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Investigating The Anti-Apoptotic Properties Of The N-Terminus Of The Chlamydia Trachomatis Effector Tarp, Kasey S. Jordan

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

As the most prevalent bacterial STI in the United States and leading cause of infection-related blindness worldwide, the obligate intracellular bacteria, Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct), poses a significant threat to public health. As an obligate intracellular bacteria, invasion of the host cell is a crucial step in Chlamydia’s developmental cycle. To drive invasion, Ct injects prepackaged effectors into the host cell using a T3SS. An early Chlamydial effector, translocated actin recruiting phosphoprotein, or Tarp, interacts with host cell actin to promote invasion, mediated via Tarp’s C-terminal region. Although the function of Tarp’s C-terminus is well defined, the Tarp’s N-terminus …

Methods Of Harvest And Compositional Characterization Of Hemp Fibers From Medical Cannabis Biomass Using Detergent Fiber Analysis, Abigail Lazier, Srishti Banerji, Jennifer Macadam, Bruce Bugbee

Publications

Medical cannabis production generates large quantities of stem biomass that is typically discarded despite its potential as a source of natural hemp fibers. This study developed and evaluated two methods for recovering fibers from greenhouse-grown medical cannabis using water retting and compared their composition with commercially produced industrial hemp fibers. Fiber quality was assessed using detergent fiber analyses to quantify cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin fractions. Both harvest methods produced usable fibers, although one approach (method A) yielded cleaner fibers after shorter retting durations, while the second approach (method B) offered greater potential for large-scale processing. Increasing retting duration improved fiber …

Homoplasy Of Maxillary Orthognathism In Derived Homo, Jared Jordan

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The evolution of the orthognathic condition in the genus Homo represents a monumental transition toward the facial morphology of modern humans from that of earlier hominins, but the phylogenetic positioning of this transformation remains poorly understood. This study investigated temporal trends in maxillary and mandibular prognathism in the genus Homo, and whether maxillary and mandibular shortening in East Asian H. erectus and later East Asian Middle Pleistocene Homo (e.g., Homo longi) represent independent derivations of orthognathic morphology, thereby making orthognathism a homoplasy in the genus Homo. Using a sample of roughly 109 cranial and mandibular specimens spanning …

Accuracy Of Voluntary Force Modulation During The Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull, S. Alexander Long, Olivia Vadas, Stephanie Balint, Michael H. Stone, Christopher Taber

Exercise Science Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate voluntary force modulation accuracy during the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) and to investigate biological sex and relative strength as factors relating to error. Strength-trained males (n = 18) and females (n = 18) completed ascending (ASC) (25%, 50%, 75%) or descending (DESC) (75%, 50%, 25%) submaximal testing followed by maximal testing. Subjects rested before completing the opposite submaximal testing sequence. External feedback was not provided during testing. Measured and intended (INT) forces were analyzed with two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs with within- (ASC, DESC, and INT) and between-subject factors (male or female). Independent-samples t-tests …

Impact Of Cigarette Smoke On Immune And Stromal Cells, Justin Wong

Master's Projects

Cigarette smoke is a plight on human health, being a major contributor to lung diseases. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) directs immune regulation and metabolic adaptation in response to environmental toxins. This study investigates transcriptomic changes between wild-type and AHR knockout mouse lung tissue under smoke and air conditions. Single-cell RNA sequencing data were generated by the Butcher Lab and analyzed in Seurat for differential gene expression (DGE) analysis. A two way ANOVA framework was used with DGE analysis to classify genes as smoke induced or suppressed in an AHR dependent or independent manner, and these gene sets were analyzed …

Recycling Of Plastic Into Fibers Using A Novel Machine Design And Analysis Of Fiber Characteristics, Mahmoud Khamees, Nasser Ayoub, Sabreen Addullah Abdelwahab, M. M. Maghawry

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study presents a modified extrusion-based recycling system with an improved nozzle design and controlled fiber production capability. The machine was conceptualized and fabricated to efficiently process waste plastic and extrude it into fibers of varying diameters. The study focuses on evaluating how fiber diameter influences critical material properties. Microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted to investigate the morphology and fiber diameters, while tensile testing provided insights into mechanical performance, including strength and elongation. Moisture absorption tests were also performed to assess durability and environmental resistance. The results demonstrate clear correlations between fiber diameter and the examined …

Federated And Explainable Spiking Neural Networks For Fair And Privacy-Preserving Nail Disease Diagnostics, Ch Pavani Reddy, Krishnanaik Vankdoth

