Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Development Of Novel Peptidomimetic Compounds For Cancer Therapeutics: Focus On Hsp90–Cdc37 Interaction, Sarath Perumal, Ramanathan Karuppasamy

BioMedicine

Background: The HSP90 and CDC37 molecular chaperone complex governs the

stability and function of numerous client protein kinases, making it a crucial cancer target. Given their central role, disrupting this interaction induces proteotoxic stress and inhibits tumor progression. Therapeutic peptides are the mainstay of treatment for disruption of key interactions, yet they face limitations such as toxicity, resistance, and poor stability. Aim: This study aims to leverage peptidomimetics as novel disruptors of the HSP90–CDC37 interaction. Methods: Two peptides, a 9-mer and a 7-mer, were rationally designed by analyzing key regions facilitating HSP90–CDC37 complex formation. In silico mutational analysis identified …

Evaluation Of The Anti-Inflammatory Properties In Vitro, In Vivo And In Silico, Of The Snail Slime Helix Aspersa Müller, Marouane Aouji, Malak Zirari, Mariame Taibi, Meryem Lamdak, Amine Rkhaila, Rachid Bengueddour

BioMedicine

Background: The search for effective natural alternatives to synthetic non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are often associated with undesirable side effects, is an important axis of current research. The slime of the snail Helix aspersa Müller, is a traditional remedy that deserves scientific investigation for its potential therapeutic properties.

Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Helix aspersa Müller slime using a combination of in vitro, in vivo, and in silico methodologies.

Methods: In vitro analyses included assays for inhibition of protein denaturation, antiprotease and antilipoxygenase activities, and membrane stabilization, with diclofenac and indomethacin as reference …

Topical Peony And Licorice Decoction Attenuates Exercise-Induced Muscle Pain: A Randomized Double-Blind Self-Controlled Trial In Taiwan, Daniel Tzu-Li Chen, Chang-Wei Hsieh, Chia-Han Tsai, Tzung-Yan Lee, Pin-Chun Chen, Pu-Wei Hou, Kuan-Pin Su, Hen-Hong Chang

BioMedicine

Background

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common phenomenon that occurs after exercise training, resulting in pain and reduced muscle performance. Previous basic and animal studies have reported that oral use of Peony and Licorice Decoction (PLD), a traditional Chinese formula with anti-inflammatory and muscle-relaxing properties, may be safe and effective for DOMS. However, there have been no clinical studies, particularly on the topical use of PLD, in this field to date.

Material and Methods

Our study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. We recruited healthy male athletes to assess the effect of external PLD, whose bioactive compounds were …

Illinois Model Programs Of Study: Overview Guide (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft was available for public comment through September 30, 2026. A final version will be released in October 2026.

The Eu’S Copyright Legislation For Generative Ai: Relevant To Indonesia?, Yolanda Simbolon

Indonesia Law Review

Tremendously copyrighted works are used to train Generative AI (Gen-AI) at the epicenter of current sectors. In many countries, there is a dilemma as to whether the amount of data used may infringe copyright. The EU is the one that has regulations on the use of copyrighted works as text and data mining (TDM) to train GenAI.  Meanwhile, Indonesia does not yet have a regulation, even though Gen-AI has been massively developed in Indonesia. Data has been used freely to train Gen-AI, even to modify works and damage the author’s reputation. This article investigates whether the EU’s copyright of Gen-AI …

Uhsp Student Handbook 2026-2027

Handbooks

No abstract provided.

Iot-Based Smart Leak Localisation And Auto-Shutoff System For Real-Time Water Loss Prevention, W.A.C. Fernando, R.M.H.N. Rajasinghe, S.M.H.M. Koswatta

Journal of Innovation in Science, Engineering and Technology

Water leaks in pipe systems lead to loss of water, damage to infrastructure and increased operating expenses. Traditional leak-detection methods are slow, and they cannot detect leaks in real time. The existing Internet of Things (IoT) solutions are dependent on single-sensor technology, cloud processing and high-cost computational models, unsuitable for home use. In view of this, this study suggests an IoT-based Smart Acoustic Leak Localisation and Auto-Shutoff (SALAS) System for real-time water loss prevention in small-scale pipeline environments. The prime objective is to design and develop an IoT-based water-leakage detection, localisation, and valve-closure system. Development followed a prototype model and …

