Digital Commons Network^™

Uncovering Alzheimer's One Sense At A Time, Maya Totev, Marcus Marek Tortorella, Dylan Kurni

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting 55 million people worldwide and is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Without effective interventions, diagnoses are expected to quadruple by 2050. One major barrier to treatment is the difficulty of detecting AD early, limiting the opportunity for timely intervention prior to the accumulation of significant, irreversible brain pathology. Therefore, developing specific, sensitive biomarkers is crucial for early diagnosis as it enables timely intervention and can potentially slow disease progression. Electronic-senses (E-senses) technology, which mimic human senses like olfaction and gustation, show promise in detecting changes in health …

Media Representation And Public Perception Of Supreme Court Decisions, Estrella G. Romero Barriola

Undergraduate Student Symposium

This research project explores how inadequate, or oversimplified media portrayals can distort public understanding of the United States Supreme Court’s (the Court) intricate decisions. Through a close examination of notable cases like Bush v. Gore and Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in addition to other important rulings from the current 6-3 Court majority, the study investigates how partisan narratives and selective information shape public perception. It examines how media framing can obscure essential legal principles and foster misunderstandings about the judiciary’s function and neutrality. Furthermore, the project considers how the current Court, frequently viewed as favoring a particular ideological …

Modeling The Function Of Ryanodine Receptor 2 And Its Role In Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (Cpvt) Heart Disease, Harani Athwale, Dillen-Preetesh Patel, Sai Puneeth Kothuru

Undergraduate Student Symposium

Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT) is a potentially fatal condition linked to a mutation in the Ryanodine receptor (RyR2), the largest calcium ion channel known, which is crucial for heart function. The RyR2 protein is made of four similar subunits. Mutations in RyR2 can cause the channels to "leak," disrupting normal heart rhythms. In individuals with this mutation, the combination of caffeine intake and exercise can worsen these effects, leading to sudden cardiac arrest. With the RyR2 receptor located on the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac muscle, the mutation prevents the receptor from fully closing, which hyperpolarizes the membrane and disrupts …

The Art That Makes The Ai Artist: Ai’S Potential As A Copyright Infringer And Its Future Under A Licensing Requirement, Bailee Jetton

Journal of Intellectual Property Law

The practices and advancements in the generative AI training process have sent many authors and artists in the creative industry into a panic. In addition to demonstrating output that can rival human-made works, many AI companies rely on copying hundreds of thousands of copyrighted works to teach their AI models. This raises the question of whether AI companies are infringing or if they are permitted to use the work for training purposes under the fair use doctrine. Through current precedent within copyright law and the fair use defense, this note analyzes whether generative AI’s use of copyrighted materials will be …

Heroes At The Clinic, Dalila Ulloa Perez

FUSION

This project explores different themes of heroism as seen through comparing my volunteer experience at the Veterinary Clinic at the Avenues in Marietta with major works of World Literature. It is shown how dedicated and selfless the staff are, as well as how strong and content the animals are. It puts an emphasis on how little acts of service can truly make a meaningful impact as it helps to create a broader understanding of heroism in our society.

For this assignment, students were asked to examine modern and ancient literary definitions of heroism by completing community service hours in person …

Ashes Of Power, Bailey Huffman

FUSION

The objective of this project was to write a creative work using a theme found in an American writer's literary text studied throughout the course and create a visual and/or auditory piece. By doing this, students can further interpret the literary texts, themes, and genres found in American Literature. For my short story, “Ashes of Power,” I chose to focus on the theme of “powerlessness” found in the 1985 play Fences written by August Wilson. The story is told through the point of view of a young and strong woman, Xena, and is set in a fantasy world that is …

Mental Abnormality In The Maine Criminal Code: Section 58 (1-A), Susan E. Peck

Maine Law Review

The law surrounding the insanity defense has always been complex and problematic. Since the promulgation of the M'Naghten test in 1843, courts and legislators have attempted to articulate a clear and easily understood definition of insanity. Legal scholars have created an overwhelming volume of literature on such important aspects of the defense as the role of psychiatrists in a jury trial, the appropriateness of the diminished capacity defense, and the constitutionality of imposing the burden of proving insanity on the defendant. Even the necessity of retaining the defense has been questioned. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has recently confronted a …

