Digital Commons Network^™

The Rider (2026-03-23), Daniela Chapa-Reyes

The Rider Archives

Vol. 11, No. 23

A Mitochondrial Plasma Proteomic Signature Identifies Metastatic Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma, Clara Steiner, Tiegang Han, Steven Safi, Wafaa Bzeih, Hadi Mansour, Eddy Saad, Jessica F. Williams, Vinay K. Giri, Liliana Ascione, Yehonatan Elon, Adam P. Dicker, Yan Tang, Toni K. Choueiri, Elizabeth P. Henske, Wenxin Xu

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal mitochondria, a high rate of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations, and altered oxidative metabolism. There are no existing circulating biomarkers to distinguish metastatic ChRCC from clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

METHODS: High-throughput plasma proteomic profiling using the SomaScan platform was performed in 18 ChRCC (including 16 metastatic ChRCC) and 197 metastatic ccRCC patients. Data were harmonized to generate a unified 7K-protein matrix.

RESULTS: Differential expression analysis was performed using limma (version 3.62.2). Of 7272 quantified human plasma proteins, 209 were differentially expressed between ChRCC and ccRCC. Upregulated …

The George-Anne Daily, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.

Nano Zinc As A Source To Stimulate Calendula Officinalis Callus To Produce The Active Triterpenoid Glycoside, Abdulwadood S.M. Alsoufi, Suha Maher Abed, Sara Q. Suliaman, Anna Szakiel

Baghdad Science Journal

Plants can synthesize a large number of different active compounds and ingredients, which can be influenced under stress conditions. The plant in vitro culture technique is considered a suitable and useful method to propagate and protect the medicinal and herbal plants, and to extract active natural compounds. The main target of this work was to obtain callus of Calendula officinalis explants stimulated by Nano zinc, and then to extract the natural glycosides from callus in vitro culture and apply them against certain bacterial and fungal isolates. The explant of C. officinalis was grown on media containing a mix of hormones, …

New Optimal Formulas To Conjugate Gradient Method For Image Noise Reduction, Basim A. Hassan, Mohammed W. Taha

Baghdad Science Journal

A key component of conjugate gradient (CG) algorithms is the directions used in the CG approach. Because of their low memory requirements, these directed methods have proven effective in various applications, especially image processing. For this study, we have developed a new conjugate gradient coefficient based on the well-known quadratic model, that will accelerate the convergence and increase the accuracy of the CG approach. Because the new method uses the second order curvature and provides improved direction. So, the global convergence and critical descent characteristics of the final algorithm provide reliable performance in a range of scenarios. The results of …

Stay Salty, My Friends, Manuel Gomez

The Main Thing Devotional

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” - Matthew 5:13

El Legado De Cristóbal Balenciaga En La Prensa Española Y Francesa: Análisis Comparativo De La Cobertura Mediática (Marzo–Abril De 1972 Y Marzo De 1973) En [Ponencia] X Congreso Internacional Comunicación Y Pensamiento Crítico: Poder, Tecnologías Y Sociedad, Julio González Liendo, Bárbara Mercedes Castillo Abdul Hadi

Congresos y Conferencias

No abstract provided.

Sars-Cov-2 Nonspike Structural Proteins Hijack Mucosa Epithelial Cell Fate, Yan Gao, Lucas Lacerda Souza, Hong Soon Kang, Zehan Li, Juan Carlos Hernandez-Guerrero, Fábio Abreu Alves, Wei Zhang, Vikram Sharma, Sally Hanks, Jinhua Yu, Christopher Tredwin, Anton M. Jetten, Ciro Dantas Soares, Bing Hu

Peninsula Dental School

COVID-19 patients readily present with severe epithelial damage, such as tissue ulceration and erosion, along with disrupted tissue repair, in multiple organs. The mucous membranes of the lung alveoli [1, 2], gastrointestinal tract [3, 4], nasal [5] and oral cavity [6, 7] are the primary targets of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The infected epithelium triggers a dysregulated immune response that further damages tissues and organs [8, 9–10]. Increasing evidence suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can cause direct damage to epithelial cells and fibroblasts [11, 12–13]. Here, we report that the mucosa epithelia of COVID-19 patients can undergo cellular dedifferentiation before any …

