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Design For Additive Manufacturing: Simultaneous Optimization Of Structural Integrity And Minimal Support Structures, Naresh Ahuja

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation addresses two core challenges limiting the widespread application of Topology Optimization (TO): the difficulty in fabricating its complex designs, especially for Additive Manufacturing (AM), and its significant computational costs. It develops a unified design framework that directly embeds AM constraints such as overhang angles and build direction into robust TO formulations. To enhance manufacturability, two distinct methodologies are proposed. Firstly, a Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) framework introduces a three-stage robust optimization algorithm. Secondly, the Geometric Projection Topology Optimization (GPTO) method inherently integrates overhang constraints by controlling individual geometric components and their inclined angles relative to a …

Data Augmentation And Imputation For Sparse Learner Performance Data In Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Liang Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) leverage computer-aided technologies to provide dynamically adaptive instruction tailored to individual learners. Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have further enhanced their capacity to deliver responsive, personalized learning experiences. As learners interact with ITSs by responding to questions, their performance data, such as correct and incorrect answers, become essential for assessing and predicting latent knowledge states through analysis and modeling. However, real-world learner data frequently suffer from sparsity due to incomplete interactions, unanswered questions, and missed attempts. Such missing information poses significant challenges, undermining the accuracy of learner modeling and the effectiveness of personalized instruction. To …

Drug Recognition Experts’ Perspectives On The State Of Maryland’S Legalization Of Cannabis And Its Impact On Impaired Driving, Raymond D. Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Motor vehicles have become both affordable and practical to own. As a result, law enforcement has been tasked with enforcing laws related to safe vehicular operation on the roadways nationwide. Further, much like alcohol, drug influence causes concern for motorists, and with the introduction of cannabis legalization, there is a clash between use, public interaction and vehicle operation. Cannabis consumption in public, the perception that use is allowed anywhere, and the impact that impairment has while driving can be a concern for those tasked with enforcing laws that some perceive to be allowed. This study introduces cannabis legalization within the …

Remote Sensing-Based Assessment Of Evapotranspiration Patterns In A Unesco World Heritage Site Under Increasing Water Competition, Maria C. Moyano, Monica Garcia, Luis Juana, Laura Recuero, Lucia Tornos, Joshua B. Fisher, Néstor Fernández, Alicia Palacias-Orueta

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

In water-scarce regions, natural ecosystems and agriculture increasingly compete for limited water resources, intensifying stress during periods of drought. To assess these competing demands, we applied a modified PT-JPL model that incorporates the thermal inertial approach as a substitute for relative humidity (RH) in estimating soil evaporation—a method that significantly outperforms the original PT-JPL formulation in Mediterranean semi-arid irrigated areas. This remote sensing framework enabled us to quantify spatial and temporal variations in water use across both natural and agricultural systems within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Doñana. Our analysis revealed an increasing evapotranspiration (ET) trend in intensified agricultural …

Under Pressure: Performance Loads And Recovery In Ncaa Division I Women’S Soccer During Fixture Congestion, Jade X. Dawson, Fabiano T. Amorim

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Soccer places high physiological demands on athletes, and match congestion—playing more than two games per week—is a growing concern at the NCAA Division I level. Limited recovery time between matches can impair performance and increase injury risk, prompting widespread use of recovery strategies. However, research on their effectiveness remains inconclusive, and most existing studies focus on male athletes, leaving a gap in evidence specific to female players. This review and observational study aim to evaluate non-nutritional recovery strategies in NCAA Division I women’s soccer and examine how recovery duration influences performance.

Match load data were collected from eleven female athletes …

Haploblocks Contribute To Parallel Climate Adaptation Following Global Invasion Of A Cosmopolitan Plant, Paul Battlay, Brandon T. Hendrickson, Jonas I. Mendez-Reneau, James S. Santangelo, Lucas J. Albano, Jonathan Wilson, Aude E. Caizergues, Nevada King, Adriana Puentes, Amelia Tudoran, Cyrille Violle, Francois Vasseur, Courtney M. Patterson, Michael Foster, Caitlyn Stamps, Simon G. Innes, Rémi Allio, Fabio Angeoletto, Daniel N. Anstett, Julia Anstett, Anna Bucharova, Mattheau S. Comerford, Santiago David, Mohsen Falahati-Anbaran, William Godsoe, César González-Lagos, Pedro E. Gundel, Glen Ray Hood, Christian Lampei, Christian Lampei