Reproductive Performances Of Bali Cattle Under Different Management Systems For Designing Their Breeding Strategies, Dwi Hariyono, Panjono Panjono, Dwi Priyadi, Adisti Rastosari, Eny Endrawati, Tety Hartatik

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Reproductive performance is an economically important trait in beef cattle breeding and improvement programs, as it directly influences overall productivity. Key performance indicators, such as age at puberty (AP), age at first mating (AFM), age at first calving (AFC), calving intervals (CI), days open (DO), number of services per conception (NSC), conception rate (CR), and gestation length (GL), can be used to assess reproductive performance. This review summarized findings from previous studies on the reproductive performance of Bali cattle under various management conditions in Indonesia. The literature indicated a range of reproductive performances in Bali cattle, with AP varying from …

The Role Of Vibration Amplitude In The Escape-Hatching Response Of Red-Eyed Treefrog Embryos, Julie Jung, Michael S. Caldwell, Gregrory Mcdaniel, Karen Warkentin

Biology Faculty Publications

Red-eyed treefrogs hatch early when attacked by snake or wasp egg predators. They use vibrations generated by attacks to identify these threats but other, harmless environmental disturbances also produce strong vibrations within egg clutches. This study examines the complex ways embryos use vibrations amplitude information to ensure they hatch only when a real threat is present.

Elucidating The Antibiofilm Characteristics Of A Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Surface And A Copper-Coated Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Surface, Lucy Christena Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

Post-surgical implant-associated infections cause considerable patient morbidity and mortality. These infections are often caused by biofilm-forming bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterial biofilms are resistant to immune clearance and are a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. Implant materials that resist bacterial colonization may be able to improve patient outcomes. Carbon infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CICNT) are a potential surface modification for medical implants. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on characterizing the antibiofilm effect of the CICNT surface, better understanding its mechanism of action, and characterizing the enhanced antibiofilm effect of a copper-coated CICNT surface. S. aureus biofilms …

Reframing Information Seeking In The Age Of Generative Ai: A Critical And Humanistic Approach, Joseph Kevin Sebastian

Library Faculty Research

Information-seeking has long been the subject of theoretical modeling, often drawing from cognitive, behavioral, computational, and even evolutionary perspectives to explain how individuals navigate, filter, and utilize information. Several dominant frameworks—Carol Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process, Marcia Bates’ Berrypicking Model, Peter Pirolli & Stuart Card’s Information Foraging Theory, Kiyohiko Nakamura’s Information Criteria framework, and Ian Ruthven’s Information Shaping Theory —have provided structured ways of understanding how people interact with information environments. However, while these frameworks offer valuable insights, they often operate within mechanistic or efficiency-driven paradigms, which risk overlooking the complex, embodied, and socioculturally situated nature of human information behaviors. These …

Dairy And Food Science Student Newsletter, April 02, 2025, Department Of Dairy And Food Science

Dairy and Food Science Student Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Jarkesy, The Seventh Amendment, And Tax Penalties, Steve R. Johnson

University of Miami Law Review

In 2024, in the Jarkesy case, a divided Supreme Court held unconstitutional a provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that allowed the SEC to assert securities law anti-fraud penalties through administrative proceedings subject to judicial review. The Jarkesy majority concluded that the invalidated procedure violated the Seventh Amendment’s guarantee of jury trial in some civil cases.

The dissent predicted that the reasoning of Jarkesy could be applied outside of the securities law area, putting hundreds of other statutes at peril of constitutional invalidation. This Article examines one such possible “spillover.” The Article explores whether Jarkesy threatens the current procedures by which …

Commonwealth Times 2025-04-02

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Non-Statin Lipid Lowering Therapies To Reduce Ascvd Events In Primary Prevention, Chukwuemezie Mamanu, Dean Karalis

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains a leading global health challenge, with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol a pivotal risk factor. While statins are cornerstone therapy for lowering LDL cholesterol, many high-risk primary prevention patients are unable to tolerate statin therapy and do not achieve their guideline directed LDL cholesterol goal. For these patients, non-statin therapies offer complementary and alternative approaches to LDL cholesterol reduction.

