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Evaluation Of A High Protein Low Oligosaccharide Soybean Meal In Poultry Production, Kasey Matusik

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of feeding a high protein, low oligosaccharide soybean meal to optimize poultry nutrition by the effects of feeding the soybean meal to roosters, broiler chickens, and turkeys. Two research objectives were evaluated to determine whether high protein, low oligosaccharide soybean meal would have increased nutritional value. The first objective assessed the metabolizable energy (ME) content of a high protein, low oligosaccharide soybean meal compared to a conventional soybean meal. Using roosters, broiler chickens, and turkey poults, three bioassays were conducted to evaluate the ME of the soybean meal. Results demonstrated …

Advancing Dimensional Models Of Psychopathology In Cancer: Insights From Applying The Hierarchical Taxonomy Of Psychopathology (Hitop), Darren Haywood, Jai Carmichael, Miriam K. Forbes, Roman Kotov, Robert F. Krueger, Aidan G.C. Wright, Susan L. Rossell, David Castle, Wendy Lam, Maryam Lustberg, Colin E. Vize, Anna Ugalde, Phyllis Butow, Nicolas H. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: Cancer survivors, defined as those living with or beyond a cancer diagnosis, experience more than double the prevalence of psychopathology when compared to the general population. Categorical diagnostic systems, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), remain dominant in psycho-oncology despite concerns about reliability, validity, and clinical utility for this population. Dimensional frameworks, such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP), offer a more precise alternative; however, they have not yet been widely applied in cancer survivors. Accordingly, the objective of this research was to examine the applicability of HiTOP to cancer survivors. Methods: Data …

Artificial Intelligence Based Predictive Simulation And Decision-Support Framework For Full Scale Wastewater Treatment Systems, Muhammad Hassnain, Cameron Veal, Sarada M.W. Lee, Muhammad Rizwan Azhar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Full scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) generate extensive sensor and laboratory datasets that remain challenging to translate into real-time operational insight, while increasing hydraulic variability, energy constraints, tightening effluent regulations, and events such as sensor faults, hydraulic shocks, and effluent-quality excursions require predictive decision-support tools beyond conventional mechanistic modelling. This study presents a full-scale, industry-deployed artificial intelligence (AI) framework integrating machine learning (ML), simulation, and operational boundary definition across a nitrogen-removal WWTP in Australia. Up to nine years of high-frequency online instrumentation data (≤419,000 records per target; 5–30 min resolution) and ~3000 laboratory samples were used to train and evaluate …

Neuroprotective Effects Of Sorghum Polyphenol In Alzheimer’S Disease: In Vitro And In Silico Analyses, Rasheed A. Abdulraheem, Ralph N. Martins, Rajapandiyan Krishnamoorthy, Mohammad A. Alshuniaber, Prashant Bharadwaj, Zhaoyu Li, Ranil Coorey, Vijay Jayasena, Stuart K. Johnson, W. M.A.D.Binosha Fernando

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/Objective: Accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) senile plaques in the human brain is a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which manifests as progressive decline in memory and cognitive functions and currently lacks effective disease-modifying therapies. Emerging evidence demonstrates that polyphenol-rich plant foods are potential complementary therapies for AD. Methods: In this study, we investigated crude polyphenol extracts (CPEs) and purified polyphenol extracts (PPEs) from three sorghum genotypes for their ability to inhibit Aβ42-induced toxicity in MC-65 cells. Thioflavin T fluorescence, cell viability, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress assays, and Western blotting, along with RNA sequencing and computational analyses, were used to …

Gold & Blue, Summer 2026, St. Mary's University - San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Summer 2026 edition of Gold & Blue, which is St. Mary’s University's official alumni magazine.

