Digital Commons Network^™

Debating Member-Checks Of Exceptional Human Experiences, James Houran, Everton De Oliveira Maraldi, Beth M. Houran

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This integrative essay reflects on member-checking and engaged research approaches in the study of exceptional human experiences (EHEs)—subjective accounts that often challenge conventional views of consciousness and physical reality. Member-checking, or inviting research participants to review data or interpretations, can improve credibility by aligning research with their lived experience. While benefits include transparency and insight, risks include confirmatory bias, emotional distress, power asymmetries, and logistical complexity. The evolving nature of EHEs further complicates participant validation. We therefore advocate a six-level "fit-for-purpose" system to balance rigor with ethical care and responsiveness. We also explore digital, asynchronous, and AI-assisted strategies to enhance …

Reproductive Autonomy In Immunological Intervention: Ethical Boundaries In Maternal-Fetal Immune Therapy, Marium Z. Rizvi

Journal of Health Ethics

Recent advances in immunology have broken barriers in reproductive medicine through immune-modulating therapies that support fertility and pregnancy. Treatments such as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and intralipid infusions are increasingly offered to patients with Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF) or Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL), conditions that result in miscarriages and failed IVF treatments (Pillarysetti et al., 2023). Maternal-fetal immunology reveals a delicate interplay between immune tolerance and defense: the maternal system must accept a genetically foreign fetus while preserving immunological protection. Disruptions in this balance are implicated in implantation disorders and pregnancy failure. As a result, immune-based therapies have emerged as promising …

An In Vivo Study Of Lns8801, A Gper Agonist, In A Spontaneous Melanoma-Prone Mouse Model, Tgs., Christina Marinaro, John Sauer, Christopher A Natale, Todd Ridky, Suzie Chen

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Melanoma is the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer that arises from the transformation of melanocytes, the pigment producing cells of the skin. In the year 2024 there will be approximately 10,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed and approximately 8,000 deaths attributed to melanoma in the United States. In this study we treated a group of male and female transgenic mice that spontaneously develop metastatic melanoma, TGS, with a G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor agonist LNS8801 to assess the efficacy on disease progression. A second group of male and female TGS mice was also exposed to UVB irradiation to mimic …

Anti-Cancer Compounds Based On Natural Imidazole Compounds, Autumn Forsythe, Victoria Hardy, Kerri L. Shelton

CSU Tower Day

We are developing a comprehensive review on imidazole-based compounds of natural origin, the most common groups of compounds, and their properties, such as the imidazole ring. The intent of this presentation is to learn about the compound’s occurrence, general/predicted properties, and advantages. The review will be a fluid development comparing imidazole derivatives of natural origin with antinociceptive/lethal properties from the last 5 years. This review would include both purely extracted products but also those modified by synthesis.

Is Suicide Among The Elderly Population Warranted Or Preventable, Ericka King

CSU Tower Day

Tower Day 2025 Undergraduate Poster 2nd place Winner

Growing old is perceived differently among world cultures. In some cultures, elders are revered and celebrated. However, in other cultures, growing old is dreaded and feared. Current Western culture depicts aging negatively through media, beauty marketing, and in general society. The elderly population is also a lost population as they are often forgotten about and overlooked. With aging comes with illness, depression, change in activities of daily living, financial stressors, isolation, societal changes, and death of loved ones, and eventually self. Chronic illness(es) can make it harder for the elderly to maintain …

Electronic And Regular Cigarettes Induce Transcriptional And Physiological Changes In Cardiomyocytes, Hesham Basma, Kajari Dhar, Jason Payne, Stephen I. Rennard, Brian D. Lowes

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is an important etiology for cardiac diseases and electronic cigarettes are increasing in popularity. In the current study, we assessed physiological and transcriptional changes in human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (iPS-CMs) after exposure to electronic cigarette extract (ECE) and conventional cigarette extract (CSE).

METHODS: iPS-CMS were plated on multi-electrode array plates (MEA), electrical and contractile properties were determined by Maestro Edge and computer assisted video analysis (MuscleMotion). Transcriptional profiles were accessed by direct digital mRNA detection of heart failure targeted genes.

RESULTS: Both ECE and CSE extracts significantly prolong beat period from baseline compared to …

The Involvement Of Camp In The Secretion Of Il-10, Jyanna J. Mendola

SURF Posters 2025

Schwann cells have been found to play a key role in inflammation and repair following nerve injury. During nerve injury, the myelin sheath becomes damaged, stimulating Schwann cells to secrete cytokines and initiate an inflammatory response. They begin the process of repair by stimulating macrophages to make pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-a), and anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as Interleukin 10 (IL-10) which promotes healing and injury. Although it is clear Schwann cells play a role in nerve repair, there is still yet to be known regarding the exact mechanisms by which they do so. In vitro, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), …

Southern Adventist University Undergraduate Handbook 2024-2025, Southern Adventist University

Student Handbooks, Undergraduate

No abstract provided.

