Digital Commons Network^™

Converting Olivine Into A Novel Mg-Based Cement For Carbon Sequestration, Jihui Qin, Xing Cheng, Hongyan Ma

C3 Symposium 2025

Natural Mg-rich olivine could potentially serve as a scalable feedstock for Mg-based cements with zero CO2 emissions. This study explores an innovative synthesis of a Mg-based cement by directly reacting olivine with oxalic acid (H2C2O4). The hydration behaviors and cementitious properties of olivine–oxalic acid blends are investigated, as a function of olivine-to-oxalic acid (OL/OA) weight ratio. Higher OL/OA ratio results in faster hydration, while the best compressive strength with up to 32 MPa is obtained at a moderate OL/OA ratio of 3.5 after 28 days. The obtained cements are composed of residual olivine minerals and a dense and compact glushinskite …

Low-Carbon Supplementary Cementitious Materials (Scms) From Waste Stamp Sands, Xiang Zhao, Qingli Dai

C3 Symposium 2025

Addressing the critical challenge of reducing CO₂ emissions in the cement industry involves utilizing waste stamp sands as a sustainable source for supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Stamp sands, abundant in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, contain silicate minerals that can be converted into high-performance SCMs, enabling reductions in clinker usage and overall carbon emissions [1].Therefore, this study investigated the potential of waste stamp sands from Lake Superior (Gay, MI) as SCMs through calcination. Compositional analysis revealed that the sands contained silicate minerals such as albite, diopside, and anorthite, making them suitable for pozzolanic activity [2, 3]. Calcination at 800–900°C transformed these crystalline …

2025 17th Annual Student Center For Science Engagement Research Symposium, Student Center For Science Engagement

Student Center for Science Engagement Research Symposium

Student presentations in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, & Psychology

The Calvin University Math Department History 1920-2020, Michael Stob

University Histories

No abstract provided.

A Previously Unrecognized Species Of Celastrina From The Southeastern Coastal Plain Region Of The United States (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) Named In Honor Of The Memory Of Iryna Zarutska, Harry Pavulaan

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

New species Celastrina iryna is described from the southeastern coastal plain of the United States. This species is most similar to C. neglecta but differs by possession of the unique dorsal overlay of clear wing scales found in C. ladon males. It is hypothesized that this may be a hybrid species. Some aspects of its life history remain unknown and call for further field research. The species name is a tribute to Iryna Zarutska, of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Nanomedicine Targeting Ppar In Adipose Tissue Macrophages Improves Lipid Metabolism And Obesity-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction., Catherine C Applegate, Yifei Kang, Hongping Deng, Donglai Chen, Natalia Y Gonzalez Medina, Yuxiao Cui, Yujun Feng, Chia-Wei Kuo, Sayyed Hamed Shahoei, Hannah Kim, Hashni Epa Vidana Gamage, Matthew A Wallig, Erik R Nelson, Kelly S Swanson, Andrew M Smith

Faculty Research 2025

Excess body fat leads to an overabundance of adipose tissue macrophages (AT MΦs) with altered phenotypes that play pathogenic roles in obesity comorbidities including diabetes and cancer. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are leading targets to modulate AT MΦ phenotype. Here, we developed a dextran-based nanomedicine that delivers PPARα/γ agonists to AT MΦs and improves obesity and diabetic phenotypes in vivo. Within 1 week of treatment, AT MΦs decreased and became lipid laden, while extracellular vesicles secreted from AT decreased and reduced in lipid content. Within 2 weeks, glucose tolerance returned to levels of lean controls, followed by weight loss and …

Fungal Palynomorphs From The Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian–Albian) Of Jangareddygudem Area Of The Chintalapudi Subbasin, Andhra Pradesh, South Part Of India, Harinam Joshi, Neerja Jha, Sarah Gonçalves Duarte, Sari̇ye Duygu Durak, Haytham Elatfy

Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences

A diverse array of thalli, fruiting bodies, spores, and other fungal structures has been observed in palynological samples collected from the sedimentary sequence MJR-11, drilled in the Jangareddygudem area of the Chintalapudi subbasin, Andhra Pradesh, southern India. The sedimentary sequence is dated to the Kimmeridgian–early Albian, based on palynology. However, the focus of the present work is on the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian–early Albian). A well-developed and diverse fungal assemblage consistently occurred throughout most of the succession, together with predominant conifer pollen grains and highly diversified pteridophytic and bryophytic spores. Furthermore, the recorded palynomorphs suggest deposition under both continental and marine …