Design Of A Smart Esp32-Based Iot Prototype Using Azure Iot Hub For Automatic Detection, Neutralization, And Safe Disposal Of Acidic And Basic Chemical Waste In Laboratory Environments, M.J. Fernando, K.C.K.V. Samarathunga, G.A. Heshan, J.A.D.S.R. Jayasinghe, K.S.R Perera, K.G.C.M. Perera, K.D.T.D. Jayasuriya, S.M.H.M. Koswatta

Journal of Innovation in Science, Engineering and Technology

The generation of acidic and alkaline laboratory waste remains an enduring safety and environmental problem in educational institutions, research laboratories, and small-scale industrial settings. In many such environments, neutralization is still performed manually through intermittent pH measurement and operator judgement. This practice is slow, inconsistent, and potentially hazardous, particularly when corrosive substances are involved. The present study proposes and evaluates a smart Internet of Things (IoT) prototype that automates the detection, neutralization, and monitoring of laboratory chemical waste by integrating edge intelligence with secure cloud telemetry.
The proposed system is centered on an ESP32-S3-N16R8 microcontroller, a DFRobot SEN0161 pH sensor, …

Environmental Perspective For System Dynamics Modeling Of Stunting Mitigation To Achieve The Sustainable Development Goals In West Sumatra, Indonesia, Elsa Yuniarti, Nabila Azzahra, Yulhendri Yulhendri, Heldi Heldi, Mery Delvina, Saskia Putri Azeli

Kesmas

This study developed a system dynamics model to simulate stunting reduction in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia, by integrating infant and toddler health, maternal health, and environmental determinants. Secondary data from 2020–2024 on low birth weight, immunization, malnutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, maternal chronic energy deficiency, iron and folic acid supplement distribution, sanitation, and safe drinking water access were compiled from West Sumatra Provincial Health Office and Statistics Indonesia, and validated through consultation with five stakeholder institutions. Causal Loop Diagrams mapped feedback relationships among determinants and were translated into Stock Flow Diagrams using Powersim Studio 10. The model was validated through structural verification, …

Gamclust: Identification Of Regulated Metabolic Modules In Bulk, Single Cell And Spatial Gene Expression Data, Anastasiia Gainullina, Evgeniia Chikina, Maxim N Artyomov, Alexey Sergushichev

2020-Current year OA Pubs

MOTIVATION: Metabolism operates as a highly interconnected biochemical network, and its regulation emerges from coordinated changes across many reactions and metabolites. The integration of gene expression profiling data with organism-scale metabolic networks has proven to be a valuable tool for understanding cellular metabolic regulation. However, the increasing complexity of profiling technologies and experimental designs requires the development of specialized tools.

RESULTS: Here, we present GAMclust, an R package implementing and extending the previously published GAM-clustering pipeline for identifying transcriptionally regulated metabolic modules in complex gene expression datasets. GAMclust supports bulk, single-cell, and spatial gene expression profiling. It includes built-in KEGG …

Dynamics Of Swimming Microorganisms At Structured Liquid Crystal Interfaces, Vajra Sabhapathy Badha

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Active matter systems are self-driven units that consume energy to generate motion and mechanical stresses, producing non-equilibrium states of broad physical significance. Examples include synthetic microswimmers and migrating cells. Motile bacteria are a widely studied biological example because their self-propelled motion, hydrodynamic interactions, and collective organization are strongly coupled to local environmental conditions. Their swimming is sensitive to interfacial viscoelasticity, ordering, confinement, and hydrodynamic boundary effects, making them useful for investigating how interfaces regulate active biological motion. Because bacterial accumulation and attachment at interfaces are central to colonization and biofilm formation, these interactions are relevant to both active matter physics …

Crosstalk Between Upr And Mitochondria: The Triad Of Er-Mitochondria Contacts, Ca²⁺, And Ros, Ester Zito, György Hajnóczky

