package assembly or to a multi-metal stack, both of which mimic the thermo-mechanical behavior of an actual package. By decoupling the mechanical stress study from electrical functionality, the techniques enable early-stage, cost-effective, and rapid evaluation of TIM pump-out and degradation. This test fixture allows different temperature/power cycle profiles (ramp rate and dwell times) to …

Mold Elevation Control For Deep Bottom Blocks, John Mccallum

Defensive Publications Series

A casting system may include a mold, a bottom block, and a control system operably coupled to the mold and the bottom block for controlling an elevation of the mold and the bottom block. A method includes controlling the elevation of the mold and the elevation of the bottom block by positioning the mold at a first elevation and such that the bottom block is engaged with the mold, lowering the mold from the first elevation to a second elevation while maintaining engagement between the bottom block and the mold, and positioning the bottom block relative to the mold such …

Recyclable Metal Sorting For End-Of-Life Scrap, Adwait Thakur, Gary Gallo, Brandon Bice, Kyongwon Lee

Defensive Publications Series

Methods and systems for sorting mixed material scrap into aluminum alloys suitable for inclusion in alloy sensitive products are provided. Methods and systems include separating a portion of the mixed material scrap containing a high silicon content into a first sorting location. Methods and systems include further separating the low-silicon portion according to one or more attributes, including silicon content, magnesium content, copper content, manganese content, and combinations thereof, into two or more further sorting locations.

Presence-Triggered Predictive Caching Of Media Content, D Shin

Defensive Publications Series

On-demand digital media streaming systems may experience playback latency, such as buffering, as content can be retrieved reactively after a user makes a selection. The described systems and methods can address this by using a presence signal to trigger a predictive process. A presence signal can be generated, for example, when a user’s computing device (e.g., a smartphone, smart watch, or wearable device) connects to a local network (e.g., a Wi-Fi network) or enters a geofence. Upon receiving this trigger, and with appropriate user permissions being granted, a predictive modeling engine can analyze the user’s content consumption history and context …

Conditional User Equipment Keepalive For Efficient Location Updates In Non-Terrestrial Networks, Yanming Wang, Andy (Jibing) Wang, Shailesh Maheshwari

Defensive Publications Series

In non-terrestrial networks, a user equipment (UE), such as a smartphone, smart watch, or other wearable device, moving between large satellite beam coverage areas can generate signaling overhead from frequent tracking area update (TAU) procedures. Suppressing these updates can result in the UE becoming less reachable for incoming, mobile-terminated services. A UE-centric method is described wherein a logic engine on the UE can evaluate a combination of contextual triggers, for example, user activity, modem state, and a change in tracking area. If certain conditions are met, the UE can transmit a lightweight, payload-free packet to initiate a control plane service …

Centralized Multi-Channel Power Architecture For Independent Charging Of Peripheral Devices, Yao Ding, Diego Liu

Defensive Publications Series

A system and method are described for managing power in a system with a charging enclosure and multiple peripheral devices, such as wireless devices or other portable electronics. In some configurations where peripherals have dissimilar battery levels, a single power converter in the enclosure can result in energy inefficiency and heat generation in the peripheral with a lower state of charge. The described architecture can centralize charging regulation within the charging enclosure. The enclosure may incorporate a multi-channel charger that provides an independent, dynamically adjusted power output for each peripheral. This control may be based on real-time battery status data …

Data Supporting “Large Aerosol Particles Favor Haze Conditions Through Limitations On Water Budget And Activation Kinetics”, Hamed Fahandezh Sadi, Ernie Lewis, Kadja Flore Gali, Fan Yang, Jesse Anderson, Suryadey P. Singh, Jae Min Yeom, Will Cantrell, Raymond Shaw

