Digital Commons Network^™

The Potential Role Of A Western Diet In Inducing Anxiety Disorder Via Inflammation, Erek N. Arsiniega, Kimberly J. Baker

Research Day

Anxiety disorder is a prevalent mental health condition that affects many individuals in American and other Western societies. Despite its high prevalence, the underlying mechanisms contributing to anxiety disorder remain largely not known, and there are research gaps in this area. Notably, there is an increased pattern of anxiety levels among the general population, with college students being particularly susceptible. Concurrently, there is a growing body of evidence looking into the heightened prevalence of chronic inflammation among individuals in the United States. This rise in chronic inflammation can be attributed, in part, to the dietary practices commonly observed in Western …

Community Rx: The Abcs Of A Doctor’S Visit, A Bilingual Health Navigation Workshop For Underserved Communities, Sharon Lackwood, Marisela Benitez, Kayla Hasty, Ty’Tiaunna Thomas, Martin Medina, Matthew Shelnutt

Research Day

Introduction:

Limited health literacy remains a major contributor to healthcare disparities, particularly among rural, uninsured, migrant, and Spanish-speaking populations. Many individuals report anxiety and confusion about how to schedule appointments, complete paperwork, understand costs, and communicate effectively with physicians. To address this gap, Community Rx developed a bilingual, student-led workshop titled The ABCs of Your Doctor’s Visit, designed to demystify the healthcare encounter and improve patient confidence, appointment preparedness, and navigation skills. The curriculum aligns with broader Community Rx goals of empowering underserved populations while fostering empathy and professional identity development among osteopathic medical students

Methods:

This ongoing, community-engaged initiative …

Isolated Unilateral Central Ray Deficiency In A Term Newborn: Distinguishing Symbrachydactyly From Amniotic Band Sequence, Mauricio Soto, Rachael Bonitatibus, Stephanie Suarez, Kevin Bhagratie, Anthony Adetomiwa

Research Day

Introduction

Congenital hand anomalies may arise from intrinsic malformations of limb development or extrinsic disruptive processes. Distinguishing symbrachydactyly—a failure-of-formation malformation—from amniotic band sequence (ABS)—a constrictive disruption—is essential, as pathogenesis, prognosis, and management differ substantially. Although both may present with absent digits, characteristic morphologic patterns allow reliable clinical differentiation. We present a term neonate with unilateral central hand deficiency to highlight key diagnostic features distinguishing these entities in the newborn period.

Methods

A retrospective descriptive case review was conducted of a term male neonate with an isolated upper extremity anomaly. Prenatal records, delivery documentation, newborn examination findings, and postnatal radiographic imaging …

When C5 Takes The Road Less Traveled: An Intramuscular Course Through Anterior Scalene In A Prefixed, Pass-Through Brachial Plexus, Camille Rios Anzola, Yousra Abo-Elhamd, Tyrese Claridge-Rogers, Maxwell Trettin, Dev Desai, Andrew Jimenez, Emranul Huq

Research Day

BACKGROUND: The brachial plexus (BP), formed by the ventral rami of C5-T1, provides sensory and motor innervation to the upper extremities. Classically, the BP roots pass between the anterior and middle scalene muscles within the interscalene triangle. However, anatomical variation is common due to the complex arrangement of cervical nerve roots and branches. Variants, such as a nerve root penetrating the anterior scalene muscle, may predispose individuals to nerve compression and may complicate procedures such as interscalene nerve blocks. Recognition of these variations is important for surgical, anesthetic, and imaging procedures involving the neck and shoulder. This report describes a …

Renal Cystic Pathology As A Potential Marker Of Impaired Kidney–Brain Axis In Senile Dementia: A Multi-Cadaveric Case Study, Jordan B. Ahlgren, Naomi Abraha, Tyrese Claridge-Rogers, Sangavi Sriranganathan, Joshua Owolabi

Research Day

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that renal function plays a role in neurological health. The kidney functions as an important systemic regulator of filtration and maintaining blood pressure. Impairment in renal filtration has been linked to neuronal degeneration through reduced clearance of toxins, inflammatory markers, and proteins implicated in cognitive decline. Cystic kidney pathology, often associated with polycystic kidney disease or age-related cyst formation, may reflect impaired renal function that contributes to neuronal degeneration. This cadaveric case study investigated whether structural renal structural abnormalities observed in individuals with senile-related death provide anatomical support for a relationship between renal pathology and neurodegenerative and …