Investigation Into Molecular Bases Of Pregnancy-Associated Malaria, Nicole Pozo

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Plasmodium falciparum causes the most severe and deadly form of malaria and remains a major global health problem, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (Milner, 2018). The parasite infects and multiplies inside red blood cells, leading to fever, anemia, organ damage, and death if untreated (Milner, 2018; Song et al., 2022). It is especially dangerous because it avoids the immune system by changing surface proteins called Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1), which are encoded by more than 60 var genes. By switching between these genes, the parasite hides from immune detection and creates repeated waves of infection (Deitsch & Dzikowski, …

King Arthur And The Sword In The Stone: A Medieval Latin Account, Christopher Berard, Morris Tichenor

Humanities Program Faculty Publications

How did King Arthur draw the sword from the stone and claim the throne of Britain? Here we present a translation of a medieval Latin account recounting this famous episode, along with Arthur’s victories, conquests and final battle.

The Impact Of Perceived Sustainable Design Characteristics On Enhancing Well-Being In Residential Environments: An Empirical Study, Zainab Ibrahim Abass

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Creating a sustainable living environment is crucial to improving well-being and reducing stress among urban populations, particularly through architecture, urban planning, and public health research. The growing importance of environmental sustainability for human health is limited by current empirical research on the impact of sustainable housing on well-being, due to insufficient conceptualisation and assessment of the perceived attributes of the residential environment. This study aims to examine the potential impact of perceived sustainable design characteristics on well-being using both quantitative and qualitative indicators to establish criteria for examining residents' views on sustainability attributes. Data were collected from high-density housing areas …

Posthuman Architecture And The Machine: A Theoretical Approach To The Impacts Of Artificial Intelligence On Architecture, Waleed Joudah Nassar Alsaadi, Ibrahim Jawad Kadhim Al-Yousif

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Posthumanist philosophy shifts the focus away from independent, human-centred thinking toward diverse, pluralistic modes of knowledge. It adopts the idea that human agency is interconnected with a broad network of other actors, such as contemporary intelligent machines, most prominently embodied in artificial intelligence. This research discusses the relationship and interconnection between architecture in its posthuman form and technology, selecting artificial intelligence as a model of this technology, as it represents the most significant technical and intellectual revolution at present. The study examines posthumanism as a radical theoretical model that seeks to transcend the limitations of human thought and anthropocentrism. The …

The Impact Of Thermal Insulation On Carbon Emissions Assessment: A Comparison Between Vernacular And 3d-Printed Buildings In Hot And Arid Climates, Yahya Khalid Jubear, Yahya Ibraheem

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

This study explores the environmental performance of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) walls integrated with thermal insulation materials, compared with conventional walls constructed from local clay bricks, in the hot-dry climate of Baghdad, Iraq. Despite global advancements in additive manufacturing technologies, local research remains limited—particularly regarding the impact of thermal insulation on the operational carbon emissions of printed buildings. The study aims to evaluate the differences in emissions between traditional and 3D-printed walls using various insulation types, based on the hypothesis that insulated printed walls offer superior environmental performance. Six wall configurations were analysed using energy modelling tools (DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus), including …

Urban Stigmergy: A Traceability Approach Towards The Development Of Baghdad, Nada Abdulmueen Hasan, Shireen K. Zedan

Iraqi Journal of Architecture and Planning

Interdisciplinary urban research has pointed to finite attempts to the fact apply and develop stigmergic approaches the concept has not gained widespread acceptance in the field of urban design despite paving the way for significant opportunities and possibilities for city development, thus the research framework represent the concept of stigmergy within a specific approach to traceability impact which stimulates stigmergic behavior in the urban environment, and results in the generation of a set of urban development mechanisms the research objective focuses on exploring the mechanisms of the traceability approach within urban stigmergy scenarios and their role in the development of …

Standardization Of Objectives And Response Criteria For Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy In Resectable Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Head And Neck, Carlo Resteghini, Athanassios Argiris, Pierre Blanchard, Irene Braña, Anna Maria Camarda, Anthony T. C. Chan, Robert Ferris, Vincent Gregoire, Kevin J. Harrington, Ingeborg Tinhofer, Senada Koljenović, Nancy Y. Lee, C. René Leemans, Jean-Pascal Machiels, Hisham Mehanna, Robert Metcalf, Brian O'Sullivan, Sjoukje Oosting, Ester Orlandi, Vinidh Paleri, Amanda Psyrri, Nabil F F. Saba, Sandra Schmitz, Christian Simon, Makoto Tahara, Vincent Vander Poorten, Milan Vošmik, Paolo Bossi