Michigan Tech Research Data

Experiments in the Pi Convection-Cloud Chamber conducted by systematically changing the diameter of injected dry aerosol particles while holding the temperature gradient constant demonstrate that dry diameter strongly influences the onset of haze-dominated conditions. Two factors contribute: the system becomes water-limited, resulting in reduction of supersaturation by growing aerosol particles to the activation diameter; and the activation process becomes kinetically limited. Aerosol dry diameter exerts a strong influence on activation time, with a power-law exponent of 9/2. Kinetically-limited activation occurs when the ratio of the activation and droplet residence times is greater than unity. The findings demonstrate that a haze-dominated …

The Impact Of Peer Mentorship In Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesia Programs: A Scoping Review, Karoline Gasque, Kelly Mcreynolds, Shelia Crump

Doctoral Projects

Abstract
Problem statement: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) programs are known for
their rigorous curriculum, which predisposes Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) to
challenges such as mental health issues, stress, and isolation.
Purpose: Review the literature and assess gaps in the literature to determine if peer mentorship
programs benefit SRNAs’ well-being, promote support, reduce stress, and improve retention.
Method: Databases were searched using keywords and inclusion criteria. Studies were
considered if they discussed peer mentorship in students, healthcare professionals, or nursing.
Patterns and themes were assessed to derive conclusions from the literature available. The
Population, Concept, and Context framework was …

Survivors Of Sex Trafficking: Reintegration Into Society, Charrita Ernewein

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: HST is a highly profitable human rights violation. Survivors of sex trafficking experience serious physical and psychological health consequences. Exiting from trafficking is difficult and recidivism is high. Many
survivors of trafficking lack resources as they reintegrate into society.

Aim: Explore the experience of female survivors of sex trafficking as they exited trafficking and reintegrated into society utilizing the survivors’ voice. The survivors’ experience with healthcare providers was also explored.

Methods: Descriptive qualitative study design was utilized to explore the experience of reintegration into society for survivors of HST. Data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The data was …

Budget And Collection Management Communication Strategies, Tools, And Methods, Evan Rusch, Heidi J. Southworth, Daardi Sizemore Mixon, Lisa Baures, Nat Gustafson-Sundell, Joe Holtermann

Library Services Publications

Many libraries face challenging budget situations. Communication with departments and administration about budget management and related changes to collections can be crucial to maintain constructive relationships and to improve cooperative planning. Academic libraries often rely on librarian liaisons to communicate directly with departments, but additional communication efforts are sometimes pursued. Libraries could learn from one another by sharing their communication strategies, tools, and methods. Our library has recently focused on collections communication across a range of projects and audiences. These projects have included a budget reduction plan and major print deselection project, as well as ongoing, prospective budget management. The …

From Street Life To Spiritual Leadership: Analyzing Transformation, Faith, And Identity In “New Muslim Cool”, Hatoumata Tunkara

Occasional Essays

Introduction:

New Muslim Cool begins with Hamza Pérez, a Puerto Rican Muslim revert, as he rebuilds his life through Islam while balancing faith, family, and community. The documentary follows his journey from being involved in street life to becoming a faith-driven community leader and rapper. Hamza uses hip-hop and religion to connect with young people and challenge stereotypes about Muslims in America. The film primarily takes place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and explores themes of identity, redemption, and the pursuit of peace in the post-9/11 world. It is directed by Jennifer Maytorena Taylor and was released in 2009.

From Field Effect Transistors To Spin Qubits: Focus On Group Iv Materials, Architectures And Fabrications, Nikolay Petkov, Giorgos Fagas

Physical Sciences Publications

In this review, we focus on group IV one-dimensional devices for quantum technology. We outline the foundational principles of quantum computing before delving into materials, architectures and fabrication routes, separately, by comparing the bottom-up and top-down approaches. We demonstrate that due to easily tunable composition and crystal/interface quality and relatively less demanding fabrications, the study of grown nanowires such as core–shell Ge-Si and Ge hut wires has created a very fruitful field for studying unique and foundational quantum phenomena. We discuss in detail how these advancements have set the foundations and furthered realization of SETs and qubit devices with their …

"We Blink With One Eye Open. They Sleep With One Eye Close": A Qualitative Analysis Of Conflict And Resolution From The Perspective Of Correctional Staff, Staci M. Richardson

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts by Staci M. Richardson on November 17, 2025.

