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Unf Student Research Symposium Conference Program Summer 2026, Office Of Undergraduate Research, Unf Graduate School

UNF Student Research Symposium

The Summer UNF Student Research Symposium is a multi-disciplinary conference where students showcase their research and creative projects. The symposium, hosted by the UNF Office of Undergraduate Research in partnership with the UNF Graduate School and the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office, is a component of the Student Research Symposium series, which provides a venue for students to present their research projects to the campus community.

Development And Psychometric Evaluation Of A Medical Device-Related Pressure Injury Risk Assessment Scale, Ayise Karadag, Aleyna Uçanbelen, Öznur Erbay Dalli

Individual Articles

Medical device–related pressure injuries are a significant and largely preventable patient safety problem, yet existing pressure injury risk scales do not adequately capture device-specific risk factors in adults. This methodological study developed and psychometrically evaluated a standardized risk assessment scale to identify medical device–related pressure injury risk in hospitalized adult patients. An initial item pool was generated from an extensive literature review and clinical expertise, and content validity was assessed by seven experts using the Davis technique (content validity index = 0.96). The scale was administered to160 adults receiving at least one medical device in medical, surgical and oncology wards …

Connected, Confident, And Cautious: Gen Z’S Emerging Financial Life, Stephen Roll, Jayden Liu, Guangli Zhang

Center for Social Development Research

The economic uncertainty Gen Z is facing as they enter adulthood is in some ways familiar and in some ways unprecedented. Like millennials, who came of age during the Great Recession, today’s young adults have experienced a major economic disruption early in their financial lives. The COVID-19 pandemic, followed by inflation, interest rate volatility, and affordability pressures, has shaped the conditions under which Gen Z is beginning to earn, save, borrow, and invest. Yet, Gen Z is entering adulthood in a financial environment that looks very different from the one earlier generations encountered. This brief draws on three complementary datasets …

Simbinder-If: Structure-Aware Antibody Affinity Optimization Via Efficient Preference Learning, Xinyan Zhao, Yi-Ching Tang, Rivaaj Monsia, Victor J Cantu, Ashwin Kumar Ramesh, Siyu Yang, Xiaozhong Liu, Zhiqiang An, Xiaoqian Jiang, Yejin Kim

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Motivation: Antibody therapeutic efficacy depends on high-affinity target engagement, yet laboratory affinity maturation is slow and costly. Most protein language models (PLMs) lack explicit training for high affinity, and current preference optimization methods introduce computational overhead without clear affinity improvements. Therefore, structure-aware and parameter-efficient approaches for antibody affinity optimization are urgently needed.

Results: We propose SimBinder-IF, a structure-aware antibody optimization model trained by freezing the Evolutionary Scale Modeling inverse folding (ESM-IF) structure encoder and fine-tuning only its decoder via Simple Preference Optimization (SimPO) to prefer stronger binders. In generalization tests across seven held-out complexes (93 477 mutants), SimBinder-IF shows a …

Higher Mortality And Distinct Complications After Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion In Dialysis Patients, Despite Improvements Over Prior Decade: A National Inpatient Study, Mitchell K. Ng, Leonidas E. Mastrokostas, Paul G. Mastrokostas, William A. Green, Joshua Mathew, Gregorio Baek, Yasmine Eichbaum, Yulia Lee, Morgan Hitchner, Jonathan Dalton, Adam Fano, Alec Giakas, Rajendra Singh, Brendan Reitman, Afshin E. Razi, Daniel R. Fassett, Alan S. Hilibrand, Alex R. Vaccaro, Christopher K. Kepler, Gregory D. Schroeder, Andrew P. Alvarez

Rothman Institute Papers

Introduction: Dialysis patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) face elevated perioperative risk due to complex comorbidities. This study aimed to (1) identify associations between dialysis status and perioperative complications after ACDF, (2) quantify differences in length of stay (LOS), hospitalization costs, and discharge disposition, and (3) provide a contemporary national benchmark for outcomes in this high-risk population. Materials and Methods: The 2016–2022 National Inpatient Sample was queried for adult elective ACDF cases. Dialysis dependence was identified through International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for end-stage renal disease with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Demographics, comorbidities, complications, LOS, costs, and discharge …

Leaving Against Medical Advice In The Ed: Understanding A Preventable Threat To Patient Safety, Chhaya Gupta, Shakti Shishodia, Pallavi Sehgal, Deborah Eke

URGENT Matters

No abstract provided.

Self-Prescribed Antibiotics Before The Ed Visit: A Hidden Driver Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Acute Gastroenteritis, Rohan Sahebrao Baviskar, Saloni Paranjape, Gurbachan Singh, Mallika Manyapu

URGENT Matters

No abstract provided.