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Automated nail disease diagnostics provide a non-invasive pathway for identifying underlying systemic health conditions; however, conventional centralized deep learning approaches often raise concerns related to privacy, fairness, and interpretability. Although the original NeuroNail-SNN framework demonstrated an energy-efficient and edge-ready diagnostic solution, its broader clinical adoption remained limited by unresolved trust, transparency, and ethical considerations. In this study, we propose the Federated and Explainable NeuroNail-SNN, which extends the original spiking neural architecture by integrating federated learning (FL), explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), fairness evaluation, and uncertainty quantification within a unified framework. Federated learning enables decentralized model training across hospitals and mobile clinics …

Evaluating Donor Site Recovery Following Halodule Wrightii Harvest For Restoration In Northwest Florida, Katie M. Konchar, Becca A. Hatchell, Colin P. Shea, Bradley T. Furman, Kent Smith

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bare‑root harvesting of Halodule wrightii is widely used to supply donor material for seagrass restoration, yet the capacity of donor meadows to recover in near‑temperate systems remains poorly documented. We evaluated donor‑site recovery following bare‑root harvesting in St. Andrew Bay, northwest Florida—an estuary at the northern extent of Tropical Atlantic Bioregion 2 where H. wrightii exhibits strong seasonal senescence and a shortened growing season. Thirty harvest impact sites were monitored for 388 days to quantify changes in shoot density, percent frequency, and sediment elevation relative to nearby reference conditions. Shoot density and percent frequency at harvested sites converged with reference …

Association Between A Lifestyle Medicine Score And Stroke In U.S. Adults With Hyperglycemia: 2007- 2010 Nhanes, Swarnima Naithani

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between glycemic control and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well- established, however, lifestyle modifications to prevent CVD warrant further investigation. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the six lifestyle medicine pillars promoted by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and stroke in U.S. adults with hyperglycemia. A lifestyle medicine composite score (LMS) was developed to quantify adherence with the hypothesis that a higher LMS (greater adherence to lifestyle recommendations) correlates with lower odds of stroke in adults with hyperglycemia. Methods: The study sample (n=2,079) included adult (≥ 40 years of age) participants in the …

A Polyphasic Investigation Of Terrestrial Green Algal Diversity Of Biological Soil Crusts From The California Channel Islands, Emily Masluk

Masters Theses

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) in arid and semiarid environments support diverse microbial communities that contribute to soil stabilization, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem resilience. Among these organisms, terrestrial green algae are taxonomically challenging due to their simple morphology, phenotypic plasticity, and lack of diagnostic life history traits. This study investigated the diversity and taxonomy of green algae from BSCs collected on San Nicolas Island, San Clemente Island, and Santa Barbara Island using the polyphasic approach integrating morphology, phylogenetic analyses, molecular analyses, and ecological data. A total of 198 strains were isolated, of which 79 green algal strains underwent molecular analysis using …

Complex Cyanobacteria Biopriming Effects On The Growth Of Mojave Desert Restoration Plant Species At Differing Life Stages, Ashley R. Brumit

Masters Theses

Seeding practices are an important tool for land managers to restore habitats following disturbances, but large-scale seeding efforts often fail. One option is to bioprime seeds with native microorganisms such as cyanobacteria. However, biopriming studies have yet to be conducted in American deserts, and only one previous study compared the effects of heterocystous and non-heterocystous cyanobacteria biopriming. The objective of my work was to evaluate the effects of seed biopriming on plant growth of Mojave Desert plant species and comparing the effect ofN-fixing and non N-fixing cyanobacteria. One heterocystous taxon (Kalymmatonema desertorum) and one non-heterocystous taxon (Microcoleus sp.) isolated from …

From Molecules To Minds: Integrative Multi-Omics In Psychiatry, Hossein Abbasi, Sage E. Hawn, Arash Javanbakht, Soraya Seedat, Kyle Bourassa, Sinead M. Sinnott, Antonia V. Seligowski, Sian Hemmings, Nathan A. Kimbrel, Alicia K. Smith, Leslie Brick, Divya Mehta

Psychology Faculty Publications

Psychiatric disorders are biologically complex conditions arising from interactions across genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and metagenomic layers. Single-omics approaches rarely capture more than a fraction of the variance in complex conditions, underscoring the importance of integrative multi-omics frameworks. This mini-review summarizes key methodologies and their application in psychiatric research, with a focus on systems-level integration of genomic risk scores, transcriptomic networks, and neuroimaging data to advance biological understanding of disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. We also outline the infrastructural requirements for effective multi-omics research, including standardized biobanking, Laboratory Information Management Systems, adherence to FAIR data principles, …