Mesopause-Region Gravity Wave Activity Due To Tropical Convection As Observed By Awe, Jeffrey M. Forbes, Xiaoli Zhang, Jiarong Zhang, Stephen D. Eckermann, Yucheng Zhao, Pierre-Dominique Pautet, Jun Ma, Ludger Scherliess, Michael J. Taylor

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Mesopause-region (∼ 87 km) gravity waves (GWs) generated by tropical convection are investigated within the four longitude sectors encompassing Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, and South America during the Dec 2023– Feb 2024 Southern Hemisphere monsoon season. Variances (Q_v) in the OH Q-line emission measured by the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) capture GW activity, and precipitation rates (PR) from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission identify regions of convective activity. The zonal component of GWs comprising the Q_v between 10°S-10°N primarily propagate eastward. The Q_v distributions are latitudinally-shifted and more confined in …

Week Of November 17, 2025, Student Life

College, School and Department Newsletters, Magazines, and Journals

Your weekly hub for events, resources and updates.

Modeling Xilinx 7-Series Fpgas Within The Verilog To Routing Project, Joshua Peter Fife

Theses and Dissertations

Verilog to Routing (VTR) is the most widely used open-source tool for experimenting with FPGA placement and routing algorithms, as well as assessing how architectural changes impact routability, timing, and power consumption.

Historically, VTR has been tailored specifically for Intel’s Altera-like FPGAs, lacking support for key features that would enable greater flexibility in describing other architectures. In this work, we introduce a fully functional 7-Series architecture capture from the Xilinx family, utilizing VTR’s scalable architecture description language. We detail the necessary upgrades to achieve this description, including the ability to describe L and T-shaped wires and target hard multipliers with …

Effect Of Space Radiation On The Mechanical Properties Of High-Strength Polyethylene Nanocomposite Films, Seunghyun Moon, Achal Duhoon, Zhongtian Gu, Jr Dennison, Tengfei Luo

Journal Articles

This study experimentally investigates the effects of prolonged radiation exposure on mechanical properties of high-strength, highly crystalline polyethylene (PE)/thermally reduced graphene oxide (TrGO) nanocomposite films for space applications. Prior to irradiation, PE/TrGO films were found to have tensile strengths up to ~4 GPa, more than 40 times that of conventional space-deployed membrane films (e.g., those used in solar sails) and over 59× the specific tensile strength. The PE/TrGO films were subjected to three radiation conditions to simulate space environmental conditions: ⁹⁰Sr beta radiation (0.2 to 2.5 MeV), 80 keV electron beam irradiation, and 4.9 eV ultraviolet (254 nm) exposure. …

When Cpu Is Worse Than A Stick In The Eye: Better Kpis For Strategic Journal Collection Management, Evan Rusch, Heidi J. Southworth, Nat Gustafson-Sundell

Library Services Publications

A video of this presentation is available as an Additional File and also available at https://link.mnsu.edu/kpis-video. 

Libraries frequently rely on variously calculated cost-per-usage (CPU) metrics, but there are other key performance indicators (KPIs) often more strategic for journal collection assessment. These other KPIs can also be more effective for communicating the value of journals. While CPU, in a variety of forms, will probably always be important for evidence-based decision-making, CPU can sometimes obfuscate the real value provided by journal packages and individual journals. We will discuss how CPU can lead to false impressions, especially at the package level. We’ll …