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

The management of locally-advanced, resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is undergoing a major shift driven by the integration of neoadjuvant immunotherapy (nIO). The rationale for nIO lies in its administration within an immunologically active, treatment-naïve microenvironment that enhances immune priming and anti-tumor response. Despite encouraging clinical data, including the pivotal KEYNOTE-689 trial and multiple phase II studies, methodological heterogeneity in trial design, endpoint definitions, and response criteria currently hampers data comparability and the establishment of new standards of care. This expert narrative review proposes a structured framework for standardizing clinical, pathologic, imaging, and translational endpoints in HNSCC …

Budget Fy 2026 - 2027, Swosu Administration

SWOSU Fiscal Year Budgets

No abstract provided.

Interpretable Machine Learning Of Plasma Proteomics Reveals Stage-Specific Signatures Across The Alzheimer's Disease Continuum, Hemshankar Laugi

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

Alzheimer’s pathology begins years before clinical symptoms, starting early with amyloid-β accumulation, followed by tau deposition and neurodegeneration. Although existing tools, such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) screening and PET/MRI imaging, can accurately track disease progression, they are invasive, expensive, and not scalable for population-level screening. So, there is a growing interest in using blood-based plasma biomarkers as a scalable alternative. While recent studies demonstrate strong predictive performance with plasma biomarkers, most rely on a small set of canonical blood-based protein biomarkers such as amyloid-β, p-tau, and neurofilament light. These biomarkers primarily reflect downstream brain pathology and may fail to capture …

Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy For Hepatocellular Carcinoma Is Associated With Improved Survival After Hepatectomy: A Matched Analysis Of The 2017 To 2022 National Cancer Database, Lawrence Chiang, Adam Bodzin, Daniel Lin, Nader Hanna, Scott Koeneman, Hien Dang, Charles J. Yeo, Christopher Shubert, R. Zheng

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Background: Effects of neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NIT) before liver resection are not well-described in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Survival and R0 resection rates in HCC patients undergoing curative-intent resection with or without NIT were evaluated.

Methods: A retrospective study of stage I-III HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy from the 2017–2022 National Cancer Database was performed. Patients receiving NIT were exactly matched 1:3 to non-NIT patients by clinical stage. Primary outcomes were margin positivity, 30- and 90-day mortality, and overall survival.

Results: After matching 510 patients, 97 received NIT and 291 did not (non-NIT). Resections included segmental (178, 45.9%), lobar (149, 38.4%), and extended …

Two Years Of Ocrelizumab Treatment In Black And Hispanic People With Multiple Sclerosis In Chimes: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial, Lilyana Amezcua, Anthony Reder, Evanthia Bernitsas, Nancy Monson, Timothy Vartanian, Gregory Wu, Mansoor Saleh, Annette Okai, Ahmed Obeidat, Dilraj Sokhi

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ocrelizumab in self-identified black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Methods The Characterization of Ocrelizumab in Minorities with Multiple Sclerosis (CHIMES) trial, a prospective, open-label, single-arm, phase 4 study, intentionally recruited underrepresented populations in the US, Puerto Rico, and Kenya. Black and Hispanic people with relapsing multiple sclerosis aged 18–65 years with Expanded Disability Status Scale score 0–5.5 received ocrelizumab for 2 years. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with no evidence of disease activity in 3 components at week 48: protocol-defined relapse, 24-week confirmed disability progression, and disease …

Long-Term Outcomes And Symptom Response Following Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy For Intracranial Meningioma, Ryan Shah, Bs, Nilanjan Haldar, Shray Jain, Lauren Holt, Sophia Shah, Hamail Iqbal, Anthony Chen, Christopher J. Farrell, Debanjan Haldar, James J. Evans, Gregory S. Alexander, Wenyin Shi

