Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Varying Biochar Concentrations On The Growth Of Lactuca Sativa (Newham Bibb Lettuce), Lauren Holler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this research experiment was to investigate the effectiveness of using biochar in potting soil in terms of plant growth and soil quality. This experiment was carried out using varying amounts (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) of biochar in the soil to see its effect on seed germination, plant growth, and soil quality such as pH, water retention, and soil temperature. The aim of the experiment was to identify whether biochar can be used in soil to promote healthier and stronger plants. There were four treatments which included 0% (Control), 5% (Treatment 1), 10% (Treatment 2), and 20% …

Sexual Di(Et)Morphism: Using Experimental Evolution To Test Whether Resource Partitioning Promotes Divergence Of The Sexes In Drosophila Melanogaster, Owen A. Jamieson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Sexual dimorphism has been a long-studied phenomenon in the field of evolutionary biology. Usually, these differences in morphology, physiology and/or behaviour between the sexes are studied through the parsimonious lens of sexual selection. However, there are natural history cases where this lens does not seem applicable. Some species show sex specific morphological traits whose presence may not be due to a direct benefit to reproduction, but a difference in how each sex interacts with the environment and differing selective pressures from the environment on either sex. Darwin even brought up examples of this kind of dimorphism and pondered their existence, …

Leveraging Mammal Mycophagy To Determine Environmental Drivers Of Truffle Diversity, Brittany Hartsock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many mycorrhizal fungi are hypogeous (truffle-forming), producing underground fruiting bodies. Studying truffles is inherently challenging due to their hidden nature. However, mycophagous mammals provide a unique opportunity to study hypogeous fungi because they rely on truffles as a food source. Although several truffle species have recently been described in the southern Appalachian region, their fruiting patterns remain poorly understood. To address this, we quantified truffle richness and spore loads from 670 Peromyscus scat samples collected across 42 sites spanning an environmental gradient during 2024 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee. We found that truffle richness and spore abundance …

A Calibrated And Conformal Deep Learning Framework For Trustworthy Antinuclear Antibody Pattern Recognition With Selective Referral To Experts, Hussein Ali Hussein Al Naffakh, Ahmed Dheyaa Radhi, Raghdah Maytham Hameed, Muntaha Abdullah Reishaan, Fouad A. Majeed, Rozaida Ghazali

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Reading antinuclear antibody patterns on human epithelial cells by indirect immunofluorescence is the reference screen for systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, but it is slow, subjective, and variable between observers. Deep learning reaches high accuracy on this task, yet most systems return a single prediction without stating how reliable it is, which is unsafe in a diagnostic workflow. This paper presents an intelligent decision support framework built around a single calibrated uncertainty signal. That signal is the control variable for four reliability modules: confidence calibration, conformal prediction, error detection, and selective referral. A feature space out of distribution detector serves as …

Study Of Primer Efficiency And Relative Genetic Band Abundance In Different Genotypes, Mundher Kh. Jabbar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This experiment was aimed to find some indicators related to primers and genetic variations. Six bread wheat genotypes were selected as the dataset. The RAPD marker technique was used with oligonucleotide primers as marker of study. The goal was to identify factors used for the relationship between primers and their ability to elicit DNA fragments through different genotypes, as well as the relative genetic band abundance among genotypes. After the designed factors, key findings emerged: in relative primer amplification rate, C1 genotype exhibited a higher relative primer amplification rate (RPAR) of fragments from OP-H01 but did not differ from OP-V19 …

Broadening The Community Of Nudibranch Enthusiasts Through Multilingual Educational Programming To Increase Climate Advocacy Engagement, Richelle Li Tanner, Cintya Felix Mendivil, Ashley Lam, Lorena Muñoz, Micah Kim, Elena G. Morales Poot, Gabrielle Keeler-May

