Digital Commons Network^™

Mechanism Of The Effect Of Microwave Heating On The Degradation Of Fructans In Steamed Cakes Prepared With Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Xiaoyue Ying, Yuan Tao, Yuan Yuan, Ziting Li, Bowen Yan, Jianxin Zhao, Wei Chen, Daming Fan

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aimed to investigate the effect of microwave heating on the fructan mass fraction in steamed cakes prepared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and elucidate the molecular mechanism of the activation of invertase by microwave.[Method ] Steamed cakes were prepared under varying microwave power density (3.40~5.10 W/g ) and heating time (2~5 min ),and the fructan mass fraction was compared between steamed cakes prepared by microwave heating and conventional steaming.The activity of invertase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was measured under microwave heating and water bath heating conditions.Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explore the invertase-kestose interactions under microwave fields.[Result ] …

Influences Of Different Withering Methods On The Quality Of Wuyi Rock Tea Produced From Rain-Soaked Leaves, Chengjiang Wei, Weijiang Sun, Zhechen Han, Peng Zhang, Weiwei Wu, Tao Wang, Qinglan Chen, Qi Lin, Jie Xu, Fuming Lin

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to investigate the effects of different withering methods on the quality of Wuyi rock tea produced from rain-soaked leaves.[Method ] The rain-soaked leaves of Wuyi Shuixian (Camellia sinensis ) were treated with three withering methods:comprehensive withering in a fermentation machine,natural withering,and withering in an automated withering equipment.Sensory evaluation,biochemical component detection,and headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were employed to comparatively analyze the flavor compounds.[Result ] The tea samples processed by the automated withering equipment (PW) exhibited the highest overall quality,characterized by a rich floral and fruity aroma,as well as a mellow,brisk,and refreshing taste.Cluster …

Screening And Identification Of Strains Of Lactic Acid Bacteria For Fermentation From Suancai In The Dai Ethnic Region Of Yunnan, Rui Wang, Jiawen Zhang, Lianqin Zhang, Xian Chen, Yan Chen, Cheng Zuo, Lixin Li, Yuhua Diao

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to screen the strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB ) suitable for Suancai fermentation.[Method ] Traditional fermented Suancai from the Dai ethnic region of Yunnan was used as the research samples for the isolation and purification of LAB.The purified isolates were evaluated for fermentation characteristics,including nitrite degradation,acid production,acid resistance,and salt tolerance.Additionally,the antimicrobial activity,antibiotic susceptibility,hemolytic activity,and amino acid decarboxylase activity were assessed to identify dominant strains.[Result ] A total of 208 LAB strains were isolated from 40 Suancai samples.Preliminary screening based on nitrite degradation identified 20 strains with high efficiency,and 16S rDNA sequencing identified 15 strains …

Effects Of Modification Methods On The Processing Properties Of Cyperus Esculentus Powder, Xiaowei Sun, Chunli Song, Jian Ren

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to explore the effects of three modification methods on the processing properties of Cyperus esculentus powder.[Method ] Three modification methods (superfine grinding,microwave treatment,and enzymatic treatment ) were employed to process Cyperus esculentus powder.The effects of these treatments on the processing properties including oil holding capacity,hydration properties,textural properties,and rheological properties of Cyperus esculentus powder were analyzed.[Result ] In comparison to the native Cyperus esculentus powder,ultrafine grinding treatment increased the specific surface area of the powder,enhanced the oil holding capacity by 74.57%,and significantly increased the loss angle (tan δ).Additionally,this treatment significantly increased the hardness,cohesiveness,and chewiness of the …

Nitrogen Dynamics And Use Efficiency In Pasture-Based Grazing Systems: A Synthesis Of Ecological And Ruminant Nutrition Perspectives, Bashiri Iddy Muzzo

Wildland Resources Student Research

Pasture-based ruminant systems link nitrogen (N) nutrition with ecosystem N cycling. Grazing ruminants convert fibrous forages into milk and meat but excrete 65 to 80% of ingested N, creating excreta hotspots that drive ammonia volatilization, nitrate leaching, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. This review synthesizes ecological and ruminant nutrition evidence on N flows, emphasizing microbial processes, biological N₂ fixation, plant diversity, and urine patch biogeochemistry, and evaluates strategies to improve N use efficiency (NUE). We examine rumen N metabolism in relation to microbial protein synthesis, urea recycling, and dietary factors including crude protein concentration, energy supply, forage …

Implementation Of The Framework For Great Schools: Lessons From New York City, Jay M. Langkamp

