Science and Technology Studies Commons^™

Nihilistic Violence Aesthetics In Public Online Communication, Heath Nicholas Landress

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Public online communication has increasingly included violence-related content that is meme-based, ironic, visually stylized, multimodal, and only partially ideological. This comprehensive literature review synthesized research on online extremism, extremist memes, toxic multimodal content, dehumanizing digital communication, nihilistic violent extremism, warning behaviors, platform affordances, and youth-facing online environments. The purpose was to clarify what the literature had established; identify where the scholarship remained fragmented; and map research domains relevant to social, behavioral, public safety, and human services scholarship. The review used a structured, comprehensive literature review strategy supported by integrative synthesis procedures. The final corpus contained 34 scholarly sources, including 32 …

A Review On Traditional And Modern Aspects Of Vitex Negundo L.: Ethnomedicine, Phytochemistry, And Pharmacology, Tathagata Khanra, Suvasish Mitra, Subham Saha, Maitryee Mondal, Subhash C. Mandal

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vitex negundo L., or five-leaved chaste tree, is a medicinally significant plant widely distributed in Asia and other tropical regions, frequently utilized in traditional healing systems for a spectrum of ailments. This comprehensive review consolidates current knowledge on the botany, traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, and pharmacological potentials of Vitex negundo L. The plant is rich in diverse bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, and terpenoids, which are primarily responsible for its multidimensional therapeutic actions. Scientific investigations have substantiated its role in exerting anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, insecticidal, anticancer, and antidiabetic effects, among others. Research reveals promising enzyme-inhibitory, …

Siddha Formulations: A Traditional Reservoir Of Valuable Medicines For The Contemporary World, Agnes Preethy

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Traditional Medicine had been practised for many centuries in different parts of the world. However, the deep insights drawn from the traditional knowledge have remained highly localized as it had been privy only to the generations of traditional medicine practitioners. This, combined with lack of scientific evidence of their therapeutic action, had limited access, acceptance and awareness of these preparations to the larger segment of the community. The emergence of new lifestyle disorders and drug-resistant diseases in recent years has fuelled the search for alternate treatment strategies and has revived interest in traditional medicines. Concerted efforts to decipher the molecular …

Ayurvedic Herbs In The Management Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Comprehensive Narrative Review, Latha Damle, Chandrasekhar C

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a common, non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, primarily affecting older men. It frequently leads to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as increased urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia, and weak urine flow, which can significantly impair quality of life. Standard treatments for BPH include alpha-blockers, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and surgical interventions. However, limitations in efficacy and potential adverse effects have driven interest in complementary and traditional therapies, including Ayurveda. In Ayurvedic medicine, BPH is described as Mutraghata and Vatashthila, conditions attributed to an imbalance of Vata and Kapha doshas that disrupt normal prostate and …

Unveiling The Night-Flowering Jasmine: A Comprehensive Review Of Nyctanthes Arbor-Tristis’ (Oleaceae) Phytochemistry, Ethnomedicine, And Therapeutic Potential, Subham Saha, Soumya Mitra, Tathagata Khanra, Saban Karmakar, Tamalica Hore, Subhash C. Mandal

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (NAT), typically known as Night-flowering Jasmine or Harsingar or Parijat, is one of the prominent medicinal plants indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. Its application dates back to ancient times, with substantial documentation in former religious texts. Native communities have traditionally used this for various human ailments and as an ornamental plant. Leaves, flowers, seeds and stems of this plant are rich in various primary and secondary metabolites, providing a wide range of pharmacological effects. The most abundantly found phytoconstituents belong to iridoid glycosides, such as arbortristosides. Comprehensive research has investigated its potential in anticancer, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities, …

A Treasure House Called Traditional Knowledge, Sudha Seshayyan

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Centuries of observation, experimentation, and cultural continuity have formed the basis of traditional knowledge, which is a huge and complex repository of scientific information. Engineering, hydrology, fluid dynamics, medicine and cosmology are just a few of the many domains in which ancient Indian wisdom demonstrates an astonishing depth of factual understanding that is ingrained in daily activities, architectural principles, and literature. From Avvaiyar’s verses of wisdom to the magnificent temples whose architecture continues to amaze humanity and the structural brilliance of the Kallanai dam constructed in the second century CE and still serving the local population, all serve as testimony …

Gaining From Captured Indian Traditional Knowledge Systems: Paths Taken And Way Forward, Ramasami T

International Journal of Traditional Knowledge

India’s scientific heritage is deeply reflected in Ayurveda, a tradition of integrative medicine documented for over two millennia. P.C. Ray, the father of modern chemistry in India, highlighted the depth of ancient chemical knowledge and early use of mercury compounds, while M.S. Valiathan later revived and analyzed the classical texts of Charaka, Sushruta, and Vagbhata to bridge Ayurveda with modern science. Building on this foundation, the Government of India launched initiatives linking Ayurveda with genomics, personalized medicine, and rasayana therapies, yielding promising insights such as the genetic basis of prakriti classifications and protective effects of Amalaki Rasayana. Efforts like the …