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Environmental literacy and advocacy for environmental protections are essential components of responsible stewardship. For coastal communities, stewardship requires knowledge of ocean processes and the biological communities living within these ecosystems. While many studies highlight difficulties in engaging American audiences in environmental concern and stewardship due to hyper-individualistic societal values, tidepooling is one recreational pathway to coastal community engagement that strengthens sense of place, and therefore, responsibility to protect natural resources. We sought to broaden the tidepooling community to include more diverse voices through a participatory science program with inland city-dwelling, multilingual, and non-English speaking adults. Using nudibranchs as an environmental …

Gc-Ms Profiling And Antibacterial Activity Of Cold-Macerated Garlic Extracts Against Multidrug-Resistant Uropathogens, Fatima A. Khalaf, Saeed A. Fayadh

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The growing number of cases of multidrug-resistant (MDR) urinary tract infections has made the clinical management of urinary tract diseases a significant challenge; therefore, the need for effective adjunctive therapies cannot be overemphasized. This study evaluated the bioactive components and antibacterial efficacy of cold-macerated garlic extracts obtained using distilled water, 70% ethanol and hexane solvents against antimicrobial-resistant urinary isolates. Out of 250 urine samples that were analyzed, 124 (49.6%) showed significant microbial growth, with Escherichia coli being the most frequently isolated organism. The results of the phytochemical screening and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that the ethanolic extract had …

Towards Identifying Fear And Safety Network States Across Sex, Rhonda Kolaric

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma- and stressor-related disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 5-6% in men, and 10-12% in women (National Center for PTSD). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a highly prevalent anxiety- and depression-related psychiatric disorder with a lifetime prevalence of 1-2% in men, and 3-4% in women (National Institutes of Health). Both of these disorders disproportionately affect women. A hallmark feature of both disorders is the maladaptive generalization of fear, in which defensive responses extend beyond the original traumatic or threatening stimulus to neutral or unrelated cues. This overgeneralization can become debilitating, disrupting cognitive, emotional, and …

Analysis Of Diterpenoid Alkaloids From American Aconitum Using Lc-Ms Metabolomic Methods, Yi Zhao

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Analysis of Diterpenoid Alkaloids from American Aconitum Using LC-MS Metabolomic Methods

by

Yi Zhao

Advisor: Edward J. Kennelly

Aconitum plants have been used as a traditional medicine in Asian countries for millennia to treat pain, rheumatism, syncope, fever, and other conditions. These therapeutic effects are mainly due to the bioactive diterpenoid alkaloids accumulated in the roots. Comparing with the large records and studies of Asian Aconitum and their medicinal use and the broad bioactive compounds, American Aconitum has been rarely investigated, not to mention how American Aconitum has been used medicinally. Based on previous phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic studies of Aconitum …

Patterns Of Autonomous And Conditional Neural Specification For The Brain And Ventral Nerve Cord In Annelida, Nicole B. Webster, Johnny A. Davila-Sandoval, Allan M. Carrillo-Baltodano, Skyler Duda, B. Duygu Özpolat, Neva P. Meyer

Biology

Evolution of central nervous systems is a long-debated topic. Similar mechanisms of conditional neural specification linked to dorsal-ventral (D–V) axis formation have been used to support homology across several taxa. We tested for autonomous versus conditional neural specification in two distantly related annelids, Capitella teleta and Platynereis dumerilii, using blastomere isolations and ablations. Our results demonstrate autonomous specification of anterior neural tissue in isolated first-quartet (1q) micromeres for both annelids. In both annelids, partial larvae derived from isolation of the somatoblast, micromere 2d, also resulted in the formation of trunk neural tissue (ventral nerve cord or VNC), suggesting that this …

Data Curation And Integration For Cancer Cell Line Pharmacogenomics Analysis, Meric Kinali

