Eastern University

This chapter explores the distinctive characteristics of value underlying assets of firms in digital cultural industries and their transfer across the borders. The research argues that due to the idiosyncratic nature of digital cultural products associated with their authentic and symbolic value and digital form, the characteristics of their ownership advantages differ from those defined in the current research and thus, require further conceptualization. The study is conducted as explorative case research in the Finnish digital cultural industries to achieve this goal. The findings allow to delineate characteristics of ownership advantage of digital cultural products, labelled as Odc such as creative appeal, cultural connectedness, digital novelty and technological proficiency. Research shows that it is these characteristics that earn firms possibility for gaining competitive positions in international markets. The study also distinguishes between market creation and market differentiation digital cultural products and discusses the mechanisms for the cross-border transfer of their Odc. Thus, this research advances theoretical development about types of ownership advantages. Furthermore, it extends the knowledge about digital internationalization by showing the role and the extent of the use of non-digital mechanisms in the cross-border transfer of value of digital products.

Detecting single photons is a crucial process in quantum science, quantum networking, biology, and advanced imaging. To detect the small quantum of energy carried in a photon, conventional mechanisms rely on energy excitation across either a semiconductor bandgap or superconducting gap that hinders their applications to low-energy photons. Here, we detect single near-infrared photons using the thermal properties of Dirac fermions in graphene. By exploiting the extremely low heat capacity of Dirac electrons near its charge neutrality point, we observe a temperature rise up to ~2 K using a hybrid Josephson junction. In this proof-of-principle experiment, we achieve an intrinsic quantum efficiency of 87% (75%) with dark count < 1 per second (per week), reaching an effective noise equivalent power of 2×10-22 W/ . The highest operation temperature is 1.2 K. Our results highlight the potential of graphene bolometers for detecting lower-energy photons from the mid-IR to microwave regimes, opening pathways to study space science in far-infrared regime, to potential applications in dark matter searches, and to advance quantum technologies across a broader electromagnetic spectrum.

Student-parents are a growing constituent of university students. According to Anderson et al., the 2020 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) reported almost 18% of undergraduate students are raising children while enrolled.1 There is a growing body of research examining how the needs of these students can be met on university campuses, including in academic libraries. The Illinois Board of Higher Education requires public universities collect student-parent data, made available in the

Optical spectroscopies provide a powerful means to probe light-matter interactions and complex electronic features that are crucial for the development and optimization of optoelectronic devices, where performance is closely tied to the underlying electronic spectrum. However, realistic modeling of tensor optical responses in materials remains computationally demanding and challenging. Here we introduce the Tensorial Spectra Equivariant Neural Network (TSENN), an equivariant graph neural network architecture that maps crystal structures directly to their full photon-frequency-dependent optical tensors. By encoding isotropic sequential scalar components and anisotropic sequential tensor components into spherical tensor representations, TSENN ensures symmetry-aware predictions consistent with crystalline symmetry constraints. Trained on frequency-dependent dielectric tensors of 1,432 bulk semiconductors, the model achieves a mean absolute error of 0.127, demonstrating its potential for efficient and general modeling of optical properties. Our framework opens new avenues for data-driven design of anisotropic optical responses to accelerate materials discovery for optoelectronic applications.

The First Member of the Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation (K2qn1) in the Gulong Sag, Songliao Basin, contains vast shale oil resources conventionally interpreted as deposits of suspension settling in a quiescent, anoxic deep-lacustrine environment. However, this static “deep-lake” model fails to account for the strong lithofacies heterogeneity and high-energy sedimentary records observed in recently acquired core data. This study reconstructs the sedimentary dynamics of the K2qn1 shale through high-resolution core description, thin-section petrography, and flow-loop hydrodynamic simulations. We identify abundant sedimentary structures diagnostic of high-energy combined flows, including Hummocky Cross-Stratification (HCS), Swaley Cross-Stratification (SCS), erosional scour surfaces, and large-scale tabular intraclasts (up to 40 mm). Hydrodynamic simulations, utilizing an “equivalent substitution” method, demonstrate that the Minimum Vertical Suspension Velocity (Vmf) required to transport these large intraclasts exceeds 1.0 m/s. This threshold is 1 to 5 orders of magnitude higher than theoretical values derived from classical settling equations, confirming that the paleolake bottom was frequently perturbed by high-velocity storm-driven currents. Consequently, we propose an “Intermittent High-Energy Deposition Model,” wherein background suspension settling was punctuated by episodic storm events. We argue that these high-energy events facilitated organic matter enrichment through a “Transport-Burial Pump” mechanism, which operated in concert with the chemical stratification associated with the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) to enable rapid physical burial and sealing of organic matter. These findings challenge the traditional fine-grained sedimentological paradigm and suggest that storm-reworked intervals—characterized by enhanced brittleness and hydrodynamic winnowing—constitute the primary “sweet spots” for lacustrine shale oil exploration.

