Digital Commons Network^™

Maternal Inflammation Alters Nuclear And Mitochondrial Dna Methylation Patterns In Neonatal Brain Monocytes, Andrew Ebenezer, Jonathan Hicks, Brooke Hollander, Alexander Hone, Mona Batish, Robert Akins, Adam Marsh, Elizabeth Wright-Jin

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a common birth complication that can cause death or lifelong disabling conditions like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. It is well established that maternal infection and inflammation are significant risk factors for HIE but reasons for this increase in neurological risk to the offspring remain unknown. Inflammation or infection are associated with epigenetic changes and may contribute to the increased risk of neurodevelopmental disability in exposed offspring. Here, we analyzed and compared DNA methylation patterns in brain monocytes isolated from control, maternal immune activation (MIA), and an inflammation sensitized HIE (IS-HIE) CF-1 mouse model …

Improving The Students' Skill In Writing English Abstract Through The Directed Writing Activity (Dwa), Sigit Budisantoso

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Every year, most of the fifth-semester students in the Accounting Department, State Polytechnic of Malang always had a problem in writing English abstracts. This study was intended to improve students’ skill in writing English abstracts through the Directed Writing Activity (DWA). This research is a collaborative classroom action research. The data were collected through students’ portfolios, questionnaires on the students’ responses, and the observation sheet on the teacher’s performance. The assessment was done by evaluating the students’ portfolios, the students’ responses on the DWA implementation in their classroom, and the observation on the teacher’s performance. After evaluating all the data, …

Emily Brontë'S Wuthering Heights In Indonesian Version: Lulu Wijaya's Translation Strategies And Inappropriateness Explored, Maria Lucia Luciana

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

This study is aimed at providing the answers to the two research questions proposed. First, it is to examine the strategies used by Lulu Wijaya in translating Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Second, it is to explore how inappropriate Lulu Wijaya’s translation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is. The research data were obtained from both the English and the Indonesian versions of the novel under discussion. The data were then analyzed dealing with the translation strategies and the researcher’s suggested translation version for the inappropriate translation. The suggested translation version was later validated by two validators to make sure that the …

Communication Strategies Employed By Efl Learners In A Speaking Class

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

The present study explored verbal and nonverbal communication strategies (CSs) employed by learners both as message senders (speakers) and as message receivers (listeners) in English in a speaking class. It employed a qualitative design with an ethonography of communication approach in a limited situation setting (speaking class). Thirty two students taking Speaking II subject at the English Education of IKIP Mataram were selected by using a purposeful technique. The techniques used to collect data consisted of non-participant observation and video recording. The research findings showed that there were eleven verbal CSs employed by message senders and six nonverbal. Furthermore, on …

Feminism, Misdiagnoses Of Women And The Scope Of Medical Negligence Doctrine, Abigail J. Engstrom

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Are the objective standards in medical malpractice law, including reasonableness and professional norms, neutral in a general manner or do they encode gendered assumptions that are disadvantageous to women in the system? Women are 66% more likely to encounter the disparity of misdiagnoses than men. One view point that is demonstrative of this question is that the negligence doctrine supposes courts avoid bias on gender and remain neutral by applying the negligence doctrine and professional norms. Through this view the very disparity of misdiagnoses in women is seen as medical failures instead of structural legal doctrine failures. In Miss Diagnosis: …

Expanding University Of Montana's Contract Management System, Brooke Odenthal

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The University of Montana is currently losing millions of dollars due to their lack of efficiency and oversight on contracts. There are many contracts that affiliates of the university have signed without authorized oversight. Without the correct oversight, the university ends up signing multiple contracts for the same product. This also leads to members of the university wrongly giving away valuable data and information to companies without properly signing contracts. All of their contracts are scattered across campus, some signed correctly and some not. These documents are stored in various offices, departments, and using a mix of storage systems. This …

Late-Time Miri Imaging Of Sn 2011ja Reveals High Cold Dust Mass, Aiden G. Agostinelli, Benjamin C. Radmore