Graduate Masters Theses

Cancer cell lines are essential resources for connecting genomic and molecular features with drug response and identifying biomarkers. Therefore, large-scale cancer cell line resources have been growing, but this introduces challenges such as data standardization, consistent annotation, matching identifiers, cross-database integration, and a reproducible computational framework. CellMiner Cross Database (CellMinerCDB) integrates pharmacogenomic datasets from multiple resources and provides a standardized analysis of cell lines across datasets. This thesis examines cancer cell line cross-databases and their importance in pharmacogenomics, with a particular focus on CellMinerCDB. As part of this work, I developed an R package for the gCSI (Genentech Cell Line …

Infrared Detectability Of Whale Species And Behaviors To Enhance Automatic Detection For Real-Time Vessel Strike Avoidance, Laura J. Howes

Graduate Masters Theses

Real-time detection of large whales at sea is critical for mitigating serious injury and mortality from ship strikes and other human activities such as seismic surveys, especially for endangered species such as the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Traditional marine mammal observers are limited by environmental conditions and human factors, necessitating a robust, 24-hour solution. This study investigates the efficacy of a novel onboard detection tool infrared (IR) technology to detect whale blows and body parts. While IR is a promising advancement, its performance under varying sea conditions (e.g., fog, humidity) and its ability to …

Enhanced Osseointegration Of Functionally Graded Co˗Cr˗Mo˗Ti/Ha Implants: In Vitro And In Vivo Study In A Rabbit Model, Afrah M. Al Hussainey, Randa Kamel Hussain, Aseel Mustafa Abdul Majeed

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

    The present investigation aims to evaluate the effects of acid and laser surface treatments on the surface characteristics, biocompatibility, and osseointegration of functionally graded implants fabricated from a Co–Cr–Mo–Ti/HA alloy. The implant surfaces were modified using either an Nd: YAG laser or hydrochloric acid (HCl), while untreated implants served as controls. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the acid-treated surface exhibited the highest mean surface roughness (Sa) of 58.10 ± 0.24 nm compared to the laser-treated surface (42.64 ± 0.83 nm) and the untreated surface (37.73 ± 0.89 nm). The MTT assay also demonstrated a favourable cellular response on the …

Assessing The Evolving The Culture Of Biology Program Through The Lens Of The Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform Model, Diyala S. Shihadih, Elizabeth Runkel Baez, Mitra Asgari, Justin Berl, Adam J. Chouinard, Stephanie J. Gutzler, Kaleb K. Heinrich, Eden Riordan, Star W. Lee, Erin E. Shortlidge

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

There are persistent national calls to advance evidence-based instructional practices to increase the number of students graduating with science degrees. Evolving the Culture of Biology is a program designed to improve undergraduate education by prioritizing graduate teaching assistant teaching professional development (TA-TPD). Guided by the Teacher-Centered Systemic Reform (TCSR) model, this study examined how TA TPD practitioners’ (participants) attitudes, personal factors, institutional contexts, and instructional practices shape TA-TPD reform outcomes. Using a pre-program survey and end-of-year semi-structured interviews, we gained insight into participants’ experiences as they developed and implemented reformed TA-TPD. We investigated how TCSR components differentially influenced participant progress, …

Insights Into Longevity And Virus-Driven Adaptation From Myotis Bat Genomes, Juan M. Vazquez, M. Elise Lauterbur, Saba Mottaghinia, Léa Gaucherand, Sarah Maesen, Michael Singer, Sarah Villa, Melanie Bucci, Devaughn Fraser, Genavieve Gray-Sandoval, Zeinab R. Haidar, Melissa Han, William Kohler, Tanya Lama, Et Al

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The genus Myotis is one of the largest clades of bats, and it exhibits some of the most extreme variation in lifespans among mammals, alongside unique adaptations to viral tolerance and immune defence^1–3. Here, to study the evolution of these phenotypes, we generated cell lines and near-complete genome assemblies for eight closely related Myotis species. Using genome-wide screens of positive selection, analyses of structural variation and functional experiments in primary cells, we identify patterns of adaptation contributing to longevity, cancer resistance and viral interactions. We demonstrate distinct modes of adaptation to DNA and RNA viruses compared with all …