Lack Of Standardized Measurement Of Patent Foramen Ovale Size Limits Risk Stratification In Cryptogenic Stroke: A Review, Rachel Lippincott, Michael Elkomos, George Zakour, Austin Dobson, Reginald Dixon, Chloe Davis, Paul Catalano, Blessing Adeyemo, Shiv Dhiman

Research Day

Background: The foramen ovale is a physiologic interatrial communication essential to fetal circulation, permitting right-to-left shunting of oxygenated blood to bypass the nonfunctional fetal lungs. Following birth, increased pulmonary circulation and elevated left atrial pressure typically result in functional closure, followed by anatomical fusion of the septum primum and septum secundum within the first year of life. Persistence of this communication into adulthood, termed patent foramen ovale (PFO), occurs in approximately 20–30% of the general population. Although most PFOs are small and clinically silent, larger defects are less common and may carry clinical significance.

Objective: To describe the morphological characteristics …

Severe Bladder Trabeculation With Large Diverticulum And Calculi In A Male Cadaver: Gross Findings And Etiological Considerations, Jaycee Thomas, Gladys Sama, Leilani Everett, Colin Ramsey, Joshua Rohme, Zenia Lakhani, Paramvir Lodia, Shiv Dhiman

Research Day

Background:

Chronic lower urinary tract dysfunction can lead to progressive structural remodeling of the urinary bladder, such as detrusor hypertrophy and mucosal trabeculation. Bladder diverticula, defined as mucosal outpouching through the detrusor muscle, may develop in response to sustained elevations in intravesical pressure or impaired bladder emptying. These diverticula facilitate urinary stasis and increase the risk of complications, including infection, calculi formation, urinary retention, and, less frequently, malignant transformation. Identification of gross anatomic changes offers important insights into the long-term sequelae of chronic bladder dysfunction.

Methods:

Routine pelvic dissection was conducted during anatomical laboratory instruction. Gross examination of the urinary …

Mining Bacterial Genome: Identifying Unkown Bacterial Immune Systems, Mason Z. Mazzola

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Bacterial viruses, called bacteriophages, constitute a major threat to bacteria, driving a vast evolutionary arms race three billion years in the making. Out of this arms race bacteria have developed numerous types of bacterial immune systems varying in levels of complexity. The most notable bacterial immune system, CRISPR-Cas, is a suite of bacterial proteins which have enabled life-saving technologies through gene-editing and revolutionized biological research. CRISPR is only one of hundreds of anti-phage immune systems, most of which remain undiscovered. Since antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens is rising, one solution to the crisis is using phages to kill pathogenic bacteria. …

Multimodal Comparison Of Electrical, Structural, And Functional Brain Connectivity, Braelyn A. Hewitt-Holbein, Sarah Bethea, Kellan Stempin, Jose Carmona-Sanchez

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This project examines how relationships among brain regions can be characterized through two complementary perspectives of connectivity: structural connectivity measured with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and functional connectivity measured with resting-state fMRI.

The central question is how signals recorded at electrodes in one region may relate to signals at electrodes in other regions through the combined influence of anatomical pathways and coordinated neural activity. Understanding these relationships is important for improving interpretation of electrophysiological recordings and for clarifying how different definitions of “connectivity” capture distinct aspects of brain organization.

To address this question, the project compares electrode-by-electrode correlation (or similarity) …

Using Herbarium Specimens To Morphologically Delineate Three Western Phlox Species, Jack Hager

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Using Herbarium Specimens to Morphologically Delineate Three Western Phlox Species

Jack Hager, Meredith Zettlemoyer

Western Phlox are incredibly ecologically diverse, found in a variety of habitats spanning deserts, sagebrush, and mountains. The genus contains around 65 unique species, often with overlapping trait variation that makes morphological delineation difficult. Phlox missoulensis is an endemic cushion plant species found only in the Missoula Valley; it occupies lower-elevation, windy, arid ridgelines that mimic alpine conditions. Two other Phlox species found nearby,  Phlox kelseyi and Phlox pulvinata, occupy overlapping ecological niches. P. kelseyi is found in wetlands spanning from valleys to montane environments at …

Company Data At Risk: The Case Against Unified Search, Corbin D. Heser Rayl

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The average modern enterprise uses hundreds of disconnected Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, leading to a problem known as SaaS sprawl. SaaS sprawl leads to the fragmentation of data, which makes it difficult to locate files, increases the potential to use outdated versions of files, and causes an overall loss in productivity and workplace inefficiencies. To combat this, platforms like Dropbox, Microsoft, Google, and Glean are developing AI-powered unified search engines. These tools utilize natural language processing to index cross-platform files, allowing employees to instantly retrieve context-aware answers from a centralized hub.

