Digital Commons Network^™

Amplifying The Anoa: Noninvasive Genetic Amplification Of The Lowland Anoa With Csrm60, Haley B. Merkle

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is the smallest species of wild cattle in the world and is classified as endangered on the ICUN Red List. Noninvasive genetic assessment allows for collection of samples with minimal impact on animal welfare but can result in low-quality DNA or contamination. Little is known about effective forms of noninvasive sampling and the DNA analysis protocol that follows regarding the anoa. This study is part of a continuing collaborative investigation and helped gain insight into the suitability of noninvasive DNA for population research. To determine whether the DNA is suitable, a set of …

Evaluating Tgla126 For Pcr Amplification Of Noninvasive Dna Samples In The Lowland Anoa, Autumn Merkle

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) is also known as the dwarf water buffalo endemic to the Island of Sulawesi. This species is considered endangered under the IUCN Red List with less than 2,500 individuals remaining in the wild. Genetic research for anoa is insufficient because of population fragmentation and their avoidance of humans. Utilizing noninvasive samples alleviates the need for direct animal interaction and can provide DNA suitable for population level analysis of genetic diversity. DNA was previously isolated from anoa fecal and saliva samples. In this study, both fecal and saliva samples were tested, with focus on saliva samples. …

The Invasive Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura Similis): Insights From Diet, Parasites, And Genetics, Spence Gerber, Andre Aquino, Valentin Basarevskij, Abigail Pal

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (Ctenosaura similis), native to Mexico and Central America, is invasive to Florida following its introduction in the 1980s. Research on C. similis integrates anatomical examination, parasite identification, genetic characterization, and gut content analysis to better understand its ecological impact. Specimens culled by authorized agencies were utilized as a source of otherwise unused biological samples. To date, nearly 30 carcasses have been dissected, yielding data on diet and endoparasite fauna as well as providing insight into the species’ potential effects on native ecosystems through resource competition and predation. Although their identification has been problematic, a …

Circadian Regulation Of Viral Replication And Immune Responses: Implications For Covid-19 And Other Viral Infections, Carolina Santa Cruz, Saanvi Dhala, Raneen Daoud, Arianna Skevington-Olivera, Ruhani Dashmesh, Arjun Tummala

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour biological cycles regulating sleep, metabolism, and immune activity. Recent research shows circadian clock genes can influence immune responses. Studies on SARS-CoV-2 and influenza show clock genes regulate viral entry, replication, and immune signaling. However, their role in infection risk, immune defense, replication dynamics, and disease outcomes remains undefined. This study evaluates how circadian rhythms regulate viral replication and immune responses in COVID-19 and other viral infections. This review utilized PubMed to identify articles from the past five years using the terms “(immunity) AND (circadian) AND (viruses OR virus OR viral).”After reviewing 149 abstracts, 44 peer-reviewed articles …

Adherence To Mediterranean Diet Vs. Western Diet And Its Effects On Gut Microbiota And Inflammatory Bowel Disease Outcomes, Sarah K. Ziegler, James T. Oh, Lukas Farley, Dawid Boc, Marolina Binyamen

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic condition resulting from genetics, gut microbiome, and environment. Diet plays a key role in IBD with research linking the Western Diet (WD), high in saturated fats and refined sugars, to rising IBD cases, and the Mediterranean Diet (MD), rich in fiber and antioxidants, to reduced patient symptoms. This review compares the WD and MD to assess how dietary patterns affect the gut microbiota and IBD patients. An organized literature search was conducted across PubMed, ScienceDirect, and the Web of Science to determine the effects each diet has on the gut microbiota and IBD …

Differential Effects Of Testosterone And Estrogen On Inflammation And Disease Severity In Asthma And Copd, Samyslandine B. Eugene, Prisha Gupta, Srimayi Yeedara, Abdulwahab Eddib, Tanya Joseph, Tanmayee Maddineni

