Digital Commons Network^™

Sirna Knockdown Of Rptor Alters Gene Expression In Ewing Sarcoma Cells, Sergio Cipriano, David Leavitt, Michael Oliva, Liam Valdez

Posters - 2026

Ewing sarcoma is a highly aggressive cancer that primarily affects children and young adults. Although treatment options exist, many patients do not respond effectively, showing the need for improved targeted therapies¹. RPTOR is a key in mTORC1 complex which regulates cell growth, proliferation, and survival². LY2874455 is a selective pan-FGFR inhibitor that targets growth factor signaling pathways involved in tumor progression³, and FGFR signaling interacts with pathways such as mTOR, making it a potential target for combination therapies. We hypothesized that silencing RPTOR in Ewing sarcoma cells would disrupt mTOR signaling and alter expression of genes linked to cell survival …

Take A Hit? Take A Hit: Quantifying Cell Death In E-Cigarette Exposed Bronchial Epithelial Cells Following Cards Toxin Treatment, Truman Havrda, Hannah Jiron, Sierra Trevino

Posters - 2026

The rapid rise of e-cigarette use among young adults has created a significant public health challenge, as the popularity of "vaping" has grown faster than our understanding of its long term cellular consequences. Current research indicates that e-cigarette vapor (ECV) induce high levels of oxidative stress and impair the lungs' ability to clear bacterial pathogens. Furthermore, ECV exposure upregulates specific receptors on the surface of airway cells, essentially making it easier for bacteria to adhere to and infect the lungs. While we know that both e-liquids and vapor trigger inflammatory responses and cytotoxicity, there is limited data on how these …

Does Social Grouping Influence Object Play By Belugas?, Javier Obiltas, Phillip Clayton

Posters - 2026

Play is defined as voluntary behavior that differs from functional behaviors and typically occurs in low-stress environments. In cetaceans, object play has been linked to development, motor skill practice, and social learning. Play behavior is an important factor of development in belugas, because belugas are social animals that live and interact within groups, the composition of these groups or "groupings" might influence their play behaviors. Understanding how said groupings may affect the play rates may help researchers better understand the development of behavior and social dynamics of the beluga groupings. The purpose of this study was to see whether grouping …

Does Shape Matter?: How Salamander Head Morphology Shifts Based On Environment, Caitlyn Pinaga, Naomi Ramirez, Sonia Cerrillo

Posters - 2026

Groundwater salamanders of the genus Eurycea represent a diverse group of amphibians inhabiting the aquifer systems of central Texas, where both surface-dwelling and fully subterranean species coexist. Subterranean habitats impose extreme selective pressures, including complete darkness, limited nutrient availability, and stable environmental conditions, which drive convergent morphological traits such as eye reduction or loss, decreased pigmentation, and elongation of appendages. A key evolutionary pattern seen in these systems is sensory compensation, in which the reduction of one sensory modality, in this case vision, is accompanied by the enhancement of others. In aquatic salamanders, this often involves expansion of the lateral …

Smell Over Sight: Determining Levels Of Olfactory Gene Expression Between Surface And Subterranean Eurycea Salamanders, Sonia Cerrillo, Iliana Melendez, Naomi Ramirez

Posters - 2026

In the karst aquifers of central Texas, including the Edwards and Trinity systems, organisms live in an environment defined by constant temperatures, total darkness, and scarce food resources. These conditions have driven the evolution of salamanders in the genus Eurycea, particularly those that have adapted to subterranean life. Cave-dwelling species like Eurycea rathbuni exhibit hallmark “blind salamander” traits, including educed eyes, loss of pigmentation, and flattened head morphology. In contrast, surface-dwelling relatives such as Eurycea nana and Eurycea sosorum retain fully developed eyes and pigmentation, while some species like Eurycea latitans display both surface and subterranean forms across different populations.