However, this project argues that unified search engines currently present …

Defining How Adrenergic Receptors May Translate Gut Nutrient Signals ​ Into Starvation Resistance And Fecundity, Calvin W. Orser

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Calvin Orser1, Emily Gagliano, Sarah J Certel2

Research on the gut-brain axis is a major focus in biology because the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system communicate continuously. This bidirectional signaling helps organisms maintain homeostasis by relaying information from the gut to the brain and shaping innate behaviors such as feeding and reproduction. The adrenergic, “fight or flight”, system has emerged as a key component of this signaling. Adrenergic receptors are expressed in multiple gut epithelial cell types, including enteroendocrine cells (EEs), the main secretory cells of the gut, which synthesize and release the neuropeptides that can communicate with the …

Mlali Rehabilitation Centre Fundraising Initiative, Benjamin T. Rainford

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

This capstone is a qualitative analysis of a fundraising campaign I am conducting to purchase equipment for Mlali Rehabilitation Centre in Tanzania. The Centre serves 75 children with severe physical disabilities. After volunteering twice, Director Br. Gaudence Aikaruwa asked me to help find external funding. They operate on little support, and their 23-year-old tractor is failing, posing a serious food security threat.

I have since encountered significant obstacles. I found grantmakers were mostly invite-only and generally hesitant to support a large capital investment. I pivoted to crowdfunding, which was more promising but a logistical nightmare. I could neither receive money …

Ear Differences And Working Memory, Taci Lane Watkins

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Title: Ear Differences and Working Memory

Introduction: Previous research has demonstrated performance differences between the right and left ears on auditory perception tasks, suggesting a right ear advantage in auditory processing and speech perception. The present study investigated whether such ear-related differences extend beyond perception into the cognitive domain of working memory, specifically during tasks that require the manipulation and recall of verbal information.

Methods: Twenty-four right-handed adults (ages 18–30) with normal hearing completed backward digit span tasks under three listening conditions: right ear, left ear, and binaural presentation. Stimuli consisted of digit sequences ranging from three to eight numbers. …

Collegiate Volleyball Athletes Are Able To Sustain A Greater Level Of Performance Due To Many Recovery Practices., Caleb Rockwood

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Collegiate volleyball demands high-intensity physical and mental work, however athletes often struggle to maintain the recovery processes necessary to sustain a high level performance throughout a season. This project investigates how consistent recovery practices, specifically sleep, nutritional habits, and mobility, influence the ability of college volleyball players to maintain high level performance. The central problem I’ve examined is the trap, where the dual pressures of academic responsibilities and athletic commitments lead to sleep loss and nutritional deficits according to literature.

The ultimate question for this research is whether a consistent recovery routine can mitigate the typical mid-season performance decline often …

Stress As A Potential Triegger: Investigating The Onset Of Myasthenia Gravis Following Major Life Events, Taylor A. Barney

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

I will be studying myasthenia gravis (MG) and its relation to stress, answering the question: Is there a correlation between highly stressful life events and the initial onset of myasthenia gravis by which acute emotional or physical stress triggers myasthenic crisis or exacerbation of symptoms? I am doing this project because my mother has MG and her diagnosis has shaped my outlook on the medical field in which I hope to enter. To carry out this project, I will be using cross-sectional analysis through stress assessment with MG disease severity assessment. This will include trier inventory for assessment of chronic …

Examination Of Adolescents Self Confidence Of Their Miranda Warnings, Eddy Jane Manning, Madeline Durrant

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Background: Research indicates that adolescents frequently exhibit overconfidence in their knowledge and abilities, often overestimating their actual competence. This overconfidence poses significant risks in legal contexts, where misunderstanding one's civil rights can lead to inadvertent waiver of legal protections and increased legal jeopardy. Miranda warnings, constitutional rights recited during arrest, conclude with officers asking suspects to confirm their understanding. Overconfident adolescents may affirm comprehension despite lacking genuine understanding of these critical protections.