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, and airflow obstruction, while Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory condition characterized by irreversible airflow limitation. Although previous research has examined hormonal influence, the specific effects of sex hormones in asthma and COPD remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate how testosterone and estrogen influence inflammation, disease severity and exacerbation frequency in adults with asthma and COPD. A comprehensive literature review using PubMed with keywords (asthma OR COPD) AND (sex hormones OR estrogen OR testosterone) AND (inflammation OR disease severity OR exacerbations) yielded 145 articles. After screening …

Cardiometabolic Diseases And Immune-Responsive Metabolic Enzymes: Roles Of Lipoxygenases (5, 12, 15), Cyclooxygenases (1, 2), And Cytochrome P450, Shayla Pham

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) encompass interrelated disorders involving cardiovascular dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation. Lipoxygenase (5-, 12/15-LOX), cyclooxygenase (COX-1/2), and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes regulate fatty acid metabolism and inflammatory signaling, significantly contributing to CMD pathogenesis. This review synthesizes recent evidence on LOX, COX, and CYP450 pathway crosstalk and evaluates their therapeutic and biomarker relevance in clinical cardiometabolic disease. A comprehensive PubMed literature search identified studies examining LOX, COX, and CYP450 enzymes inflammatory and metabolic pathways linked to CMD. Inclusion criteria were limited to human and animal studies published from 2010 to 2025, focusing on cardiac function, enzyme activity, or clinical outcome. …

Combined Pd-1 And Vegf Pathway Inhibition: Effects On Tumor Microenvironment Dynamics And Predictors Of Therapeutic Response, Kassidey A. Hodges, Athilesh Vimaldev, Aditi Nakioti, Chinmayi Pandyaram, Semené Clement, Muhammad Naeem, Abdul Ghani

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Biomarkers indicate physiological processes that predict cancer therapeutic responses. Tumor progression relies on immune evasion and angiogenesis within the microenvironment. The programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway suppresses CD8+ T-cell activity, while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promotes tumor growth and immunosuppression. Biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression, circulating VEGF, and CD8+ T-cell infiltration reflect reliance on these mechanisms and may predict clinical responses to combined PD-1/VEGF inhibition.

This review evaluates how combined inhibition of the PD-1 and VEGF pathways modulates tumor microenvironment dynamics and assesses biomarkers associated with angiogenesis to predict responses to anti-angiogenic therapies. A total of 147 credible …

Vertebrate Diversity In Cave Systems Of Colombia: An Approach Based On Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Analysis, Rita Daniela Martinelli Marín, Carlos Andres Lasso, Francesco Sauro, Susana Josefina Caballero

International Journal of Speleology

There is currently limited knowledge of the biological communities inhabiting cave ecosystems in South America. This study examines the vertebrate community composition of 21 caves across diverse subterranean ecosystems in Colombia using environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis. Water was collected from water bodies inside caves and subterranean systems in six of the eight speleological regions of Colombia in eight departments. Water was filtered manually through a 0.8 m pore size filter and preserved with Longmire solution. A 170-base pair (bp) fragment of the 12s mitochondrial gene specific for vertebrate identification was amplified by PCR and sequenced by Illumina (metabarcoding). Data corresponding …

Teaching A Stand-Alone Course On Burney, Lorna J. Clark

ABO: Interactive Journal for Women in the Arts, 1640–1830

This essay outlines a stand-alone course on Frances Burney, suggesting that she offers a good entry point into eighteenth-century studies. Given that she wrote in so many genres—novels, plays, journals, and letters—such a course avoids the narrowness which often marks a single author course. In twelve weeks, the course studied ten works: four novels, five plays (three comedies and two tragedies) and a selection of journals and letters. The latter describes well-known figures in Burney’s social and literary networks in eighteenth-century London and leads to discussion of techniques of the epistolary, of diary-writing and of women’s life-writing. Burney’s novels are …

Help Needed For A Neotropical Migratory Bird Tick Collection Project, Danielle Kaschube