Trophic Ecology Of A South Carolina Estuarine Predator Guild, Shane John Molander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Estuaries are among the world’s most productive ecosystems in the world and are characterized by the convergence of two distinct habitats, creating a mosaic of environmental conditions from inland rivers to the nearshore ocean. Many fishes occupy estuaries during various life stages for growth, reproduction, or foraging, and may reside in them seasonally. The co-occurrence of species, particularly upper-trophic level carnivores, can result in competitive interactions for prey resources within a shared environment. Identifying the degree of these interactions as well as understanding basal energy consumption can inform food web dynamics and how overlapping species use shared spaces. I used …

The Role Of Seed Mix Characteristics And Soil Amendments During Post-Agricultural Prairie Restoration, Valerie N. Thurston, Michaela J. Woods, Madelaine Gregory, Mary C. Lloyd, Ryan W. Mcewan

Biology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Prairie restoration on degraded lands may be influenced by seed mix characteristics, including species richness and legume establishment. Soil amendments may facilitate restoration; however, the practical usefulness of techniques such as applications of whole soil and leaf mulch remains relatively unclear.

Objectives: We assessed whether increasing species richness and legume content in seed mixes enhances prairie restoration success and examined how soil amendments interact with seed mix composition to influence cover, species richness, diversity, and legume establishment.

Methods: We conducted a field experiment on a 12-ha post-agricultural site in Ohio, U.S.A. Twenty 50 × 50 m plots received one …

Hydrogels For Local Drug Delivery In Biofilm-Associated Periprosthetic Joint Infection: Current Progress And Future Directions, Karolina Kraus, Pawel Mikziński, Bindu Subhadra, Emil Paluch

Faculty Publications - Biological Sciences

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains one of the most serious complications of arthroplasty, largely due to the formation of microbial biofilms on implant surfaces. Biofilm-associated infections exhibit increased tolerance to antimicrobial therapy and host immune responses, making eradication difficult and often requiring repeated surgical interventions. Consequently, there is a growing need for effective local therapeutic strategies capable of delivering high concentrations of antimicrobial agents directly to the site of infection while minimizing systemic toxicity. Hydrogels have emerged as promising drug delivery platforms for the management of biofilm-associated PJI. Their biocompatibility, injectability, high water content, and tunable physicochemical properties enable controlled …

Policy System Of Us Bioeconomy Based On “3ms” Framework, Jingyan Zhou, Nianping Tian, Xuehui Jin, Cuijuan Yin

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The United States is a dominant power in the global bioeconomy. An in-depth analysis of its policy system characteristics holds significant reference value for China to further formulate China’s bioeconomy strategy and drive the development of China’s bioeconomy. This study employs the “3Ms” policy analysis framework to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the US bioeconomy policy from three dimensions: macro strategy, meso architecture, and micro structure. The research reveals that the US bioeconomy policy demonstrates the following characteristics in the macro strategy: being systematic, comprehensive, and scientifically decision-making; in the meso architecture: forming government-congressional cooperation and multi-party collaboration; and in …

Analysis Of Early Menopause And Endometriosis Genetics Merit In Use Of Polygenic Risk Assessments For Prediction, Emily Solomon

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Endometriosis and Early Menopause are reproductive conditions that are under research in women's health. Both conditions impact a woman’s quality of life through severity of symptoms and associated risk factors and are influenced by genetic, hormonal and environmental elements. Both conditions have extensive and growing genetic knowledge that is being used to calculate either an increased or decreased risk of condition development. The array of genetic data shows promises in predicting risk for both conditions, as well as certain symptoms, to contribute to a personalized predictive tool to guide management of care. Endometriosis benefits from a potential polygenic risk assessment …

The Influence Of Circadian Rhythm Disruption And Apoe4 On The Prognosis And Progression Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Kayla Bradby

