Digital Commons Network^™

Recent Developments In Higher Plant Toxin Research Of Relevance To Animal Production, A A. Seawright, M P. Hegarty

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Advances have been achieved in the diagnosis of chronic intoxications caused by poisonous plants in which the pathological changes present In the affected animals are not definitive, by the chemical identification of toxin adducts in their tissues. This has been demonstrated for pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are of global significance as plant poisons and has resulted on occasion in more determined efforts in eliminating the plants responsible. Many plant toxins need to be metabolised for toxicity within the animal's tissues in order to result in disease, and the furanoterpenes found mainly in myoporaceous plants are e,rnmples, Dietary regimes that lend lo …

Invertebrate Pests, Plant Pathogens And Beneficial Organisms Of Improved Temperate Pastures, R P. Pottinger, M J. Barbeiti, T J. Ridsdill-Smith

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The role of pests, pathogens and beneficial organisms in temperate pasture and animal production is highlighted. Significant differences between pests and. the severity of their infestations exists between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, because both pasture and pest species and their natural enemies have been carried by colonists to the New World countries in the Southern Hemisphere, Pests and pathogens place significant constraints on the sustainability and productivity of pastoral agriculture. Acquisition of basic databases and development of a wider range of controls has occurred over the past 25 years, but the effort has been disjointed. Knowledge of the more …

Invertebrate Pests, Plant Pathogens, And Beneficial Organisms In Extensive Natural Grassland, J G. Watts, L W. Burgess, E W. Huddleston

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

After many decades of research on their control, insects and weeds still arc a major factor in semi-arid grassland ranching. Much has been learned concerning their biology, habits and chemical control but penetrating study of the microbial world surrounding them is quite recent. Plant pathogens are credited with little damage to semi­arid grasslands. Potentially, their most important role may be one of toxigensis among grazing animals after unusual weather that promotes exceptional increase of any one or a combination of several indigenous toxigenic fungi on senescing grasses. Objective cost-benefit consideration of pest and disease control was limited in past decades …

Purchase Intention Of Halal Product: An Applied Study In Lebanon, Soumaya Kaakour

Al Jinan الجنان

Halal is a topic that touches on both business and trade as well as religion. This study aims to investigate the following factors (religiosity, attitude, subjective norms, control behavior, Halal certification and perceived availability) that could affect the purchase intention of Halal products in Lebanese context. The research offers explanations for each variable in the suggested model. Following that, in the first quarter of 2022, data was collected from 202 respondents in Lebanon using an online survey form. SPSS version 20 was applied to test the generated data. Results indicates that the following variables (religiosity, attitude, subjective norms, perceived availability, …

The Alt-Self: Investigating The Inclusivity Of Self-Avatar Representations In Social Vr, Madalyn Javier, Sara Wheeler, Qianhui Ni, Magdalayna Drivas, Katelyn G. Wong, Sofia Fitzsimmons, Ria Panda, Tierney Burke, Saunder Salazar, Jessie Jiang, Lynn C. Miller, David C. Jeong

Communication

While recent research in social VR have investigated user motivations and group communication, there is a gap in understanding the challenge of digital self-representation and how constraints in avatar customization may impact user self-presentation norms. 48 participants (aged 18-24) were asked to customize an avatar, after which researcher conducted qualitative interviews within the Meta Horizon Worlds VR platform regarding users’ satisfaction with their avatars (e.g., skin tone, hair, clothing). Using interview findings (n = 44), we report an in-depth empirical investigation of users’ perceptions of avatar representation, realism, and embodiment in VR. Users express a desire to customize avatars that …

How Has Health Literacy And Digital Health Literacy Scholarship Evolved? A Global, Qualitative Study, Brooks Yelton Ma, Lmsw, Mayank Sakhuja, Simone Kavarana, Lauren Schaurer, Michelle Angelique Arent, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Mark M. Macauda, Samuel Noblet, Daniela B. Friedman

Publications

Health literacy (HL) is a key social determinant of health (SDoH) and is of increasing importance in public health research and intervention for improved health outcomes. Definitions of HL and digital health literacy (DHL) have evolved over time as the field has expanded conceptualization from an individual focus to the broader community and organizational levels. Careful consideration of HL and DHL for a variety of contexts and audiences is critical given increased global adoption of digital technologies and responses to emerging public health challenges. This study aimed to capture researchers' conceptualizations of HL/DHL and their motivations to engage in this …

The Overlooked First Intercostal Ligament: Does It Help To Stabilize The Weberian Apparatus?, Jake Leyhr, Tatjana Haitina, Nathan C. Bird