Objective: This study examined the relationship between adolescents' self-rated confidence in understanding Miranda rights and their actual comprehension of Miranda warnings.

Methods: Thirty high school students completed a …

Showcase Of Scholars 2026, Khimen Cooper

Research Week

The Showcase of Scholars serves as an academic laboratory—a place where students refine their communication skills, engage in dialogue with peers and faculty, and experience the collaborative spirit of scholarship. Each presentation reflects not only the intellectual growth of the individual student but also the strength of cross-departmental collaboration that enriches the academic community.

From Couriers To City-Dwellers: The Changing Human–Pigeon Relationship Through Historic Pigeon Messaging, Urban Perceptions, And Training Practices, Mallory Peterson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Their coos echo off the walls of skyscrapers and their wings beat faster than the cadence of footsteps. Whether dodging cars or pecking at food scraps, pigeons are a constant character of urban environments. Their unique history has allowed them to raise their young under bridges and on windowsills. Pigeons and humans are inextricably intertwined, to the joy and dismay of many. Once celebrated as couriers, pigeons carried messages of war, love, and survival across vast distances, shaping human connection and history. Today, they are more often dismissed as pests, their presence flattened into the city noise.

This narrative piece …

Byline Magazine “Meant To Burn”, Marly Graham, Samantha Dunne

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Despite wildfire's increased prevalence in the state of Montana, parts of the wildfire story in the West are rarely reported. As students in the School of Journalism's Magazine Production and Design class, we reviewed those underreported topic areas, covering behind-the-scenes support of dispatchers, forest recovery, ever-changing management practices, preventative measures, long-term ecological effects and positive impacts of fire. Over the course of the semester, students pitched, researched, reported, fact-checked, designed and copy-edited to produce Byline Magazine-The Wildfire Issue. Despite obstacles, such as a government shutdown, the class gave students the opportunity to produce an in-depth magazine and gain real-world experience …

Invection: Implementation Of Visual Effects In The Unity Game Engine, Bridger H. Burkes

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Invection is the title of a prototype game I’ve been building within the Unity game engine to explore the implementation of visual effects (VFX). In this presentation I will discuss how I’ve developed Invection and the challenges I’ve learned from when creating a cohesive visual style for the game. Invection uses several outside software, such as Blender and Touchdesigner, and built-in rendering frameworks within the Unity Technologies engine to develop lighting and environmental effects. These effects are linked to the aesthetic quality of the game, and use worldbuilding to communicate to the player a sense of danger and unease. Compared …

Gas Exchange Velocity Variation On The Upper Clark Fork River, Elliot Sanford

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Gas exchange velocity (K) was measured on the Upper Clark Fork River (UCFR) across three seasonal flow regimes to constrain estimates of K used in a dissolved radon groundwater flux model. Dissolved oxygen sensors were deployed at two stations 75 km apart during June (peak runoff), July (irrigation-induced low flow), and October (natural baseflow) for periods of 3-10 days. Gas exchange velocity normalized to a Schmidt number of 600 (K600) was calculated using a two-station Bayesian model, a one-station Bayesian model, nighttime regressions of dissolved O₂ and O₂ saturation deficit, and energy dissipation scaling relationships. Bayesian models failed …

The Impact Of The Protracted Conflict In Ukraine On Communication And Cultural Strategies For Refugees And Other Stakeholders, Kimberley Barker, David A. Victor, Christine R. Day

Global Advances in Business Communication

The Impact of the Protracted Conflict in Ukraine on Communication and Cultural Strategies for Refugees and Other Stakeholders

This research analyzes the complex challenges related to the impact of the protracted conflict in Ukraine on communication and cultural strategies for refugees and other stakeholders. The scope of those involved include the refugees, host families, related communities, paid or volunteer staff from governmental and non-governmental agencies, educational professionals, prospective employers, and colleagues.