Gene Expression And Apoptotic Responses To Panobinostat Treatment And Yap Knockdown In Ewing Sarcoma Cells, Luna Collazo-Garcia, Alejandra Favela Santos, Madeline Torres-Salazar, Isabella Toscano

Posters - 2026

Ewing sarcoma is an aggressive pediatric cancer driven by abnormal gene expression caused by the EWS-FLI1 fusion protein

Usually treated with intensive treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation

Outcomes remain poor for metastatic disease, highlighting the need for new therapeutic strategies

The Hippo signaling pathway regulates cell proliferation and survival through the transcriptional co-activator YAP1

Synthesis Of Copper-Phenanthroline Complexes: A Solvothermal-Compatible Approach For The Exploration Of Metal Complexes, Yunping Zhoujin, Michael Anim Safo, Navindra Keerthisinghe, Mark D. Smith, Sophya Garashchuk, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Inorganic–organic hybrid materials have been widely investigated for their applications in catalysis, optics, magnetism, and biomedicine. Copper halide complexes are of particular interest due to their structural diversity and physicochemical properties. Conventional crystal growth approaches, such as slow evaporation and hydro(solvo)thermal synthesis, typically require extended reaction times and often favor thermodynamically stable phases. In this study, we prepared ten copper-phenanthroline halide (X = Cl, Br, and I) complexes using both traditional hydrothermal reactions and microwave-assisted hydrothermal methods and obtained [CuI(C₁₂H₈N₂)₂][I₃], [C₁₂H₉N₂][CuI₂]·(H_{2 …}

Understanding P53 Regulation On Transposable Elements In Cancer, Xuan Qu

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Transposable elements (TEs), traditionally known as “jumping genes”, are known to have the ability to move in the genome and alter the activation of transcriptions from nearby genes. Taking up nearly half of the human genome, TEs have evolved, and some have been selected to play important roles in biological processes. We found that in human diseases such as cancer, global hypomethylation resurrects many ordinarily silenced TEs. These TEs can often serve as alternative promoters for oncogenes and play functionally meaningful roles in driving disease processes. One of the top genetic mutation status that correlates with differential numbers of TE …

Dissecting The Etiology Of Alcohol Use Disorder By An Integrative Heritable Component Approach, Ivy Garrenton

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a pervasive condition characterized by complex interplay among genetic, phenotypic, and environmental factors. Although previous studies have identi fied genetic loci associated with alcohol consumption, these efforts have not captured the genetic heterogeneity and gene-environment interactions underlying AUD pathogenesis. To address this critical gap, we developed a novel statistical methodology that integrates phenotypic, genotypic, and environmental data through an environmentally modified Genetic Relationship Matrix (GRM) to derive AUD-related traits with enhanced heritability.

This approach demonstrated superior performance in both simulated and real-world datasets. Traits derived using the environmentally modified GRM exhibited significantly higher estimated heritability …

Mechanisms Of Synergy Between Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field (Nspef) And Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Discharge (Cap) In Pancreatic Cancer: The Role Of Ros-Mediated Oxidative Stress And Apoptosis, Zobia Minhas

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a highly lethal malignancy characterized by poor prognosis and resistance to conventional therapies. Novel treatment strategies are needed to overcome this resistance. Non-thermal physical modalities, including nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) and cold atmospheric pressure plasma discharge (CAP), have emerged as potential anticancer approaches; however, the mechanisms underlying their combined effects remain unclear.

This study evaluated whether nsPEF enhances CAP-induced cytotoxicity and investigated the associated molecular mechanisms using the murine Pan02 pancreatic cancer cell line. Cell viability was assessed by WST-1 metabolic activity assays and electric cell–substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were …

Electromyography, Prosthetic Properties, And Running Biomechanics In Recreationally Active Persons With Lower Extremity Amputation, Paige M. Agnew