Faculty Publications

The Weberian apparatus is a novel hearing adaptation that facilitates increased hearing sensitivity in otophysan fishes. The apparatus is a complex system composed of modifications to anterior vertebral elements, the inner ear, and the swim bladder. A critical piece of the system that often receives minor attention are the various ligaments that bridge these three regions. The most famous of the ligaments is the interossicular ligament, which connects the Weberian ossicle chain (scaphium–intercalarium–tripus). Several other ligaments are present, including the suspensor (tripus to parapophysis 4) and the triple ligament (tripus–os suspensorium–tunica externa). Here, by combining diffusible iodine-based contrast enhancement (DICE) …

The Impact Of Virtual Reality Exposure On Ocean Connectedness And Consumer Responses To Single-Use Packaging, Sohvi Nuojua, Sabine Pahl, Kayleigh Wyles, Richard Thompson

School of Psychology

Efforts to mitigate plastic packaging pollution include behavioural strategies aimed at shifting consumer perceptions and behaviour. Connectedness to nature, and more recently ocean connectedness, has been associated with pro-environmental intentions regarding single-use packaging. Two experimental studies were conducted to examine the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in promoting ocean connectedness and shifting consumer perceptions around packaging and its environmental qualities. To assess the influence of the VR content, in Study 1 (n = 94), participants were briefly exposed to an oceanic VR environment or an urban VR experience. Levels of ocean connectedness, both explicit and implicit, were measured after …

Participatory Design Of An Embodied Mixed Reality Experience Aimed To Assessing Individual And Collaborative Behaviors Of Children, Olga Gali, Gözde Tüter, Sena Beste Ercan, Óscar Delgado, Gray Atherton, Liam Cross, Narcis Pares

School of Psychology

No abstract provided.

Ovarian Cancer Metastasis: Looking Beyond The Surface, Emine Bayraktar, Sisy Chen, Sara Corvigno, Jinsong Liu, Anil K Sood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Historically, ovarian cancer (OC) was thought to metastasize by surface-to-surface spread, but recent developments have yielded a new understanding of the paths of metastatic spread. Given the histologic and molecular heterogeneity of OC, we will focus on high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). Here, we provide a critical and more holistic view of the evidence supporting various routes of metastasis, including peritoneal, hematogenous, lymphatic, and nerve-related. Understanding the underlying mechanisms is necessary to improve treatment strategies for this challenging disease.

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Wildlife Monitoring Using Bioacoustics, Kaitlin Campbell, Rita Hagevik, Kathy Cabe Trundle

All Current Publications

Animals use sounds to communicate with each other, just like humans. Humans can listen in on animals by using a bioacoustic monitoring device, a passive device that quietly records surrounding sounds. Bioacoustic monitoring devices blend in with the environment, allowing us to know what types of animals appear when we’re gone. The device collects and stores data and allows us to visualize, analyze, and identify animals from the sounds they make.

Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness Through Gamification: Design An Interactive Cybersecurity Learning Platform For Multimedia University Students, Adlil Khaliq Abdul Razack, Mohamad Firdaus Mat Saad

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical imperative in contemporary digital landscapes, necessitating heightened awareness and proficiency across all demographic segments. Accordingly, this research has been meticulously crafted to delve into the complexities of cybersecurity awareness, with a specific focus on university students. The study embarks on an exhaustive analysis encompassing the evaluation of cybersecurity awareness levels within the targeted groups, the identification of prevailing issues and practices, and an exploration of novel methodologies, notably gamification, to fortify cybersecurity knowledge and skills among diverse user cohorts. Central to this investigation is the efficacy of gamified learning environments tailored expressly for augmenting …

Review On Automated Storage And Retrieval System For Warehouse, Alex Low Kai Jie, Sim Kok Swee, Lew Kai Liang

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

The swift expansion of e-commerce and supply chain operations has significantly enhanced the efficiency of warehouse management systems, establishing them as vital components in augmenting organizations' competitiveness. This paper delves into warehouse sorting systems to enhance the sorting process, reduce error rates, and simplify internal warehouse procedures. It aims to develop a scalable, adaptable, and efficient warehouse sorting system that can maximize sorting efficiency while effectively responding to changing market demands through the use of advanced automation technologies. The study provides an in-depth review of the literature that has explored the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) within the context …

Investigation On Understanding The Numeracy Capacity Of Intellectual Disabled Students Using Enabling Technology Tools: Web Application, Ar And Ui/Ux, Vishvjit Thakar, Romany Thakar, Pratik Vyas