Best Practices For Using Biological Data In Psychological Research, Sage E. Hawn, Sinead M. Sinnott, Alicia K. Smith, Kyle Bourassa, Leslie Brick, Sian Hemmings, Soraya Seedat, Arash Javanbakht, Lauren Smith, Antonia V. Seligowski, Nathan A. Kimbrel, Divya Mehta, Hossein Abbasi, Erika Wolf

Psychology Faculty Publications

Advances in statistical techniques for analyzing biological data have driven the need for larger sample sizes, which are ultimately made possible through team science efforts. Findings from these efforts have led to a significant shift in approaches to biological data collection over the past decade, from traditional approaches relying on single measures or assays collected by individual investigators in small lab-based studies to high-dimensional methodologies embedded within large cohorts or multi-site studies. These recent large scale consortium efforts necessitate careful consideration across the full data pipeline, from pre-data generation and sample collection to processing and statistical analysis, while addressing challenges …

Differing Circulating Microrna Profiles Of Long-Lived Polish Populations, Fabrizzio Lijeron-Herrera

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Exceptional longevity, defined as a lower biological age relative to chronological age and maintenance of functional capacity or a slowing of functional decline, is a phenotype most readily observed in centenarians and nonagenarians. These individuals exhibit a phenomenon known as compressed morbidity, spending substantially less time in poor health compared to younger elderly populations, thus representing a unique human model of delayed aging. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), potent post-transcriptional regulators of molecular pathways, have emerged as important modulators of aging-related pathways; however, no study has comprehensively profiled miRNAs from serum in long-lived individuals from Central Europe. In particular, Polish populations present …

Monograph Available: Best Practices For Managing Human–Beaver Conflicts In North America: Balancing Ecological Benefits And Human Interests

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is an announcement about the published monograph titled "Best Practices for Managing Human–Beaver Conflicts in North America: Balancing Ecological Benefits and Human Interests." This publication, part of the HWI Monograph Series, is online and open access.

Comparative Analysis Of Six New Chloroplast Genomes In Platanthera (Orchidaceae) Enhances Understanding Of Its Diversification, Lisa E. Wallace, Martin I. Batalla, Matthew Maisonave

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Platanthera is among the most diverse genera of orchids in north temperate regions, with high species diversity in Asia and North America. Despite many ecological studies in this group, little is known about its genomic diversity. Here, we report the newly annotated chloroplast genomes from six species in subgenus Limnorchis from North America and compare them with plastomes published for Platanthera species from Asia and Europe. We found that the plastomes of species in subg. Limnorchis are among the smallest reported for Platanthera thus far. While major structural differences were not detected in the newly sequenced species, ndh genes were …

Daily Rhythms In Psychosocial Stress, Sleep, And Mood: A Multimethod Approach To Transdiagnostic Psychopathology Risk And Intervention, Gabriel Gilmore

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Rhythms are central to nearly every core physiological and psychological process and have profound influences on overall health and well-being, particularly in the context of mood disorders. This dissertation emphasizes a rhythm-centered framework for understanding transdiagnostic psychopathology, proposing that the temporal organization of psychosocial stress, sleep, and mood provides crucial information for the development and treatment of mood disorder symptomology. Current literature relies primarily on mean symptom levels, overlooking day-to-day patterns in psychosocial experiences. To address this key methodological gap, three studies are examined. Study 1 develops and validates the Psychosocial Stress Regularity Measure (PSRM), a brief single-item measure of …

Long Biogeographic Separation Corresponds With Fewer Herbivores On Eastern Asian Plants Introduced To Eastern North America, Robert Warren

Biology Faculty Datasets

No abstract provided.

Building A Cell Specific System For In Vivo Rna Imaging Of The Endogenous Actin Gene In C. Elegans, Jasmine A. Huerta Canete

Theses and Dissertations

Messenger RNA (mRNA) plays a crucial role in protein synthesis and cellular processes, important for the development of cells such as neurons. When dysregulation occurs, it can lead to outcomes such as aberrant translation, causing neurodegenerative conditions to arise. Unfortunately, the localization of mRNA in an in vivo cell specific manner is still not understood. To address this, we decided to develop a cell-specific system to image RNA in vivo, within the organism known as C. elegans with a focus on the actin gene. The Actin gene encodes for an important cytoskeleton protein expressed ubiquitously, vital for the cell …

Orexin Receptor Modulation In Amygdalar Stress Circuitry Differentiates Resilient And Vulnerable Phenotypes, Megan Marie John