RECENT FINDINGS: Recent advancements in non-statin therapies have expanded the options available to clinicians to lower LDL cholesterol in high-risk primary prevention patients. Yet these medications are often under-utilized in clinical practice. Observational studies, …

Can You See Nature?, Jalia M. Payne

LSU Master's Theses

Can You See Nature? is an 8-part song cycle designed for various voice types and flutes, accompanied by piano. This cycle explores themes of nature and emotion through vivid poetic imagery. It features poems by Victor Hugo, William Blake, Sara Teasdale, and Madison James Cawein, all of which are in the public domain. The cycle weaves together a narrative that reflects on humanity's relationship with the natural world. The cycle includes the following pieces: 1. Morning for Alto and Piano 2. Little Bird for Flute and Piano 3. Tyger for Soprano and Piano 4. Song of the Harbinger for Piccolo …

Revolting Drag: Filth, Horror, And The Queer Art Of Monstrosity, Claire-Scott A. Lynch

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis examines how The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, a horror-themed reality drag competition series, uses monstrosity as a tool of queer resistance. In contrast to mainstream drag representations, which often promote assimilationist ideals, Dragula embraces filth, grotesqueries, and failure as strategies of disrupting normative structures. Grounded in queer theory and queer of color critique, this thesis uses thematic analysis to explore how Dragula mobilizes monstrosity to resist normative portrayals of queerness. Through close analysis of the show’s season finales, the study identifies three major themes: grotesque aesthetics, beyond the binary, and identity as resistance. These findings reveal how Dragula positions …

Metabolic Transitions In Embryos Of Artemia Franciscana: Regulation And Consequences For Oxidative Stress, Daniel Anthony Arabie

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Embryos of Artemia franciscana survive harsh conditions in diapause and anoxia-induced quiescence for years by undergoing deep metabolic transitions. I investigated the relationship between phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) and carbon flux to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during metabolic depression. The difference in catalytic activity of the PDH complex (PDC) in maximally phosphorylated and dephosphorylated samples was 16.5-fold. Western blot analysis confirmed the changes in phosphorylation of PDH. Analysis of PDH expression in diapause and post-diapause embryos via phospho-PDH showed no significant differences. Investigation of post-diapause embryos under anoxia showed that phosphorylation of PDH decreased and activated the enzyme. …

Enhancing Eye Anatomy Education: Integrating 3d Models In Open Educational Resources, Hayley Nickels Yancey

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

This project explores how interactive 3D models can enhance eye anatomy education within the framework of open educational resources (OER). Recognizing that students in anatomy and physiology courses often struggle to recognize anatomical structures from multiple perspectives—and frequently lack access to high-quality, low-cost study tools—this project addressed these gaps by designing and developing a custom, interactive 3D model of the human eye. Created using Blender and embedded into a web interface via Verge3D, the model allows users to rotate, zoom, highlight, and isolate structures of the eye, including both external and internal components. The tool was designed specifically for students …

The Parthenon, April 02, 2025, Sarah Davis, Baylee Parsons, Kaitlyn Fleming, Nate Harrah, Caden Adkins, Scott Price, Ella Bumgardner, Wade Sullivan

The Parthenon

No abstract provided.

Zp4: A Novel Target For Car-T Cell Therapy In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Lauren K Somes, Jonathan T Lei, Xinpei Yi, Diego F Chamorro, Paul Shafer, Ahmed Z Gad, Lacey E Dobrolecki, Emily Madaras, Nabil Ahmed, Michael T Lewis, Bing Zhang, Valentina Hoyos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains one of the most challenging subtypes of breast cancer to treat due to a lack of effective targeted therapies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells hold promise, but their efficacy in solid tumors is often limited by on-target/off-tumor toxicities. Through comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of public RNA and proteomic data, we identified zona pellucida glycoprotein 4 (ZP4) as a novel target for TNBC. ZP4 RNA and protein were detected in a subset of TNBC patient samples and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, with expression otherwise restricted to oocytes. We generated 89 ZP4-specific novel monoclonal antibodies and used the …