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

Documenting Patterns Of Spring And Autumn Bird Bigration At Phillips Tract Research Area, A Stopover Site In The American Midwest, Janice K. Enos, Michael R. Avara, Tara A. Beveroth

North American Bird Bander

Stopover habitat, which is used by birds during migration to rest and refuel, is scarce in the American Midwest due to intensive agriculture. Protected woodlots and other small parcels of habitat do exist in the landscape, and may be important for migratory birds to utilize as stopover sites. Here, using mist netting techniques, we documented abundance and age specific patterns of spring and autumn migration at Phillips Tract Research Area, a protected parcel of land comprised of woodlots and mixed grassland plots. We found that 69 migratory species use this site as stopover habitat, and the most common (n ≥ …

A Modified Potter Trap For Safe And Effective Capture Of American Kestrels And Loggerhead Shrikes, Gary M. Santolo

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

Riki&Dolphin: Real Time Data Transmission From The Bottom Of A Cave To A Website, Luca Tringali, Giacomo Canciani Dr., Tecla Tripari, Alexander Debenjak, Caterina Bearzotti

International Journal of Speleology

Coming from over 10 years of experience in cave monitoring in northeast Italy, Gruppo Speleologico Talpe del Carso, has designed Riki and Dolphin: customizable, low cost, and easy to assemble tools for getting real time data transmission from the bottom of a cave, even underwater, to a webserver. Their use has been tested to monitor air temperature inside the Abisso Bonetti Cave (Classical Karst, Italy), proving for the first time that a cave in Gorizian Karst can systematically be colder than the outdoor temperature even in winter, recording an internal temperature even lower than 0°C. The Dolphin device can be …

Breathing Life Into Sel: A Practitioner Inquiry On Hā, Belonging, And Multilingual Learners In Hawai‘I, Mylia Briggs, Monica Gonzalez Smith

Journal of Practitioner Research

This practitioner inquiry explores how a Pacific-oriented social-emotional learning (SEL) framework, Nā Hopena A‘o (HĀ: BREATH), can affirm the cultural identities and emotional well-being of Filipino multilingual learners (MLs) in Hawai‘i. Implemented over a 15-week period in a third-grade classroom, the study draws on culturally adapted SEL lessons, student exit tickets and focus groups, and teacher reflections to examine how SEL shifts when grounded in Indigenous values, heritage language use, and community knowledge. Findings reveal three key themes: (1) Cultural Connection Fosters Belonging, (2) Language Visibility Promotes Emotional Safety, and (3) Identity-Affirming Practices Build Confidence and Voice. While students responded …

From Inquiry To Action: Leveraging Group Level Assessment To Elevate Teacher Voice, Claire C. Underwood, Leslie Kochanowski, Abraham Underhill

Journal of Practitioner Research

This methodological paper explores the use of Group Level Assessment (GLA) (Vaughn & Lohmueller, 2014; Vaughn, 2024) as a participatory approach to practitioner inquiry within an early childhood education program. Using Cochran-Smith and Lytle’s (2009) inquiry as stance as a guiding conceptual framework, GLA is framed as a methodology that affirms educator expertise, fosters collective reflection, and generates tangible action. We document the adaptation and implementation of the GLA protocol at the Arlitt Center, a university-affiliated early childhood laboratory school committed to teacher-led professional learning. Through an adapted GLA process, teaching staff engaged in identifying barriers and opportunities related to …

Needs Assessment Plan: For An Undergraduate In Reearch Administration (Ra) Curriculum With Artificial Intelligenc Integration., Jo Ann Smith

All Research Ops Exchange Publications

This needs assessment plan establishes a framework for developing an undergraduate Research Administration (RA) curriculum that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) competencies across all program components. The plan synthesizes findings from research literature across workforce competency studies, national RA curricula frameworks, e-mentoring models in undergraduate programs, and AI pedagogy in professional education. Key findings reveal that entry-level research administrators require core competencies, including critical thinking, interpersonal skills, written communication, and knowledge of the research enterprise, which are valued by hiring managers (Parker, 2024; Signorelli et al., 2025). The evolving research administration landscape increasingly demands AI literacy, including the ability to interact …