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The role of rapid adaptation during species invasions has historically been minimized with the assumption that introductions consist of few colonists and limited genetic diversity. While overwhelming evidence suggests that rapid adaptation is more prevalent than originally assumed, the demographic and adaptive processes underlying successful invasions remain unresolved. Here we leverage a large whole-genome sequence dataset to investigate the relative roles of colonization history and adaptation during the worldwide invasion of the forage crop, Trifolium repens (Fabaceae). We show that introduced populations encompass high levels of genetic variation with little evidence of bottlenecks. Independent colonization histories on different continents are …

Modulation Of Redox-Sensitive Cardiac Ion Channels, Rawan S. Orfali, Al Hassan Gamal El-Din, Varnika Karthik, Elisanjer Lamis, Vanna Xiao, Alena Ramanishka, Abdullah Alwatban, Osama Alkhamees, Ali Alaseem, Young-Woo Nam, Miao Zhang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Redox regulation is crucial for the cardiac action potential, coordinating the sodium-driven depolarization, calcium-mediated plateau formation, and potassium-dependent repolarization processes required for proper heart function. Under physiological conditions, low-level reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated by mitochondria and membrane oxidases, adjust ion channel function and support excitation–contraction coupling. However, when ROS accumulate, they modify a variety of important channel proteins in cardiomyocytes, which commonly results in reducing potassium currents, enhancing sodium and calcium influx, and enhancing intracellular calcium release. These redox-driven alterations disrupt the cardiac rhythm, promote after-depolarizations, impair contractile force, and accelerate the development of heart diseases. Experimental models demonstrate …

Psilocybin Treatment Extends Cellular Lifespan And Improves Survival Of Aged Mice, Kosuke Kato, Jennifer M Kleinhenz, Yoon-Joo Shin, Cristian Coarfa, Ali J Zarrabi, Louise Hecker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received attention due to considerable clinical evidence for its therapeutic potential to treat various psychiatric and neurodegenerative indications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain enigmatic, and few studies have explored its systemic impacts. We provide the first experimental evidence that psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) treatment extends cellular lifespan and psilocybin treatment promotes increased longevity in aged mice, suggesting that psilocybin may be a potent geroprotective agent.

The Benefits Of Exercise Training In Combination With Weight Loss Therapies, Bryan C Jiang, Dennis T Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The primary treatment for obesity involves calorie restriction (CR) to promote dietary weight loss achieved through interventions including behavioral modification, bariatric surgery, and antiobesity medications. In adults with obesity, CR-induced weight loss enhances physical function and improves quality of life, while also reducing the burden of various obesity-related chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, and atherosclerotic heart disease. However, it is also associated with a decline in lean mass and bone mineral density, which increases the risk of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. When performed alongside CR, progressive resistance training (RT) attenuates this loss of lean mass and bone mass, …

High-Affinity Cd16a Polymorphism Associated With Reduced Risk Ofsevere Covid-19, Anita E Qualls, Tasha Tsao, Irene Lui, Shion A Lim, Yapeng Su, Ernie Chen, Dylan Duchen, Holden T Maecker, Seunghee Kim-Schulze, Ruth R Montgomery, Florian Krammer, Charles R Langelier, Ofer Levy, Lindsey R Baden, Esther Melamed, Lauren Ir Ehrlich, Grace A Mccomsey, Rafick P Sekaly, Charles B Cairns, Elias K Haddad, Albert C Shaw, David A Hafler, David B Corry, Farrah Kheradmand, Mark A Atkinson, Scott C Brakenridge, Nelson I Agudelo Higuita, Jordan P Metcalf, Catherine L Hough, William B Messer, Bali Pulendran, Kari C Nadeau, Mark M Davis, Ana Fernandez-Sesma, Viviana Simon, Monica Kraft, Christian Bime, Carolyn S Calfee, David J Erle, Joanna Schaenmann, Al Ozonoff, Bjoern Peters, Steven H Kleinstein, Alison D Augustine, Joann Diray-Arce, Patrice M Becker, Nadine Rouphael, Impacc Network, Jason D Goldman, Daniel R Calabrese, James R Heath, James A Wells, Elaine F Reed, Lewis L Lanier, Harry Pickering, Oscar A Aguilar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

CD16A is an activating Fc receptor on NK cells that mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a key mechanism in antiviral immunity. However, the role of NK cell-mediated ADCC in SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear, particularly whether it limits viral spread and disease severity or contributes to the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19. We hypothesized that the high-affinity CD16AV176 polymorphism influences these outcomes. Using an in vitro reporter system, we demonstrated that CD16AV176 is a more potent and sensitive activator than the common CD16AF176 allele. To assess its clinical relevance, we analyzed 1,027 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from the Immunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 …

