21334 research outputs found
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In Defense of Space Offense
No full textThis article argues that in the unique physical and operational environment of outer space, offensive operations hold intrinsic advantages over defensive ones. Drawing upon classical military theorists such as Clausewitz and Corbett, the author contends that the traditional dominance of the defensive form of war—rooted in terrestrial conditions—does not extend to celestial conflict. The transparency and remoteness of the space domain neutralize key defensive benefits, such as proximity to supply bases, concealment, and fortified positions, while also diminishing the factors that typically cause terrestrial offensives to culminate. Consequently, space conflict favors the side that seizes and maintains the initiative through offensive action. The article introduces the concept of a “parallel offensive,” whereby defense in space is achieved not through passive fortification but through immediate, coordinated counterattacks that contest the adversary’s initiative. Although an offensive advantage in space may challenge strategic stability and increase first-strike incentives, it need not make war inevitable. Through deterrence strategies, cross-domain integration, and arms control measures, states can mitigate these destabilizing effects. The study thus redefines the logic of “space defense” as an inherently active, offense-oriented enterprise
Review Article: International Relations: State of the Field. Paul R. Viotti’s Kenneth Waltz: An Intellectual Biography (NY: Columbia University Press, 2023).
No full textIn this review essay, Damon Coletta examines Paul R. Viotti’s Kenneth Waltz: An Intellectual Biography (Columbia University Press, 2023), positioning it as both a tribute to and a reexamination of one of International Relations’ most influential theorists. Viotti, a former student of Waltz, reconstructs the intellectual development of structural realism—tracing its philosophical and methodological roots from Man, the State, and War (1959) to Theory of International Politics (1979)—while situating Waltz’s scholarship within the geopolitical and academic transformations of the Cold War era. Coletta highlights Viotti’s skillful balance between biography and disciplinary analysis, showing how Waltz’s systemic approach to international politics emerged from his wartime logistics experience, economic training, and skepticism toward reductionist explanations. The review underscores the continued relevance of Waltz’s ideas amid renewed great-power competition and evolving methodological debates. By chronicling both the man and the maturation of modern IR theory, Viotti’s biography, Coletta argues, reaffirms structural realism’s enduring role in shaping scholarly inquiry and strategic thought in the twenty-first century
BiblioTech, November 2025
No full textCriss Libraries\u27 Digital Newsletter, BiblioTech, November 2025 Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library, University of Nebraska at Omaha.https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/bibliotech/1035/thumbnail.jp
Secure Edge Computing Reference Architecture for Data-driven Structural Health Monitoring: Lessons Learned from Implementation and Benchmarking
No full textStructural Health Monitoring (SHM) plays a crucial role in maintaining aging and critical infrastructure, supporting applications such as smart cities and digital twinning. These applications demand machine learning models capable of processing large volumes of real-time sensor data at the network edge. However, existing approaches often neglect the challenges of deploying machine learning models at the edge or are constrained by vendor-specific platforms. This paper introduces a scalable and secure edge-computing reference architecture tailored for data-driven SHM. We share practical insights from deploying this architecture at the Memorial Bridge in New Hampshire, US, referred to as the Living Bridge project. Our solution integrates a commercial data acquisition system with off-the-shelf hardware running an open-source edge-computing platform, remotely managed and scaled through cloud services. To support the development of data-driven SHM systems, we propose a resource consumption benchmarking framework called edgeOps to evaluate the performance of machine learning models on edge devices. We study this framework by collecting resource utilization data for machine learning models typically used in SHM applications on two different edge computing hardware platforms. edgeOps was specifically studied on off-the-shelf Linux and ARM-based edge devices. Our findings demonstrate the impact of platform and model selection on system performance, providing actionable guidance for edge-based SHM system design
Zeki: A Containerized Pipeline for Deep Learning Deployment for Edge-based Structural Health Monitoring
No full textThe deployment of deep learning (DL) models on edge devices offers significant opportunities for structural health monitoring (SHM), particularly by enabling localized, low-latency inference in built environments. However, practical deployment on resource-constrained platforms faces barriers in scalability, reliability, and security. In response, we introduce Zeki, a unified, security-aware, containerized pipeline for deploying DL models for edge-based SHM. Zeki unifies model optimization (via LiteRT and quantization), container-level hardening, and benchmarking-driven model-device co-selection into a reproducible workflow. We evaluate Zeki by deploying convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for crack detection on Raspberry Pi 4 and BeagleBone AI-64 along with a server. Results show significant improvements in inference latency and memory efficiency compared to unoptimized baselines. Beyond performance, Zeki establishes a systematic methodology for safe, resilient, and evidence-based edge deployment of DL in safety-critical SHM settings, enabling long-term infrastructure monitoring