A Multifaceted Analysis Of The Genetic Origins, Growth, And Invasive Potential Of Introduced Floridian Sugarcane, Indy Hughes

Student Theses and Dissertations

Saccharum spontaneum L., wild sugarcane, is an aggressive invasive species, listed by the USDA as a Federal Noxious Weed (FNW). Despite this, S. spontaneum is used to create hardy, pest-resistant cultivars of domestic sugarcane. All cultivars have a small percentage of wild parentage, but the dosage is low to lessen the chance of inheriting undesirable traits. Saccharum spontaneum’s naturalized presence in Florida has been reported since 1993 and likely escaped from regulated sugarcane breeding facilities. The proximity of S. spontaneum populations to modern cultivars, grown intensively in the state, could potentially increase the risk of invasion. It is imperative to …

The Diamond, September 26, 2025, Dordt University

Dordt Diamond

• Front Page: Announcement of Future Construction Brings Mixed Emotions to Campus Community; Dordt Students React to Charlie Kirk's Assassination; Everything and Anything: A Look at the World of Dordt Fizz
• News: An Inside Look at the Atrium: Dining System Changes and Updates; Changes in Academic Calendar Lead to Reduced Finals Week; Gaming Guild Hosts Gaming Guild Olympics Throughout School Year; Retro & Roast Pop-Up; A Turning Point for Revival: Memorial Services Held for Charlie Kirk Across Nation and in Community; Adding Some Pizzazz to Performance Arts Center; Phishing for Trouble
• Feature: Faith, Family, and Farming: Another Fall …

The Inherent Values Of Observation And Description: A Case Study In The Spiny Solanums Of Australia, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

The basic exploratory effort of doing descriptive biology is an avenue by which we can deepen our knowledge about taxa and the natural phenomena that drive their diversification. As Conniff (2011) wrote in The species seekers, “we still live in the great age of discovery”, and much like that historically recognized period of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries there remains today a distinct need for the sort of work that might have been attributable to the naturalists of that time. The careful observation of how organisms go about their lives, including how they interact with one another …

Quality Improvement Project Enhancing Provider Education On Phq-9 Depression Screening To Improve Compliance, Obianuju Okafor

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide; however, screening in primary care remains inconsistent. Even though the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a validated screening tool, its use is often limited by insufficient provider training. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to evaluate the impact of structured provider education on PHQ-9 screening practices, with the purpose of improving provider knowledge, confidence, and adherence to screening guidelines in a primary care setting. Guided by Donabedian's Model of Quality Care and Lewin's Change Theory and implemented using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, the project used a one-group pre/post design at an outpatient …

Unraveling Crop Nitrogen-Water Dynamics With Hyperspectral-Thermal Sensing In Northern Central Valley, California, Shahryar Fazli, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Joshua B. Fisher, Rejoice Thomas, Fernando Romero Galvan, Gabriela Shirkey, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Ensuring global food security in the face of climate change requires optimizing crop water use and nutrient management. This study investigates the relationship between canopy nitrogen (N) and evapotranspiration (ET) across sunflower, rice, walnut, alfalfa, and plum crops using advanced remote sensing technologies. High-resolution hyperspectral data from NASAs Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and thermal multispectral data from the Landsat-based OpenET system were analyzed over 1,135 km² in California. Regression analysis revealed strong spatial association between canopy N and ET for sunflower (R² = 0.82), rice (R² = 0.71), and walnut (R² = 0.68), …

The Addition Of Chinese Herbal Medicines Is Effective As A Prophylactic Treatment Against Dental Diseases For Sjögren’S Syndrome Patients: Insight From Real-World Database, Ching-Ya Juan, Wei-Jen Chen, Hanoch Livneh, Ming-Chi Lu, Tzung-Yi Tsai

Leadership, Learning and Counseling Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background and Objectives:

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the salivary glands and increases the risk of developing dental diseases (DDs). Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) represent a promising alternative strategy for SS treatment; however, the association between CHMs and DD risk has not been confirmed. In this retrospective, cohort-based, nested case-control study, we explored whether or not combining CHMs with routine treatments for SS can reduce the chance of DDs.

