Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

The Mediterranean Diet And Lipid Profiles In Hyperlipidemia, Aarav Shah, Kartheek Malireddy, Advith Katta, Ishani Sunkara, Alyssa Resendez, Serena Bhaskar

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) reduces risk of hyperlipidemia by reducing LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) levels, which cause plaque buildup. However, the comparison of the MedDiet with other diets for improving lipid profiles in hyperlipidemic patients has not been thoroughly investigated. This study evaluates how MedDiet compares to diets such as the Vegan, Keto, and DASH diets on adults with hyperlipidemia concerning our primary outcome LDL-C levels and our secondary outcome HDL levels. A meta-analysis on 47 studies, 169 screened, from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect focused on comparing effects of DASH, vegan, low-fat, Western, and Keto diets against MedDiet. …

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (Car) T-Cell Therapy For B-Cell Malignancies: A Systematic Review, Bhavya Gudaru, Emma Wudel, Caitlyn Campbell, Ayanna Mukendi, Gabriella Torres

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T-cell), combination CAR-T-cell strategies, and conventional chemotherapy demonstrate distinct relapse patterns and toxicity profiles in B-cell malignancies. CAR T-cell therapies achieve strong remission rates and toxicities. This review compares relapse outcomes and treatment-related toxicities across those varied approaches to B-cell malignancies, asking how toxicity profiles differ among these modalities, including immune-mediated side effects. A systematic search in PubMed (National Library of Medicine), Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and EBSCO was carried out to contrast results of CAR T-cell therapy regarding outcomes, rates of relapse and re-emergence, and toxicities relative to cancer therapies. A total of 88 …

Neurodegenerative Disease Risk After Cancer Recovery, Racquel F. Driedger, Maria Koddus, Carla Atteih, Lalitha Jayanth, Sarah Mckenzie, Irene Avila, Aishwarya Aggarwal

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases are two prevalent health issues with high rates of mortality in modern society; cancer involves rapid cell growth, while neurodegenerative diseases involve progressive cell death, suggesting an inverse relationship between the two where certain types of cancer show lower rates of neurodegenerative disorders. Although the exact pathways resulting in this relationship are not fully understood, research in this area continues to grow, aiding the creation of predictive models and therapeutic treatments. The purpose of this literature review is to explore and identify trends within this growing area of research, focusing on the strength of the inverse …

Reimagining Academic Editorial Procedure For Creative Novel Publishing: Press Of Rebellious Origins And Imagination’S Manuscript Process, Suravi Gurung

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

My close examination of manuscripting processes based on common ethical practices outlined in “The Handbook of Journal Publishing” (Sally Morris, et al.) explores how academic publishing pipelines are established and the functionality of each stage. This project further inspects internal editorial systems within journals or publishing houses throughout a manuscript’s processing, and how these frameworks can appear through applied analysis, with both text and flowcharts for each stage. “Press of Rebellious Origins and Imagination’s Manuscript Process” is a mock in-house guidebook based on the pre-existing journal of POROI (Project on the Rhetoric of Inquiry at the University of Iowa and …

Demographics Of Published Nonfiction Authors In Literary Magazines And What It Means For Academia, Amanda Bitkauskaite

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

In a 2023 survey done by The Author’s Guild (“Key Takeaways from the Authors Guild’s 2023 Author Income Survey”), the demographic of published authors has shifted from what many perceive to be a male dominated field–with the data collected showing that published authors are majority women, writing romance and fantasy. This survey study was conducted to see if this applies to academic creative writing, in particular, non-fiction. The study took a look at 100 writers who were published in 6 different academic literary magazines, looking at several demographics—age, gender, and sexuality. It also examined their education level, job, and whether …

A Pooled Analysis Of Efficacy Outcomes Of Til In Advanced Mel Patients Treated At Moffitt Cancer Center, Joel Kuriakose

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy induces durable responses in a subset of patients with metastatic melanoma, yet determinants of efficacy remain incompletely defined. We performed integrated immunophenotypic and spatial transcriptomic profiling of TIL infusion products and matched tumor microenvironments (TMEs) from patients treated in early-phase TIL-based trials at Moffitt Cancer Center. The objective response rate was 36%, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 10 months. Responders exhibited infusion products enriched for CD8⁺ T cells, stem-like memory (TSCM) CD8⁺ subsets, and LAG3⁺CD8⁺ T cells, along with enhanced TIL persistence in the periphery. Notably, prior exposure to immune checkpoint was associated with …

Resistance Is Futile: Using Star Trek Fanfiction To Reimagine Milton's Paradise Lost, Ezra J. Steffen