Field Notes, Sean T. Zadar, Dwight Chasar, Haans Petruschke, Bill Whan, Judy Semroc

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Field Notes, Ben Winger, Dwight Chasar, Ann Chasar, Dick Rickard, Bob Finkelstein

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Field Notes, Leo Deininger, Dick Rickard, Dwight Chasar

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Field Notes, Ed Pierce, Ben Winger, Scott Wright, Vernon Weingart

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Noteworthy Records, Larry Rosche

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Field Notes, John Pogacnik, Jean Hoffman, Dick Hoffman

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Field Notes, Robert Harlan, Rich Stallcup

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

Field Notes, Larry Rosche, Ray Hannikman, Florian Graff, Andrew Fondrk

Cleveland Bird Calendar

No abstract provided.

The Digital Radical: Online Extremism, Propagation, And Terror By Design's Strategic Implications For Homeland Security, Hunter Lacroix, Shevach Berkovits

Journal of Strategic Security

The 'lone wolf' figure has long been central to counterterrorism analysis, representing the trajectory from non-participant to self-directed actor aligned with extremist causes. Traditional frameworks emphasizing in-person networks or online exposure, however, fail to capture the transformation of radicalization in the algorithmic age. The Arab Spring demonstrated the mobilizing power of digital platforms, yet movements like ISIS later weaponized these networks to provide ideology, belonging, and identity to dislocated populations. This article introduces the concept of the Digital Radical—an individual who transitions from passive consumer to active propagator of extremist narratives, sustaining and expanding radical ecosystems in a symbiotic …

Literature Reviews, Claire Stuyck

North American Bird Bander

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Impact Of Lampenflora Growth On Invertebrate Distribution And Food Resource Use In Ryusen-Do Cave, Japan, Kazuhide Nakajima, Kanato Ando, Shuji Watanabe, Masuo Komukai

International Journal of Speleology

Subterranean spaces, such as caves with openings to the surface, represent unique environments characterized by limited resources derived from photosynthetic primary production. Consequently, organic inputs from organisms inhabiting above- and belowground habitats, such as bats, play a crucial role in maintaining cave ecosystems. However, in show caves converted into tourist attractions, environmental changes have progressed without sufficient ecological assessment. One important factor is the impact of photosynthetic organisms colonizing around artificial lights, known as lampenflora, on cave ecosystems. Lampenflora growth may influence invertebrate distribution and resource use; however, its impact on both aspects has been poorly evaluated. In this study, …

Numerals And Other Means Of Expressing Plurality In Language And Thought: A Developmental Perspective Across Cultures., Giovanni Giuseppe G.G. Nicosia Prof.

Numeracy

Several ancient languages use linguistic structures to differentiate between singular, dual, and plural forms that are used when one, two, or many objects are referenced. (Some languages go further, adding a trial form to differentiate two from three.) In many modern languages, numerals are used to convey precise number. After reviewing a range of ways languages express number (including the interesting case of Pirahã which does not express precise number), the paper concludes with a proposed developmental path for the expression of quantity in languages.

Undergraduate Health And Wellbeing Course And Study Away Program To Alaska, Lorraine S. Wallace, Steven J. Mousetes, Jennifer Bickley

Journal of Global Education and Research

High-impact practices, such as diversity/global education, have been shown to positively contribute to student development, engagement, and success. As the US is both culturally and linguistically diverse, domestic study away programs can offer students impactful multicultural educational experiences without leaving the country. The purpose of this study was to describe the design of a health and well-being academic course and accompanying study away program to Alaska for undergraduates at The Ohio State University (OSU). The authors (1) describe the application of the backward design process in guiding ELOs development, (2) provide a sample of course assignments and student responses, and …