Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing The Sectra Educational Portal: Incorporating Resources Into An Integrated Medical Curriculum, Daniël Johannes Van Tonder, Dietrich Lorke

COM Scholarship

Introduction: In contemporary medical curricula, anatomy education frequently encounters fragmentation due to the reliance on disparate resources, including gross anatomy platforms, histology and pathology websites, radiological imaging repositories, and separate assessment tools. This cognitive switching can disrupt the learning flow and hinder the integration of micro- and macroscopic concepts. At Roseman University of Health Sciences (RUCOM), we aimed to centralize the student learning experience by utilizing the Sectra Educational Portal (SEP) not merely as a visualization tool but as a primary hub for asynchronous learning. This presentation outlines our workflow for embedding interactive H5P exercises and external histology repositories directly …

Resilience Shields And Grit Intensifies Subjective Cognitive Decline In Middle‐To‐Older Aged Black Americans, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Maria Clark, Obinna Odo, Yolanda L. Jackson, Candidus C. Nwakasi, Darlingtina K. Esiaka

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: There is growing interest on the relationship between psychosocial factors and cognitive health trajectories in adulthood. While grit and resilience have been shown to influence health outcomes, their differential effects on subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in Black American adults remain understudied. The purpose of this study is to help fill this gap.

Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional research design. Black American participants (N = 242; Mean age = 44.32) responded to a survey assessing SCD, grit, resilience, and sociodemographic factors. Linear regression analysis was performed to test the associations between grit and resilience and SCD, and to …

Fiber-Reinforced Composites For Vaginal Tissue Engineering Applications, Samyuktha S. Kolluru, Abir Hamdaoui, Annabella M. Mascot, Siobhan S. Sutcliffe, Jerry L. Lowder, Michelle L. Oyen, Samantha G. Zambuto

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The vagina is a fibromuscular tube-shaped organ that plays critical roles in menstruation, pregnancy, and female sexual health. Vaginal tissue constituents, including cells and extracellular matrix components, contribute to tissue structure, function, and prevention of injury and pathology. However, much microstructural function remains unknown, including how the fiber-cell and cell–cell interactions influence macromechanical properties. A deeper understanding of these interactions will provide critical information needed to reduce and prevent vaginal pathologies. Our objective for this work is to design a novel tissue-mimicking biomaterial for vaginal tissue engineering, and characterize its biological and mechanical performance in the vaginal microenvironment. We successfully …

Ovipositional Behavior Of The Twig Girdler (Cerambycidae: Oncideres Cingulata) On Stems Of Mockernut Hickory (Carya Tomentosa) In Arkansas, R. Tumlison, L. Serviss

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Twig Girdler (Cerambycidae: Oncideres cingulata) is a long-horned beetle that girdles stems of certain species of trees to prepare a habitat for its offspring. The stems eventually die, break, and fall from the tree, but the beetle usually had already laid its eggs within the stems. Eggs are laid singly, almost always at growth rings or leaf bases. Because the space for the young to develop is finite, laying too many eggs could cause reproductive failure and too few eggs would be suboptimal. We hypothesized that the female laying eggs should be able to evaluate the stem and …

Outdoor Recreation And Well-Being: The Effects Of Outdoor Activity From A Positive Psychology Approach, Sophia Watson

Honors Program Theses

Outdoor recreation has been associated with increased well-being in past literature (et al., 2018). This study focuses on well-being from a positive psychology perspective (i.e., flourishing, fulfillment, life satisfaction, etc.). Spending time in nature may increase well-being, due to its sensory properties which reduce stress and rumination (Kaplan, 1995). Physical activity may also be important for well-being due to its health benefits, neurotransmitter release, opportunities for socialization, and increasing self-confidence (Parlakyıldız, 2025). I investigated whether there was correlation between outdoor recreation and well-being and if so, whether it differed depending on the location of the activity and the physical activity …

Taking Up Space: A Love Letter To Healing, Heartbreak, And Hairspray, Hailee Amerson