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

Objective: Various radiation dosing regimens exist due to tumor size, location, and patient preference. This study evaluated the long-term outcomes of patients with benign meningiomas treated with hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT)at our institution.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with meningioma at our institution who received hypofractionated SRT (5 fractions). Clinical data, including tumor location, size, prior treatments, demographics, radiation dosimetric information, tumor response, and survival were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to assess local control (LC). Acute and late toxicities were evaluated. Patients were included for analysis if they had at least one post-treatment magnetic …

Evolution, Structuration Theory, And New Research On Free Will, James Lull

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Classic structuration theory explains how social actors use their personal and collective agency to contend with the structural forces they encounter in everyday life. The antonimous interface between structure and agency is analyzed from an evolutionary communication perspective as it applies to structuration theory generally and to media audiences specifically. The explanatory power of structuration theory is then reconsidered in light of new research on an eternally profound question: Is the power of human agency restricted, if not entirely eliminated, by a lack of free will that can be exercised in human endeavors? Although the nature of structural influence is …

Exploring Primary Care Providers’ Compassionate Care And Their Evidence-Based Practice With Death, Grief, And Loss: Patient Experience And Perspective, Kathryn Krzykala

Dissertations

Research on primary care providers’ (PCPs) education regarding Death, Grief, and Loss (DGL) remains limited. Specifically, data is lacking regarding patients' perceptions and opinions on what they need and expect from their PCPs regarding grief and loss. This exploratory mixed-method study comprised 146 participants who had experienced death and non-death loss. It examined participants' perceptions of 1) PCP compassion, 2) PCP utilization of evidence-based grief and loss practices, 3) their own level of comfort discussing DGL with their PCPs during medical visits, and 4) their personal grief and loss experiences. The findings revealed that PCPs' grief-informed evidence-based treatment, as reflected …

Understanding Chronic Bodily Pain Across Multisystemic Illnesses: A Comparative Analysis Using Exploratory Factor Analysis And Invariance Testing, Suvetha Ravichandran

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Chronic pain is a debilitating symptom that often remains under-researched and poorly treated, particularly for those with multisystemic conditions. This study explored the shared and distinct experiences of chronic bodily pain across four multisystemic illnesses: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS), and Long COVID. Comparative exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and invariance testing were used to examine commonalities and differences in underlying pain experiences for those with the above diagnoses as well as healthy controls based on their responses to pain items from the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire-1 (DSQ-1). A total of 3,724 participants were included: 2,403 …

Analysis Of Clinical Health Worker Notes With Explainable Artificial Intelligence For A Better Perspective In Preventing Readmission, Christopher Scott Klimp

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Emergency Department (ED) readmissions remain a major challenge for healthcare systems, affecting both patient care quality and financial costs. Most prediction models depend largely on structured data from clinical tools that assign points to a small set of predefined factors – such as comorbidities, previous hospital visits, and behaviors such as smoking and drinking – and then sum those points to produce an overall risk score. These point-based tools leave out important information from Social Determinants of Health and a wealth of information from Community Health Workers (Community health workers (CHWs), trusted members of a community who help connect people …

Supplementing Middle School Students’ Science Education With A Unit Design That Incorporates Outdoor, Nature-Based Programming, Tasha Sopp

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This project seeks to address the research question: how to develop a standards-aligned, nature-based field trip program that promotes authentic scientific inquiry for middle school students and supplements their learning? This project consists of a five-week ecology unit designed for 7th grade students that incorporates a nature-based field trip component as an anchoring phenomenon. Key influences of the curriculum from the literature review include the integration of inquiry-based instruction alongside the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), three-dimensions of science learning, and influences of nature-based, place-based programming throughout the unit and within the field trip component. Research suggests that hands-on, explorative, …

Increasing Engagement Among Reluctant Learners: The Impact Of A High Interest Ela Media Analysis Unit In Secondary Classrooms, Anab Muqtar

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

In the world of secondary education, figuring out how to engage our most reluctant students is one of the most difficult lessons for an early career educator to learn. This struggle during my early years of teaching prompted this capstone’s curricular focus. This capstone project sought to answer the following research question: How can a high interest ELA media analysis curricular unit impact the engagement of reluctant learners in a secondary grade level ELA course? Research found that through incredibly intentional curricular design, teachers can engage our most struggling students. Reconnecting students with their purpose for learning and teaching them …