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Lower extremity loss affects nearly 150,000 individuals in the United States yearly yielding extreme health care costs annually. Typically, prosthetic devices are prescribed for 5-8 years despite known changes to an individual’s gait as time progresses. Patients can expect to undergo approximately 8-12 weeks of gait retraining to improve their comfort and efficiency. Biomechanical changes occur when running with a specific running prosthetic including considerable biomechanical and neuromuscular interlimb asymmetries and alterations in loading patterns. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the biomechanical demands for lower extremity prosthesis users during running. The first study synthesized peer reviewed evidence …

Role Of Listeria Adhesion Protein In Monocyte-Associated And Extracellular Translocation Of Listeria Monocytogenes Across The In Vitro Placental Barrier Co-Culture Model, Ayesha Atique

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular foodborne pathogen capable of crossing the placental barrier, leading to miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal sepsis, and has a fetal/neonatal fatality rate of ~20–30%. Although the importance of canonical virulence factors such as Internalin A (InlA) and Internalin B (InlB) in L. monocytogenes crossing of the placental barrier has been demonstrated, clinical strains lacking functional canonical internalins have been reported to cause severe neonatal disease, suggesting additional mechanisms of placental translocation.

To investigate these virulence mechanisms, we adapted a physiologically relevant co-culture human placental barrier Transwell model composed of BeWo trophoblasts and primary human placental …

Swimming Behavior Of Longfin Squid Doryteuthis Pealeii Paralarvae: Escape Jets To Pirouettes, Mel Lhuillier

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Upon hatching, squid paralarvae must become proficient at locomotion and prey capture before their yolk reserves are depleted, while also contending with the physical constraints associated with low/intermediate Reynolds number (Re) environments. Although some aspects of behavior and jet dynamics have been examined in squids during early ontogeny, little is known about routine behaviors in paralarvae, whether repeatable patterns are employed, or how these behaviors are achieved dynamically. To better understand swimming behaviors and the propulsive flows that drive them in paralarvae, high-speed video data and digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) data were collected simultaneously from longfin squid Doryteuthis pealeii …

Introduction To The Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Affecting Row Crops In South Carolina, Jonathan K. Croft, G. Kyle Smith, Jay Crouch, William J. Hardy Iii, Shelby Hammond, John D. Mueller

Introductory Materials

Knowledge of the biology, host range, overwintering habits, damage thresholds, and life cycles of problem nematode species is necessary to optimize the design of effective management schemes. The following is a summary of the relevant facts for the important plant-parasitic nematode species affecting South Carolina row crops.

Testing The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis On Anthropogenic Pressure In Central Alabama, Gavin Terrell

Theses

Biodiversity is fundamental to maintaining ecosystem structure and function globally. Prior to the late 20th century, ecological theory generally predicted that biodiversity would be highest in systems experiencing minimal disturbance. However, Joseph H. Connell challenged this view with the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH), which posits that species diversity peaks at intermediate levels of disturbance and declines under conditions of both low and high disturbance. Although widely cited, the applicability of the IDH to natural systems remains debated, particularly in the context of anthropogenic disturbances and when diversity is measured beyond species richness alone.

This study evaluated the predictions of the …

Assessing The Influence Of Temperature And Water Level On Gill Disease In Goldfish, Moses Elijah Cadawas, Emmalie Turner, Darlene Panvini

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Gill disease in fish is a strong biological indicator of water quality and environmental stress. These diseases are commonly caused by bacterial or parasitic infections that target gill tissues and can lead to severe physiological impairment and ultimately mortality. Several environmental factors, including water level and temperature, play a critical role in determining fish susceptibility to these infections. Changes in these conditions can act as stressors that weaken immune defenses and promote pathogen proliferation. This study aimed to evaluate the relative impact of environmental stressors on the development of gill-associated disease in Carassius auratus (goldfish) under controlled conditions. Following exposure …

Fisheries Management Paper No.312: Discussion Paper On Management And Licensing Options For The Charter Industry - Statewide Strategic Review Of Western Australia’S Charter Fishing Sector, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

This consultation paper has been prepared to support the statewide strategic review of Western Australia’s (WA) charter fishing sector, which was initiated as a government commitment.