Materials and Methods:

In the beginning, we recruited subjects aged 20–80 years with newly diagnosed SS who were free of DDs between 2001 and …

Caregiver Perspectives About Implementing Educational Goals For Children Of Incarcerated Parents In A Head Start Program, Alissa Jane Stark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is that caregivers of children with incarcerated parents inconsistently implement the mandated educational goals developed through the Head Start program. Grounded in Bowen’s family systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore caregiver’s perspectives on implementing Head Start Educational goals for children of incarcerated parents and their views on the resources or training needed to support these goals. For this case study, 12 former caregivers from a Head Start program in a women’s correctional facility in Oregon were interviewed. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed thematically with the …

Use Of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Academic Contexts

Academic Affairs Policies

This policy establishes guidance for the responsible, ethical, and transparent use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools at Georgia Southern University (University) including in teaching, learning, assessment, classroom activities, University community service, research, creative activity, scholarly communication, and administrative activities, while encouraging innovation, academic freedom, and appropriate autonomy while maintaining compliance with all data security and privacy regulations. This policy ensures that the University complies with Board of Regents (BOR) Policy 6.28 Artificial Intelligence in Academic Context; federal, state, and international laws; and industry standards and best practices.

“Who All Gon Be There”: The Relationship Between Racial Identity, Perceived Social Distance, And Anxiety Among People Of African Descent, Veronica R. Mixon

All ETDs from UAB

Mental health disparities among people of African descent are an important public health issue within the US. During COVID, between 2020 and 2021, anxiety symptoms among African American adults increased, which led to an overall increase in anxiety and depression rates (Vahratian et al., 2021; CDC, 2023). Despite this increase, only 39% of African Americans who experience mental health difficulties, receive treatment. The pandemic made it difficult for people to come together and there were heightened experiences of racial distress due to the events surrounding George Floyd. Prior research has shown that experiences of racism, isolation, and cultural disconnection have …

September 26, 2025 Minutes, Swosu Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Streptococcus Anginosus Of The Urogenital Tract: Evidence Of The Same Strain Across Anatomical Sites Of The Same Females, Helen Appleberry, Jennifer Garcia-Israel, Leah Boger, Swarnali Banerjee, Alan J. Wolfe, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background: Streptococcus anginosus has been found to colonize multiple anatomical sites of the human body, including the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, skin, vagina, blood, and urinary tract. It is frequently isolated from catheterized urine samples obtained from adult females most often with lower urinary tract symptoms, but also on occasion from those without symptoms. Our prior genome analysis of 166 S. anginosus genomes identified two distinct groups, one – which we here call group Urinae – exhibits a tropism for the urinary tract. Results: Here we sequenced 100 isolates collected from different urogenital sites, including isolates from urine (both catheterized …

Draft Genome Sequences Of Staphylococcus Hominis Strains O226 And O218 And Micrococcus Luteus O220 Isolated From The Buccal Swabs Of Healthy Individuals, Sandra Jablonska, Lila Nelson, Grace Finger, Alex Kula, Catherine Putonti

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

To investigate the genomic features of rare oral commensals in healthy individuals, we present the draft genome sequences of Staphylococcus hominis strains O226 and O218 and Micrococcus luteus strain O220. All three of these isolates were purified from buccal swab samples collected from healthy female participants.

Association Between Therapeutic Alliance And Clinical Outcomes In Virtual Telepsychiatry: A Retrospective Analysis Of Data From Talkiatry, Cheryl Person, Nathaniel David Phillips, Kartik Venkatachalam, Georgia Gaveras

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Given the increasing demand for accessible mental health services, fully virtual telepsychiatry has become a vital component of modern health care delivery. Therapeutic alliance, the collaborative and affective bond between patients and therapists, is a well-established predictor of clinical outcomes in traditional face-to-face and teletherapy. However, the relationship between therapeutic alliance and clinical outcomes in an outpatient telepsychiatry setting remains less understood.

Objective: Our primary objective was to evaluate the relationship between therapeutic alliance and clinical outcomes for depression and anxiety in an outpatient telepsychiatry practice.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from treatment-seeking adults receiving services from Talkiatry, …

Aging In Mice Alters Regionally Enriched Striatal Astrocytes, Kay E Linker, Violeta Duran-Laforet, Matthias Ollivier, Xinzhu Yu, Dorothy P Schafer, Baljit S Khakh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aging affects multiple organs and within the brain drives distinct molecular changes across different cell types. The striatum encodes motor behaviors that decline with age, but our understanding of how cells within the striatum change remains incomplete. Using single-cell RNA sequencing from young and aged mice we identify molecularly distinct astrocyte subtypes. We show that astrocytes change significantly with age, exhibiting downregulation of genes, reduced diversity, and a shift to more homogenous inflammatory transcriptomic profiles. By exploring where striatal astrocyte subtypes are located with single-cell resolution, we map astrocytes enriched in dorsal, medial, and ventral striatum. Age increases inflammatory marker …