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

“Resistance Is Futile: Using Star Trek Fanfiction to Reimagine Milton’s Paradise Lost” is a panel that discusses my reimagination of Milton’s epic for Dr. Emily Jones’ Selected British Authors class. There, I drew parallels between characters in P.L. and characters in Star Trek: The Original Series. Using a Gnostic lens, I reframed temptation as a positive and necessary action. I painted Sarek, Spock’s dad, as an imperfect god who stood in the way of Spock’s growth. Spock, acting as a hybrid of Adam and Eve, gets tempted to stray from his father by Leonard “Bones” McCoy. In my published fanfiction, …

The Economic And Social Effects Of Early Educational Tracking In Germany, Vitaly S. Buravtsov, Colin Britton

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

For over a century, Germany has utilized a three-pronged approach to secondary schooling. This includes the Gymnasium path, targeted at students preparing to enter university studies; Hauptschule, which prepares students for vocational employment; and Realschule, which bridges the gap between the two. Students are selected for these paths around ages 10-11 after completing primary schooling. Through researching German law, analyzing government-provided and privately written research data, and personal testimony from former students of the German education system, we find that the “channeling” effects of the education system produce substantial economic and social effects. This channeling can lead to competing effects—achieving …

Occupational Copd: Emerging Risks And Preventive Strategies In High-Risk Work Environments, Stacy N. Rodriguez, Matthew Lim, Oluwabusayo Michael-Asalu, Anish Punukollu

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease marked by persistent airflow limitation, intensified by occupational exposure to dust, chemicals, fumes, and airborne hazards. Healthcare workers and first responders operate in complex environments that may contribute to COPD development. This review evaluates occupational risk factors and prevention strategies relevant to high-risk workers. A PubMed search using the terms “COPD” and “occupational” identified 130 articles, of which 40 peer-reviewed studies were selected following relevance-based screening. The literature showed that long-term exposure to gases, fumes, vapors, and dust significantly increases COPD risk and is associated with chronic respiratory symptoms, reduced …

Coaching Approach Behavior And Leading By Modeling (Calm) Program For Treating Early Childhood Anxiety: A Case Study, Dana G. John

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Anxiety disorders onset earlier than most mental health conditions, with preschool-age children showing prevalence rates comparable to children ages 5–17 years. Yet, there are limited treatment options suitable for preschool-age children that account for still-developing abstract thinking and metacognition. The Coaching Approach Behavior and Leading by Modeling (CALM) Protocol was adapted from Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to target a broad range of anxiety disorders in children ages 3-8 years. This case study outlines the implementation of a 10-session CALM treatment protocol for a 5-year- old female presenting with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Post-intervention assessments revealed significantly improved anxiety symptoms measured …

Neurophysiological Findings In Adolescent Internet Addiction, Rithvik G. Bhathivi, Eamon Sarkar, Krish Makhija

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Internet addiction in adolescents causes behavioral changes and cognitive impairments, which can affect brain regions involved in attention, memory, and impulse control. These issues can impact cognitive development during adolescence. This study discusses the behavioral changes linked to internet addiction and their effects on cognitive outcomes in adolescents. Although attention, memory, and impulsivity problems are associated with internet addiction, the specific behaviors related to cognitive impairment and brain function are not clearly identified. To evaluate the association between behavioral patterns linked to internet addiction and neurocognitive outcomes in adolescents, a comprehensive literature review was performed through PubMed with the following …

Evaluating The Effects Of Technology-Based Self-Monitoring And Contingency Mapping On The Disruptive Behavior Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alexandra R. Pruitt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Self-monitoring (SM) is an evidence-based self-management procedure that can improve behavior and academic performance across diverse populations and settings. However, results of a meta-analysis of SM on strategy use and academic performance of K-12 and higher education students suggest that SM is more effective when it is embedded into a multi-component intervention. Contingency mapping (CM), a visual representation of contingencies in effect for desirable and undesirable behaviors, has been shown to improve behavior (e.g., increase social communication skills, increase on-task behavior) in the clinical and school settings. Previous research has not evaluated the effects of a treatment package consisting of …

Improving Cancer Diagnosis And Patient Outcomes With Deep Learning Models, Mariana Arriz-Jorquiera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cancer care depends on timely and reliable decisions, from detection and diagnosis to treatment planning and patient monitoring. These decisions are often made under uncertainty because medical images and healthcare data may be noisy, incomplete, or difficult to interpret. In breast cancer imaging, ultrasound is widely used because it is safe, accessible, and complementary to other imaging modalities. However, variations in image quality, acquisition conditions, and noise can obscure lesion boundaries and texture, affecting human interpretation and artificial intelligence reliability. This dissertation develops deep learning, image-analysis, and optimization methods to improve healthcare decisions under imperfect information. Its primary focus is …

Gnsi Decision Brief: Is $1.7 Billion Enough? Breaking Down The Economic Effects Of Ukraine’S Cyber War, Tom Johansmeyer

GNSI Decision Briefs

Ukraine’s claims of causing Russia more than $1.72 billion in economic harm may have been intended to tout success, but the impact really reveals the limitations of offensive cyber operations outside a narrow collection of mission sets. By comparing that total to past cyber event economic losses, the shortcomings of cyber operations as a form of direct action become clear.