Beyond Visual Inspection: Evaluating The Role Of Borescope Technology In Detecting Internal Contamination Of Reprocessed Surgical Instruments, Charlotte Annes, Adrienne Bell Bba, Cspdt, Robin Tannous Bsn, Rn, Cnor, Jonathan T. Berback Mph, Cic

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

Loss Of Nemp1 Disrupts Female Meiosis And Activates A Conserved Atm-Chk2 Checkpoint, Bilal Ahmad Hakim, Yonit Tsatskis, Ling Zhang, Esther Choi, Ying Zhang, Didier Hodzic, Que Wu, Muyun Zhang, Maryam Pashaei, Kyungwon Ha, Jannette Rusch, Julie A Brill, Miguel Angel Brieño-Enríquez, Andrea Jurisicova, Helen Mcneill

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Female germ cells must preserve the integrity of their genome and generate genetic diversity via meiotic recombination. This challenging process is error prone. Highly conserved checkpoint pathways detect errors in recombination and DNA damage, inducing the death of defective oocytes. Nuclear Envelope Membrane Protein (NEMP) homologs are highly conserved proteins critical for fertility in flies, worms, fish and mice. They localize to the inner nuclear envelope where they provide mechanical support. However, why NEMP homologs are specifically required for fertility is still unclear. Using both Drosophila and mouse models, we establish that loss of NEMP homologs leads to activation of …

Risk And Timing Of Age-Related And Other Conditions In Individuals With Down Syndrome, Hannah Tavalire, Akaninyene I. Noah, Veronica Fitzpatrick, Hannah Graham, Shelly Verma, Laura Krohn, Daniel Vockeroth, Brian Chicoine

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Healthcare Utilization Among Patients With Down Syndrome In Specialty Care Vs Non-Specialty Care, Akaninyene Noah, Hannah Tavalire, Veronica Fitzpatrick, Hannah Graham, Shelly Verma, Laura Krohn, Daniel Vockeroth, Brian Chicoine

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Icare System Implementation For Phlebitis Prevention: A Quality Improvement Study, Rini Rachmawaty, Agussalim Bukhari, Elly Wahyudin, Indra Gaffar, Sarah Bernadette L. Balena, Gulzar Malik

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Healthcare-associated phlebitis remains a critical challenge in Indonesian hospitals, where incidence rates reach 31.7%, dramatically exceeding the national benchmark of less than 1%. A major contributing factor is poor adherence to integrated clinical pathways, particularly concerning incompatible intravenous drug combinations such as ceftriaxone administered with calcium-containing solutions.

Objective: We aimed to reduce phlebitis incidence through implementation of an online integrated clinical pathway compliance system (iCare System) among patients with high-volume, high-risk, high-cost conditions at provincial government hospitals in South Sulawesi.

Methods: This prospective quality improvement study was conducted at Indonesian regional hospital, located in Makassar, between April and July …

Strategies For Early Diagnosis And Treatment Of Patients With Ovarian Cancer, Petrina Nicole Harrison

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background/Purpose: Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of death among gynecologic malignancies, largely due to delayed diagnosis. Rural clinics face unique challenges, including limited access to specialists and diagnostic tools. This DNP quality assurance project aimed to evaluate and improve providers’ strategies for the timely diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer within a rural gynecology clinic serving women at increased risk for delayed detection and mortality.

Methods/Design: Using Avedis Donabedian’s structure-process-outcome framework, a retrospective chart review assessed adherence to evidence-based diagnostic and treatment practices. Findings informed the implementation of a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) integrated into provider workflows. Educational …

Using Greater Resilience Information Toolkit As A Transformative Strategy For Native American Women, Kathy Prue-Owens, Marie Zephier, Lauren Shaw, Nicole Weis

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background/Purpose: Native Americans (NAs) exhibit lower quality of life due to poverty, inadequate health services, historica/ongoing discrimination. NA women are underrepresented when it comes to the epidemic of violence, mental health and wellness outcomes.The purpose of this mixed method study was to explore the relationship between Native American (NA) women cultural beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions by gathering cultural input on the Greater Resilience Information Toolkit (GRIT) program.

Methods: This is a mixed-method community-based participatory research (CBPR) study. Self-efficacy is the theoretical framework. Upon Institutional Review Board approvals, flyers were posted at the tribal wellness center. Prior to focus groups, participants …

Utilizing Data To Inform Educational Decision Making, Andrew Blum, Kerri Green Edd, Ms

Research Scholars

No abstract provided.