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the implementation of the Framework for Great Schools in the New York City Department of Education from 2015 through 2019. The study addresses a gap in the literature, specifically regarding NYC School Survey data and the relationship between it, school context, and student outcomes, at a time when families and district leaders regularly use publicly available school-level data to inform their decision-making, understanding how frameworks such as the Framework for Great Schools is essential. The Framework focuses on six elements: Rigorous Instruction, Supportive Environment, Collaborative Teachers, Effective School Leadership, Strong Family and Community Ties, and Trust. It …

Internalized Transnegativity, Self-Warmth, Self-Coldness, And Eating Disorder Symptomatology Among Transgender And Nonbinary Adults, Sarah Mcarthur, Suzanne Mclaren, Peter D. Goldie

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Eating disorders (EDs) are highly prevalent among transgender and nonbinary (TNB) adults, and internalized transnegativity is a key risk factor for ED symptomatology. Although extant literature has established that self-compassion protects against EDs among the cisgender population, research among TNB adults is nascent. The current study sought to identify whether internalized transnegativity and components of self-compassion (i.e., self-warmth and self-coldness) were independently associated with ED symptomatology, and whether the components of self-compassion moderated the relation between internalized transnegativity and ED symptomatology. An international sample of 127 TNB adults aged between 18 and 69 years (M = 32.24, SD = …

Chasing Disinfection Byproducts Through The Pipes: How 66 Dbps Change Over Time In Chlorinated Vs. Chloraminated Distribution Systems, Erik Niehaves, Patrick T. Justen, Ashley A. Perkins, Alexandria L.B. Forster, Caroline O. Granger, Susan D. Richardson

Faculty Publications

While disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are typically measured at drinking water treatment plants, levels can change dramatically within the distribution system before reaching the consumer. In this study, the spatio-temporal trends of 66 DBPs across 9 different classes were examined in two drinking water distribution systems with similar source waters, but different pretreatments and residual disinfectants. One system uses residual chlorine in the distribution system, and the other uses chloramine, allowing for examination of how DBP concentrations change over time in distribution systems with different residual disinfectants. Four routes were sampled for each system with six time points over three days …

Volume 34, Number 3, Winter 2025/26, Office Of Communications, Illinois Wesleyan University

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2018-present

VOLUME 34 | NUMBER 3 | Winter 2025/2026

ON OUR COVER:

Elliot Notrica '26 is developing micro-organisms that create new food products from food waste like cocoa husks and leftover bread dough.

18 Found Families. Celebrate one of the best-attended IWU Homecoming Weekends with stories of alumni friendships across the decades.

22 The Future of Food. Elliott Notrica '26 is the founder and CEO of Symbio Bioculinary where he is creating the future of food with cutting-edge genetic engineering.

26 Hope in Crisis. EmPath units, invented by Scott Zeller '82, are revolutionizing emergency care around the world.

Eng 1001g-005 College Composition I, Glen Davis

Spring 2026

No abstract provided.

Eng 1002g-003 College Composition Ii, Glen Davis

Spring 2026

No abstract provided.

Eng 1002g-014 College Composition Ii, Michael Mcclelland

Spring 2026

No abstract provided.

Eng 5021-600 Responding To And Evaluating Student Writing, Rachael Ryerson

Spring 2026

No abstract provided.

Eng 2205-001 Introduction To Literary Studies, Melissa Caldwell

Spring 2026

No abstract provided.

Three-Dimensional Numerical Investigation Of Darrieus-Type Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine With Active Suction Cavity, Ahmed Elbaz, Nabil Mahmoud Dr, Mohamwd Akmal Ammar Dr

Mechanical Engineering

The current work aims at improving the power conversion efficiency of a widely used type of wind turbine, the vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT). This is achieved by actively controlling the boundary layer characteristics on turbine blades through wall suction. The effect of this active control technique on the performance of a NACA0018 Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbine is investigated by means of three-dimensional numerical simulations using ANSYS-FLUENT software. Pressure-based incompressible Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged NavierStokes (URANS) equations, complemented with the Shear Stress Transport (SST) k-ω model for turbulence closure, were solved. A detailed computational methodology is adopted, including domain extent, mesh refinement, and …

Precision Education In Health Sciences Education: A Call-To-Action For Developing An Interprofessional Strategy., Arvie Vitente, Jennifer Bosworth, Robert Sweet, Rebecca Cozzi, Christopher Galloway, Piotr Szczurek, Melanie Obispo-Young, Eron Bozec, Erica Brkovic, Tina Bobo, Jennifer Lubinski

Rehabilitation Sciences Department Faculty Articles

Introduction. Growing learner diversity, expanding biomedical knowledge, and rapid clinical digitization have exposed the limits of on-size-fits-all health sciences training. Competency-Based Education (CBE) has sharpened the focus on outcomes, yet many programs still move learners through fixed sequences, infrequent assessments, and retrospective remediation. Precision Education (PE) offers a complementary, data-enabled approach that uses learning analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and continuous feedback loops. Embedded within CBE, PE converts competencies from static milestones into dynamic trajectories that can be measured, visualized, and adjusted in real time across the curriculum. This abstract highlights the need for an interprofessional strategy to design, fund, …

“I Don’T Want To Be The Bad Kind Of Special”: The Lived Experiences Of Autistic Youth In Extracurricular Programs In Their Communities, Catherine A. Sargent Ph.D.