Impostor Syndrome In The Ranks: Understanding Self-Doubt To Improve Leader Performance, Joel Kotanko

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Impostor syndrome (IS) — the persistent pattern of self-doubt in which capable individuals fear being exposed as frauds despite objective evidence of competence — has been studied extensively in academic, healthcare, and corporate populations, where it is generally treated as detrimental to professional performance. Little empirical work has examined IS in U.S. military officers, a population operating under structural conditions the literature identifies as primary amplifiers of fraudulence perceptions: high-stakes permanent evaluations, up-or-out promotion systems, cultural pressure against outward expressions of doubt, and recurring role transitions under compressed timelines. This dissertation provides the first quantitative investigation of the relationship between …

Engineering Fsh-Cer T Cells To Enhance Response To Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Nolan J. Beatty

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ovarian cancer remains a significant cause of cancer-related mortality, with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) being the most common subtype. Despite advances in treatment, the 5-year survival rate for late-stage EOC remains low due to factors such as tumor heterogeneity and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). This study investigates the therapeutic potential of chimeric endocrine receptor (CER) T cells engineered to express follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in a syngeneic mouse model of EOC expressing follicle stimulating hormone receptor (ID8-FSHR). We compared two different co-stimulatory domains—CD28ζ and 4-1BBζ—in FSH-CER T cells and found that FSH-CD28ζ CER T cells exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity, proliferation, …

From Shortage To Strategy: Optimizing Scarce Resource Allocation In Healthcare, Daniela Duran Cantarino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The allocation of scarce medical resources presents one of the most consequential challenges in health care, requiring decisions that balance equity and efficiency under pervasive uncertainty. This dissertation develops optimization-based frameworks for two critical domains, organ transplantation and emergency medical services, and demonstrates how operations research methods can improve upon current practice along both dimensions simultaneously.

In the domain of deceased-donor kidney allocation, two complementary frameworks are proposed. The first is a bi-objective stochastic optimization model that jointly maximizes post-transplant survival (efficiency) and prioritizes candidates with the highest pre-transplant mortality risk (equity), subject to regional chance constraints on graft failure …

Ay 2026/2027 Sec Meeting Minutes, 2026-07-15, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Archives

No abstract provided.

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 …

Nanoscale Morphological Perturbations Of Lipid Membranes Induced By Membrane Active Peptides, Yasith Sandeepa Indigahawela Gamage

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Membrane-active peptides (MAPs) are a diverse group of biologically relevant molecules that induce nanoscale modulations during their interactions with cell membranes. Understanding the precise mechanism by which these MAPs perturb or modulate the cell membranes is a cornerstone of membrane biophysics, as it facilitates rational design of useful therapeutics. That is, if we have the knowledge to determine what the peptide can do, how selective it is, or how toxic it might be, we can optimize them and design new peptide therapeutics such as for antimicrobial, anticancer, or drug-delivery applications. In general, MAPs can be categorized into two classes based …

The Isotopic Profile Of Plague Victims Buried On The Quarantine Islands Of Venice, Italy, Katherine L. Dunning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis combined carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen stable isotope analysis and historical documentation to explore diet and mobility for 45 individuals whose remains were excavated from the Venetian island Lazzaretto Vecchio, where plague victims were quarantined, cared for, and buried between 1423 and 1700 CE. δ13C from bone collagen, bone apatite, and tooth enamel apatite was evaluated to determine terrestrial, aquatic, C3, and C4 contributors to diet. δ15N from bone collagen was evaluated to understand the individuals’ trophic levels. δ18O from tooth enamel apatite and bone apatite was evaluated to detect mobility over the life course. Adult diet was primarily …

Toward Intelligent Machines: Conscious Learning And Hardware-Accelerated Ai, Pavia Bera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence systems excel at narrow, well-defined tasks but remain brittle at theboundaries of their training distributions: they cannot quantify uncertainty, adapt continuously to non-stationary data, or operate efficiently on energy-constrained hardware. This dissertation addresses these limitations through four coordinated contributions spanning probabilistic learning algorithms, biologically inspired temporal memory, cross-entity warning propagation via distributed associative memory, and spintronic processing-in-memory.