The illusion of internal models in biological movement
No full textThe concept of internal models dominates contemporary theories of sensorimotor control, with researchers across neurosciences, specifically motor control, routinely explaining observed behaviors through computational representations that supposedly exist within the nervous system. In this perspective, I present a critical examination of internal model frameworks in sensorimotor control. I argue that representational approaches mischaracterize biological systems for several fundamental reasons: (1) Internal models require homuncular interpreters, creating infinite regress problems; (2) The purported neural implementations of internal models remain empirically elusive despite decades of research; (3) Biological movement systems exhibit multiscale, nonlinear, and non-Gaussian dynamics that fundamentally defy reduction to conventional computational representations; (4) Internal model frameworks implicitly depend on Cartesian dualism through their separation of the “controller” and “controlled;” (5) The framework is methodologically circular and largely unfalsifiable as virtually any behavior can be retroactively modeled as implementing some internal representation; and (6) Alternative frameworks based on ecological dynamics and self-organization can account for adaptive behavior without invoking representational assumptions. Instead of representational models, I propose that sensorimotor control emerges from the dynamic coupling between the organism and the environment across multiple spatial and temporal scales. By moving beyond the internal model paradigm, sensorimotor neuroscience can develop more powerful explanatory frameworks that better capture the emergent, context-sensitive properties of biological movement without invoking physiologically intractable computational metaphors
Political Discoveries in a Žižek Substack Project Critical Digital Studies
No full textThis review essay analyzes Slavoj Žižek’s recent turn to Substack as a publishing platform, examining both his motivations and the philosophical and political implications of this medium for contemporary critical theory. Sankowski and Harris argue that Žižek’s Substack writings continue long-standing themes in his work—anti-capitalism, ecological crisis, updated Communism, and the cultural dimensions of ideology—while also revealing notable shifts, including heightened pessimism about historical progress and new reflections on environmental catastrophe. The authors assess the advantages and pitfalls of Substack for intellectual discourse, including its circumvention of traditional editorial “censorship,” its contribution to information glut, and its role in fostering digital-era political engagement. Through close readings of Žižek’s posts on topics such as the Zambian environmental disaster, the Iberian electricity blackout, sustainable development, and digital-era revolutionary strategy, the essay situates Žižek’s evolving thought in relation to figures such as Kohei Saito and Yanis Varoufakis. The authors conclude that Žižek’s Substack project simultaneously illuminates and complicates his efforts to articulate a renewed Communism and grapple with the political stakes of contemporary technological and ecological crises
Empowerment or Imprisonment? The Line Between Sex Work and Sex Trafficking: A Comparison of Law Enforcement and Academic Perspectives
No full textThis research explores the line between consensual sex work and sex trafficking to gain a better understanding of the prevalence and pathways through which sex work may transition into sex trafficking. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with law enforcement professionals that work closely with survivors of sex trafficking to examine the pathways from consent to coercion. An interview with a former sex worker, now college professor, was also conducted to examine the lived experience and academic perspective. Both the law enforcement and academic perspectives were analyzed and compared to one another to form a nuanced understanding of the complex issue of when sex work becomes sex trafficking and the best way to remedy this issue. All the participants acknowledged the ways that socioeconomic status impacts an individual’s decision to participate in sex work. Law enforcement perspectives are most closely aligned with full criminalization and partial decriminalization perspectives, whereas the academic perspective is aligned with full decriminalization. Both perspectives opposed the legalization of sex work. These findings highlight the complexities of addressing sex work and sex trafficking and the need for informed, collaborative interventions
Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Peppermint Oil on Colorectal Cancer Cells and Human Fibroblasts
No full textThis study contrasted the effects of Peppermint Oil on two cell lines, HT29s (colorectal adenocarcinoma cells) and HFFs (Human Foreskin Fibroblasts). Cytotoxic as well as genomic effects were compared between the cell lines. Trypan Blue, Alamar Blue, and qPCR assays were used to study these effects. Both cell lines were treated with a range of Peppermint Oil concentrations, and it was determined that there is a dose-dependent factor associated with cytotoxicity. To confirm results, Alamar and Trypan Blue assays were repeated at 300 and 500 cells/mL respectively. Effects were confirmed, and results were averaged and plotted. Alamar Blue revealed that HT29 cells had an IC50 of 0.00102 mg/L, while HFF cells did not show decreased cell survivability. Trypan Blue revealed that membrane integrity did decrease as Peppermint Oil concentrations increased. To assess possible genomic effects of Peppermint Oil, a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was designed to identify expression of several different genes involved with reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress, metabolism, inflammation, and other suggested health benefits