Counseling and Psychology Dissertations

Autistic youth face barriers to participation and belonging in community settings. Historically, autism research has privileged researcher perspectives and deficit-based frameworks, often excluding the authentic voices of autistic individuals, particularly young people. This qualitative, phenomenological study sought to address that gap by exploring the lived experiences of autistic youth (ages 13–18) participating in extracurricular community programs in Massachusetts. Framed by critical disability theory, critical autism studies, ecological systems theory, and intersectionality, the study examined how autistic youth experience inclusion, connection, and self-expression within programs designed largely for neurotypical participants.

Seven autistic youths contributed to this research through participant-generated photographs and …

2026-01-15 Guidelines For Portfolio Managers, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Guidelines for Portfolio Managers presented to the Faculty Senate on January 15, 2026.

Improving The Well-Being Of Mothers Of Infants And Toddlers Through Mindfulness And Creativity, Tia L. Curran

Mindfulness Theses

U.S. mothers of infants and toddlers report experiencing feelings of confusion surrounding their identity in early motherhood. Research also shows emotion dysregulation, cognitive overwhelm, attention issues, high stress and isolation as common challenges mothers of toddlers and infants experience in their daily lives. These challenges can directly impact a mother’s well-being as well as her child’s well-being and the entire family unit. Mindfulness practice and creative expression are two ways of being that relate directly to each other and have been shown to improve well-being. Through repeated exercising of mindfulness and creativity, one can regulate their emotions and reduce stress …

Transformative Experiences In A Community College Theatre Program: A Study Of Students' Growth Through A Pedagogy Of Caring, Karen J. Oster

Educational Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This research examined the transformative impact of participation in a community college

theatre program on students’ sense of belonging, confidence, and personal growth. Using a

multiple case study design informed by portraiture methodology, the study focused on five

students who took part in a semester-long production of The Rocky Horror Show. Data were

collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, the researcher’s reflective journaling,

and a pre- and post-semester self-esteem survey to investigate how theatre engagement shaped

students’ social and personal experiences. The program fostered a pedagogy of care emphasizing

mentorship, individualized attention, and the cultivation of a supportive …

Mama Vr: A Framework To Design Mindfulness-Based Programs In Virtual Reality, Jeffrey Arthur Juelsgaard

Mindfulness Theses

Research demonstrates numerous benefits of mindfulness practice, and virtual reality is a promising medium that can be tailored to foster mindfulness through novel means. Yet, to be effective, mindfulness-based programs in virtual reality (MBP+VR) should adhere to evidence-based methods. For various reasons, the level of mindfulness among users, the acceptability of VR technology, users' mood, and adherence to mindfulness programs are often evaluated in studies on MBP+VR. However, due in part to the heterogeneity of MBP+VR designs and a lack of detailed descriptions of MBP+VR methods in much of the scientific literature to date, there is no agreement yet on …

Complexity Mindsets, Complex Flow, And More: A Qualitative Grounded Theory Study On The Phenomenon Of Practitioners Working Within Complex Social Systems, Emma D. Stellman

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative grounded theory study addressed gaps in the literature regarding the application of complexity theory to complex social phenomena (CSP), for which no straightforward solutions or simple interventions exist. While complexity theory has played an important role in groundbreaking innovations in quantitative fields such as medicine, engineering, and finance, its application remains limited in human-centered developmental domains including education, social work, and healthcare. Using a grounded theory design informed by phenomenological approaches, this study examined the lived experiences of a group of six CSP practitioners, each of whom participated in two individual, semi-structured video interviews. Interview data were analyzed …

Becoming Tricky In Measure For Measure: Isabella's Silences Revisited, Laura Kolb

Publications and Research

At Measure for Measure’s start, Isabella is presented as radically self-same, possessed of “no tongue but one.” By its end, she has helped orchestrate a bed trick and publicly lied about her sexual history. Measure for Measure presents trickery as a vehicle for truth-telling in the face of injustice that is both situationally specific—created by Angelo’s hypocrisy—and utterly mundane: a feature of being a woman in the world. Ultimately, the play suggests that trickery is woven into the fabric of femininity itself: into the repertoire of linguistic, embodied, and behavioral strategies women like Isabella develop in navigating masculinist systems, …