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

The population of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) is increasing, necessitating assistance with a wide range of daily activities. Acquiring and assessing numeracy and communication skills are critical for this demographic, requiring tools and techniques tailored to their specific needs. Effective educational tools must employ multi-modal and multi-sensory approaches to cater to diverse learning styles and incorporate assistive technological solutions. Despite the availability of numerous tools, there is a need to enhance their utility and effectiveness. This study aims to identify and refine the requirements for an innovative educational tool that employs Two-dimensional (2D) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies. To …

Sibling Discrimination Using Linear Fusion On Deep Learning Face Recognition Models, Rita Goel, Maida Alamgir, Haroon Wahab, Maria Alamgir, Irfan Mehmood, Hassan Ugail, Amit Sinha

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Facial recognition technology has revolutionised human identification, providing a non-invasive alternative to traditional biometric methods like signatures and voice recognition. The integration of deep learning has significantly enhanced the accuracy and adaptability of these systems, now widely used in criminal identification, access control, and security. Initial research focused on recognising full-frontal facial features, but recent advancements have tackled the challenge of identifying partially visible faces, a scenario that often reduces recognition accuracy. This study aims to identify siblings based on facial features, particularly in cases where only partial features like eyes, nose, or mouth are visible. Utilising advanced deep learning …

Human-Environmental Dynamics In Prehistoric Southwest China: Environmental Change And Chronology At Haimenkou, Yunnan, Kai Su

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the environmental dynamics and chronological developments at Haimenkou, Southwest China, providing a nuanced understanding of human-environment interactions from the late Pleistocene through the Holocene. Utilizing geoarchaeological surveys, particle size analysis, loss-on-ignition, and diatom analysis, this research delineates shifts in landscape and settlement patterns in relation to climatic changes and human activities. The results indicate that adaptation to the wetland environment was gradual, with the extent of landscape modification intensifying over time. This modification involved forest clearance, leading to severe soil erosion on mountain slopes, which subsequently destroyed and buried neighboring settlements to Haimenkou. Through rigorous stratigraphic and …

Human-Environmental Dynamics In Prehistoric Southwest China: Environmental Change And Chronology At Haimenkou, Yunnan, Kai Su

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the environmental dynamics and chronological developments at Haimenkou, Southwest China, providing a nuanced understanding of human-environment interactions from the late Pleistocene through the Holocene. Utilizing geoarchaeological surveys, particle size analysis, loss-on-ignition, and diatom analysis, this research delineates shifts in landscape and settlement patterns in relation to climatic changes and human activities. The results indicate that adaptation to the wetland environment was gradual, with the extent of landscape modification intensifying over time. This modification involved forest clearance, leading to severe soil erosion on mountain slopes, which subsequently destroyed and buried neighboring settlements to Haimenkou. Through rigorous stratigraphic and …

Treatment Recommendation Using Bert Personalization, J Jayapradha, Yukta Kulkarni, Lakshmi Vadhanie G, Palanichamy Naveen, Elham Abdulwahab Anaam

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

This research work develops a new framework that combines patient feedback with evidence-based best practices across disease states to improve drug recommendations. It employs BERT as its free-text processing engine to deal with sentiment judgment and classification. The functionality of the system, named `PharmaBERT`, includes acceptance of drug review data as a comprehensive input, drug categorization when dealing with a wide range of treatments and fine-tuning the BERT-based model for gaining positive or negative sentiment towards specific medications. PharmaBERT categorizes various drugs and fine-tunes the BERT structure to perceive lots of possible sentiments for specific medications. Consequently, PharmaBERT brings all …

Hybrideval: An Improved Novel Hybrid Metric For Evaluation Of Text Summarization, Raheem Sarwar, Bilal Ahmad, Pin Shen Teh, Suppawong Tuarob, Tipajin Thaipisutikul, Farooq Zaman, Naif R. Aljohani, Jia Zhu, Saeed-Ul Hassan, Raheel Nawaz, Ali R Ansari, Muhammad A B Fayyaz

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

The present work re-evaluates the evaluation method for text summarization tasks. Two state-of-the-art assessment measures e.g., Recall-Oriented Understudy for Gisting Evaluation (ROUGE) and Bilingual Evaluation Understudy (BLEU) are discussed along with their limitations before presenting a novel evaluation metric. The evaluation scores are significantly different because of the length and vocabulary of the sentences, this suggests that the primary restriction is its inability to preserve the semantics and meaning of the sentences and consistent weight distribution over the whole sentence. To address this, the present work organizes the phrases into six different groups and to evaluate “text summarization” problems, a …

Intelligent Abstractive Summarization Of Scholarly Publications With Transfer Learning, Farooq Zaman, Munaza Afzal, Pin Shen Teh, Raheem Sarwar, Faisal Kamiran, Naif R. Aljohani, Raheel Nawaz, Muhammad Umair Hassan, Fahad Sabah