Ludwigia Hydrology Study, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Rebecca Reicholf, Caryn J. Futrell*, Brenda Grewell*, Blanca Gallego-Tévar

Ludwigia Hydrology Study

Premise: Hydrological regime influences wetland plant species distribution and performance.Global warming and extreme weather events are magnifying flooding patterns, and understanding how invasive taxa respond across life stages (establishment vs. established phase) is important for predicting and managing their colonization and spread. Our objective was to measure flood trait responses at contrasting life stages in closely related congeners (Ludwigia peploides, diploid; L. hexapetala, decaploid; Onagraceae) differing in their invasiveness in the field.

Methods: In the field, we assessed phenological responses to seasonal hydrological changes, and in mesocosms, we assessed flood stress responses of establishing shoot fragments under deep-flooded, …

Analyzing Micrometeoroid And Orbital Debris Shield Performance For Sample Return Spacecraft, William P. Schonberg, Michael Squire

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Sample-return missions typically seek to collect and return samples from extraterrestrial locations to Earth for analysis. The return of samples from certain locations in the solar system represents a potential hazard to Earth's biosphere from foreign microorganisms. One way this could occur would be a break-up of the returning capsule during entry (which would disperse the samples through the air) due to undetected damage to the capsule thermal protection system (TPS). As a result, missions that plan to return payloads from some destinations are likely to have certain design requirements for the TPS surrounding their returning capsules, which may include …

The Effect Of Two Common Herbicides On The Growth And Development Of Two Anuran Species (Boreorana Sylvatica And Dryophytes Chrysoscelis), Jerica Eaton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Amphibian populations have been declining globally since the 1950s. Many species that have experienced declines are viewed as 'environmental indicators' that reveal habitat degradation. Declines can be attributed to several factors, including chemicals used in agriculture, such as Roundup and Atrazine. Agrochemicals contaminate water bodies through runoff or leaching and cause alterations to aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the effects of herbicide usage on two wild anuran populations using wood frogs (Boreorana sylvatica) and Cope’s gray tree frogs (Dryophytes chrysoscelis) as a model. We determined the effect of the herbicides at two concentrations, a high concentration …

Ms Environmental Biology Capstone: Evaluating Environmental Risks And Conflicts In Golf Course Landscapes, Meredith Boos

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

1) This review investigates the relationship between pesticide use on golf courses and in agriculture to determine whether the adverse health effects documented in agricultural settings also apply to golf course environments. While the negative health effects from agricultural pesticide use are well established, golf courses use pesticides with greater frequency and intensity, suggesting a potentially higher exposure risk for both workers and players.

2) This study proposes methods to quantify pesticide bioaccumulation on golf courses and adjacent lands. We hypothesize that areas surrounding golf courses will exhibit a spatial gradient of pesticide accumulation, increasing with proximity to treated sites …

Pgc-1Α Activation To Enhance Macrophage Immune Function In Mycobacterial Infections, Joel R. Frandsen, Zhihong Yuan, Brahmchetna Bedi, Zohra Prasla, Seoung-Ryoung Choi, Prabagaran Narayanasamy, Ruxana Sadikot

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) are a heterogeneous group of environmental microorganisms with distinct human pathogenesis. Their incidence and prevalence are rising worldwide, due in part to elevated antimicrobial resistance which complicates treatment and potential successful outcomes. Although information exists on the clinical significance of NTMs, little is known about host immune response to infection. NTM infections alter macrophage mitochondrial capacity and decrease ATP production, efficient immune response, and bacterial clearance. Transcription factor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, influencing metabolism, mitochondrial pathways, and antioxidant response. Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is a …

The Fear Of God: The Foundation Of The Divine Covenants Through The Blood Sacrifice And Meal Of Exodus 24:4–11 And 1 Corinthians 11:23–32., Matthew Taylor Propst

College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses

The Fear of God and its relevance to establishing the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is vital in understanding the nature of the role of sacrificial blood and meal in Exodus and 1 Corinthians. The Fear of God acts to establish and maintain proper covenantal relations with God and a covenant community’s cohesion. There is also an element where those that participate in covenants are required to live under its commandments by self-sacrificial behavior.

Chapter 1 introduces the issue of this thesis within certain parameters and boundaries alongside the purpose and objectives this issue wishes to address. Chapter 2 …

2025 Graduate Scholar, Graduate School Of Eastern Illinois University

Graduate Scholar

No abstract provided.