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is triggered by several cellular perturbations causing protein misfolding, and activates the unfolded protein response (UPR), an initially adaptive signaling network that aims to restore ER and cellular homeostasis. Growing evidence indicates that UPR signaling extends beyond ER proteostasis, influencing mitochondrial function and bioenergetics through ER-mitochondria contact sites (ERMCs). The CHOP-ERO1A-IP3R axis has a primary role in recruiting mitochondria to adaptive UPR. However, its sustained activation renders UPR signaling maladaptive, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction through both outer mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (OMMP) and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening, ultimately contributing to irreversible cell injury and disease …

How Do Governments Combat Jihad Online?, Noah Cook

Honors College Theses

Since the September 11th, 2001 attacks, jihadist groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and al-Shabaab have used the internet as a tool for recruitment, radicalization, and propaganda dissemination. Since then, governments, non-governmental organizations, and private companies have developed strategies to combat jihadism on the internet. This paper examines how these actors have worked to mitigate the digital jihadist footprint and its effects by analyzing three main approaches to countering violent Islamist extremism on the internet: counter narrative initiatives, awareness-raising programs, and content removals. This paper finds that each of these methods has its own strengths and weaknesses. Counter narrative campaigns show the …

Flaxseed Ethanolic Extract Modulates Β-Catenin And Dkk1 Expressions During Osteoblast Differentiation Of Dental Pulp-Derived Stem Cells, Nur Sazwi Nordin, Khairani Idah Mokhtar, Omar Abdul Jabbar Abdul Qader, Basma Ezzat Mustafa, Widya Lestari, Deny Susanti Darnis, Thirumulu Ponnuraj Kannan, Azlina Ahmad, Solachuddin Jauhari Arief Ichwan

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Background: WNT signaling regulates osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) through the canonical WNT pathway. β-catenin; an important molecule of WNT pathway, and DKK1; a WNT antagonist, play important roles in regulating bone formation. Although flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) has various health benefits, including promoting bone health, our previous study showed that flaxseed ethanolic extract (FEE) reduced the osteoblast differentiation potential of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). This study aimed to determine the effects of FEE on WNT pathway-related molecules, β-catenin and DKK1, during osteoblast differentiation of SHED.

Methods: RNA at Day 7, 14, …

Loralee Clark, Loralee Clark, Loralee Clark

Virginia Poets Database: A Literary and Educational Resource

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Analysis Of Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns In Gram-Positive And Gram-Negative Blood Isolates, Helman Kurniadi, Timbul Partogi Haposan Simorangkir, Ros Sumarny, Fitria Heldiana

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Bloodstream infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, while antimicrobial resistance limits treatment options. This retrospective study evaluated bacterial distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility in blood cultures at RSPAD Gatot Soebroto, Jakarta, using microbiology and medical record data from January-December 2019. Clinically significant isolates were included, while duplicates and contaminants were excluded. Identification and susceptibility testing followed standard procedures and CLSI 2019 guidelines. Data were analyzed descriptively. Among 482 isolates, 246 (51.0%) were Gram-positive and 236 (49.0%) were Gram-negative. The Gram-positive isolates were mainly coagulase-negative staphylococci, including Staphylococcus epidermidis (62, 25.2%), S. hominis (61, 24.8%), and S. haemolyticus (50, …

Innovating A Crustacean Embryo Toxicity (Cet) Assay For Screening Environmental Contaminants, Irina A. Polunina-Proulx

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Environmental pollutants can disrupt normal developmental processes, leading to neurobehavioral and developmental abnormalities. Toxicity tests are important for evaluating environmental contaminants; however, standard assays are often time- and cost-intensive and typically require large numbers of vertebrate animals. These limitations highlight the need to reduce reliance on vertebrate testing and to develop New Approach Methodologies that provide comparable results while improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This research utilizes a novel screening assay to evaluate developmental toxicity using Hyalella azteca. H. azteca is a freshwater amphipod widely used as a model organism for sediment toxicity in ecotoxicology, yet its embryos have been minimally …