Prdm1 Is A Key Regulator Of The Nkt-Cell Central Memory Program And Effector Function, Gengwen Tian, Gabriel A Barragan, Hangjin Yu, Claudia Martinez-Amador, Akshaya Adaikkalavan, Xavier Rios, Linjie Guo, Janice M Drabek, Osmay Pardias, Xin Xu, Antonino Montalbano, Chunchao Zhang, Yanchuan Li, Amy N Courtney, Erica J Di Pierro, Leonid S Metelitsa

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Natural killer T cells (NKTs) are a promising platform for cancer immunotherapy, but few genes involved in the regulation of NKT therapeutic activity have been identified. To find regulators of NKT functional fitness, we developed a CRISPR/Cas9-based mutagenesis screen that uses a guide RNA (gRNA) library targeting 1,118 immune-related genes. Unmodified NKTs and NKTs expressing a GD2-specific chimeric antigen receptor (GD2.CAR) were transduced with the gRNA library and exposed to CD1d+ leukemia or CD1d-GD2+ neuroblastoma cells, respectively, over six challenge cycles in vitro. Quantification of gRNA abundance revealed enrichment of PRDM1-specific gRNAs in both NKTs and GD2.CAR NKTs, a result …

Bone-Induced Her2 Promotes Secondary Metastasis In Hr+/Her2- Breast Cancer, Rahat Alam, Anna Reva, David G Edwards, Bree M Lege, Laura S Munoz-Arcos, Carolina Reduzzi, Swarnima Singh, Xiaoxin Hao, Yi-Hsuan Wu, Zeru Tian, Laura M Natalee, Gargi Damle, Deniz Demircioglu, Yixian Wang, Ling Wu, Elisabetta Molteni, Dan Hasson, Bora Lim, Zbigniew Gugala, Jerry E Chipuk, Julie E Lang, Joseph A Sparano, Chonghui Cheng, Massimo Cristofanilli, Han Xiao, Xiang H-F Zhang, Igor L Bado

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Bone metastases can disseminate to secondary sites and promote breast cancer progression creating additional clinical challenges. The mechanisms contributing to secondary metastasis are barely understood. Here, we evaluate the prediction power of Her2-expressing (Her2E) circulating tumor cells (CTCs) after analyzing over 13,000 CTCs from a cohort of 137 metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients with initial HR+/Her2− status and employ preclinical models of bone metastasis (BM) to validate the role of Her2E CTCs in multi-organ metastases. While Her2 expression was higher in patients with bone metastasis, experimental analyses revealed that Her2E CTCs derived from bone lesions were more dependent on Her2 …

Animating The Mechanism Of Action Of The Novel Glioblastoma Vaccine Survaxm, Sheila Figel

Theses

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a deadly type of malignant brain tumor affecting over 11,000 people in the United States each year. Treatment options for GBM are limited, with the majority of patients receiving surgery and chemoradiation, and surviving around 15 months. New therapies are desperately needed. A novel peptide vaccine, SurVaxM, has shown promise in phase I and II clinical trials, and is currently under investigation in a Phase IIb trial (the “SURVIVE” trial) for newly diagnosed GBM. As SurVaxM moves closer to FDA approval, there is a need for education about the agent and how it works. In order to …