Honors Program Theses

An Honors Thesis disguised as a one-woman show, "Taking Up Space: A Love Letter to Healing, Heartbreak, and Hairspray" is a cabaret revue-style performance. Through original monologues, and songs from the musical theatre canon, this cabaret takes audiences through where plus-size women fit (or do not fit) in the theatre industry. The piece takes a sociological perspective, beginning with the history of beauty and health standards, while asking audiences to confront their own views on what it means to be "fat". Interspersed through the show is my own story of growing up fat in an industry where thin is “in”, …

The Hollow Parent: A Philosophical Capabilities-Based Care Ethics Critique Of The U.S. Foster Care System, Lindsey E. Scanlan

Honors Program Theses

This thesis argues that the U.S. foster care system systematically undermines transition-age youth by failing to secure the capabilities required for genuine independence and a life of basic human dignity, particularly through aging-out policies that terminate support before these capabilities are fully developed. Using Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities approach as a normative foundation, it integrates classical American pragmatism (Jane Addams, John Dewey) and Maurice Hamington's contemporary care ethics to construct a context-sensitive framework for evaluating and reforming foster care. Pragmatism grounds normative assessment in lived experience and institutional context, while care ethics provides a relational account of moral practice structured around …

Trade-Offs In Sustainable Building Design: A Visual Study Of Daylighting, Quality Viewpoints And Energy Efficiency, Paula Cabanas

Honors Program Theses

This thesis explores the trade-offs between daylighting, quality viewpoints, and energy efficiency in sustainable architectural design. The initial goal of the project was to determine if there was a single building design that would optimize the trade-offs between these three design elements. Three buildings on the Rollins College campus were selected as case study sites for detailed analysis (Bush Science Center, Kathleen W. Rollins Hall, and the Rice Family Pavilion). Rollins College was chosen as the primary location for this study because of its accessible public buildings and consistent Mediterranean revival architectural style. Analysis of each building’s design and composition …

Biochemical Investigations Of F420-Dependent Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase From Cryptosporangium Arvum, Sarah T. Al-Noubani

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

F₄₂₀-dependent glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (FGD) catalyzes the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to 6-phosphogluconolactone using the deazaflavin, Cofactor F₄₂₀. FGD from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been investigated due to its health relevance to prodrug activation. More recently, FGD from Cryptosporangium arvum (Cryar- FGD) has been investigated due to its broader substrate specificity toward multiple sugar phosphates. Kinetic and NMR studies have shown that Cryar-FGD has dual catalytic activity as a dehydrogenase and isomerase. Further investigations are being conducted on Cryar-FGD to characterize key residues involved in catalysis.

To investigate the catalytically active residues of Cryar-FGD, …

Who Are The Sons Of God And Nephilim In Genesis 6?: An Exegetical, Theological, And Scientific Evaluation, Samuel Ken-En Gan

The Journal of Inductive Biblical Studies

Scholars debate the meaning of bene ha-elohim and Nephilim in Gen 6:1–4, interpreting the former as either spiritual or human, and the latter as giants or hybrids. Using historical exegesis, linguistic analysis, and genetic insights, this study concludes “sons of God” in Gen 6 refers specifically to humans, aligning with the biblical creation mandate of “kind after kind.” Although elsewhere the term may denote spiritual beings, this paper argues for a context-specific human interpretation in Gen 6, while acknowledging the broader biblical usage covering both angels and humans.

Identify Bridge Design Guidelines For Wildlife Crossings, Jon Padfield, Kyle Squillace

JTRP Technical Reports

Annual vehicle miles driven in the United States doubled, from 1.6 trillion to 3.2 trillion in the 40 years between 1983 and 2023. Unfortunately, one side effect of the increase in vehicle miles driven has been the prevalence of Animal-Vehicle Collisions (AVCs).

As early as 1975, efforts began in some Western states to create safe animal passages such as the wildlife overpass over I-15 in Beaver, Utah. Wildlife passages increased in popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, but they were mainly being designed and constructed in the Western United States.