On February 24, 2022, Russian armed forces enter Ukraine at the eastern border, their common border with Russia. This precipitates a massive refugee movement of millions of Ukrainians fleeing …

Crescendo And Collapse: The Women's Protective Union Of Butte, Montana (1950-1982), Hogan Michael O'Donnell

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

While there is a wealth of historical analysis dedicated to the first 60 years of the Women’s Protective Union (WPU) of Butte, Montana, there is relatively less discussion of the later years of the organization, which saw its peak membership of nearly 1,300 in 1955, the merger with the male-dominated local of the Culinary and Miscellaneous Employees Union (C&MEU), and its ultimate collapse in 1982. To analyze these immense changes, we first provide an introduction into the role of the Women’s Protective Union in Butte, Montana, leading up to 1955. Then, we discuss the rise of fast-food restaurant chains after …

Self-Assessment Of Certified Efl Teachers In Central Sulawesi On Their Professional Competence, Anshari Syafar

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

The study intends to describe the level of certified EFL teachers’ self-assessment of their competence to teach English. A cross-sectional survey design and systematic random sampling strategy were applied to take 227 research respondents. Questionnaire and interview were used for collecting data whereas frequency, percentage and descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data. Most respondents self-rated their abilities to teach English at ‘competent’ and ‘strongly competent’ levels. Yet, their self-rating of English teaching competence did not match up with the results of teacher competence test done by the government. Accordingly, the self-assessment should be endorsed with teaching performance assessment …

Writing Workbook As Scaffolding Aid For Junior High School Students, Ima Melati Dewi

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

This study was conducted to develop a writing workbook as a supplementary material for the eighth graders of SMPN 3 Jember. The result of the preliminary study showed that there was only small portion of writing activities in the existing textbook. As a result, students got many difficulties in writing skills. The research and development (R&D) procedure was employed in this study. The design used in developing the workbook was the adaptation model of development by Borg and Gall (1983). The procedures employed in this study were needs analysis, instructional goal, material development, expert validation, try-out, and final product. The …

Pengaruh Strategi Pembelajaran Meringkas Dan Format Presentasi Terhadap Hasil Belajar Penalaran Argumentatif Pada Matapelajaran Sejarah Di Sma, Susanto Yunus Alfian

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Penelitian kuasi eksperimen ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh strategi pembelajaran meringkas dan format presentasi terhadap hasil belajar penalaran argumentatif sejarah di SMA. Rancangan penelitian yang digunakan adalah rancangan faktorial yang terdiri dari pretest-perlakuan-posttest. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa dari empat kelas pada empat SMA negeri di Kabupaten Malang. Instrumen yang digunakan untuk mengukur hasil belajar penalaran argumentatif sejarah adalah tes uraian yang terdiri dari 10 soal. Analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan ANCOVA 2X2. Dua variabel bebasnya adalah strategi pembelajaran meringkas yang terdiri dari graphic organizer dalam bentuk sebab akibat dan written summarizing dan format presentasi yang terdiri dari format …

Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah Dalam Menumbuhkan Motivasi Berprestasi Guru, Viengdavong Luangsithideth

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam menumbuhkan motivasi berprestasi guru, ditinjau dari: (1) karakter kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam menumbuhkan motivasi berprestasi guru di sekolah, (2) pendekatan yang dilakukan kepala sekolah dalam menumbuhkan motivasi berprestasi guru di sekolah, (3) peranan kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam menumbuhkan motivasi berprestasi guru di sekolah, (4) respons guru terhadap kepala sekolah, dan (5) prestasi guru yang berhasil ditumbuhkan. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi partisipan, dan studi dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian adalah: (1) karakter kepemimpinan kepala sekolah dalam menumbuhkan motivasi berprestasi guru dipengaruhi oleh budaya, pendidikan kepala sekolah, kondisi warga sekolah; (2) pendekatan yang …

Conversation Strategies Used By Students Of The English Department Of Tadulako University, Baso Andi-Pallawa

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Conversation strategies are investigated based on two reasons. Firstly, many English students of the English Department of Tadulako University cannot actively participate in English conversation because they do know how to keep the conversation running fluently. Secondly, most of these students do not recognize the types of conversation strategies, let alone to use them in a conversation. The main purpose of this study is to describe and identify conversation strategies employed by the fourth semester students of the English Department of Tadulako University in English conversations to maintain the conversation running fluently. The design of this study was qualitative. Twenty-four …

Principal's Leadership In Improving Teacher Discipline, Out Chanthea

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

The purpose of this study is to understand Principal's Leadership in Improving Teacher Discipline through various factors and monitoring processes.