Unexpected Encounters With Spot In The Wild: Sensemaking As Communicative Boundary Work With Robots, Annette Markham, Constanze M. Leeb, Brooke Ann Coco, Daniel Kirby, Lu Liu, Edoardo Lomi, Lucy Thornton, Kelly Ka-Lai Chan, Bradley R. Crammond

Human-Machine Communication

As near-autonomous and AI-embedded robots continue to appear in public settings, their sociality and interactivity is a critical part of the social fabric. This article presents emerging themes from a large-scale ethnographic study of granular-level public interactions between more than 400 people who have an unexpected encounter with Boston Dynamics’ robot “Spot” in a public square in Melbourne. Conceptualizing Spot as a boundary object enables us to highlight patterns of sensemaking as people grapple with ontological disruptions through micro-level interactions; within the self, with other people, or between the self and the robot. Based on thematic analysis of multimedia data …

Techno-Economic Analysis Of Implementing Carbon Capture And Storage (Ccs) At The Punagaya 2×100 Mw Coal Power Plant, Ricky Andreas Kristianto Siringoringo, Rahma Muthia, Widodo Wahyu Purwanto

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The increase in greenhouse gases due to the combustion of fossil fuels is one of the major drivers of global warming and consequently drives the development of low-carbon technologies such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the technical and economical feasibility of the implementation of CCS technology in the Punagaya Subcritical Coal-Fired Power Plant (CFPP) 2×100 MW as a part of the energy transition strategy towards Net Zero Emissions (NZE) 2060. The simulation was carried out using Aspen HYSYS software, including coal combustion, CO₂ capture through MDEA-PZ solvent, dehydration, transportation, and storage …

The Self-Aware Room: A Framework For Operational Self-Awareness In Evolvable Blended Environments, David B. Smith

Publications and Research

The Self-Aware Room (SAR) is a room-scale research environment developed within the larger Balanced Blended Space and Blended Reality Performance System research trajectory. Rather than treating the room as a conventional “smart” environment composed of fixed automation technologies, SAR approaches it as an evolvable blended environment made from physical, virtual, conceptual, sensory, computational, and performative relationships. Its defining feature is not any particular sensor, model, or output device, but the set of transformations through which physical activity becomes structured observation, bounded representation, interpreted state, governed decision, and mediated response.

This paper develops the conceptual and methodological foundations of SAR as …

Measuring The Tokenization Premium: A Cost Audit For Underserved Language Communities, Avijit Roy, Proma Roy, Hrishitva Patel

Publications and Research

Large language models are increasingly deployed as general-purpose educational and technical assistance systems, but their basic infrastructure does not treat languages equally. One underexamined source of disparity is tokenization: semantically equivalent content can require substantially different token counts across languages, affecting API cost, latency, and usable context length before a model is even invoked. We introduce the Tokenization Equity Audit (TEA), a reproducible benchmark for measuring tokenization premiums in technical tutoring content. TEA evaluates three widely used tokenizers, GPT-4o’s o200k base, Qwen2.5-7B, and Mistral-7B, on a 120-item Python debugging corpus translated from English into Bengali, Hindi, Arabic, Tamil, and Yoruba. …

Efficacy Of Fintech Solutions In Advancing Financial Inclusion For The Financially Underserved In South Africa, Tebogo S. Legodi, Wallace Chigona, Adheesh Budree

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

Fintech growth in South Africa has expanded access to digital financial tools. However, financially underserved communities continue to experience persistent and evolving forms of financial exclusion. This paper presents preliminary findings from an ongoing qualitative study assessing the efficacy of fintech solutions in advancing financial inclusion among underserved communities in South Africa. The study is grounded in an interpretivist philosophy, Sen’s Capability Approach, Critical Theory, and employs Constructivist Grounded Theory. We collected data for the study using semi-structured interviews with underserved users and key stakeholders. Building on a five-domain fintech efficacy framework developed through a prior systematic literature review, early …

The Effects Of Mindless Scrolling On Tiktok On The Daily Functioning Of Young Adults In South Africa, Chulumanco Magwa, Tendani Chimboza, Papama Mtambeka

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

The rise of short-form content platforms such as TikTok has introduced a pervasive behavioural challenge among young adults called mindless scrolling. Unlike intentional social media use, mindless scrolling involves prolonged, often automatic consumption of content with limited conscious decision-making about when to stop. This study explores how mindless scrolling on TikTok affects the daily functioning of young adults in South Africa. Through semi-structured interviews with 14 participants aged 18-25, the study examines the drivers of prolonged use and the consequences for productivity, sleep, time management, and social engagement. Thematic analysis revealed that TikTok’s platform architecture, including infinite scroll, algorithmic personalisation, …