Today, there is increasing and broader interest in safe …

Las Pintas Inverview Project 2026, Beth Gulley, Luzma Alvarez, Lacey Andrews, Damien Duncan, Mariah Garman, Brenda Lofton, Alyssa Roland, Hero Sanner, Asja Thompson, Athena Gonzalez, Lee Martin, Samantha Miller, Lucy Sas

The Las Pintas Collection

Acknowledgements

Dear Reader,

This collection is the result of JCCC students’ efforts to reflect on the college’s decades long relationship with Centro Integral Comunitario (CIC) in Las Pintas, Mexico. Before they left on the trip, each student interviewed someone from JCCC who had traveled with the college to Las Pintas in the past. The first section of this book includes what students learned from their pre-departure interviews.

In the second part of this book, students wrote about what they learned from interviewing people who they met in Las Pintas. While these interviews were conducted in Spanish, the students wrote their …

From Reactionary To Anticipatory Integrated Action: Novel Environmental Health Surveillance For Mass Gatherings, Benjamin J. Ryan, Michael Donahoo, Danielle Esler, Paul Barach, Benjamin Coghlan, Shelby Garner, Laura M. Langan, John Piispanen, Bryan W. Brooks

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Advances in AI-driven analytics, human-in-the loop techniques, and wastewater monitoring provide the foundation needed to shift from reactive to anticipatory actions for mass gatherings. Traditional surveillance systems focus on clinical and laboratory-based notification pathways, which often result in tardy actions being implemented. Thus, traditional surveillance is becoming outdated. Mass gatherings pose heightened public health risks and hazards, including trauma; injury and substance misuse; deliberate poisoning; and infectious diseases such as food and waterborne illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and respiratory diseases. There is also a heightened concern due to reduced vaccination coverage. As a result, future international events such as the …

The Study Of Nicotine In Commercial Smoking Products, Alexis Terrazas

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Nicotine has been known to be in different tobacco products, however in one of the research experiments, we were not able to find it's presence. Bringing about the question, "where did it go?" In this experiment we are looking to find the presence of nicotine in different commercial smoking products. The result of this research will hopefully better inform the cigarette consumers, especially the youth, on their smoking decisions.

The Genetic Role Of Tmem127 In Pheochromocytoma, Samantha Stepanik

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Pheochromocytoma are rare neuroendocrine tumor of chromaffin cells found in the adrenal medulla; tumors are highly heterogeneous, varying in anatomic location, genetic context, symptomatology, biochemical profile, and metastatic potential. Approximately 30% of pheochromocytoma have a hereditary genetic basis; analysis and classification of pathogenic variants is essential for understanding phenotypic presentation for familial risk assessment and appropriate clinical intervention. Curative treatment for malignant pheochromocytoma does not yet exist; pharmacological intervention is beneficial for symptom management. Pheochromocytoma are categorized into distinct clusters according to underlying genetic alteration, each with unique transcriptional and functional profiles. Cluster 2 includes pathogenic genetic variants involved with …

Myelink: A Potential Design To Treat Mld, Andrew Peet

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

After a great deal of research, I have designed a potential tissue to combat the affects of Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) called Myelink. This tissue would be directly attached to the brainstem via internal implantation. In a similar style to a glucose monitor/pump it will secrete cells periodically (rather than insulin) directly into the blood stream on the upper spinal cord right outside the brain. This secretion would be developed based on the patient's fine and gross motor ability and decline, so that when a patient showed signs of neurodegeneration, the tissue would secrete specialized cells for a period of time. …

From Skeleton To Name: Profiling Cold Cases, Eddily Caridad Polanco

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

This research examines how forensic investigators use skeletal remains to develop a biological profile that aids in identifying unknown individuals and advancing cold case investigations. A biological profile includes estimated sex, age-at-death, stature, and ancestry, which provide critical information that helps narrow potential matches among missing persons. This project will explore the forensic anthropology methos used to analyze skeletal indicators, estimate post-mortem intervals (PMI), and identify distinguishing skeletal traits. It will also examine the role of DNA recovery from bones and teeth, including how modern genetic comparison methods can confirm identity when traditional identification is not possible. In addition, the …