Abstract Purpose African American breast cancer patients remain significantly underrepresented in clinical trials, despite experiencing more aggressive disease and disproportionately worse outcomes. While awareness of clinical trials has increased, there is still a gap between awareness and participation, especially due to limited access to personalized support and actionable next steps. BreastCancerTrials.org and Sisters Network® Inc. partnered to assess attitudes, knowledge, beliefs, and experiences related to clinical trials as part of a larger initiative to improve trial awareness and enrollment in African American women. Methods Sisters Network® Inc distributed a survey to over 100 African American breast cancer survivors affiliated with the organization to gather insights on their knowledge, experiences, and beliefs about clinical trials. As the largest national African American breast cancer survivorship organization with more than 30 chapters across the U.S., Sisters Network® Inc utilized its extensive network to reach a broad and diverse community of survivors. The survey asked about participants demographics, breast cancer details, and familiarity with clinical trials. It covered communication with healthcare providers, trial eligibility and experience, barriers to participation, challenges finding trial information, and interest in using clinical trial navigation for support. Results Preliminary findings show that more than 65% of respondents were familiar or somewhat familiar with clinical trials. When asked about participation, 44% said they would join a trial if their healthcare provider offered it as an option. Most participants lived in urban (51%) or suburban (46%) areas and were early-stage breast cancer survivors. Specifically, 14% were diagnosed at stage 0, 34% at stage 1, 46% at stages 2 or 3, and 3% had metastatic cancer. Regarding biomarker status, 34% reported being ER/PR positive, 21% had Triple Negative breast cancer, and 22% were unsure of their status. Thirty percent of respondents had discussed clinical trial participation with their healthcare team. Of those, 67% said the healthcare team initiated the conversation, while 16% reported bringing it up themselves. Key barriers to clinical trial participation included difficulty determining eligibility, challenges finding a trial, and limited understanding of how trials work. Despite these challenges, most respondents expressed interest in learning more. Over half indicated they would be interested in clinical trial navigation services, with 52% identified as having interest in receiving education and support from a clinical trial navigator. Conclusion This study further demonstrates the barriers that African American breast cancer patients experience, and the fact that they could benefit from culturally competent, personalized navigation. This survey was the first step in a broader effort to build trust and increase clinical trial knowledge, awareness, and participation among African American breast cancer patients through the development of customized, culturally responsive education programs and navigation support. BreastCancerTrials.org and Sisters Network® Inc. efforts to improve access and diversity in clinical trials will support broader initiatives within both organizations. Insights from this study will also help refine our enrollment strategies for the I-SPY clinical trials. Citation Format: S. Mayhew, S. Colen, L. Patel, S. Horton, K. E. Jackson, C. Allen, O. Akanni, J. LaCoursiere, T. Heather, E. Laura. Listening to the Community: Barriers and Beliefs About Clinical Trials Among Black Women with Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS4-09-01.

A non-oriented Fe-0.7% Si steel as-cast strip was produced by an industrial twin-roll strip casting production line. The evolution of the microstructure, texture, and properties was characterized along the entire processing route. The microstructure of each cross-section of the industrial cast strip was found to be uniform, with low texture strength and random orientation distribution. After cold rolling, a mixed microstructure formed, consisting of deformation structures and shear bands alternating in the thickness direction. The texture exhibited a mixed texture combining α-fiber texture (<110>//RD) and γ-fiber texture (<111>//ND). During the 850°C annealing process, recrystallized grains nucleated preferentially in shear bands, and α texture and Goss texture began to form. The final annealed sheet texture was composed of Goss texture and γ-fiber texture, with favorable textures constituting the major part. The final sheets exhibited excellent magnetic properties: P1.5/50 = 4.915 W/kg, B50 = 1.856T in RD direction, and P1.5/50 = 5.347 W/kg, B50 = 1.765 T in TD direction. Its average yield strength was approximately 278.77 MPa, and the average tensile strength was approximately 505.47 MPa. After aging at 300°C for 10 hours, only a few precipitates formed in the final sheets, and their magnetic properties remained highly stable with little to no change.

The Devaram hymns, the quintessential canon of Tamil Saiva devotional literature, represent a vital synthesis of theological fervor and the sophisticated artistic traditions of the 7th-century Bhakti movement. This study examines the Devaram—composed by the triumvirate of Tirugnanasambandar, Tirunavukkarasar, and Sundarar—not merely as liturgical poetry but as a foundational document of Tamil dance aesthetics. Central to this analysis is the iconographic and kinetic portrayal of Lord Shiva as Nataraja (the Cosmic Dancer). The research explores how the hymns articulate the Pancha-kritya (five-fold cosmic acts), mapping the divine functions of creation, preservation, destruction, concealment, and grace onto the rhythmic and gestural framework of the Tandava. By analyzing the intersections of Angika (physical expression), Mudras (symbolic gestures), and Rasa (aesthetic experience), this paper argues that the Devaram transcends descriptive poetry to function as a philosophical treatise on movement. The study concludes that the dance philosophy embedded within these hymns provided the conceptual and structural blueprint for the evolution of later Chola temple iconography and the formalization of the Bharatanatyam tradition.