Dissertations and Theses

Social stress is important for evaluating threats and resource opportunities, however, chronic exposure initiates the onset of psychological disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stress responsiveness varies between individuals and sexes, resulting in disproportionate diagnoses and ineffective treatment outcomes. Enhancing therapeutic efficacy requires understanding of stress responsivity, phenotype development, and neurocircuitry modifications. Key contributors to stress responsiveness, such as threat of aggression and motivational initiation, influence the development of resilient or vulnerable phenotypes through behavioral and molecular adaptations to stress-related neurocircuitry. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a brain region associated with fear learning and integrates stress …

Varied Environmental Enrichment Schedules Differentially Affect Behavioral Performance, Davis Aschemann

Research Honors

Cognitive decline is a widespread phenomenon affecting a significant proportion of older adults. The mechanisms that cause cognitive decline are still being investigated, with recent evidence indicating that senescent cells are a primary cause of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Environmental enrichment has been linked with the potential curbing and reversal of cognitive decline, specifically the restoration of immune cell function and improved neuroplasticity. Despite the amount of research showing the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment for cognitive decline, paradigms for environmental enrichment are heterogeneous across the literature. A primary factor that differs across studies is the duration of administration of environmental …

The Effects Of Hyperthyroidism On Mouse Corneal Innervation: Implications For Human Cornea Re-Innervation, Anjali Malali

Research Honors

To test the effects of elevated TH during cornea development, our lab has collaborated with Dr. Juan Davila (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) to develop an embryonic mouse model of hyperthyroidism. Embryos were exposed to high levels of TH in utero by adding TH to the pregnant mother’s drinking water. Upon collection of the embryos, elevated blood thyroid levels in the pregnant mother were analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and eye tissues were collected and preserved for analysis of corneal nerve innervation patterns. By utilizing immunohistochemistry in order to visualize corneal innervation in mouse embryos, this project studied whether …

A Novel Superaug Adaptive Data Augmentation Strategy For Metabolic Syndrome Prediction: The First Egyptian National Cohort Study With Multi-National Comparison, Nihal Elsonny, Ashraf Elsharkawy, Abeer Tawakol, Amira Y. Haikal

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial disorder associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity-related complications. Early and accurate prediction of MetS remains challenging due to heterogeneous data sources, class imbalance, limited sample sizes in regional studies, and poor generalization across populations.

This study introduces a comprehensive machine learning framework for predicting MetS and its prognostic factors using two heterogeneous datasets: a newly collected Egyptian clinical cohort and the U.S.-based (NHANES) [CDC, 2023] dataset. For each dataset, multiple experimental pipelines are developed, integrating preprocessing, feature selection, data augmentation, hyperparameter tuning, and ensemble modeling. …

Intelligent Torque Control Of Switched Reluctance Motors Based On Ditc And Wavelet Neural Network, Ameer L. Saleh, László Számel

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Switched Reluctance Motors (SRMs) have been considered a high-performance and environmentally friendly solution for Electric Vehicle (EV) applications owing to their simpler construction, robust design, and high efficiency. However, it suffers from high torque ripple and acoustic noise due to its highly nonlinear magnetic characteristics and double-salient structure.  This paper introduces a nonlinear torque control based on the Direct Instantaneous Torque Control (DITC) scheme and a Wavelet Neural Network (WNN)  to achieve better dynamic response and mitigate torque ripple.  The proposed WNN is employed as a nonlinear torque controller, inserted between the torque error and the hysteresis torque controller within …

Baseline Lymphopenia Predicts Survival In Ici-Naïve Solid Tumor Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Propensity-Matched Real-World Pan-Cancer Analysis, Ahmed Ismail, Nina Balanchivadze, George R. Simon, Yanis Boumber

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Baseline lymphopenia is common among advanced solid tumors and may influence the efficacy/safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), but large real-world evidence is limited. We evaluated the association between baseline absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) and clinical outcomes in adults with solid tumors treated with ICIs in routine practice. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using TriNetX. Adults with solid tumors who received pembrolizumab, nivolumab, or atezolizumab (ICI-Naïve) between January 2015 and June 2026 were included. Baseline ALC was measured within 30 days before first treatment and was classified as lymphopenic (ALC < 1.5 × 10⁹/L) or non-lymphopenic (ALC ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L). Propensity score matching (1:1) yielded 5249 patients per group. The index date was the first immunotherapy date, and outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, 24, 36 months, and 5 years. The primary outcome was 24-month overall survival (OS); secondary outcomes were OS at 6 and 12 months and 6-month risks of healthcare utilization, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and serious infections; and exploratory outcomes included OS at 36 months and 5 years. All outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards models, and risk ratios. Subgroup analysis included OS stratified by solid tumor subtypes and prior lines of therapy. Results: After matching, patients with baseline lymphopenia …