Chronic Viral Mimicry Induction Following P53 Loss Promotes Immune Evasion, Charles A Ishak, Sajid A Marhon, Naïri Tchrakian, Anjelica Hodgson, Helen Loo Yau, Isabela M Gonzaga, Melanie Peralta, Ilinca M Lungu, Stephanie Gomez, Sheng-Ben Liang, Shu Yi Shen, Raymond Chen, Jocelyn Chen, Biji Chatterjee, Kevin N Wanniarachchi, Junwoo Lee, Nicholas Zehrbach, Amir Hosseini, Parinaz Mehdipour, Siyu Sun, Alexander Solovyov, Ilias Ettayebi, Kyle E Francis, Aobo He, Taiyi Wu, Shengrui Feng, Tiago Da Silva Medina, Felipe Campos De Almeida, Jane Bayani, Jason Li, Spencer Macdonald, Yadong Wang, Sarah S Garcia, Elisa Arthofer, Noor Diab, Aneil Srivastava, Paul Tran Austin, Peter J B Sabatini, Benjamin D Greenbaum, Catherine A O'Brien, Trevor G Shepherd, Ming Sound Tsao, Katherine B Chiappinelli, Amit M Oza, Blaise A Clarke, Robert Rottapel, Stephanie Lheureux, Daniel D De Carvalho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Epigenetic therapies facilitate transcription of immunogenic repetitive elements that cull cancer cells through ‘viral mimicry’ responses. Paradoxically, cancer-initiating events also facilitate transcription of repetitive elements. Contributions of repetitive element transcription towards cancer initiation, and the mechanisms by which cancer cells evade lethal viral mimicry responses during tumor initiation remain poorly understood. In this report, we characterize premalignant lesions of the fallopian tube along with syngeneic epithelial ovarian cancer models to explore the earliest events of tumorigenesis following loss of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. We report that p53 loss permits transcription of immunogenic repetitive elements and chronic viral mimicry activation …

Spectrum, Volume 54, Issue 9, Sacred Heart University

Newspapers (Obelisk & Spectrum)

Highlights include: Second Annual Women’s Appreciation Reception - This Week in the White House - Guest Speaker Discusses Irish and American Culture - Campus Club Empowers Women - Hack the Future with the Cybersecurity Club - How Does SHU Listen to Music? - Women’s Rugby Working Towards Two-Peat

Unraveling The Complexities Of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Yangzhuangzhuang Zhu, Siyan Cao

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) regulate immune responses in many pathological conditions, one of which is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), an incurable chronic disorder of the digestive tract and beyond. The pathophysiology of IBD remains unclear, likely involving aberrant innate and adaptive immunity. Studies have reported altered population of MDSCs in patients with IBD. However, their distribution varies among patients and different preclinical models of IBD. The expansion and activation of MDSCs are likely driven by various stimuli during intestinal inflammation, but the in-depth mechanisms remain poorly understood. The role of MDSCs in the pathogenesis of IBD appears to be paradoxical. …

The First Record Of Alpiscorpius Idaeus (Yağmur & Tropea, 2017), Comb. N. From The Lesvos Island, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Özgün Sipahioğlu

Euscorpius

The scorpion species Euscorpius idaeus Yağmur & Tropea, 2017, previously known from Mount Kazdağı in the Balıkesir and Çanakkale Provinces of Turkey, is reported for the first time from the Lesvos Island, Greece. In this study, it is transferred to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999. Detailed illustrations of Alpiscorpius idaeus (Yağmur & Tropea, 2017), comb. n. from the Lesvos Island population are provided.

The Constitutional Law Of Defamation—Recent Developments And Suggested State Court Responses, Susan Gail Shorey

Maine Law Review

Prior to the 1964 decision in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, defamation law in the United States was controlled by common law principles developed in the state courts. In New York Times the United States Supreme Court staked out an area of first amendment privilege, which limited the states' power to permit recovery in defamation actions brought by public officials. Later extensions of this constitutional privilege made it appear for a time that constitutional requirements would produce a unified nation-wide body of defamation law to replace the various common law rules followed in the fifty states. In view of …

A Labor Of Love: Wall-E'S Redemption, Rosamund M. Gammie

Journal of Religion & Film

Inaugurated into the Criterion Collection in 2022 this paper re-examines some of the initial responses to the 2008 Disney-Pixar animated film, WALL-E. The movie received a mixed reception, largely celebrated (but occasionally viewed as “too leftist” by others) for its environmental, anti-capitalist message by many public critics, yet disparaged or dismissed as being superficially empty, shallow, and hollow in academic circles. Labor has been the focus of some academic criticism of the film, particularly as it relates to commoditisation, but this paper recontextualises labor not with capitalism, but with love. By viewing the film through the dynamic of labor and …