Prepration And Characterization Of Alginate Biocomposite Films From Natural Seaweed Containing Glycerol And Silica, Bahareh Ebrahimi Mojaveri

Master's Theses

This study focuses on the development of sodium alginate, a seaweed-derived biopolymer, as a sustainable alternative to conventional food packaging films. The alginate is extracted from natural brown seaweed with a yield of 31% and is formed into alginate films by the solution casting method. This study discusses the alginate extraction and film formation techniques as well as the conditions that affect film properties. Additionally, it explores using composite formulations to enhance alginate properties through additives such as glycerol and silica. Glycerol, tested at different concentrations (15, 25, and 50 wt.%), works as a plasticizer to enhance the flexibility of …

Enhancing Chronic Kidney Disease Awareness And Early Identification Through Community Health Worker Education In Rural Arkansas, Samantha L.M. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The doctoral project was focused on improving staff education and development to prevent chronic kidney disease (CKD) through community health worker (CHW) education. The practice problem was the delayed identification of CKD risk factors and late referral to nephrology services, particularly among rural and underserved populations. Because CKD often progresses without symptoms, early education and awareness are critical to improving outcomes and reducing disease progression. The purpose of the project was to develop and implement a structured CKD educational curriculum for CHWs to improve their confidence in kidney health, CKD risk factors, prevention strategies, early identification, and referral awareness. The …

Time Series Analysis Of Temperature And Pollen Exposure On Asthma Outcomes In Atlanta, Georgia, Victoria Okereke-Viktorsson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of climate change contribute to volatile temperature changes, which coupled with pollen exposure pose a significant threat to asthmatic people, potentially impacting methods for asthma management. The purpose of this ecological time-series study was to use the carbon dioxide theory of climate change, Dutch hypothesis, and social ecological model to estimate the relationship between average temperature and average pollen concentrations on average asthma morbidity outcomes for adults living in metropolitan Atlanta from 2020 to 2022 (N = 37,913). Results varied in terms of years, socioeconomic status (SES) vulnerability, gender, and racial group. Overall, a linear regression model revealed …

Standardizing Neurological Assessments, Delaney Miller, Hannah Dorsey, Lauren Sulzen, Olivia Garrett, Patricia Rios, Sukhmanpareet Kaur

2025

No abstract provided.

Dnp Final Report: Improving Length Of Stay Outcomes Using Structured Barrier Rounds: A Quality Improvement Project, Martha Kwamboka Apella

DNP Final Reports

Prolonged length of stay (LOS) in the acute care setting is a challenging issue driven by multiple factors. Increased LOS is associated with mortality, hospital-acquired infections, patient safety events, functional impairment, decreased quality of life, social isolation, and increased cost of care. The causes of increased LOS in the medical-surgical unit are unclear, necessitating an evidence-based project to address the problem. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to implement structured interdisciplinary barrier rounds and evaluate their effect on LOS, opportunity days, and estimated cost of care in a medical-surgical unit. The facility complex care coordinator (CCC) was identified …

Kras-Independent Factors Drive Pi3k Signaling And Circumvent The Necessity Of Kras-Driven Pi3k Activation In Pdac, Lucas Christopher Bialousow

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the lowest five-year survival rates among cancers and is characterized by near-ubiquitous occurrence of oncogenic KRAS mutations. Oncogenic KRAS activates several downstream pathways, including ERK 1/2 MAPK and PI3K, which are critical for PDAC. However, accumulating evidence suggests that PI3K activity can be maintained independent of oncogenic KRAS. The high prevalence of KRAS^G12R in PDAC challenges the prevailing model of KRAS-driven PI3K activation, as this mutant is defective in direct engagement with PI3Kα. These observations raise important questions regarding how PI3K signaling is sustained in PDAC. Here, we investigated KRAS-independent mechanisms that …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Well-Being In Middle-Aged Korean Men: Mediating Role Of Andropause, Jeongok Park, Hyunju Lee, Gyeryung Park

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can impact midlife well-being, however, their impact on middle-aged men is understudied. (1-5). This study aimed to examine the relationship between ACEs and well-being in middle-aged men, focusing on the mediating role of andropause symptoms to help develop strategies for improving men’s well-being.