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Using new JWST MIRI images, we constrain the mass of dust around SN 2011ja long after explosion. SN 2011ja is a Type IIP core-collapse supernova (CCSN) in galaxy NGC 4945. The SN is difficult to identify in the MIRI images, so we apply an alignment routine which matches bright stars between MIRI and Spitzer images to locate the correct point source. Dust masses for SN 2011ja have previously been estimated at 105, 486, 637, 857, 881, 1007, and 1332 days post-explosion. These new MIRI images were taken at day 4241. We perform PSF photometry and fit analytical dust models to …

Mindful Machines: Do Children Trust Ai More When They Think It Has A Mind?, Juhi Singh

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Children are increasingly interacting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to seek information. Yet little is known about how children discern whether to trust AI responses. This study investigates two related questions. First, children prefer to learn from confident over hesitant people, but do they similarly prefer to learn from confident AI? Second, individual differences in children’s attributions of human-like mental states to non-human entities (anthropomorphism) predicts their social conceptions of AI-embedded technologies. Accordingly, are individual differences in anthropomorphism related to their learning from AI?

Child participants (N=64; ages 5-8) viewed videos of AI and human informants answering questions. Across …

Questioning The Accusation That Francois Duvalier Impersonated Baron Samedi, Tess Rosbarsky

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Historians, anthropologists, and journalists have all claimed that Haitian dictator Francois Duvalier modeled his personal style after the Vodou spirit, or Loa, Baron Samedi. Guarding the crossroads between life and death, Baron Samedi is a member of the Gede family, a group of vulgar and mischievous spirits who mock authority. The Baron wears a top hat, dark suits, and sunglasses with one lens popped out. Duvalier’s signature look also included a black suit and hat which he paired with his thick lens glasses. This research provides evidence against this claim holding that these stylistic choices could more easily be explained …

Reclamation Of Native Identity: An Examination Of Language Revitalization Efforts, Brittney J. Wagner

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The Native American peoples of the United States have faced a history shaped by systemic oppression with the government since European settlers landed in the North American continent. This project focuses on Native American community efforts in revitalizing their languages, cultures, and ways of being. One of the traumatic long-lasting events that have affected Native American communities and individuals is federally and/or church run boarding schools. In the United States, there were approximately 300 schools that were open from 1860-1978. My hope with this project is to explore the history of assimilation and oppression the federal government attempted with these …

Corneal Tissue Addition Keratoplasty For The Treatment Of Keratoconus, Michelle Diamandi, Brad H. Feldman

Research Day

Introduction: Keratoconus (KC) is a progressive eye disease where the cornea thins and bulges into a cone shape, causing significant vision distortion, blurred vision, astigmatism, and light sensitivity, and is usually diagnosed in teens and young adults (ages 10-30). Currently, corneal cross-linking (CXL), rigid gas permeable (RGP) or scleral contact lenses for vision correction, and corneal transplant in advanced cases are the primary treatment options for KC. Previous studies have shown significant results in improving vision and corneal steepness in KC using intrastromal inlays, most notably synthetic Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segments (ICRS) and Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments (CAIRS). Like …

Cardiac Arrest In Thyroid Storm: Characterizing A Rare But Survivable Emergency, Andrew Young, Jason Fink, Drew Monteleone-Haught, Melissa Falcon, Sahil Banka

Research Day

Background: Thyroid storm is a life-threatening endocrine emergency with well-documented cardiovascular complications. However, the specific complication of cardiac arrest in the setting of thyroid storm remains poorly characterized in the literature, with no established clinical pathways or management algorithms to guide clinicians. This scoping review aims to identify trends and patterns in the management and outcomes of this rare but potentially survivable complication to inform future guidelines.