Discovering Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Jaelyn Holt

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a rare disorder where inappropriate activation of mast cells causes an allergic inflammatory reaction. This project examined the immunological aspect of MCAS, clinical manifestations, current diagnostic approaches, therapies, and future directions for research. MCAS is recognized as a distinct clinical entity identified by inappropriate or excessive activation of mast cells, rather than increased cell proliferation. Mast cells are an important in the innate immune system and play a role in immune system responses such as allergic reactions, tissue repair, neuroimmune signaling, and the elimination of bacteria. Mast cell hyperactivation leads to the release of …

Viral Ecology Of Mid-Atlantic Ridge Vents, Kylie O'Keefe

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Viruses are abundant biological entities that influence microbial population dynamics, evolution, and biogeochemical cycling through infection, cell lysis, and gene transfer. Viruses remain understudied in deep-sea environments characterized by extreme conditions that limit survival to specialized microorganisms. This study investigates viral diversity, distribution, and functional potential at hydrothermal vent ecosystems along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Viral and microbial communities were sampled from three vent sites - Puy des Folles, EMARK, and Hydra - ranging in depth from 1,100 to 4,000 meters. Metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatic analysis were used to identify viral taxonomy and identify auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) encoded within viral …

Playing The Man: The Age Old Struggle To Get Ahead, Emily Patenaude

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Lisa Gottlieb's Just One of the Guys is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. It is a modern take on the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a young man to get a job. Each of their journeys is quite different, but they drive home the same point that sometimes, to get ahead in life, you just need to be a man. Interestingly enough, though Twelfth Night was likely written in 1601-1602, it has a more modern take on the fluidity of sexuality and gender identity than the movie produced in 1985. I find it quite …

From Transducer To Force Field: A Validated Simulation-Inference Pipeline For Lipus Mechanobiology, Davis Bone

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Quantifying the mechanical forces that drive cell motility under acoustic stimulation requires linking physically defined pressure fields to measurable cell behavior. We present a computational framework coupling k-Wave acoustic simulation to Underdamped Langevin Inference (ULI) to recover radiation force fields from synthetic cell trajectories. Two geometries – a 12-well plate and a microscope slide – were simulated at 1 MHz using 1, 2, 4, and 8 transducer elements with uniform, Gaussian-apodized, 5°/10°/15° beam-steered, and randomized-amplitude configurations (132 total simulations). For each acoustic field, 48 synthetic cells were propagated via the underdamped Langevin equation for 50 seconds and submitted to ULI …

Study Of Chemical Compounds In Herbal Cigarettes, Connor Woitalla

Student Research Design & Innovation Symposium

Herbal cigarettes are tobacco-free and nicotine-free and made from a blend of several herbs rather than tobacco. Currently, due to several reasons, especially their natural ingredients and a limited number of research studies on herbal cigarettes, this type of smoking product is perceived to be less harmful than other tobacco products and has gained its popularity dramatically. Therefore, our research study aims at providing some insights on the chemistry aspect of the herbal cigarettes before and after smoking using Infrared and Mass Spectrometry. The effects of smoking herbal cigarettes on the smoker's health will be also studied. The result of …

Comparison Of The Biodiversity Of Culturable Yeast From Four Different Habitats, Frank V. Addeo

All Master's Theses

Yeasts are ubiquitous unicellular fungi that play critical roles in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and fermentation processes across diverse ecosystems. Despite their ecological and biotechnological importance, the diversity and distribution of wild yeast populations in many temperate regions remain poorly characterized. This study evaluated how classifier thresholds influence species assignment and functional inference from internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) Sanger sequences of cultured yeasts collected from diverse habitats in central Washington. The project aimed to assess the stability of taxonomic calls across classifier settings and to illustrate how methodological decisions shape downstream ecological conclusions. Samples from each habitat were enriched under …

University Of Richmond Magazine - Spring 2026

University of Richmond Magazine

No abstract provided.