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss and is the most common form of dementia. Genetic factors such as apolipoprotein E have been significantly associated with AD development and progression, most specifically the APOE4 isoform. Emerging evidence has shown that when the body’s circadian rhythm, the 24-hour dark/light cycle, is disrupted, the potential to develop a neurodegenerative disease such as AD increases. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the relationship between AD, circadian rhythm, and the APOE isoforms. This review puts a particular emphasis on the APOE4 isoform, as it has been shown to …

Dissecting Tumor Evolution And Immune Composition In Prc2 Loss (H3k27me3 Loss) Vs Retained Mpnst, Kuangying Yang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are aggressive sarcomas that arise sporadically or in the setting of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Although benign plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are common in NF1, only a subset undergo malignant transformation, and the molecular events that define high-risk progression remain incompletely understood. A major axis of biological heterogeneity in MPNST is loss of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), commonly detected through loss of H3K27me3 and frequently mediated by alterations in SUZ12 or EED. This dissertation integrates three manuscript-based studies to define genomic resources, tumor-intrinsic vulnerabilities, and immune microenvironmental remodeling in NF1-associated peripheral nerve sheath tumors, …

Expression Profiling And Bioinformatic Characterization Of Depalmitoylation-Associated Genes During Sh-Sy5y Neuronal Differentiation, Ayesha Lodhi

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Palmitoylation is a reversible post-translational modification involving covalent attachment of palmitoyl groups to cysteine residues. Till date, 23 members of this family have been identified in mammals, located in Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum and nearly 40% of synaptic proteins are estimated undergo palmitoylation. These proteins include vesicle fusion proteins (SNARE), signaling molecules, ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors such as gamma-aminobutyric acidreceptors, kainate receptors and glutamate receptors. While its role in neuronal function has been widely recognized, comparatively little is known about how depalmitoylation-associated enzymes are regulated during neuronal differentiation. The present study aimed to characterize changes in depalmitoylation-associated gene …

Host-Pathogen Dynamics Underpinning Staphylococcus Aureus Growth During Intracellular Osteoclast Infection, Luke D. O'Connor

WUSM Theses and Dissertations – All Programs

Bone infection is most commonly caused by the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. It has myriad ways in which it can circumvent or subvert killing by the host or antibiotics. Intracellular infection is one such niche that is protective from immune and antibiotic attack. In 2019, Krauss and colleagues discovered that infected osteoclasts (OCs) allow S. aureus to replicate intracellularly. There they found that the ability of S. aureus to grow inside the cell was tied to OC differentiation. The magnitude of overnight bacterial expansion positively correlated with OC maturity and duration cultured with the osteoclastogenic factor RANK ligand (RANKL). Bacterial …

Profiling Arbutin As A Potent Cholinesterase And Gsk-3Β Inhibitor And Evaluating Its Cytotoxicity In Sh-Sy5y Cells For Alzheimer’S Disease Therapy, Shirin Tarbiat, Tuğba Bal, Deni̇z Gülmez

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder linked to cognitive decline and memory loss, marked by hyperphosphorylated tau tangles and decreased acetylcholine levels, which are affected by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3β) also plays a role in AD through abnormal activation. In this study, the potential of β-arbutin to inhibit cholinesterases and GSK-3β was investigated, utilizing in vitro assays, cytotoxicity analysis, and molecular docking simulations to explore its therapeutic implications.

Materials and methods: Ellman’s technique was used to test the inhibitory effects of arbutin on cholinesterase enzymes. An ATP-Glo luminescent assay kit was …

Probiotic Intervention In Colorectal Cancer: The Cytotoxic And Apoptotic Potential Of Lactobacillus Cell-Free Supernatants, Bahar Yilmaz, Berna Erdal

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Failures in the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) have increased scientific interest in the potential of the bioactive compounds contained in cell-free supernatants (CFSs) obtained from probiotic bacteria for cancer treatment. The aim in this study was to investigate the effects of CFSs obtained from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus) and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei (L. paracasei) on colorectal cancer cell lines (HT-29 and Caco-2) and a healthy colon epithelial cell line (CCD841 CoN).