Hiss, Ribbit, Vroom: An Examination Of Herpetofaunal Abundance In An Area Surrounded By Anthropogenic Noise, Isabella Berenyi, Genesis Fontanet, Jona Mckinley, Iso Suarez

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2025

Human population is increasing and will continue to do so, which means more wild habitat is altered. Even areas that are designated for preservation or conservation may still experience indirect alteration, such as anthropogenic noise and road mortality. Anthropogenic noise, or noise from people, becomes noise pollution when it disrupts an ecosystem’s functioning. The objective of this experiment was to determine the influence of road noise pollution on the abundance of reptiles and amphibians on a UCF campus wetland. Between the months of January and April of 2025, we performed basic trapping and dipnetting as well as walked transects to …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring Servant Leadership Characteristics For Developing High-Performing Teams As Perceived By Public School District Early Childhood Leaders, Reggi'e Faye Webster

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary public school district early childhood leaders apply four key characteristics of servant leadership (listening, stewardship, building community, and commitment to people’s growth), as defined by Spears (2010), to develop high-performing to support early learning programs.

Methodology: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was selected to explore participants’ experiences and perceptions of how they use four servant leadership characteristics to develop and sustain high-performing teams within early childhood programs on public school elementary and secondary school campuses. Participants were purposefully chosen based on specific criteria and recommendations from an …

Navigating Cultural Differences In Community-Based Conservation: A Malagasy Case Study, Austin J. Cheng

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

This SIP explores the tension between avoiding cultural imperialism and remaining true to ideals, particularly of gender equality in the creation and funding of community-based conservation organizations in patriarchal societies. To tether these loftier ideas to practice, I use my internship with Planet Madagascar in Ankarafantsika National Park as a case study, and explore it through the lenses of feminist, pragmatist, and post-colonial philosophers.

Online Dating Experiences And Body Dissatisfaction Among Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Individuals: A Qualitative Study, Luciano Caprio M.S.

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

Through the evolution of online dating applications, individuals are able to form interpersonal connections with one another at a rapid pace. The effects of such communications can hold both protective and risk factors within the LGBTQ+ community. Previous research suggests that lesbians, gay, and bisexuals who have experienced weight discrimination, particularly fatphobic and anti-fat attitudes, while utilizing these online dating platforms, have increased body dissatisfaction. However, there is minimal research focusing on the implications of discrimination, body dissatisfaction, and the usage of online dating platforms in the transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) community. This qualitative study explored the experiences of …

Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project, Erin Pierce

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Wildfires can directly and indirectly alter freshwater aquatic ecosystems and their resident biota. A wide range of effects is possible depending on the characteristics of the fire, ecosystem, and species. As wildfires become more frequent and intense, specifically in the western United States, understanding the mechanisms that alter biological integrity and species diversity measures is increasingly important. Our study investigated the effects of the Marshall Fire on fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages and their in-stream and riparian habitat. We hypothesized that, because of the high intensity of the fire, riparian-zone burning, and the large burn area in the drainage basin, we …

This Land Isn’T My Land: How Canonical Literature Has Shaped Representation In The Outdoors, Claire Himmel

American Studies Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

Children As Informers And Denouncers, In Children And Violence: Agency, Experience, And Representation In And Beyond Armed Conflict (Christelle Molima Bameka Et Al. Eds., 2025), Mark A. Drumbl, Barbora Holá

Books and Chapters

This chapter explores the use of children in propaganda and informing networks as forms of violence. While this chapter nests in 20th- century Communism in the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia, the interface of children with these networks is not unique to these times and places. Indeed, these experiences link to those elsewhere, thereby elucidating the dually manipulated and agentic role of children in a regime’s fight for legitimacy and thereby blending with a number of contributions to this volume including those by Mohamed Kamara and Sylvie Bodineau. The point of this chapter is not to particularise (or pathologise) Soviet and …

Discovering Stories That Matter: Exploring Appreciative Inquiry’S Strengths-Based Storytelling Technique To Complement Program Monitoring In Ngos, Khanyisa Manzini

Community Engagement Student Work

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are essential entities in responding to complex global challenges, including social, economic, political, environmental, and health-related issues. While significant research has focused on evaluating the performance of NGO programs, comparatively little attention has been paid to the lived experiences of NGO staff—particularly how they navigate and find meaning in their work, especially during times of uncertainty and change. This capstone addresses this gap by designing a strengths-based storytelling workshop aimed at developing NGO staff’s narrative capacity. Grounded in the framework of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) and narrative theory, the workshop explores how storytelling can serve as a human-centered …

Transient Stress And Childhood Maltreatment: Unraveling Their Impact On Working Memory And Emotion Dysregulation, Serena Veith