Comparison Of Imaging Based Single-Cell Resolution Spatial Transcriptomics Profiling Platforms Using Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tumor Samples, Nejla Ozirmak Lermi, Max Molina Ayala, Sharia Hernandez, Wei Lu, Khaja Khan, Alejandra Serrano, Idania Lubo, Leticia Hamana, Katarzyna Tomczak, Sean Barnes, Jinzhuang Dou, Qingnan Liang, Rti Team, Maria Gabriela Raso, Ximing Tang, Mei Jiang, Beatriz Sanchez-Espiridion, Annikka Weissferdt, John Heymach, Jianjun Zhang, Boris Sepesi, Tina Cascone, Anne Tsao, Mehmet Altan, Reza Mehran, Don Gibbons, Ignacio Wistuba, Cara Haymaker, Ken Chen, Luisa M Solis Soto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Imaging-based spatial transcriptomics (ST) is evolving as a pivotal technology in studying tumor biology and associated microenvironments. However, the strengths of the commercially available ST platforms in studying spatial biology have not been systematically evaluated using rigorously controlled experiments. We use serial 5 μm sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma and pleural mesothelioma samples in tissue microarrays to compare the performance of the ST platforms (CosMx, MERFISH, and Xenium (uni/multi-modal)) in reference to bulk RNA sequencing, multiplex immunofluorescence, GeoMx, and hematoxylin and eosin staining data. In addition to an objective assessment of automatic cell segmentation and phenotyping, we …

Warpage-Resistant, Under-Extrusion-Free, High-Surface-Quality Additive Manufacturing Process For Polyethylene-Based Composite Radiation Shielding Material, Duo Xu, Volodymyr Korolovych, You Lyu, Jacqueline Aslarus, Domingo R. Flores-Hernandez, Simo Pajovic, William T. Heller, Lembit Sihver, Svetlana V. Boriskina

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

Polyethylene (PE) is one of the best shielding materials for primary space radiation due to its high hydrogen content. For effective secondary neutron shielding, boron-rich fillers are incorporated to enhance performance. The semicrystalline nature and high thermal expansion coefficient of PE impede its adoption for in situ additive manufacture in space via the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing. We developed an optimized PE blend to mitigate the effects of under-extrusion and warpage. Guided by studies on extrusion and warpage, we developed an optimal set of printing parameters for the proposed PE blend. The optimum PE blend─both in its pure …

The Level Of Awareness Of County Services In Maryland Offered By A Local Care Team To Youth With Developmental Disabilities And Mental Illness, Wanna Nedgie Dare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental and developmental health challenges remained a significant concern in one Maryland county. The Maryland Governor’s Office for Children (GOC) funds and supports the Local Care Team (LCT). Participation remains low, indicating a lack of community awareness. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness of LCT services and strategies to improve outreach, interagency coordination, and communication to increase service use. The research question was: What is the Level of Awareness of County Services in Maryland Offered by a Local Care Team to Youth with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness? Guided by the person-centered care (PCC) model, evidence …

Identifying The Big Questions In Paleontology: A Community-Driven Project, Tracy Aze

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Paleontology provides insights into the history of the planet, from the origins of life billions of years ago to the biotic changes of the Recent. The scope of paleontological research is as vast as it is varied, and the field is constantly evolving. In an effort to identify “Big Questions” in paleontology, experts from around the world came together to build a list of priority questions the field can address in the years ahead. The 89 questions presented herein (grouped within 11 themes) represent contributions from nearly 200 international scientists. These questions touch on common themes including biodiversity drivers and …

A Novel Self-Inhaled Nicotine Exposure System In Murine Models Reveals Age-Dependent Metabolic Effects Of Nicotine, Xu Xu, Hailan Liu, Meng Yu, Qingzhuo Liu, Yongxiang Li, Yue Deng, Yuxue Yang, Jingjing Cheng, Yutian Liu, Mengjie Wang, Xing Fang, Longlong Tu, Olivia Z Ginnard, Kristine M Mcdermott, Darah Threat, Fuhui Wang, Meixin Sun, Xinming Liu, Jiamin Qiu, Xi Wu, Jinjing Jian, Tong Zhou, Megan E Burt, Sanika V Jossy, Junying Han, Chunmei Wang, Yongjie Yang, Yong Xu, Yuhan Shi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Nicotine is known to influence metabolism and body weight, yet existing murine models of nicotine exposure often fail to replicate human smoking behaviors accurately. To address this gap, we designed a cost-effective, self-administered nicotine inhalation system that allows mice to voluntarily inhale nicotine vapor generated from e-liquid.