The first contribution introduces Boosted Bayesian Neural Networks (BBNNs), which extend standard mean-field variational inference by iteratively constructing a mixture posterior through Boosting Variational Inference. On five clinical medical classification datasets, BBNNs achieve superior uncertainty calibration—lower Negative Log-Likelihood and Expected Calibration …

Considering What Counting: Measuring Lives Saved And Other Things That Don’T Happen, Joel Best, Keith R. Johnson

Numeracy

While most statistics are assumed to count elements in the empirical world, it is also possible to calculate the numbers of things that don't or won't happen. Estimates of "lives saved" represent an important application. This column explores insights numeracy skill offers to such discussions.

From Evolution To Revolution: Narrowing The Technological Skills Gap Of Accounting Graduates, Geraldo Vasquez, Frank Manzi, Mark Martinelli, Cynthia Scarinci

Journal of Global Education and Research

A growing number of firms have cited the lack of technological skills that college graduates entering the accounting profession exhibit, raising concerns about their ability to serve clients effectively. Yet accounting graduates are not exposed to new technologies in the classroom or on the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. The CPA Evolution initiative aims to restructure the CPA Exam to ensure that graduates have the technological skills to enter the profession and assist educators with transitioning to the new exam through the development of the CPA Evolution Model Curriculum. We argue that although the redesigned CPA exam and the Model …

Religious Higher Education In Prison In The United States: The Importance Of Well-Being, Robin L. Labarbera

Journal of Global Education and Research

A growing body of scholarship suggests that incarcerated individuals who participate in education programs, particularly those grounded in faith, are better positioned for lasting community reintegration and positive long-term outcomes. Using a mixed-methods evaluation design, the author examines two interrelated questions: whether faith-based higher education is associated with enhanced well-being among current participants and whether program graduates carry those well-being gains into post-release life. Drawing on group interviews with 109 incarcerated men and women across six U.S. facilities and surveys from 157 participants in four states, the study found that participation in a prison-based theological education program was associated with …

Barriers And Enablers Of Integrated E-Learning In Southern Africa: Student Experiences, Vicente A. Halle, Luzaan Schlebusch

Journal of Global Education and Research

Integrated e-learning is increasingly essential for enhancing higher education globally, yet its implementation in resource-constrained regions such as Southern Africa remains uneven. This study explores the technological, organizational, and environmental factors influencing the integration of e-learning in higher education institutions, using the Technological, Organizational, and Environmental framework. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 24 students (12 males and 12 females) from universities in South Africa and Mozambique. Thematic analysis revealed key barriers, including poor connectivity, limited digital literacy, inadequate institutional support, and socio-economic constraints such as power cuts and data costs. Despite these challenges, several enablers …

Bridging The Gap: Addressing Challenges And Enhancing Support For Learners Transitioning From Primary To Secondary School, Redson Nkosi, Precious Nyoni, Philogene Manirahari

Journal of Global Education and Research

This study explored the challenges students face during the transition from primary to secondary school, particularly in their final year of primary and first year of secondary school. Common concerns include bullying, making new friends, increased workload, unfriendly teachers, teasing, new subjects, and adjusting to the secondary school environment. Conducted in Malawi, Mzimba North education district at two secondary schools and one primary school, the research used a qualitative methodology, employing documentary review, interviews, focus group discussions, and observations for data collection. Findings revealed that many of the students’ fears were either confirmed, such as bullying and teacher strictness, proving …

Broadband Diffusion And Digital Preparedness In Tanzania: Harnessing The Role Of Technology In Formal Education, George Matto, John J. Iwata

Journal of Global Education and Research

Broadband, as a high-speed Internet connectivity, is an essential enabler for digital preparedness. However, little is known, in the case of Tanzania, about the nexus between broadband diffusion and digital preparedness, particularly in the facilitation of the teaching and learning process. This study, therefore, aimed at investigating the nexus between broadband diffusion and digital preparedness in Tanzania by focusing on the country’s readiness to leverage the same for formal education. The study employed a systematic review, guided by the PRISMA framework, to obtain the empirical evidence from existing literature. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes, analyze, and interpret qualitative …

Necessary Digital Competencies Of Preschool Teachers In Austria, Walter Fikisz

Journal of Global Education and Research

The aim of this paper is to identify specific digital competencies that preschool teachers require, compared with schoolteachers, to extend the Austrian digital competence model for teachers, digi.kompP. Methodologically, the study is based on interviews with Austrian experts in early childhood education, media pedagogy, computer science, and preschool teacher education. The expert interviews addressed the digital competencies required by preschool teachers, differences compared with schoolteachers, the timing and nature of competence development, and the institutions involved. As a result of this study, sixteen new can-do statements were developed for the expansion of the existing digi.kompP model, which maps the specific …