Truly Blown Away — Humanistic Lens Looking At Glassblowers’ Creative Thinking: A Qualitative Case Study, Yugant Patra

The Qualitative Report

This study examines how emotional and cognitive engagement shape glassblowing artists’ decision-making and artistic outcomes throughout the creative process. Using a qualitative case study methodology, the study examines how glassblowing artists conceptualize, execute, and refine their work by balancing their artistic vision with the medium's technical demands through a humanistic lens. Five themes emerge, which are discussed: the identification with self – confronting the demons, I belong here, claiming the molten as my own, the reign of glass and from it fractures rising anew, and having a conversation with glass. The study closes with the need for continued research on …

Moralized Indulgence In The Age Of Inflation: How “Better-For-You” Dessert Brands Reframe Pleasure As Self-Care, Dariya Savrukova

Honors College Theses

In the modern U.S. food landscape, the line between indulgence and wellness has nearly disappeared. The booming “better-for-you” dessert industry, owned primarily by multinational giants such as Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, and Mars Inc., reframes high-sugar, high-calorie treats as acts of self-discipline or self-care. This phenomenon is often referred to as “healthwashing” (Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, 2022), when through verbal and visual language, these companies transform indulgence into moral consumption, inviting consumers to feel virtuous through consumption. Many consumers crave stability and health, but navigate an environment saturated with manipulative design and ambiguous claims. “Better-for-you” branding exploits this gap by …

Geographic And Environmnetal Influences On Color Pattern Similarity Between Coral Snakes (Genus: Micrurus) And Their Lookalikes, Anthony Sena

Dissertations

Venomous coral snakes and their lookalikes are often regarded as a classic example of Batesian mimicry, whereby a harmless species imitates a harmful species. The existing literature regarding coral snake resemblance presents a divisive stance on whether Batesian mimicry is the primary driver of shared color patterns or if alternative factors are responsible. While recent literature largely favors the Batesian hypothesis, empirical support remains inconsistent, and the specific geographic and interpretation of the conditions required for mimicry lacks consensus within the scientific community.

To evaluate the mechanisms maintaining these phenotypes, a quantitative, multivariate framework was utilized to analyze 400 museum …

The Nature Of Things: An Investigation Into A Viking Age Assembly Site, Tyler L. Perkins

Graduate Masters Theses

Icelandic sagas and archaeological research suggest that Viking Age Icelandic assembly sites or things (þing) were generally occupied for brief periods of time during annual gatherings. One of the archaeological manifestations of repeated temporary occupation around assembly sites is small booths. At Hegranesþing in North Iceland, besides multiple booths that cover the site, there is also evidence of long-term occupation and farming. The Skagafjörður Church and Settlement Survey conducted geophysical and coring surveys, excavated three test pits into middens from different periods of occupation, and excavated one test trench into the homefield enclosure (tún) wall. The results suggest Hegranesþing, besides …

Modeling Kinetics Of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-Induced Protoporphyrin Ix Accumulation For Optimal Photodynamic Therapy, Priscilla Melebor

Graduate Masters Theses

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment that uses light-activated photosensitizers to selectively destroy diseased tissue through the generation of reactive oxygen species. However, conventional in vitro models often fail to accurately reproduce the pharmacokinetics of photosensitizer accumulation and clearance observed in vivo. This study investigated protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) accumulation following 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) exposure under physiologically relevant conditions using two-dimensional (2D) monolayers and three-dimensional (3D) spheroids. By comparing continuous ALA exposure with transient exposure followed by ALA washout, this work provides a more biologically relevant framework for studying PpIX kinetics and optimizing photodynamic therapy.