Chimes: March 23, 2026, Calvin University

Chimes

Calvin's 150th marked by historic royal visit by Ian Tjoelker

D3 Hockey makes nationals run in historic season before D2 move by Zack Kern & Hendrik Beelen

Celebrating 150 years: "Calvin on the Road" tour visits Grand Rapids by Alec DeYoung

Jordan archaeology May term cancelled by Sarah Sparling

Calvin's CubeSat program launches into action by Ellery Johnson

Housing Affordability Analysis Of Hillsborough County, Fl, Usa – Quantitative And Geographical Analysis Using Spatiotemporal Data, Bomin Koh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Housing affordability assessments rely on the 30 percent income method and generalized linear regression (GLR)-based hedonic price modeling. Both provide broad insights but fail to capture spatial heterogeneity in affordability challenges. This study upgrades housing affordability assessment approaches by incorporating the residual income method and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The primary objective of this study is to determine whether methodological improvements, residual income method and GWR, yield significantly different results and provide a more accurate and spatially adaptive understanding of affordability dynamics in Hillsborough County, Florida.

The 30 percent income method is widely used and classifies households as cost-burdened if …

Drowning Prevention In The West: Who Did It Better?, Arran Hedley

University Honors Theses

This paper aims to communicate the differences on how the US, UK and Australia have approached drowning prevention in each of their nations. This paper addresses drowning statistics within each nation, national, state and local policies, access to public facilities, and the preventative strategies, swim lessons and Lifeguarding. These are the criteria each nation is being graded upon, because each criteria is a factor that can help mitigate drowning deaths.

For literature around this subject, there are many papers on each individual nation's approach to drowning but in researching there does not appear to be a comparison of the nations' …

Coat Of Many Crises: Dolly Parton's Brand Storytelling Through Compassion And Consistency, Riley M. Hunt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined Dolly Parton’s crisis communication across four major crisiscontexts: the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires, the 2021 Middle Tennessee flooding, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2025 Hurricane Helene floods. Using a qualitative multiple case study approach, the research analyzed media coverage, public statements, institutional communications, foundation announcements, and philanthropic records to identify recurring patterns in how ethical leadership and stakeholder responsibility were communicated during these crises. Guided by ethical communication theory, ethics of care, stakeholder theory, Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), and values-driven reputation management, the study explored how values were enacted through both communication and material action.

Findings indicated …

The Power Of A Princess: Rebranding For A New Generation, Victoria A. Heath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The lyric “Well, that sounds an awful lot like princess problems” from Snow White (2025) reflects Disney’s evolving portrayal of its princesses as more self-aware and independent. This shift is echoed in earlier live-action adaptations, such as Beauty and the Beast (2017), where Belle’s longing for “adventure in the great wide somewhere” signals her rejection of a limited, traditional role. Guided by Feminist Film Theory and media framing, this study examines how Disney’s rebranding of princess characters in Beauty and the Beast (2017), The Little Mermaid (2023), and Snow White (2025) reflects contemporary ideals of empowerment. Through narrative content and …

Semiotics Of Difference: Language, The Body, And Haitian Personhood In The Dominican Republic, Benjamin Puterbaugh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present dissertation is an ethnographic and multimodal semiotic analysis of the role of signs in the daily life of Haitians in the Dominican Republic (DR). I investigate how language and other embodiments of Haitian alterity are perceived and ascribed value by hegemonic social orders. I center the analysis on the popular perceptions of the Haitian person-type or characterological figure (Agha, 2003) as (over)determiners of actual Haitian subjectivity. I investigate the ways that Haitian personhood is translated, that is, perceived and assigned value, in the Dominican context, and the implications this has on realities of Haitian immigrants. In addition to …

Whole-Genome Crispr Screening Identifies Genetic Modifiers Of Stem Cell-Derived Islet Transplantation, Marlie M Maestas, Kameron Bradley, Mira Shunkarova, Noyonika Mukherjee, Matthew Ishahak, James Lu, Jeffrey R Millman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Genetically engineering human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived islets is a promising strategy for improving transplantation for diabetes cell therapy; however, genetic perturbations that modulate transplantation outcomes have yet to be systematically explored.