The paper details issues and proposals relating to the management and licensing framework, development opportunities and representation model for the charter fishing industry. The proposals have been developed in consultation with the Charter Review Working Group. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) now seeks comment from relevant stakeholders on the issues and proposals outlined within this paper.

Comments provided will assist in providing advice and recommendations to the Minister for Fisheries …

Wright State University's Celebration Of Student Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities From Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Wright State University

Celebration of Undergraduate & Graduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Materials

The student abstract booklet is a compilation of abstracts from students' oral and poster presentations at Wright State University's Celebration of Student Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities on April 1, 2026.

Start With What They Know: Using Motivational Interviewing To Create A Cooking Class, A Culinary Intervention For Teens (Autistic And Non-Autistic), Gwendolyn S. Tedder

LEND Trainee Presentations

Autistic teens are at greater risk for having heart disease and diabetes as adults. Food particularity, sensory issues, fixed mindset, and anxiety over trying new things can slow down their interest in preparing food for themselves. Nurturing basic cooking skills and gently encouraging trying new foods would provide more nutritional options to teens as they move into adulthood. A cooking class preceded by Motivational Interviewing (MI) developed further interest in preparing food afterward in teens, both autistic and non-autistic, and in trying new foods for autistic teens with food concerns.

Folic Acid–Carbon Dot–Gemcitabine Nanoparticles For Targeted Cancer Drug Delivery, Irfan Huda, Hua Mei

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This project aims to develop a folic acid-attached carbon dot nanoparticle system (FA-CDs-GEM) for the targeted delivery of gemcitabine to cancer cells. While gemcitabine is widely used, its effectiveness is limited because a short in vivo half life and lack of selectivity, which lead to severe side effects. Carbon dots offer a simple and modifiable platform as the drug delivery and bioimaging agent. Conjugation of folic acid to the carbon dots enables selective targeting of cancer cells that overexpress folate receptors. In this study, we synthesized and characterized FA-CD-GEM nanoparticles and developed an HPLC calibration curve of GEM to accurately …

Interspecific Overlap In Seabird Diet Throughout The Breeding Season, Alexis V. Berkey

Student Publications

Seabirds are central-place foragers that breed in multi-species colonies, providing an opportunity to study species coexistence. I quantified interspecific competition among four seabird species (common terns Sterna hirundo, Arctic terns Sterna paradisaea, Atlantic puffins Fratercula arctica, black guillemots Cepphus grylle) breeding in the Gulf of Maine in 2022, 2024, and 2025. I hypothesized that, throughout the breeding season, 1) seabird diet would change and 2) interspecific overlap in diet would increase. I compared diets across species and time using direct observation of prey feeds and stable isotope values of seabird egg membranes and blood, which provide …

Life Line Spring 2026, Jonathan Atwood

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

In This Issue:

Greetings and Farewell: Part Deux; Signs for Trees; Passing of Dr. Mary Gahbauer: a Beloved Friend and Colleague; Dr. Lisa Marr Retires; The Department Welcomes Dr. Ann Feke; Dr. Kevin Svitana Retires; Ms. Donna Rhodeback Retires; Tucker Adds Swan Specimen to Otterbein's Collection; An UnbeLEAFable Year for the Otterbein Chapter of Botanical Society of America; Field Geology Course Visits Death Valley and Beyond; Agar Art: An Unexpected Canvas; Dr. Kevin Svitana Wins the Anderson Award for Outstanding Contribution to Groundwater Research; Introducing Opi: A New Face for Zoo and Conservation Ambassador Work; Michael Hoggarth, Professor Emeritus, Wins …

Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of The Sk-3 I398 Interval In Neurospora Crassa, Tapasvi Bhatt

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

Spore killer-3 (Sk-3) is a selfish genetic element on Chromosome III of Neurospora that biases its own transmission by killing meiotic products that fail to inherit the element. Although the resistance component of Sk-3 is known, the killer has not been identified. Previous deletion mapping confined the candidate killer region to a small block of DNA near interval i350 and suggested that the nearby 178 bp interval i398 might show different behavior in qualitative versus quantitative assays. The goal of this thesis was to construct and analyze an Sk-3 i398Δ strain and determine whether deletion of i398 …