Request For An Advisory Opinion By The State Of Guatemala On Democracy And Its Protection Under The Inter-American Human Rights System: Expert Opinion, Notre Dame Law School Global Human Rights Clinic, Notre Dame Reparations Design And Compliance Lab, Diane A. Desierto, Francisco J. Urbina, Paolo G. Carozza, Anibal Perez-Liñan, Faisal Yamil Meneses, Nicolas Buitrago Rey, Ian Sheppard, Michelle Vasquez, Nick Polk, Carlos Chinchilla Mourra, Jose Cardona Sanchez, Pablo Proaño, Roselis Diaz De Freitas, Zolile Shude, Christian Mikala-Ofori, Rachel Cooper

Court Briefs

From Page 1

Notre Dame Law School Global Human Rights Clinic (NDLS GHRC) In collaboration with Notre Dame Reparations Design and Compliance Lab (ND Reparations Lab)

The undersigned Professors, staff lawyers, and researchers of the NDLS GHRC and the ND Reparations Lab respectfully submit this Expert Opinion for this Honorable Court’s consideration. 

1. The State of Guatemala has requested this Honorable Court to interpret specific provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights (e.g., Preamble first paragraph, Article 1 obligation to respect rights, Article 5 right to humane treatment, Article 8 right to a fair trial, Article 9 freedom from ex …

Machine Learning Model For Detecting Masked Hypertension In Young Adults, Brendyn Miller, Samuel Coeyman, Annemarie Wentzel, Carina M.C. Mels, William J. Richardson

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading global cause of mortality, with hypertension (HT) being a significant contributor, responsible for 56% of CVD-related deaths. Masked hypertension (MHT), a condition where patients exhibit normotensive blood pressure (BP) in clinical settings but elevated BP in out-of-clinic measurements, poses an elevated risk for cardiovascular complications and often goes undiagnosed. Current diagnostic methods, such as ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) and home BP monitoring (HBPM), have limitations in feasibility and accessibility. Methods This study aimed to address these challenges by leveraging machine learning (ML) models to predict MHT based on clinical data from a single …

Exploring Psychological Empowerment Among Hiv Support Groups, Harit Agroia, Leyla Mousli, Rock Braithwaite, Silvia Boron, Rene Padilla

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Support groups can provide members with space to discuss life issues, foster a sense of community, and promote connections with others. For people living with HIV, support groups can improve knowledge and awareness of tools and resources for HIV management, reduce stigma, improve social competence, and overall health. Studies that have connected empowerment and support group structures in populations with HIV have found promising results; however, a dearth of research demonstrates how applying theoretical frameworks can improve understanding of factors that increase empowerment among support group participants. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to apply the Psychological Empowerment Theory …

Cv: Fadi Wedyan (Computer Science), Fadi Wedyan

ECaMS Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Use Of Calcium Modification In Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Comprehensive Review, Noyan Ramazani, Ala W. Abdallah, Michael V. Dicaro, Divyansh Sharma, Aditi Singh, Kachon Lei

Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Research

Calcified coronary lesions remain a challenge in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in both situations of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and stable coronary syndrome. It significantly increases the risk of procedural complications due to difficulty in equipment delivery, balloon expansion, and stent delivery. Furthermore, stent thrombosis, dissection, perforation, and future in-stent restenosis occur more frequently in calcified coronary lesions, impacting repeat target vessel revascularization and increasing the risk of future MI. With intracoronary imaging (intravascular ultrasound and optical coherence tomography), peri-procedural success for treating calcified lesions has increased significantly. Different modalities of calcium modification techniques have since been introduced. This review …

Over Reliance On Antidepressant Medication In Long-Term Care Facilities: Rethinking Mental Health Approaches, Kaylene Elder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is a prevalent mental health condition among older adults in long-term care (LTC) facilities and is often managed primarily through antidepressant medications. While these medications can be effective, their overuse in elderly populations increases the risk of falls, sedation, cognitive decline, and adverse drug interactions. This project addresses the need for safer, evidence-based alternatives by promoting non-pharmacological interventions that support holistic well-being. The proposed approach integrates gratitude journaling, vitamin D testing to identify deficiencies, and vitamin D supplementation for residents experiencing mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Implementation is led by nursing staff and supported by the interdisciplinary care team, …