Children And Adults Across 15 Countries Believe In Human Uniqueness Of Mind: A Cross-Cultural Investigation Of Cross-Species Mind Perception, Karri Neldner, Luke Maurits, Magie Junker, Lara Abbas, Nayrouz Abbas, Arianna Abis, Federica Amici, Bernardo Arroyo-Garcia, Negar Asghari, Giovanna Barragán Pardo, Zhen Zhang, Junior Peña Chumacero, Ardain Dzabatou, Dustin Eirdosh, Susan Hanisch, Tom Herrnsdorf, Tom Hovehne, Alicia Junker, Patricia Kanngiesser, Felipe Villa Larens, Safaa Mahmoud, Sandra Masaquiza, Iino Masato, Risma Illa Maulany, Tongtong Meng, Kardelen Mutlu, Putu Oka Ngakan, Ebru Peközer, Ljubica Petrović, Mirella Christy Rehatalanit

School of Psychology

The way humans relate to other animals is fundamentally shaped by whether we perceive ourselves as unique, with feelings and thoughts not shared by other animals. How beliefs about animals’ ability to feel and think develop across cultures remains largely unexplored. We asked children and adolescents (4–17 years, N = 1025) and adults (N = 190) from 33 urban and rural communities across 15 countries whether animals have thoughts or feelings (judgments of presence), and whether those thoughts or feelings are human-like (judgments of similarity). Bayesian analyses revealed that participants generally ascribed non-human animals the ability for thoughts and feelings. …

Promise, Progress, Or Posturing? India And The Intellectual Property Chapter In The United Kingdom-India Comprehensive Economic And Trade Agreement, Pratyush Nath Upreti, Virender Chandel

Fordham International Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Oil Palm (Elaeis Guineensis) Leaf Extract-Mediated Green Synthesis Of Tio2 Nanoparticles And Their Optical Characteristics, Nofrijon Sofyan, Andriayani, Yetria Rilda, Fiona Angellinnov, Mouna M'Rad, Muhammad, Aga Ridhova, Akhmad Herman Yuwono, Donanta Dhaneswara

Baghdad Science Journal

This work aims to explore the characteristics of TiO2 NPs green-synthesized via an environmentally friendly method using oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) leaf extract as a green medium and capping agent by utilizing titanium tetra isopropoxide (TTIP) as precursor. The oil palm leaves were extracted with different solvent concentration variations. The natural extract was characterized using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) and infrared spectroscopy for active chemical contents and functional groups. The obtained TiO2 NPs were also characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for the functional groups, ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV-DRS) for the optical characteristics, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) for the phase …

The Rna-Binding Protein Pumilio Limits Polymodal Noiception In Drosophila Larvae, Sara Palega, Hannah Davenport, Rebeccah K. Stewart, Jessica Horton, Andrew Bellemer

Microbiology & Molecular Cell Biology Faculty Publications

Nociception is the process by which the nervous system detects and processes information about potentially harmful environmental stimuli to generate behavioral and physiological responses. The process of nociception undergoes plasticity in response to injury, inflammation, and infection to shape the sensitivity of nociceptive circuits and the behavioral responses they control. We are increasingly aware that post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression shapes the sensitivity and plasticity of nociceptive sensory neurons and nociceptive behavior. In Drosophila, the Pumilio RNA-binding protein interacts with diverse target mRNAs to regulate their abundance and translation in a wide range of contexts including the establishment of …

Assessing The Scope Of Knowledge And Decision-Making Patterns Regarding Healthy Eating During Pregnancy In Pregnant Female Adults In Southern California, Raegan Soffel

Loma Linda University Research Reports

While recognizing the link between prenatal nutrition and maternal-fetal health, this investigator-initiated study seeks to identify pregnant women's understanding of prenatal nutrition guidelines and the influences on their dietary choices. Thirty-eight eligible women completed an online, anonymous surveying assessing the scope of knowledge and decision-making patterns of healthy eating during pregnancy. The average knowledge score among the participants was 6.05/14. There was no significant difference in the knowledge scores among pregnancy periods or among total number of pregnancies. Perceptions of nutrition guidance in prenatal care, factors influencing eating behaviors, and primary sources of nutrition information were explored. The findings may …

Dan Subotnik—Three Encounters And One Strong Memory, Honorable Robert S. French

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.