Journal of Informatics and Web Engineering

Intelligent abstractive text summarization of scholarly publications refers to machine-generated summaries that capture the essential ideas of an article while maintaining semantic coherence and grammatical accuracy. As information continues to grow at an overwhelming rate, text summarization has emerged as a critical area of research. In the past, summarization of scientific publications predominantly relied on extractive methods. These approaches involve selecting key sentences or phrases directly from the original document to create a summary or generate a suitable title. Although extractive methods preserve the original wording, they often lack the ability to produce a coherent, concise, and fluent summary, especially …

Chimes: October 14, 2024, Calvin University

Chimes

Calvin unveils fully operational cadaver lab by Maya Oeverman

SPEAC partners with Calvin Improv to offer a new option for bystander training by Elisabeth Stevens

Nexus leverages new office space to offer free financial coaching by Ethan Meyers

Meet the 2024-25 freshman senators by McKenna Wilkinson and Sarah Sparling

Commanded to rest by Ashley Hamons

Molly Parden, Eliza Edens, Louisa Stancioff: The trio that shook the Recital Hall by Natasha Jayaputra

Why it's important to get engaged? by Graham Kort

The Association Between Oral Microbiome, Oral Inflammation, Periodontal Disease, And Systemic Metabolism In Individuals With/Without Type 1 Diabetes, Mianli Xiao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the associations between oral microbiomes, periodontal disease (PD), and systemic metabolism in individuals with and without Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Data were obtained from 208 participants (99 with T1D, 109 non-diabetic) in the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes (CACTI) pilot study and 283 participants from the Oral Microbiome ancillary cohort study. Both studies included the collection of saliva or subgingival plaque samples. Microbial DNA was extracted, and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Machine learning models, including Random Forest (RF) and Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP), were applied …

Sdeper: A Hybrid Machine Learning And Regression Method For Cell-Type Deconvolution Of Spatial Barcoding-Based Transcriptomic Data, Yunqing Liu, Ningshan Li, Ji Qi, Gang Xu, Jiayi Zhao, Nating Wang, Xiayuan Huang, Wenhao Jiang, Huanhuan Wei, Aurélien Justet, Taylor S Adams, Robert Homer, Amei Amei, Ivan O Rosas, Naftali Kaminski, Zuoheng Wang, Xiting Yan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Spatial barcoding-based transcriptomic (ST) data require deconvolution for cellular-level downstream analysis. Here we present SDePER, a hybrid machine learning and regression method to deconvolve ST data using reference single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data. SDePER tackles platform effects between ST and scRNA-seq data, ensuring a linear relationship between them while addressing sparsity and spatial correlations in cell types across capture spots. SDePER estimates cell-type proportions, enabling enhanced resolution tissue mapping by imputing cell-type compositions and gene expressions at unmeasured locations. Applications to simulated data and four real datasets showed SDePER's superior accuracy and robustness over existing methods.

Effects Of Cadherin Mediated Contact Normalization On Oncogenic Src Kinase Mediated Gene Expression And Protein Phosphorylation, Rachel E Nicoletto, Cayla J Holdcraft, Ariel C Yin, Edward P Retzbach, Stephanie A Sheehan, Amanda A Greenspan, Christopher M Laugier, Jason Trama, Caifeng Zhao, Haiyan Zheng, Gary S Goldberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Nontransformed cells form heterotypic cadherin junctions with adjacent transformed cells to inhibit tumor cell growth and motility. Transformed cells must override this form of growth control, called "contact normalization", to invade and metastasize during cancer progression. Heterocellular cadherin junctions between transformed and nontransformed cells are needed for this process. However, specific mechanisms downstream of cadherin signaling have not been clearly elucidated. Here, we utilized a β-catenin reporter construct to determine if contact normalization affects Wnt signaling in transformed cells. β-catenin driven GFP expression in Src transformed mouse embryonic cells was decreased when cultured with cadherin competent nontransformed cells compared to …

Detection And Validation Of Organic Metabolites In Urine For Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis., Kiana L. Holbrook, George E. Quaye, Elizabeth Noriega Landa, Xiaogang Su, Qin Gao, Heinric Williams, Ryan Young, Sabur Badmos, Ahsan Habib, Angelica A. Chacon, Wen-Yee Lee

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) comprises the majority, approximately 70-80%, of renal cancer cases and often remains asymptomatic until incidentally detected during unrelated abdominal imaging or at advanced stages. Currently, standardized screening tests for renal cancer are lacking, which presents challenges in disease management and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to identify ccRCC-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the urine of ccRCC-positive patients and develop a urinary VOC-based diagnostic model.