Broadening Participation In Computing: Retention Pathways For Supporting Underrepresented Students, Oluwafemi Osho

All Dissertations

The computing sector's rapid growth has intensified demand for computing professionals, yet undergraduate computer science (CS) programs continue to lose substantial numbers of students, often within the first two years, before they reach degree completion. Attrition is not evenly distributed: women and other underrepresented minority (URM) students remain less likely to persist in CS despite broader increases in enrollment. These persistent disparities suggest the need to understand not only how to broaden entry into computing but also how students' experiences within programs shape retention over time. In this dissertation, I address this critical challenge by focusing on identifying inclusive strategies …

Faculty Perspectives On Career And Technical Education Programming For Prison And Other At-Risk Populations: Implications Of A Human Centered Design Focus, Taija R. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was to examine the perceptions of career and technical education (CTE) faculty regarding their familiarity with human-centered design (HCD), perceptions of the value and worth as a framework for program and curriculum design and willingness to teach in correctional education settings. The survey was administered to postsecondary CTE employed at public community and technical colleges in Utah and Colorado (N = 37). Participants were randomly assigned to either a treatment condition, in which they viewed a six-minute-long video vignette illustrating HCD in practice, or a control condition without exposure to the …

The Impact Of Early Exposure To Engineering Concepts In The Form Of Family, School Classes, And Stem Extracurriculars On The Long-Term Sense Of Belonging In Undergraduate Women In Engineering, Hannah Lloyd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Engineering continues to struggle with the underrepresentation of women, and many women who begin engineering programs report feeling isolated or uncertain about whether they belong. A strong sense of belonging has been linked to greater confidence, persistence, and success in engineering. This study examined how early experiences with engineering before college may influence students' sense of belonging later in their undergraduate engineering programs.

Using survey responses from undergraduate engineering students across the United States, this study explored several types of early exposure to engineering, including family influence, school-based engineering and STEM courses, extracurricular programs such as robotics clubs and engineering …

Research On The Monitoring And Early-Warning Indicator System For Science And Technology Security Risks Based On System Vulnerability Theory, Juan Gong, Wei Zhang, Xiuni Zhang, Pu Liu, Juan Li

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance] From the perspective of system vulnerability, this study aims to construct a dynamic monitoring and early-warning indicator system that systematically reflects science and technology security risks, so as to enhance the foresight and accuracy of risk perception and early warning. [Method/process] Introducing the system vulnerability theory and based on the "exposure-sensitivity-adaptive capacity" analytical framework, science and technology security risks are categorized into three dimensions: technological entity, actor behavior, and institutional constraints. Risk factors within each dimension were identified, leading to the selection of 9 secondary indicators. Innovatively, these indicators are classified into two types: continuous and threshold-triggered. A "one-vote …

Chi Meta-Project Ecosystem Overview - Spring 2026, David B. Smith

Publications and Research

This paper offers a high-level account of the Center for Holistic Integration’s (CHI) meta-project ecosystem as visualized in the included system map. CHI provides an organizational structure framed around persistent meta-projects that support and extend individual initiatives across curriculum, scholarly and applied research, infrastructure, artistic production, AI development, cultural inquiry, and external partnerships. Rather than presenting the map as a static inventory of projects, the paper examines how its core domains function as living systems through which knowledge, tools, documentation, participants, and collaborations can accumulate over time. It also considers how CHI-mediated connectivity, institutional integration, and external funding allow the …

The Implementation Of Smart City Initiatives In Addressing Climate Change Challenges For The Transformation Of Jakarta Into A Resilient Global City, Roby Dwiputra, Nurulitha Andini Susetyo, Apriano Hanindito Amanza

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

Jakarta, a densely populated delta city and Indonesia's former capital undergoing post-relocation transformation, faces escalating climate change impacts, including land subsidence and tidal flooding. Annual subsidence rates of 5–25 cm in northern areas and recurrent tidal floods, including the December 2025 event, pose significant threats to urban sustainability and economic stability. This study employs a qualitative descriptive–analytic approach using a single-case study of Jakarta. Smart city initiatives are examined as governance instruments for climate resilience, drawing on secondary data from regulatory documents, real-time digital monitoring platforms, and global smart city performance indicators. The analysis applies thematic and comparative techniques supported …

Ethos: A Computational Framework For Material Culture Research, Chelsea L. Grafe

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Museum catalog records make large collections searchable, but they do not always preserve the reasoning behind the claims they contain. A record may present a quilt's identity as settled while leaving the reasoning behind that claim invisible, making it difficult for later researchers to check, question, or reuse. This project asks whether museum catalog data can be analyzed in a way that keeps each analytical claim connected to the evidence that supports it. To test this question, the project applies a material-first computational framework named Ethos. Ethos formalizes an object-centered inquiry sequence in which material dependencies establish where analysis begins …