Inflammation And Il-4 Regulate Parkinson’S And Crohn’S Disease Associated Kinase Lrrk2, Dina Dikovskaya, Rebecca Pemberton, Matthew Taylor, Anna Tasegian, Purbasha Bhattacharya, Karolina Zeneviciute, Esther M. Sammler, Andrew J.M. Howden, Dario R. Alessi, Mahima Swamy

Peninsula Medical School

Mutations in Leucine-Rich Repeat protein Kinase 2 (LRRK2) are associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Crohn’s disease (CD), but the regulation of LRRK2 during inflammation remains relatively unexplored. Here we describe the development of a flow cytometry-based assay to assess LRRK2 activity in individual cells and the generation of an EGFP-Lrrk2 knock-in reporter mouse to analyse cell-specific LRRK2 expression. Using these tools, we measured LRRK2 levels and activity in murine splenic and intestinal immune cells and in human blood. Anti-CD3 induced inflammation increases LRRK2 expression and activity in B cells and monocytes, while in mature neutrophils, inflammation stimulates activity but …

Opposing Roles For Myeloid And Smooth Muscle Cell Sting In Pulmonary Hypertension, Ann T Pham, Shiza Virk, Aline C Oliveira, Matthew D Alves, Chunhua Fu, Yutao Zhang, Jimena Alvarez-Castanon, Brian B Lee, Keira L Lee, Radwan Mashina, Katherine E Ray, Patrick Donabedian, Elnaz Ebrahimi, Harsh Patel, Reeha Patel, Duncan Lewis, Zhiguang Huo, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Li Chen, Lei Jin, Andrew J Bryant

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There is an emerging role for stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling in pulmonary hypertension (PH) development. Related to this, prior research has demonstrated the relevance of immune checkpoint protein programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression by immunoregulatory myeloid cells in PH. However, there remains a need to elucidate the cell-specific role of STING expression, and the STING/PD-L1 signaling axis in PH, before readily available disease-modifying therapies can be applied for patients with the disease. Here, through generation of bone marrow chimeric mice, we show that STING-/- mice receiving WT bone marrow were protected against PH secondary to chronic hypoxia. …

Pi(4)P Recruits Cide Proteins To Promote The Formation Of Unilocular Lipid Droplets During Adipogenesis And Hepatic Steatosis, Jin Wu, Mingming Gao, Xiaoqin Wu, Yang Liu, Taiping Zhang, Yan Liang, Haixia Yang, Chengxin Ma, Youpi Ye, Chunmei Chang, Peng Li, Feng-Jung Chen, Hongyuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lipid droplets (LDs) are evolutionarily conserved organelles that play important roles in metabolism. Each LD is enclosed by a monolayer of phospholipids, distinct from bilayer membranes. The composition of LD surface phospholipids and their impact on LD growth and function remain to be defined. Phosphoinositides mark cellular organelles and regulate organellar function. Here, we demonstrate that PI(4)P decorates a subset of LDs to recruit and activate CIDE proteins. Enhanced expression of ORP2 and ORP5, LD-associated lipid transfer proteins that remove PI(4)P from LDs, abolished the localization and function of CIDE proteins. Blocking the synthesis of PI(4)P on the LD surface …

The Devil’S In The Details: Opposition To Demonology In Early Modern Europe, Abigail Pickard

The Purdue Historian

Common assumptions that believers of witchcraft in the early modern period were uneducated fanatics overgeneralize the complex interplay of early modern science and theology. The study of demons, known as demonology, was considered a science. It was a respected field that was studied and debated. Theologians scrutinized, defended, and revised demonological theories. Thinkers turned over foundational concepts and split hairs over the fine details of theology. Since educated scholars were considered authorities on demonology, they repeatedly wrote, talked, and theorized about the topic in a similar fashion to other ideologies of the early modern era. Due to this, authors of …

Xyy: Why? Science For The People And The Xyy Controversy, Fern Rice

The Purdue Historian

The mid-20th century saw a boom of scientific discoveries in genetics as people sought to understand the American political landscape through genomes. The desire to understand criminality through genetics rose as counterculture surged. The genetic defect known as “XYY syndrome” became connected to criminality through biased medical studies and sensationalized criminal cases worldwide. When the National Institute of Mental Health began to fund studies attempting to prove a link between XYY syndrome and criminality, organizations concerned with scientific justice took notice. The leftist organization Science for the People campaigned against an XYY study in Boston, deeming it unethical and biologically …