METHODS: To identify potential targets, we performed an unbiased whole-genome CRISPR-activation screen in transplanted stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets). Specifically, we created a stem cell line with CRISPR-activation components (HUES8-VPR) and then transduced these stem cells with a lentiviral guide RNA library targeting the whole human genome. Following transduction, the stem cells were differentiated into SC-islets, which were subsequently transplanted into NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) immunodeficient mice. After transplantation, SC-islets …

Human Intelligence Or Artificial Intelligence? A Few Questions About Literary Narratives In The Ai Age, Ying Zhang, Xiangyu Wu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Although artificial intelligence increasingly rivals the data processing capacity of the human brain, its intelligence can never equal that of humans, especially in the literary realm. Language, narration, and empathy serve as three key dimensions that distinguish human “storytelling” from that of artificial intelligence. First, is language merely a description and representation of the external world or an expression and manifestation of the speaker's individual perception? Second, is storytelling an inorganic assemblage of heterogeneous materials, or an organic synthesis of the storyteller's embodied memory and associations? Third, do humans understand the world through self—understanding, or understand themselves through understanding of …

Rewriting Spectrality: On Bernard Stiegler's Critique Of The Analogic Gramme, Chen Yang

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Bernard Stiegler's critical analysis of the analogic gramme begins with the phonogramme produced by the phonograph, proceeds through the cinematogramme represented by cinema, and culminates in the comprehensive analogic gramme presented by television. From a media—theoretical perspective, he reinterprets Jacque Derrida's concept of spectrality, exposing the inevitable existential crisis under posthumanist conditions. Through the third retention as the technology of the analogic gramme, the human subject can “recall” and adopt the “specter” of “already there”, realize the différance of self—identity, and open up a future full of uncertain possibilities. However, due to the temporally discrete modality of the analogic gramme, …

Embodiment, Brain, And Intuition: On Hubert Dreyfus And The Cognitive Generation Of Ai Films, Wencan Xianyu

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Regarding the question of how intelligent agents cognize things, Hubert Dreyfus, a phenomenologist positioned against symbolic AI, opposes the programmed artificial intelligence identified by mediation theory. Instead, he advocates for a “novice—to—mastery” skill acquisition model grounded in embodied action. By applying contact theory to reconstruct an AI agent's intuitive perception of objects, Dreyfus establishes a cognitive triad of “Embodiment—Brain—Intuition.” Dreyfus's highly prescient arguments fill the gap in current research on AI cognition in artificial intelligence films. Through the “embodied agent” in Gestalt holism, the certainty of agent cognition is realized in the form of “brain montage,” which, ultimately under the …

Lost In Perception?: Digital Hallucination And Memory Projection In Transmedia Images, Xiao Cai

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art

Since the 1990s, memory has been regarded as a process of dynamic reconstruction rather than the mere preservation and reproduction of images in formal practice. While all memories originate from past events, they are shaped by the gaps between the past and the present. This temporal tension endows all texts concerning memory construction with a distinctive vitality that differentiates them from static archives. The “vitality” of memory resides in its present condition and in the enchantment produced by media through which it is revisited. Digital images, however, dissolve the material presence of real objects and render imagination absolute, thereby raising …

Shades And Shapes: Intersectional Perspectives On Filipino Women’S Skin Color And Body Build, Aliah Jazz G. Alonte, Kelly Nyle M. Baligod, Mi Tang, Yuzhu Zhao, Liezl R. Astudillo

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings

This study examines how Filipino women evaluate physical attractiveness, likeability, and social competence based on variations in skin color and body build, traits shaped by colonial legacies and reinforced by contemporary media. A 2×2 factorial experimental design was used, involving 180 female college students (ages 18–24), who rated target images that varied by skin color (light vs. dark) and body build (slim vs. large). While neither skin color nor body build alone had a significant main effect on perceptions of attractiveness, a significant interaction emerged: slim, dark-skinned individuals were rated more attractive than their light-skinned counterparts, whereas light-skinned individuals were …