METHODS: This study involved 233 pretreatment ccRCC patients and 43 healthy individuals. VOC analysis utilized stir-bar sorptive extraction coupled with thermal desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SBSE-TD-GC/MS). A …

Bi-Directional Allosteric Pathway In Nmda Receptor Activation And Modulation, Paula A Bender, Subhajit Chakraborty, Ryan J Durham, Vladimir Berka, Elisa Carrillo, Vasanthi Jayaraman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are ionotropic glutamate receptors involved in learning and memory. NMDA receptors primarily comprise two GluN1 and two GluN2 subunits. The GluN2 subunit dictates biophysical receptor properties, including the extent of receptor activation and desensitization. GluN2A- and GluN2D-containing receptors represent two functional extremes. To uncover the conformational basis of their functional divergence, we utilize single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer to probe the extracellular domains of these receptor subtypes under resting and ligand-bound conditions. We find that the conformational profile of the GluN2 amino-terminal domain correlates with the disparate functions of GluN2A- and GluN2D-containing receptors. Changes at the pre-transmembrane …

Isolation And Characterization Of Yeast From Sisal Boles For Bioethanol Production, Neema Msuya, Sospeter P Andrew, Abraham K Temu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Sisal boles are part of the 98% sisal plant waste that is discarded. They have a high bio-diversity of microorganism species, including yeast that can be utilized for bioethanol production. The objective of the study was to isolate yeast cells from sisal boles juice for bioethanol production. Sisal boles for juice extraction were randomly collected from Ubena sisal estate, Pwani region. To preserve the targeted microorganisms cold juice pressing method was used. Pour plate method was used on Potato Dextrose Agar and four distinct colonies were formed and repeatedly sub-cultured to obtain four pure yeast isolates. The juice yield was …

Whole Child Development: Academic Knowledge Influence, Allison Thielbar

Graduate Teacher Education

In the education systems, the emphasis on academic achievement often overshadows the development of young learners. This pressure was particularly evident in early childhood classrooms, where educators were to prioritize standardized academic outcomes over the broader needs of the whole child (Cade et al., 2022). This research paper explored the tension between academic pressure and development in early childhood education, examining how the intense
focus on academic knowledge could undermine efforts to support the social, emotional, and cognitive growth of students (Friedman et al., 2021). A review of existing literature and an analysis of educational practices showed that the emphasis …

Long-Term Human Immune Reconstitution, T-Cell Development, And Immune Reactivity In Mice Lacking The Murine Major Histocompatibility Complex: Validation With Cellular And Gene Expression Profiles., Milita Darguzyte, Philipp Antczak, Daniel Bachurski, Patrick Hoelker, Nima Abedpour, Rahil Gholamipoorfard, Hans A Schlößer, Kerstin Wennhold, Martin Thelen, Maria A Garcia-Marquez, Johannes Koenig, Andreas Schneider, Tobias Braun, Frank Klawonn, Michael Damrat, Masudur Rahman, Jan-Malte Kleid, Sebastian J Theobald, Eugen Bauer, Constantin Von Kaisenberg, Steven R Talbot, Leonard D. Shultz, Brian Soper, Renata Stripecke

Faculty Research 2024

Background: Humanized mice transplanted with CD34+ hematopoietic cells (HPCs) are broadly used to study human immune responses and infections in vivo and for testing therapies pre-clinically. However, until now, it was not clear whether interactions between the mouse major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) and/or the human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) were necessary for human T-cell development and immune reactivity. Methods: We evaluated the long-term (20- week) human hematopoiesis and human T-cell development in NOD Scid Gamma (NSG) mice lacking the expression of MHC class I and II (NSG-DKO). Triplicate experiments were performed with HPCs obtained from three donors, and humanization was confirmed …

Regular Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Use Increases Stress Fracture Risk In The General Population: A Retrospective Case-Control Study, Alexandra Ciuciu, Chris Mulholland, Michael A. Bozzi, Chris C. Frymoyer, Leonardo Cavinatto, David Yaron, Marc I. Harwood, Jeremy D. Close, Christopher J. Mehallo, Ryan E. Tomlinson

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Previous studies have shown that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with increased stress fracture risk. This phenomenon has been studied predominantly in high-activity individuals, so data regarding the general population are limited despite the substantial economic and resource burden of stress fracture injuries within the general US population. Furthermore, our preclinical studies demonstrate that regular use of NSAIDs also diminishes the intrinsic ability of bone to resist fracture. To determine the association of regular NSAID use with stress fractures in the general population, we surveyed subjects presenting with either stress fracture or uncomplicated ankle sprain to …