Astrobiological Gigantism: An Examination Of Deep-Sea Gigantism In Extraterrestrial Oceans, Connor White, Katherine Campbell, Hannah Lyons, Alexander Evanow, Dr. Sean Crouse

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Astrobiological gigantism refers to the potential emergence of disproportionately large organisms in extraterrestrial aquatic environments, particularly within the subsurface oceans of water-based moons and exoplanets. This paper examines the evolutionary, ecological, and environmental factors that could drive the development of gigantism beyond Earth, drawing parallels with deep-sea gigantism observed in Earth's oceans. By integrating astrobiology, planetary science, and evolutionary biology, this research aims to establish a framework for understanding how life may evolve under extreme conditions and what implications such discoveries may have for the search for extraterrestrial life. Further, this study evaluates specific celestial bodies—Europa and Enceladus—that may provide …

Evaluation Of A Biologically-Inspired Multi-Agent System Consensus Algorithm To Develop Application Insights, Grace Gratton

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Multi-agent systems are becoming heavily relied upon as the complexity of the world increases. The effectiveness of these systems depends on consensus algorithms; however, the presence of faulted agents can compromise the security and reliability of these consensus algorithms. Therefore, it is crucial to develop robust consensus methods to maintain system security and reliability. Biologically-Inspired Design previously led to the Synchronous Hatching Consensus Algorithm which proved to be robust even with up to 20% of faulted agents reporting false positives. This work aims to provide insights for when the Synchronous Hatching Consensus Algorithm can be applied. This is achieved through …

Hybrid Hierarchical Swarm Robotics For Planetary Exploration, Eeman Abid

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project proposes a novel approach to planetary exploration utilizing a hybrid hierarchical swarm robotic system inspired by social insect colonies. The project will develop a centralized 'queen' robot that provides high-level direction to a team of semi-autonomous 'worker' robots, each capable of making local decisions while following the queen's strategic guidance. This structure aims to enhance adaptability and efficiency by balancing centralized coordination with distributed execution. The approach aligns with NASA's CADRE mission, which uses coordinated rovers to map the lunar surface. By combining simulation in ROS2/Gazebo with physical testing on lunar regolith simulant, this research will evaluate how …

First-Year Intersections: Professional Preparation And Civic Engagement Across Four New American Colleges And Universities (Nacu) Campuses, Shereen Ilahi, Chastity Blankenship, Andy Morris, Jeffrey Thomas

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Four institutions hypothesized that civic engagement in first-year courses reinforces career readiness by helping students think critically, communicate effectively, and work well with diversity. We measured teamwork skills, the ability to synthesize and apply different perspectives, and the ability to express, listen to, and adapt ideas based on the perspective of others. We compared self-assessments to direct assessment of student-created artifacts and found a positive correlation that encourages further enquiry.

Feasibility Of A Peer-Facilitated Video-Based Mental Health And Substance Use Service-Learning Program, Mara Carmina A. Tamayo, King Filart, Maria Regina Hechanova

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

This study examined the feasibility of implementing a peer-facilitated mental health and substance use video-based program delivered by psychology students as part of service learning. The program was delivered on-site and online. Findings reveal improvements in knowledge, attitudes, refusal self-efficacy, and adaptive coping among on-site participants. However, there was no effect on online participants given many implementation challenges. Recommendations include delivering the program on-site, strengthening training for facilitators, increasing program duration, and shortening the videos.

The Association Between Callous-Unemotional (Cu) Traits And Suicidal Behavior In A Psychiatric Inpatient Adolescent Sample, Emily C. Kemp Phd, Paige Picou Phd, Erin P. Vaughan Ma, Emily L. Robertson Phd, Toni M. Walker Phd, Paul J. Frick Phd, Ryan M. Hill Phd, John De Back Md

Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk

Introduction: Suicide in adolescents poses a major public health crisis as the second leading cause of death in youth. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) are a principal reason for psychiatric hospitalization among adolescents. Numerous studies across development have identified risk factors (e.g., depression, borderline personality (BPD) features, family history of suicide) associated with STBs, while research in adults largely reports that the affective component of psychopathy, captured by callous-unemotional (CU) traits, is negatively associated with STBs. However, the relationship between CU traits and STB risk among adolescents remains unclear.

Methods: The present study tested associations between self-reported CU …

The State Of The Field On Popular Culture Themed (Pct) Courses: Introducing The Journal Of Thematic Instruction, Kathy R. Doody Ph.D., Pamela Schuetze Ph.D., Jill M. Swirsky Ph.D.