Finding The Confidence To Speak: Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety In Secondary English Students, Nickolas Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Public speaking is an essential academic, professional, and civic skill, yet many secondary students experience anxiety when asked to speak in front of peers and when assigned a presentation. This capstone project explored the question: How can secondary English language arts teachers develop methods to decrease anxiety around students who struggle with public speaking? The end result of this project is a Google Site resource guide that is designed for secondary English language arts teachers. The site provides background information on public speaking anxiety in the classroom, a bank of low-stakes speaking activities that can be used independently or in …

Effective And Appropriate Reading Interventions For Upper Elementary Students, Casey Orr

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

With more students falling behind in their reading skill development, and staying behind as they continue into older grades, this project was created to answer the question; what reading interventions are most appropriate and effective for upper elementary students? Recently, reading instruction has shifted to follow the body of research known as the science of reading. Much of the literature surrounding this topic centers around students in kindergarten through second grade, leaving teachers and reading specialists of upper elementary students without the same information or support for their students. This project reviews the existing literature on the history of reading …

Teaching Environmental Justice In Middle School: A Unit Plan For Middle School, Aiesha Osman

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

This capstone project focuses on the different environmental justice challenges faced by different communities. Many middle school students learn about environmental concepts without specifically learning about different environmental benefits and risks. This capstone project involves developing a curriculum unit for middle school students which introduces environmental justice concepts and helps students recognize that environmental benefits and burdens are not evenly distributed. This project was influenced by environmental justice theory, culturally responsive teaching, socioscientific issues, place-based learning and Understanding by Design. This unit design uses a backward design approach where the outcomes are identified first, then followed by goals based on …

Encouraging Pollinator Friendly Behaviors Among Urban Residents, Addison Motta

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

Pollinator decline is a significant issue which threatens biodiversity, global food systems, and the stability of ecosystems. There are numerous resources available that address pollinator friendly behaviors, but many assume that the audience has access to private land in a suburban or rural area. The recommendations in these resources may be inaccessible to apartment dwellers, renters, and other urban residents with limited control over outdoor spaces. This capstone explores the guiding question: how can an interactive pollinator education kit increase awareness and encourage pollinator-friendly behaviors among urban residents. A review of literature related to pollinator ecology, urban ecosystems, environmental education, …

Supported Decision-Making And The Inclusion Of People Who Lack Decisional Capacity In Greater Than Minimal Risk Research, Aaron Eli Segal, David Wendler, Dana Howard

Faculty and Staff Publications

In recent years, some have argued that supported decision-making can be ethically superior to surrogate decision-making with respect to decisions involving adults with cognitive and intellectual impairments or disabilities. In this paper, we argue that supported decision-making could also be ethically superior to surrogate decision-making in the context of clinical research that involves greater than minimal net risks. In current practice, adults who lack decisional capacity are often excluded from research that involves greater than minimal net risks (call this the minimal risk requirement). While this approach is intended to protect them, it can be ethically problematic, in part because …

Hope College Magazine, Volume 58, Number 1: Summer 2026, Hope College

Hope College Magazine

No abstract provided.

Harnessing Nitrogen Fixing Plants For A Bio-Solar Nitrogen Economy, Taufiq Nawaz, Liping Gu, James Young, Riffat Latif, Mazhar Sher, Lan Xu, Shah Fahad, Ruanbao Zhou

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

The fossil fuel–driven chemosynthesis of ammonia for nitrogen fertilizers is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, releasing approximately 1130 million metric tons (MMT) of CO₂-equivalent annually. In addition, the extensive use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers (≈108 MMT annually) results in substantial emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O), while nearly 50% of applied nitrogen is lost through leaching and runoff, leading to widespread nitrate pollution and ecosystem degradation. In contrast, solar-powered biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) by nitrogen-fixing plants offers a sustainable alternative that supports agricultural productivity and healthy ecosystem resilience. BNF by leguminous and non-leguminous plants …