The Furry Community As A Case Study In Identity-Related Conflict, Patrick Hampton

Graduate Masters Theses

The “furry” community has gained notoriety both on the internet and in physical spaces for the dramatic portrayal of animal-based personas referred to as “fursonas.” This group has become the subject of ridicule and moral concern due to the occasionally controversial nature of the content produced by some members of the community. However, there are many different interpretations both within and outside of the community around what the community entails. In this thesis, I examine how the furry community and the identity of its members is shaped by external pressure or social stigmatization? I answer this through the following three …

Spider Biodiversity And Insecticide Sensitivity Across Active And Restored Cranberry Bogs On Nantucket, Tyler J. Kulak

Graduate Masters Theses

Spiders are one of the most diverse groups of organisms on the planet with over 53,000 species described as of 2026. They provide a suite of ecosystem services including their regulation of problematic pests in agricultural systems, appearing in high biomasses across a breadth of ecological niches. While beneficial as pest regulators, they are also susceptible to the same management techniques as pest organisms and are especially vulnerable to chemical control. Cranberry production in Massachusetts likely benefits from spider ecosystem services, but diversity research on spiders in these systems is limited. This study compares the diversity of spider populations from …

Comfort In Cases Of Sickness: Health And Colonialism At The Eastern Pequot Reservation, 1800-1850, Katherine N. Brauckmann

Graduate Masters Theses

Health and sickness were major concerns for the Eastern Pequot community in the first half of the 19th century. At this time, the Eastern Pequot’s collective finances were controlled by a court-appointed overseer who rented reservation land to non-Pequot individuals and used the generated funds to purchase goods and services for those on the reservation. In an 1841 petition to remove an overseer for failing in his duties, issues of health were brought up twice among their grievances: that they received little support “in Sickness or in health” and that “our Land if family rented […] would add much to …

Going The Distance: How The Disney Renaissance Illustrated The Social And Cultural Changes In America During The 1990s, Deborah A. Bates

Graduate Masters Theses

The cultural and social history of America in the 90s is examined in this thesis by looking at the Disney Renaissance, a period of ten films made by the Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS). This thesis illustrates how the animators were able to seamlessly incorporate important societal trends of the 90s into their films, portraying a changing world within their films. As they were creating a new style of the animated movie musical, they were creating works that connected to the audiences watching in new ways, by putting up a reflection of society within their films. The way that the …

Civilian Sustenance: Parcel Exchange, Household Provisioning, And Soldier Foodways In The American Civil War, Kathleen Migneault

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis examines parcel exchange between Civil War soldiers and the households and communities that continued to sustain them after military service removed them from ordinary domestic provision. Drawing on forty published collections of Civil War correspondence and diaries, it follows references to boxes, parcels, food, clothing, money, medicine, and useful goods across camps, hospitals, prisons, and home front networks. It argues that parcels from home were neither incidental sentimental tokens nor simple supplements to the ration, but a recurring practice of civilian sustenance shaped by affection, scarcity, infrastructure, and loss. The chapters trace the routes through which parcels moved, …

Effect Of Partial Ablation Of Skeletal Dynamin Related Protein 1 On Mitochondrial Health, Inflammation, And Fibrosis In A Mouse Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Tessa L. Duzz

Graduate Masters Theses

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness, degeneration, fibrosis, and impaired muscle regeneration. Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early pathological feature of DMD and has been linked to excessive mitochondrial fission. Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) is a central regulator of mitochondrial fission, a key process in regulating mitochondrial quality and function. Inhibition of Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission has shown promise as a potential therapeutic target for alleviating pathology and dysfunction in dystrophic muscle. The objective of this study was to determine whether partial skeletal muscle-specific ablation of Drp1 could improve muscle pathology and mitochondrial health in …

Infrared Detectability Of Whale Species And Behaviors To Enhance Automatic Detection For Real-Time Vessel Strike Avoidance, Laura J. Howes

Graduate Masters Theses

Real-time detection of large whales at sea is critical for mitigating serious injury and mortality from ship strikes and other human activities such as seismic surveys, especially for endangered species such as the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Traditional marine mammal observers are limited by environmental conditions and human factors, necessitating a robust, 24-hour solution. This study investigates the efficacy of a novel onboard detection tool infrared (IR) technology to detect whale blows and body parts. While IR is a promising advancement, its performance under varying sea conditions (e.g., fog, humidity) and its ability to …

Introduction To Film, Teresa A. Fisher

Open Educational Resources

An introduction to the filmmaking process including film history, narrative, mise-en-scene, editing, cinematography, sound, and acting. Includes a chapter on documentary film, experimental film, and animation.