Navigating Ambiguity: An In-Depth Exploration Of Situationships In Contemporary Romantic Relationships, Shiywonee Khanalee D.J. Delizo, Yonah Adamae R. Dapliyan, Hildebrand Tridant A. Ban-Eg, Calvine Audric F. Canlas, Eliecea Red Yusingco, Neil Ivan D. Tong, Alfonso B. Astudillo Iii

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings

This qualitative study examined the phenomenon of situationships, which is defined as a romantic involvement that lacks clear commitment, boundaries, and labels. Situationships have surfaced in the context of modern dating culture with the rise of dating apps, in which people may display behaviors typical of couples but are contradictory to their traditional definitions of romantic relationships. This study explored the characteristics that define situationships, how people manage their inherent ambiguity, and why individuals prefer situationships over traditional established relationships. The data was gathered through in-depth interviews with 12 participants and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis of their experiences. The …

Beyond Sunday: The Lived Experience Of Gen Z Practicing Christians In The 21st Century, John Ramzel Dylan C. Galido, Isabel Anne M. Alano

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings

This study investigates the lived experiences of Generation Z practicing Christians in the 21st century, examining how they sustain their faith amid secularization, technological advancements, and shifting societal norms. Employing a phenomenological approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews with 5 Gen Z Practicing Christians revealed key themes: (1) their faith is characterized by a dynamic, personal relationship with God, nurtured through daily practices rather than rigid rituals; (2) they actively negotiate tensions between biblical values and secular culture, often prioritizing divine principles over societal expectations; (3) familial teachings and faith-based communities play foundational roles in shaping their spiritual identity; (4) personal struggles, …

Beyond The Swipe: Understanding Observers’ Perceptions Of The Motivations And Behaviors Of Online Dating Users, Sarah Maxine A. Lucero, Maria Nicole C. Moreno, Calvine Felice T. Santiago, Liezl Astudillo

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings

This study explores how observers—individuals who observe but do not engage in online dating—perceive the motivations and behaviors of dating app users. While research has extensively explored the experiences of active users, a notable gap exists in understanding the perspectives of those who remain outside these digital spaces. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), it captured how observers constructed meaning around online relationships within the Philippine cultural context. Interviews with 11 young adults elicited that observers generally perceive online dating as convenience-driven and less genuine than conventional relationships. Notably, participants compared app-based connections to culturally established rituals such as “panliligaw,” or …

Sa Tibo(K) Ng Kamera: Pagmamapa Sa Dating Ng Mga Lesbiyanang Tauhan Sa Pelikulang Pilipino (1982–2023), Miguel Jae P. Asido, Samuel P. Bernardino, Kataryna Theriz M. Dato-On, Armione Kiera M. Magadia, Ma. Jayanne C. Mapugay

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress Conference Proceedings

Pawang nakatuon sa katangian at identidad ang mga diskurso sa lesbiyana sa pelikulang Pilipino subalit hindi pa nasusuri ang dating ng mga tauhang ito nang nakatuon sa teksto. Tinumbok ng pag-aaral na ito ang dating ng anim na lesbiyanang tauhan gamit ang modelo ni Tiongson (2022). Sumandig ang modelo sa Dating ni Lumbera (2000) na tumutuklas sa mga kondisyon sa pagtanggap ng mga likhang-pampanitikan. Natagpuan ang mga karanasang naglululan ng dating ng mga lesbiyanang tauhan na kinatawan ng mga pangunahing temang: Pagpapahalaga sa Propesyon, Pagtutulad sa Lalaki at mga Istiryotipo, Pagkakaila sa Sekswalidad, Pagbubunsod ng Pandalawang-Kasariang Pamantayan ng Lipunan, at …

To Ban Or Not To Ban? Should Youth Social Media Use Be Regulated?, Leena Hilaly

Opinion Matters: Student Analyses of World News

This piece discusses Australia's recent social media youth ban and the negative implications of implementing sweeping government legislation on privacy, personal liberties, and state power.