Results: Using this system, we investigated the metabolic effects of nicotine exposure in adult and adolescent mice. Adult mice exposed to nicotine vapor for 10 days exhibited significant weight loss, which was rapidly regained upon cessation, paralleling human smoking patterns. In contrast, adolescent mice did not lose weight during nicotine exposure but …

Distinct Intrinsic And Extrinsic Factors Differentially Regulate Skeletal Stem Cells In Calvaria Versus Long Bones During Bone Regeneration, Jea Solidum, Kohei Yamasaki, Youngjae Jeong, Laura Ortinau, Francisco Heralde, Dongsu Park

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Calvarial suture skeletal stem cells (Su-SSCs) are a distinct stem cell population for craniofacial bone formation by intramembranous ossification, compared to long bone periosteal SSCs (LB-PSSCs) with endochondral (osteochondrogenic) ossification. However, whether SSC intrinsic or extrinsic factors affect their differentiation process has not been well elucidated. Here, using an inducible Prx1-CreER-EGFP+/−;Rosa26-tdTomato mouse model, we observed that endogenous Prx1+ Su-SSCs and their orthotopic transplantation into calvarial injury do not form cartilage intermediates at the injury sites, while the transplantation of Prx1+ LB-PSSCs into LB injury induces osteochondrogenic differentiation, respectively. However, the heterotopic transplantation of Prx1+ Su-SSCs (Su-SSCs …

Dworf Gene Therapy Improves Cardiac Calcium Handling And Mitochondrial Function, Omar Brito-Estrada, Yasuhide Kuwabara, Aaron M Gibson, Keira R Hassel, Michael L Kamradt, Joseph P Verry, N Scott Blair, Michael J Bround, Jiuzhou Huo, Jeffery D Molkentin, Catherine A Makarewich

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Calcium (Ca2+) dysregulation is a hallmark of heart failure, impairing excitation-contraction coupling and contributing to pathological remodeling. The sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase isoform 2a (SERCA2a) mediates Ca2+ reuptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) during diastole, but its activity declines in failing hearts. DWORF (dwarf open reading frame), a newly identified cardiac microprotein, enhances SERCA2a activity and improves cardiomyocyte Ca2+ cycling and contractility. SR Ca2+ release also influences mitochondrial metabolism and ATP production. Here, we investigated whether DWORF overexpression improves SR Ca2+ handling, augments mitochondrial Ca2+ signaling, and protects against heart failure progression.

Methods: Transgenic and adeno-associated virus approaches were …

Aggrebots: Configuring Ciliabots Through Guided, Modular Tissue Aggregation, Dhruv Bhattaram, Kian Golestan, Xuanshuo Zhang, Shihong Yang, Zhuowei Gong, Steven L Brody, Amjad Horani, Victoria A Webster-Wood, Amir Barati Farimani, Xi Ren

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Ciliated biobots (CiliaBots) are engineered tissues capable of self-actuated propulsion via exterior motile cilia. While correlations have been observed between CiliaBot motility and morphology, direct control of morphological features to deliver desired motility outcomes remains unexplored. Here, we describe the engineering of aggregated CiliaBots (AggreBots) to augment control over CiliaBot structural parameters and, consequently, motility patterns through guided, modular aggregation of human airway epithelial spheroids [referred to as CiliaBot building blocks (CBBs)]. Multi-CBB aggregation generated rod-, triangle-, and diamond-shaped AggreBots, altering tissue geometry without sacrificing surface cilia density or inter-CBB boundary fidelity. The further introduction of

Lysosomal Lrrc8 Complex Impacts Lysosomal Ph, Morphology, And Systemic Glucose Metabolism, Ashutosh Kumar, Yonghui Zhao, Litao Xie, Rahul Chadda, John D Tranter, Ryan T Mikami, Nihil Abraham, Juan Hong, Ethan Feng, David R Rawnsley, Haiyan Liu, Gretchen Meyer, Abhinav Diwan, Rajan Sah, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The lysosome integrates anabolic signaling and nutrient sensing to regulate intracellular growth pathways. The leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 (LRRC8) channel complex forms a lysosomal anion channel and regulates PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling, skeletal muscle differentiation, growth, and systemic glucose metabolism. Here, we define the endogenous LRRC8 subunits localized to a subset of lysosomes in differentiated myotubes. We show that LRRC8A affects leucine-stimulated mTOR; lysosome size; number; pH; expression of lysosomal proteins LAMP2, P62, and LC3B; and lysosomal function. Mutating an LRRC8A lysosomal targeting dileucine motif sequence (LRRC8A-L706A;L707A) in myotubes recapitulates the abnormal AKT signaling and altered lysosomal morphology and pH observed in LRRC8A …