Why Agtech Startups Fail? Evidence From Global Shutdown Patterns In 2025 And The Cost-Adoption Mismatch Effect, Ankit Chandra, Ishani Lal

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

Agricultural technologies are widely seen as a driver for sustainability, resilience, and food-system transformation. Yet in 2025, agtech startup across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa experienced multiple shutdowns. Although each company closed for its own reasons, the failures highlight consistent underlying patterns. We analyze 18 publicly reported shutdowns across controlled-environment agriculture (CEA), robotics, insect protein, digital platforms, sensors, and ag-biotechnology. We find that most ventures struggled not with scientific feasibility but with economic and adoption dynamics at the farm level. We identify a Cost-Adoption Mismatch Effect, in which the capital and operational burden of a technology exceeds farmers’ capacity …

Sirtuins And Cartilage Preservation: From Cellular Function To Therapeutic Innovation, Muthanna K. Zaki, Khalil A. Hadid, Mohammed N. Abed, Fawaz A. Alassaf

BioMed Visions Journal

The bones are cushioned by a thin layer of hyaline cartilage that permits physical activity to be performed without experiencing any discomfort. However, these tissues are susceptible to several diseases involving osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis resulting in cartilage degradation. Sirtuins (SRTs) and SRT-activating molecules have been shown in previous studies to affect cartilage and chondrocytes positively. This review aims to explore the potential protective effects of SRTs on cartilage and chondrocytes. It also highlighting various SRT-activating substances and their potential therapeutic applications in managing cartilage-related diseases. Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and PubMed were used to search about related studies. The …

Pythagorean Neutrosophic Mathematical Modelling, M. Kavitha, R. Irene Hepzibah

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Survey-based assessments often suffer from ambiguity, inconsistency, and uncertainty, which weaken the reliability of decision-making outcomes. To address these challenges, this study proposes a novel decision-support framework for data fuzzification, ranking, and agility measurement using Pythagorean Neutrosophic Fuzzy Sets (PNFS). The proposed method offers three major advantages: (i) enhanced ability to capture high levels of indeterminacy compared with classical fuzzy and intuitionistic models, (ii) improved ranking accuracy through a newly developed score function and ranking algorithm, and (iii) greater robustness in scenarios involving conflicting, incomplete, or imprecise expert judgments. The framework includes a refined Pythagorean Neutrosophic fuzzification technique, mathematically supported …

A Study Of Regular And Irregular Complex Neutrosophic Vague Graphs, Suriyakumar G, V. J. Sudhakar

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

In this paper, We define the regular complex neutrosophic vague graph and the irregular complex neutrosophic vague graph for this purpose. We specify a node’s degree and total degree in a normal complex neutrosophic vague graph. A few features and theorems of those regular and irregular complex neutrosophic vague graphs are presented. This article defines busy and free nodes in a normal complex neutrosophic vague graph. Also, we describe a regular and irregular complex neutrosophic vague graph with a cycle as the underlying crisp graph.

2026 January 15 - From My Notepads Newsletter, Office Of The President, East Tennessee State University, Brian Noland

From My Notepads: A Newsletter from President Brian Noland

No abstract provided.

Shedding The Chrysalis: Black Women Leading In Higher Education, Olga M. Welch, Carolyn R. Hodges

Navigating Careers in Higher Education Series

Shedding the Chrysalis: Black Women Leading in Higher Education features the voices of six experienced and emerging Black females in a variety of academic leadership roles. This book provides a Black feminist perspective, highlighting the need to address racial realism within higher education administration. These personal testimonies focus on a variety of levels in the academic hierarchy to emphasize the continuum across the lived experiences of these women, some of whom have served in multiple upper-level administrative roles. The contributors’ positions range from postdoctoral research fellows to positions reporting to central administration at predominantly white institutions. Shedding the Chrysalis underscores …

Conundrums In The Realization Of Healthcare And Education Through Waqf In Nigeria, Isa Olawale Solahudeen

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Islamic Economics

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 4 emphasize the importance of good health and quality education, respectively. However, based on available progress report released by Nigerian government, implementations of SDGs 3 (Good Health) and 4 (Quality Education) in the country were not promising. The unpleasant situation requires collaborative efforts of private sector. Meanwhile, waqf, an Islamic philanthropic instrument, has the potential to contribute significantly to the realization of these goals in Nigeria. Several conundrums hinder the effective utilization of waqf for healthcare and education. This paper identifies and examines some challenges ranging from lack of awareness, parochialism, religious …