How British Toy Company Jellycat Should Manage Demand And Supply-Chain Volatility In An Uncertain Economic Landscape, Ava Heckmann

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Jellycat is a London-based toy company established in 1999 that gained traction during the pandemic as a result of a viral social media craze driven by nostalgia and renewed focus on mental well-being among adults and Generation Z in particular. Jellycat toys became an international sensation–sold in 77 countries worldwide with majority of sales from the United States, China, EU, and the UK (Jellycat, n.d.). Their plush toys are produced primarily in China and Vietnam (Jellycat, n.d.). This unanticipated social media trend caused a spike in demand that the company struggled to match as supply was constrained due to recent …

Adapting A Behavioral Intervention For Caregivers Of Children With Down Syndrome Or Fragile X Syndrome: A Pilot Study Of Rubi-Dd., Allison D. Blackburn, Walker S. Mckinney Ph.D., Allison M. Birnschein, Anna J. Esbensen, Shelley Mckinley, Hilary Rosselot, Emily K. Hoffman, Craig Erickson, Rebecca Shaffer

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Challenging behaviors, including noncompliance, aggression, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, are common among individuals with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) and Down Syndrome (DS). To identify treatment needs specific to these populations, we conducted focus groups with caregivers and educators and used their input to adapt an evidence-based caregiver training program originally designed for caregivers of autistic children (i.e., The Research Units in Behavioral Intervention; RUBI). We then completed a feasibility trial in which five families of children with FXS and four families of children with DS completed a nine-session caregiver training program targeting behavioral principles, syndrome-specific information, and visual supports tailored to …

Advancing Environmental Justice Through Chemical Education: Perspective From New Orleans’ Water And Air Quality Challenges, Ja’Lynn Keller, Sita Aggarwal, Rami A. Al-Horani, Morewell Gasseller, Navneet Goyal

Faculty and Staff Publications

New Orleans, Louisiana, faces profound environmental vulnerabilities arising from the convergence of industrial pollution, urban runoff, and climate change–driven weather events. This paper examines systemic challenges affecting water and air quality in the region, with particular focus on low-income and marginalized communities disproportionately burdened by environmental degradation. Drawing on educational and community-based monitoring initiatives at Xavier University of Louisiana and Southeastern Louisiana University, we highlight the integration of student learning with real-time data collection of contaminants such as fecal coliforms, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina revealed significant fecal contamination in sediment layers, …

How Tip Geometry Controls Fracture In Ductile Polymer Glasses And Brittle Elastomers, Shi-Qing Wang, Zehao Fan, Asal Y. Siavoshani

University Research

Based on spatially-temporally resolved polarized optical microscopy (str-POM) measurements, we studied the fracture behavior of ductile and brittle glassy polymers as well as highly crosslinked rubbers to draw the following conclusions: (1) there is no tip plasticity below a threshold load in ductile plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate. (2) In ductile polymer glasses, before tip yielding at a common tip stress, the remote load scales with notch length a as a−1/2, in agreement with the Inglis solution. (3) A finite stress saturation zone is observed in elastomers at loading levels even well below fatigue threshold due to significant crack tip …

Analysis Of Novel Cannabis Products Labeled As Containing Thc-Jd, Kaelas R. Munger, Carlton C. B. Bone, Killian M. Anreise, Robert M. Strongin

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective:

THC-JD (tetrahydrocannabioctyl) is a semi-synthetic cannabinoid with an eight-carbon C3 side chain, present in only trace amounts in hemp, requiring synthesis for commercial use. It has been promoted as potentially 19 times more potent than delta-9-THC, consistent with enhanced CB1 receptor affinities for cannabinoids with 7-8 carbon C3 side chains. While one peer-reviewed report identified THC-JD (tetrahydrocannabioctyl) in Japanese online products, an anecdotal report from the U.S. suggests mislabeling. Method: To inform regulatory efforts and consumer awareness and to address these discrepancies, this study chemically analyzed five U.S. commercial cannabis vape products marketed as containing THC-JD. Results: Utilizing GC-MS …