Editorial 2026, Maud I. Tenaillon, Laura A. Katz

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Differential Effects Of Veratridine And 5-Fluorouracil On Ubxn2a-Targeted Mortalin And Rictor Proteins In Patient-Derived Colorectal Cancer Cells, Kate S. Schraufnagel

Honors Thesis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, particularly in patients with metastatic CRC and/or those who have developed resistance to conventional chemotherapy. There has been a significant rise in early-onset CRC (EOCRC) incidences in patients under age 50. Due to lack of screening, these patients are commonly diagnosed in the later stages where there is a lack of effective therapies. This highlights the need for targeted therapies that address the molecular drivers of tumor progression and treatment resistance. UBXN2A is a tumor suppressor protein that regulates key oncogenic pathways in CRC, including Mortalin-2 (mot-2)-mediated p53 suppression and …

Evolution As Spatial Projection, Charles H. Smith, Ngoc Nguyen

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

A theory combining explanations for the nature of three-dimensional systems and evolutionary processes is advanced, set to a geometric simulation, and then discussed in the context of several empirical studies bearing on its validity. The concept “evolution” is first discussed, then related to Baruch de Spinoza’s ideas on natural philosophy, including his concept of the conatus. These ideas are then extended by posing the possible existence of a general form of natural systems subsystemization leading to the extended space condition. A geometrical/topological simulation study projecting spatial relations among subsystem structures interpretable through entropy maximization and multidimensional scaling methods is presented, …

Nedd 4 Pyre-Fighters To Extinguish Inflammation: Nedd4l Ubiquitinates Gasdermin D And Gasdermin E To Dampen Pyroptosis, Kailash Gulshan

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Imidacloprid Effects On The Survival And Cutaneous Microbiome Of Northern Leopard Frogs, Evelyn Margaret Osterloo

Honors Thesis

Amphibians are experiencing population declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and diseases, particularly chytridiomycosis caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Protection from this fungal infection stems from the cutaneous microbiome. Pesticides have been shown to affect amphibians in a variety of ways, including reducing survival, locomotor performance, and accumulation in body tissues. Pesticides may also lead to changes in the cutaneous microbiome affecting amphibians who rely on these organisms as an anti-Bd defense mechanism. To investigate the effect of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, Northern Leopard frogs (Lithobates pipiens) were subjected to sublethal concentrations (control = …

Music Listening While Studying And Academic Performance Among College Students With Attention Deficit And Hyperactivity Disorder, Raihan K. Khan, Md Towfiqul Alam, Madalynn Nofplot, Sojib Bin Zaman, Catherine L. Zaman

Faculty Scholarship

Evidence on whether music listening supports academic performance, particularly among students with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), remains mixed. We explored associations between music listening while studying and academic performance (GPA: grade point average) among college students, and to evaluate whether the associations differed by ADHD status. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from college students and conducted linear regression models with self-reported GPA as the dependent variable. Models were adjusted for sex, academic level, college affiliation, primary study location, weekly study hours, and preferred genre of music. A total of 541 students participated. Most of the students were at …

Ellie - Exteroceptive Light Locomotion In Eukaryote-Fungi, Brandon Etwarroo

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Over the past decade, fungal research and its technological applications have expanded across multiple disciplines, including the emerging field of biohybrid systems. This thesis develops and evaluates a wireless, untethered mobile robot controlled by the action potential-like activity generated by Pleurotus ostreatus sporocarps under red, green, and blue optical stimulation. Light is applied to the sporocarps, the resulting electrical responses are recorded, and these signals are transmitted wirelessly to actuate the mobile robot. Both the action potential-like activity patterns and the robot’s movement trajectories were analyzed. The results demonstrate that wireless robotic control mediated by fungal electrophysiology is feasible. Overall, …