Journal of Thematic Instruction

As universities adapt to meet evolving student needs, popular culture themed (PCT) courses have emerged as an innovative approach that integrates media with academic theory to foster engagement, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary connections. PCTs use popular culture themes that are not directly related to the course content to teach the course content. Despite their growing use across diverse disciplines, from STEM to the humanities, there is a lack of cohesive understanding, consistent terminology, and empirical research on the impacts of PCT courses in higher education.

This paper reviews existing literature on PCT courses organized by discipline, highlighting representative pedagogical strategies, …

Alpha-Synuclein Dysregulation In Systemic Pathophysiology Of Synucleinopathies, Hallie H. Dolin, Bowen Zhou, Robert W. Maitta

Faculty Scholarship

Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) has long been identified as the etiologic agent of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, the most common and well-known of which are Parkinson's disease (PD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD). While it is known that the pathophysiology of these synucleinopathies involves aggregation of improperly-folded α-syn, the mechanisms leading to its accumulation have not been fully identified. However, multiple pathways have been proposed, any or all of which may contribute to synucleinopathies. The role of α-syn in normal homeostasis and in other organ systems, especially the hematopoietic system, has been reported recently. Research within the last decade has shown that α-syn …

Ada News - 07/07/2025, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Theorizing Graphic Embodiments: A Feminist Perspective, Lisa Detora, Jeannie Ludlow

All Faculty Scholarship

In response to the increasing politicization and polarization of discourses around gender, sexuality, and the body, feminist theorists like Judith Butler call for feminism to strive toward flexibility and responsivity. This essay lays out some of the theoretical considerations that inform studies of graphic embodiment—or studies of embodiment in graphic narratives—both generally and within feminist studies, then examines several graphic texts by Tillie Walden and Élodie Durand that exemplify feminist theories of embodiment, with particular attention to the creative co-construction of embodied narratives.

Kshv Vil6 Inhibits Functional B Cell Maturation During De Novo Infection, Wajd Zakir, Jessica M. Osborn, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Despite causative links to lymphoproliferative disorders, little is known about early events governing KSHV infection in B lymphocytes. IL-6 signaling plays a critical role in KSHV-mediated disease, with human IL-6 (hIL6) levels correlating with viral load and disease progression. This dynamic is even more complex due to the coexistence of hIL6 and KSHV-encoded viral IL-6 (vIL6) in these diseases. We hypothesize that hIL6 and vIL6 play critical, separable and collective roles in the early stages of KSHV infection in B cells. In this study, we use our ex vivo model of KSHV infection in human tonsil lymphocytes to investigate the …

Introduction To Sociology: Deviance And Crime, Dr. Marcia Morrison Ph.D.

Open Educational Resources

Abstract

This paper explores the multifaceted concepts of deviance and crime by synthesizing major theoretical perspectives and contemporary research findings. Beginning with the fluid and culturally contingent nature of deviance, the discussion highlights how social norms, historical context, and power structures define what is considered deviant behavior. It examines the influence of economic elites on moral and legal standards, drawing on Marxist analyses, and considers the impact of societal labeling on personal identity through Lemert’s labeling theory.

The paper then delves into biological foundations of criminality, reviewing Lombroso’s atavism theory and modern research on genetic predispositions, including twin, adoption, and …

Aspen Impedes Wildfire Spread In Southwestern United States Landscapes, Matthew P. Harris, Jonathan D. Coop, Jared A. Balik, Jessika R. Mcfarland, Sean A. Parks, Camille S. Stevens-Rumann

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are generally thought to impede fire spread, yet the extent of this effect is not well quantified in relation to other vegetation types. We examined the influence of aspen cover on interpolated daily fire spread rates, the relative abundance of aspen at fire perimeters versus burn interiors, and whether these relationships shifted under more fire-conducive atmospheric conditions. Our study incorporated 314 fires occurring between 2001 and 2020 in the southwestern United States and a suite of gridded vegetation, topography, and fire weather predictor variables. We found that aspen slows fire progression: as aspen cover …

Ud In The News June 28-July 4, University Of Dayton

News Releases

A front page Dayton Daily News story featured the University's 175th anniversary and its place as an anchor institution for the region. Two national publications highlighted programs in the School of Law.

Complete Genome Sequence Of Vaginal Swab Isolate Enterococcus Faecalis Umb6935b, Including Two Complete Plasmids, Olive Kolar, Helen Appleberry, Alan J. Wolfe, Alex Kula, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Enterococcus faecalis has been identified as a member of the vaginal community of healthy females, in addition to its association with vaginitis and urinary tract infections. Here we present the hybrid assembly of an E. faecalis strain, UMB6935B, isolated from a vaginal swab from a female with overactive bladder symptoms.