Materials and methods: Cytotoxic effects on the cell lines were determined by MTT assay. In line with the IC50 values obtained, morphological changes were …

Antiatopic Dermatitis Activity Of Lissachatina Fulica Mucin: Network Pharmacology Analysis And Experimental Validation, Atin Supiyani, Wasmen Manalu, Lina Noviyanti Sutardi, Mawar Subangkit, Andriyanto Andriyanto

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Lissachatina fulica mucin (LFM) has been used as a nutraceutical, therapeutic agent, and cosmetic ingredient. The bioactivity of mucin depends on bioactive compounds whose composition is strongly influenced by the snail’s diet. This study investigated the bioactive compounds in L. fulica mucin as potential therapeutic agents for atopic dermatitis (AD).

Materials and methods: LFM was collected from snails fed long beans and melon rinds for 4 weeks, freeze-dried, and analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry followed by network pharmacology (NP) analysis to identify its bioactive compounds. A total of 60 BALB/c mice were sensitized on the dorsal skin with 1% …

The N-Terminal, Wd40, And C-Terminal Domains Of Wdr-31 Control Ciliary Localization And Cooperate With Elmod/Rp2 Gaps To Maintain Membrane Compartmentalization, Sebi̇ha Çevi̇k, Fatma Güzel

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: WD40 repeats are found in many ciliary proteins. Although the WD40 repeat-containing WD repeat-containing protein 31 (WDR-31) is known to regulate ciliary protein trafficking and morphology, the specific contributions of its N-terminal, WD40, and C-terminal domains to protein localization and ciliary gate integrity remain unclear. Aim of this study is to dissect the functional roles of WDR-31 domains by investigating their contributions to ciliary localization, ciliary protein trafficking, and gate integrity.

Materials and methods: Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated Caenorhabditis elegans strains with in-frame deletions that removed the N-terminus (WDR-31(ΔN)), WD40 (WDR-31(ΔWD)), and C-terminus (WDR-31(ΔC)). We next examined the …

Discovery And Functional Characterization Of Novel Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Monoclonal Antibodies, Nurşah Ersezen, Mai̇de Şeker, Arzu Aysan, Durmuş Akdoğan, Mehmet Ender Avci, Asli Kurden Pekmezci̇, Si̇bel Kalyoncu Uzunlar, Mehmet İnan, Tamer Yağci

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Targeted therapies with monoclonal antibodies provide cancer patients with better prognosis and diseasefree survival. The blockade of immune checkpoints, including programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1, with monoclonal antibodies may boost immune responses against tumors and is regarded as an effective strategy in cancer immunotherapy. We describe the generation of anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies with high affinity and specificity, and we assess their potential for therapeutic use in cancer.

Materials and methods: Hybridomas were selected for PD-L1 specificity and cross-reactivity with other immune checkpoint proteins and PD-L1 orthologs using indirect ELISA. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting assays were …

Palmnet: Confidence-Calibrated Edge-Cloud Ai For Field Diagnosis Of Date Palm Diseases, Muntadher Kareem, Raed Majeed

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is a cornerstone crop for Iraq and the wider MENA region, yet reliable in-field diagnosis of leaf disorders remains slow, labour-intensive, and constrained by a limited pool of agronomists. This paper presents PalmNet, a full-stack diagnostic system that classifies nine leaf conditions through a calibrated edge-cloud framework. The system is developed and evaluated on a public dataset of 3,089 field images spanning the nine classes, using a 70/15/15 stratified split. A ShuffleNetV2 student network, distilled from a ConvNeXt-Tiny teacher, is deployed on two complementary edge endpoints: a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W field station …