Methods: A scoping review of case reports was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase using terms combining thyroid storm or thyrotoxicosis with …

Delayed Presentation Of Cervical Myelopathy Diagnosed In A Pain Management Clinic, Clayton Mohler, Ron Lincow, Sarah Kizun

Research Day

Background: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a progressive condition that occurs due to degenerative changes of the spine that compress the spinal cord, leading to potential permanent neurological damage. It generally occurs in people over the age of 50 and has a wide range of clinical presentations with varying neurological symptoms. Because of its varied presentation, diagnosis is often delayed, resulting in increased morbidity.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 69-year-old male referred to a pain management clinic by his primary care physician for evaluation of his significant neurological symptoms, including pain, weakness, gait disturbance, and reduced sensation. …

Literature Review: Long-Term Effects Of Circumcised Neonates Vs Uncircumcised Neonates, Jada M. Glenn, Daphne Mlachila

Research Day

INTRODUCTION:

Circumcision is a widely practiced procedure, but as research has progressed, its value beyond a purely cosmetic or cultural purpose has come into question. Outside  of a religious context, circumcision has been popularized by the belief that it has significant medical benefits that justify the permanent removal of the foreskin in a neonate. These benefits include, but are not limited to, a reduction in urinary tract infections, transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, and penile cancer. However, recent studies have shown that these reductions are minimal, especially in countries where AIDS is no longer an epidemic. Other studies have also …

Uremic Striatopallidal Syndrome: A Rare Cause Of Hyperkinetic Movement Disorder In End-Stage Renal Disease, Cohen Chong, Esther Choi, Bhavi Purohit

Research Day

Introduction

Uremic striatopallidal syndrome (USPS) is a rare neurologic complication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) characterized by bilateral basal ganglia dysfunction and hyperkinetic movement disorders, which may manifest as chorea, dystonia, or parkinsonian features. The underlying pathophysiology is not fully understood but is thought to involve metabolic derangements, uremic toxin accumulation, and disruption of basal ganglia function. Because its presentation can mimic medication-induced symptoms, primary neurodegenerative conditions, or other metabolic encephalopathies, USPS may be underrecognized and misdiagnosed, leading to delays in appropriate management.

Methods

A retrospective review of clinical findings, laboratory data, imaging studies, and hospital course was performed for …

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 …

A Case Of Radiation-Induced Optic Neuritis (Rion) Managed With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Zachery M. Casella, Dallin S. Lindahl

Research Day

Case Description/Objective: A 58-year-old African American man with a history of left skullbase meningioma presented to the emergency department with acute bilateral vision loss on April 16. He completed external beam radiation therapy in August 2024, receiving a total dose of 50.4 Gy over one month. MRI of the brain and orbits with and without contrast supported the diagnosis of optic neuritis, most consistent with radiation-induced etiology. He was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone for five days and discharged on oral dexamethasone, pentoxifylline, and vitamin E, with instructions to initiate Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as soon as possible at Emory University …

Challenges In Diagnosis: A Review Of Development Of Nut Carcinoma Within The Abdomen And Pelvis, Matthew Alexander, Grace Lynch, Ambika Jokhulall, Donald Penney

Research Day

Background:

NUT Carcinoma is a subtype of squamous cell carcinoma characterized by a translocation of the nuclear protein in testes (NUTM1) gene to form a fusion with an epigenetic reader, most commonly bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4::NUTM1), bromodomain-containing protein 3 (BRD3::NUTM1), or nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 3 (NSD3::NUTM1). It is a rare and aggressive tumor with a median survival time of 6-9 months and most commonly affects midline structures of the head and neck, though in recent years reports of primary NUT carcinoma within the abdomen and pelvis have been reported. The purpose of this review is to compare …

Vascular Asymmetry In Scoliosis: A Scoping Review Of Anatomical Evidence And Functional Implications, Nick Daneshvar, Olivia Peoples, Nicholas Auge-Dario, Barrington Francis, Mykala Jackson, Michael Abaskaron, Matthew Shelnutt