This descriptive cross-sectional study included 444 community-dwelling men between the ages of 40 and 64 in Korea. Data were collected through an online survey. Individuals with psychological conditions impairing cognitive functions were excluded. Measures included PERMA-Profiler for well-being, ACEs International Questionnaire, and Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Males Questionnaire. SAS 9.4 was used …

Optimizing Nurse-Led Heart Failure Clinic Referrals Using A Heart Failure Readmission Risk Score, Marianne Rusin Borkosky

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Heart failure (HF) readmissions result in patients’ poor quality of life, depleted healthcare resources, reduced quality scores, and poor payor reimbursement, affecting healthcare systems’ financial stability. This is alleviated by referral to the HF Clinic. The project aims to compare HF Clinic referral rates after risk-assessing admitted HF patients with the European Collaboration on Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ELAN-HF) risk tool to referral rates before the intervention. A goal is to utilize the ELAN-HF risk stratification tool to identify patients with the highest risk of readmission, refer them to the nurse-led HF Clinic, and provide self-care education and clinical …

Factors Influencing Quality Of Life In Liver Transplant Recipients: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jyun-Sian Wu, Yu-Ling Chang, Li-Chueh Weng, Kang-Hua Chen

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Liver transplant recipients must adapt to significant physiological and psychological challenges following surgery, including the side effects of immunosuppressants and the burden of chronic treatment. These stressors often cause symptom distress and impair quality of life (QoL). The sense of coherence (SOC), a psychological construct reflecting an individual’s ability to perceive life as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful, has been associated with better coping and higher QoL. However, few studies have examined how SOC and symptom distress jointly influence QoL among liver transplant recipients.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationships among demographic and clinical characteristics, symptom distress, SOC, …

Development And Validation Of A Risk Assessment Scale For Medical Device–Related Pressure Injuries, Ayise Karadag, Aleyna Uçanbelen, Öznur Erbay Dalli

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Medical Device–Related Pressure Injuries (MDRPIs) pose a growing global challenge to patient safety, with incidence rates up to 19.3% [1]. MDRPIs are recognized as a nursing-sensitive quality indicator and excluded from hospital reimbursement systems, underscoring their clinical and economic significance [2,3]. Although largely preventable, accurate risk prediction remains limited due to the absence of MDRPI-specific tools for adults [4,5]. This study aimed to develop and validate a new, highly predictive risk assessment scale—MedRAS—to enable early identification and prevention of MDRPIs in adult inpatients.
This methodological and psychometric validation study included 160 adult inpatients using one or more medical devices. Data …

Care Down Syndrome: Responding To An Unmet Need, Brian Chicoine, Dana Sciullo, Laura Krohn, Amanda Zhang, Margot Rhondeau, Jessica Kuss

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Raymond Rodriguez V. Loyal Source Government Services

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Dupilumab For Patients With Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis, Amber U Luong, Joshua M Levy, Sarah K Wise, Joseph K Han, Mamoru Yoshikawa, Luo Zhang, Rodney Schlosser, Prerna Ranganathan, Paula Dakin, Jennifer Maloney, George D Yancopoulos, Andrew P Fontenot, Neelam A Phadke, Lacey R Robinson

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a severe subtype of chronic rhinosinusitis characterized by fungal hypersensitivity and accentuated type 2 inflammation. Dupilumab-a fully human mAb blocking IL-4/13, approved for type 2 inflammatory diseases, including chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps-may benefit patients with AFRS.

Objective: We sought to understand the effect of dupilumab in AFRS.

Methods: In this phase 3 trial, patients with AFRS age ≥6 years were randomized to dupilumab or matched placebo for 52 weeks. The primary end point was Lund-Mackay computed tomography score, quantifying sinus opacification, at 52 weeks. Secondary end points were multiplicity-controlled and hierarchically tested.

Results: …

Effects Of Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy On Dental Plaque Microbiome, Qingguo Wang, Bing-Yan Wang, Derek Wilus, Hua Xie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 40% of U.S. adults aged 30 years and older, is characterized by dysbiosis of the dental plaque microbiome. However, although scaling and root planing (SRP) is the cornerstone of periodontal treatment, its effects on the taxonomic composition and functional potential of the dental plaque microbiome remain incompletely understood. In this study, we used whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing to characterize taxonomic composition and functional potential in dental plaque microbiomes collected from 39 patients with Stage II or III generalized periodontitis before and 3–4 months after SRP. Consistent with clinical improvement, periodontal therapy significantly reduced probing …

Entity Labels Are Not Entity Signals: A Framework For Observable Relevance In Document Re-Ranking, Utshab Kumar Ghosh, Shubham Chatterjee

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Entity-aware document retrieval uses query-associated entities as ranking signals, assuming that semantically relevant entities are also useful retrieval signals. We show this assumption is insufficient - and explain why. Unlike terms, which are ground-truth observations, entity links are hypotheses produced by an imperfect linker: an entity can be topically central yet provide no discriminative signal if the linker fires indiscriminately across relevant and non-relevant documents. We formalize this as a distinction between Conceptual Entity Relevance (CER) - whether an entity is topically related to a query - and Observable Entity Relevance (OER) - whether its observed presence in a collection …