First Report Of A Trematode Infection In An Invasive Population Of Pomacea Maculata: Evidence Of A Phaneropsolid (Trematoda: Microphalloidea) And Recommended Methods For Surveillance, Jonah A. Nguyen, Lori Tolley-Jordan, Annie P. Slayton, Bradley M. Richardson, Thomas G. Rosser

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Giant apple snails, Pomacea maculata (Caenogastropoda: Ampullariidae), are native to South America but are now invasively established in subtropical freshwater habitats worldwide. In May 2017, P. maculata from an urban pond in Mobile, Alabama, USA were found infected with a larval trematode, prompting further collections to determine prevalence and investigate effects of infection by snail sex and size. In total, 284 snails (n = 184 female, n = 100 male) were collected in May, August, and October of 2017 and 2018. Of these, 60 females and 23 males were infected with prevalence per sampling event ranging from 4 to …

Joint Associations Of Meditation And Physical Activity With Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In Us Adults: Nhis 2022, Yubing Wang

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Objectives

Physical activity and meditation may each relate to mental health, but their joint associations in U.S. adults are unclear. We examined the separate and joint associations of any past-year meditation and meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines with depression and anxiety symptoms.

Method

We analyzed data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey Sample Adult file (n = 24,927). Exposures were meeting PA guidelines, any past-year meditation, and their four-level combination (Neither, PA only, Meditation only, Both). Outcomes were moderate-to-severe depressive and anxiety symptoms (PHQ-8/GAD-7 >= 10). Survey-weighted modified Poisson models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs), with interaction, sensitivity, and post …

The Effects Of Measurement Errors On Minimum Ablative Margins After Thermal Ablation Of Liver Tumors: A Simulation Study, Iwan Paolucci, Jessica Albuquerque, Noreen S Siddiqi, A Kyle Jones, Kristy K Brock, Bruno C Odisio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To develop a mathematical framework to estimate the in silico A0 threshold based on the technical specifications of a specific ablation confirmation software package for thermal ablation of liver tumors that can then be used to identify the impact of different sources of error.

Methods: To estimate in silico A0 thresholds, we developed a simulation framework incorporating technical parameters and biological effects. Technical parameters were segmentation error, registration error, and slice thickness, and biological effects were tissue shrinkage and microscopic satellite lesions; these parameters and effects were all modeled using statistical distributions. For each permutation of parameters, a logistic …

Metastasis-Directed Radiotherapy For Oligometastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Of The Bladder And Upper Tract, Patrick Carriere, Omar Alhalabi, Jianjun Gao, Amishi Shah, Sangeeta Goswami, Matthew Campbell, Ruitao Lin, Lauren Mayo, Osama Mohamad, Karen Hoffman, Henry Mok, Charmaigne Lozano, Ashish Kamat, Neema Navai, Kelly Bree, Byron Lee, Charles Guo, Michael Rooney, Chad Tang, Seungtaek Choi, Comron Hassanzadeh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) for oligometastatic cancer is utilized for genitourinary malignancies including prostate and kidney cancers. Clinical research on MDT for urothelial carcinoma (UC) remains sparse, especially as systemic therapy advances have improved outcomes.

Objective: We investigated the role of MDT, specifically radiotherapy, for patients with oligometastatic bladder or upper-tract UC.

Methods: Data were collated on patients with metastatic UC with 5 or fewer metastatic sites undergoing MDT with ablative radiotherapy with or without preceding systemic therapy during January 2016 to July 2024. Endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Cox proportional hazards analysis was conducted to …

Functional, Pharmacogenomic, And Immune Landscapes Of Long Non-Coding Rnas In Cancer, Runhao Wang, Mei Luo, Yuan Liu, Jingwen Yang, Yamei Chen, Chengxuan Chen, Lifei Ma, Stephanie Ding, James Wengler, Yong Zang, Bora Lim, Wenbo Li, Liuqing Yang, Chunru Lin, Lixia Diao, Leng Han

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key regulators in cancer, with significant potential as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets. Here, this work systematically analyzes lncRNA associations with targeted therapies and immunotherapies across 33 cancer types using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and real-world datasets. This work identifies 53,173 lncRNA-pathway associations, millions of lncRNA-drug response associations (via CancerRxTissue and VAEN), and extensive correlations with immune checkpoints and infiltration. This work further identifies 69 lncRNAs associated with immunotherapy response and 2,611 differentially expressed lncRNAs between low and high objective response rate (ORR) groups. Additionally, two lncRNAs are correlated with immune-related adverse …