Research Day

Introduction

Scoliosis alters spinal alignment which may influence the position and function of adjacent vascular structures. Although vascular complications related to scoliosis and its surgical correction have been reported, the potential contribution of scoliosis-associated vascular asymmetry to functional impairment remains unclear. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize existing literature describing vascular anatomical changes associated with scoliosis and to examine related evidence plausibly linking altered paraspinal perfusion to functional outcomes such as endurance and pain.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted using PubMed with a lower publication date limit of 2005. A primary search identified studies describing vascular …

Teaching In Monochrome: Skin Tone Bias In Medical Training Resources- A Scoping Review, Evelyn O. Orusa, Blessed D. Jordan, David Adelstein

Research Day

Background: Medical training resources demonstrate substantial under-representation of darker skin tones across textbooks, curricula, and educational materials globally. This representational gap may contribute to reduced diagnostic confidence among healthcare providers when assessing patients with diverse skin tones.

Objective: To evaluate the adequacy of skin diversity representation in medical training resources and assess its relationship to healthcare provider diagnostic confidence across different skin tones.

Methods: A review of studies examining skin diversity representation in medical education and provider confidence in diagnosing conditions across varied skin tones. Studies will be identified through comprehensive database searches, including PubMed and Cochrane, and screened for …

I’M Going To Disney World: Regenerative Injection Therapy(Regenexx) Enabling Functional Recovery In Chronic Ankle Dorsiflexion, Marzena Buzanowska, Kévin Borgella

Research Day

Chronic foot drop, weakness or inability to dorsiflex the ankle and toes. Gait deficits such as this can originate from issues in the motor pathway of the cerebral cortex or from injury to peripheral nerves that innervate the foot musculature. The most common cause is L5 radiculopathy and peroneal nerve injury, but can also include lumbar herniation, spinal stenosis, and degenerative nerve diseases. Physical therapy has been the fundamental means of treating this issue with a focus on muscle strengthening, adjusting gait patterns and engaging the mechanisms of neural plasticity to improve muscle activation. In lieu of these methods, Ankle-foot …

Head Size Allometry Supports Differences In Digging Ability Between Sexes In A Semi-Fossorial Lizard, Gwendalyn Thompson, David Tevs

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In lizards, sexual dimorphism in head shape has commonly been studied from a male perspective, with larger heads being associated with greater fighting ability during male-on-male combat or for displaying colored throats. However, reductions in overall head size and length are also associated with adaptation to a fossorial lifestyle. Consequently we hypothesize that reduced female head size in sub-surface nesting lizards may also confer greater digging ability and provide greater freedom when selecting suitable nest sites. We collected western skinks (Plestiodon skilontianus) by turning rocks on dry-pine slopes in the Bitterroot National Forest (Montana, USA). For each lizard, we recorded …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Pengaruh Strategi Pembelajaran Simulasi Vs Bermain Peran Dan Sikap Siswa Terhadap Pengetahuan Dan Kesiapsiagaan Tentang Bencana Alam, Muhammad Zulfikar Syuaib

Jurnal Pendidikan Humaniora

Tujuan penelitian untuk mendapatkan temuan secara empirik tentang: 1) keefektifan bentuk pengajaran pada siswa yang belajar dengan strategi pembelajaran simulasi dan bermain peran, terhadap hasil belajar pengetahuan dan kesiapsiagaan tentang bencana alam; 2) bentuk pengajaran antara siswa bersikap positif dan bersikap negatif terhadap bencana alam, dengan hasil belajar pengetahuan dan kesiapsiagaan tentang bencana alam; 3) interaksi antara sikap siswa dengan siswa yang belajar strategi pembelajaran simulasi dan bermain peran, terhadap hasil belajar pengetahuan dan kesiapsiagaan tentang bencana alam. Jenis penelitian ini adalah desain eksperimen kuasi versi faktorial 2 x 2 Pretest-Posttest Nonequivalent Control Group Design dengan populasi penelitian siswa kelas …

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 …