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Childhood maltreatment is associated with cognitive impairments and emotion dysregulation, with prior research documenting structural changes in stress modulation in affected individuals. This study examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and working memory (WM), focusing on the roles of stress and emotion dysregulation. While childhood maltreatment has been linked to cognitive deficits, its specific impact on adult WM remains underexplored. It was hypothesized that childhood maltreatment would negatively affect WM. However, initial analyses found no significant relationship between childhood maltreatment and baseline WM. Post-hoc analyses revealed a positive relationship between childhood maltreatment and WM improvement over time, suggesting potential resilience …

Sexual Identity Development In A Culture Of Shame: The Impact Of Non-Affirming Religious Upbringing And Internalized Homophobia On Sexual Satisfaction In Lgbtq Adults, Rhiannon Ashley Gibbs

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

Internalized homophobia is a common component of the LGBTQ developmental experience which impacts sexual identity development (Peterson & Gerrity, 2006; Rowan & Malcom, 2003). As well, many LGBTQ people raised in Christian religious communities frequently grow up in environments which are not affirming of their sexualities (Barnes & Meyer, 2012; Boppana & Gross, 2019; Herek et al., 2009; Ream & Savin-Williams, 2005; Rodriquez & Oullette, 2000). While much research considers the impact of these minority stressors on LGBTQ well-being (Frost & Meyer, 2009; Herek et al. 2009; Keating & Muller, 2020), fewer consider the specific impact on sexual well- being. …

An Integral Transpersonal Approach To The Self: Practical Maps And Models, Pier Luigi Lattuada

International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Advance Publication Archive

This work aims to focus attention on the concepts of the psyche and of self, and the participatory dialogue between the self and the world, to highlight the contribution that an integral transpersonal psychotherapy (ITP) approach of biotransenergetics (BTE) offers. The ITP approach sees the psyche as the totality of the being and the self as the unifying archetype that defifines it. Some new epistemological maps and concepts are outlined to highlight their usefulness for a clinical and research methodology based on assumptions of a transpersonal and integral order.

Engineering Chimeric Autoantibody Receptor T Cells (Caar): A Potential Cure For Graves' Disease, Kimbal Demars, Abigail Cheever, Chloe Kang, Hunter Lindsay, Mackenzie Hansen, Kim O'Neill, Scott Weber

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

• Graves’ Disease (GD) is the 4th most common autoimmune disease in the United States.
• GD is characterized by autoreactive B cells releasing anti-thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) Ab that bind to TSHR, causing an overexpression of hormones.
• Excessive hormonal release leads to hyperthyroidism, causing a variety of metabolic issues.
• No cure exists, only limited effectiveness of treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, or thyroidectomy.
• Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) T cell therapy has been effective in treating blood cancers.
• Modifying this therapy by engineering T cells that replace the antigen as the T cell receptor will selectively target autoreactive B cells, namely chimeric …

End Epilepsy: Human And Rodent Seizures Demonstrate A Dynamic Interplay With Spreading Depolarizations, Daniel Hummel, Jacob H. Norby, Noah Ricks, John D. Rolston, Shervin Rahimpour, Juha Voipio, Andrew J. Trevelyan, Elliot H. Smith, Ryley Parrish

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Affecting more than 50 million people worldwide, Epilepsy is a condition of repeated seizures. Seizures (Sz) occur when brain cells transmit uncontrolled electrical signals, and most often terminate on their own, but how this happens is unknown. A proposed mechanism of Sz termination is a spreading depolarization (SD). A SD is a wave that travels through the brain, suppressing brain activity. Currently, the relationship between SDs and seizures is not well understood. The goal of this study was to understand how the two phenomena interact in both rodent brains, and humans. Better understanding of SDs may lead to the development …

Enabling Better Interoperability And Reusability For Down Syndrome Transcriptomic Datasets, Harrison Oaks, Garrett L. Wride, Stephen Piccolo

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Introduction: Gene expression profiling has become a cornerstone of biomedical research, offering relevant insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie complex conditions such as Down syndrome (DS), a condition caused by trisomy 21. RNA expression data from individuals with DS have highlighted critical pathways involved in development, immune function, and disease susceptibility. Despite the availability of over 100 publicly shared RNA expression datasets, their potential remains underutilized due to inconsistent metadata, diverse normalization protocols, and varying data quality. Addressing these barriers is vital to enabling researchers to standardize, integrate, and analyze datasets effectively. We do this by creating a data …

Effects Of Predation On Cognition In Brachyrhaphis Rhabdophora, Elizabeth F. Jenkins, Jerald B. Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Does predation environment affect the cognitive abilities of the tropical fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora?