Digital Commons Network^™

Colorimetric Detection Of Mercury (Ii) Ions Utilizing Bio-Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Via Microwave-Assisted Method With Matoa Leaf Extract, Ari Sulistyo Rini, Yolanda Rati, Gilar Adnan Ramadhan, Yan Soerbakti, Lazuardi Umar

Baghdad Science Journal

In this work, bio-colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using Matoa (Pometia pinnata) leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent under microwave irradiation to promote rapid AgNPs formation. The influence of microwave irradiation powers (360, 540, and 720 W) on the optical, structural, and morphological properties of the synthesized AgNPs was systematically investigated. The AgNPs formation was characterized by yellowish-brown colloids formation with surface plasmon resonant (SPR) bands centered around 430 nm, as detected by UV-Vis spectroscopy. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of C-H and O-H functional groups from polyphenols and flavonoids in Ag⁺ ion reduction. …

Potential Role Of Mir-484 In Modulating Vdr Gene Expression Level In Calcium Oxalate Kidney Stone Patients, Huda B. Babat, Luma Hassan Alwan Alobaidy, Issam Salman Al-Azzawi

Baghdad Science Journal

Calcium oxalate (CaOx) kidney stones, accounting for over 70% of all types, are the most common stone type. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional epigenetic regulators, involved in disease development. One of these miRNAs is miRNA 484 (miR-484). Vitamin D (VD), a fat-soluble vitamin important for calcium (Ca) metabolism, is primarily mediated by the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), a nuclear transcription factor. This study aimed to investigate miR-484's regulatory role in modulating VDR gene expression, evaluate serum VD and biochemical parameters in CaOx kidney stone patients compared to healthy controls, and their potential as diagnostic biomarkers. Blood samples were collected …

Seasonal Variation And Spatial Distribution Of Heavy Metals In Groundwater: Implications For Water Quality And Health Risks, Muzhda Qasim Qader, Shevan Jamel Jirjees, Masoud H. Hameed, Chiyai Maroof Sharif

Baghdad Science Journal

Background: This study evaluated the seasonal and spatial distribution of twelve heavy metals in the groundwater samples collected in fifty wells with the aim of assessing the quality of water and health hazards associated with it. The data were analyzed to compare the wet and dry seasons were the analytical data using pollution indices, the Nemerow Pollution Index (NPI), and the Single-Factor Pollution Index (SFPI). The results revealed that the water quality was mainly excellent (NPI < 0.01) even though in some areas, lead, vanadium, and copper were contaminated. Arsenic (0.0008–0.0145 μg/L), chromium (0.0009–0.0096 μg/L), and nickel (

Influence Of Beryllium Substitution On Vibrational And Electronic Properties Of Carbon Nano-Cone: Density Functional Theory, Rajaa K. Mohammad, Hussein M. L., Ammar S. Hameed, Luma M. Ahmed, Shurooq Sabah Abed Al-Abbas

Baghdad Science Journal

Density Functional Theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the effects of beryllium (Be) substitution on the vibrational and electronic properties of a single-wall carbon nano-cone. The study aims to clarify how Be incorporation modifies the structural stability and electronic characteristics of this nanostructure. Electronic parameters including ionization potential (I), electron affinity (Eea), Fermi energy (Ef), HOMO–LUMO energies, total energy (E), and band gap (Eg) were calculated. Infrared (IR) spectra, optimized geometries, electrostatic potential maps, and electron density distributions were also analyzed. The results indicate that Be substitution reduces the ionization potential while increasing the electron affinity. Incorporation of Be atoms …

A Novel Graphene Nanoplatelets Electrochemical Aptamer Biosensor For Glycated Human Albumin Detections, Hadi Al-Sagur, Ali Al-Jawdah, Ali Al-Khazraji, Alexei Nabok

Baghdad Science Journal

This study presents the development of electrochemical biosensors for the glycated albumin (GA) sensitive detection as a crucial biomarker for monitoring glycaemic control in diabetes mellitus (DM). A ferrocene-labelled DNA aptamer specific to glycated albumin was developed as an electrochemical aptamer-based sensor to detect GA. The amine-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), with their enhanced surface area, provided an optimal substrate for aptamer immobilization through covalent interactions. The layer-by-layer full EDC/NHS-GNPs-Aptamer biosensor, tested by cyclic voltammetry (CV), exhibited strong redox peaks due to the good electron transfer activity between the biosensing structures. The GA-aptamer binding was studied using square wave voltammetry (SWV), …

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 …

Antimicrobial Activity Of Sulbactam-Durlobactam Against Acinetobacter Baumannii-Calcoaceticus Complex Strains Causing Non-Respiratory And Non-Bloodstream Infections From The United States (2023–2025), Elizabeth Cyr, Jill Argotsinger, Eric T Beck, Robin R Chamberland, Andrew E Clark, Anne R Daniels, Rachael Liesman, Mark Fisher, Philip Gialanella, Jonathan Hand, Amanda T Harrington, Romney M Humphries, Holly Huse, Robert Hamilton-Seth, Julia D Hankins, Wesley D Kufel, Scott W Riddell, Meera Mehta, Ryan Demkowicz, A Brian Mochon, Hossein Salimnia, Ayesha Khan, Virginia M Pierce, Raghava Potula, Tsigereda Tekle, Patricia J Simner, Robert J Tibbetts, Christine Vu, Lilian M Abbo, Octavio Martinez, Rebekah E Dumm, Manohar B Mutnal, Timothy C Jenkins, Violeta Chávez, Paulette Pinargote, Jennifer Bowling, Erik Munson, Daniel V Zurawski, David P Nicolau, Tomefa E Asempa, On Behalf Of The Acinetobacter Baumannii Complex National Biorepository (Acnbio) Study Group

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Acinetobacter baumannii most often causes pneumonia in critically ill patients. However, A. baumannii is also an important cause of a broader range of infections, including skin/wound and urinary tract infections. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro activity of sulbactam-durlobactam and comparator antibiotics, including meropenem and cefiderocol against A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex isolates from non-respiratory and non-bloodstream sources. Samples included 285 A. baumannii-calcoaceticus complex isolates enriched for carbapenem resistance collected across 17 states in the United States (January 2023–May 2025). Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted by manual broth microdilution and interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and …

Unpacking Low Glycaemic Index (Gi) Food Purchase Intentions In An S-O-R Framework: The Multidimensional Moderating Roles Of Consumer Knowledge And Trust, Cao Henglei

Student Works (2020-2029)

Research aim: Examine Malaysian consumers’ decisions to purchase low-GI foods using the S–O–R framework, while considering how knowledge and trust shape these decisions. Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative survey was conducted among 302 Malaysian consumers, with data analysed via confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and moderation analysis. Research findings: Attitudes toward low-GI foods are shaped by health consciousness, environmental concern, and social influence, but not price perception. Purchase intention is directly influenced by trust, with moderation observed only for subjective knowledge. Theoretical contribution/Originality: Extends the S–O–R framework through differentiating knowledge type and clarifying the role of trust in low-GI food consumption. …

Airway Challenges In Goldenhar Syndrome And Implications For Pediatric Care: A Systematic Review, Salma Alkhatib, Noor Chughtai, Maximus S. Reese, Carson Maris, Christopher M. Ahmad, Jared Nichols

Student Publications

Goldenhar syndrome, also known as the oculo-auriculo-vertebral (OAV) spectrum, is a rare congenital disorder characterized by craniofacial and vertebral anomalies due to abnormal development of the first and second branchial arches. These structural abnormalities often necessitate frequent surgical interventions in patients with Goldenhar syndrome and may also impair airway visualization, thereby complicating effective tracheal intubation. Despite recognition of the airway risks associated with Goldenhar syndrome, evidence guiding anesthetic and airway management remains limited and unexplored. Current literature consists predominantly of isolated case reports, with each portraying a unique and patient-specific airway scenario. A systematic review of the literature was conducted …

Early Nodal Metastasis In An 81-Year-Old Woman With Subcentimeter Retroareolar Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: A Case That Defies Indolence Expectations, Christopher M. Ahmad, Rachana Tadakamalla, Rae-Anne Kastle, Andrea Weitoschova, Amer Abboud

Student Publications

Retroareolar invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) represents an anatomically distinct subset of breast cancers that may evade early clinical detection. In elderly patients, small, estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors with low proliferative indices are often presumed to follow an indolent course. We report the case of an 81-year-old woman diagnosed with a 0.6-cm Grade II/III retroareolar IDC exhibiting strong ER expression, low Ki-67 (~6%), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negativity, yet with synchronous axillary lymph node metastasis confirmed at initial biopsy. This case underscores the limitations of relying on tumor size, age, and proliferation markers alone to estimate metastatic …

Xanthogranulomatous Osteomyelitis: A Systematic Review Of Reported Cases, Diagnostic Challenges, And Treatment Outcomes, Adam W. Youssef, Cameron Ballard, Dryden Dalbey, Paul M. Doney, Rayhan Shaikh, Venkata S. Puttagunta, Adil Bhatti, Michael D. Hubbard

Student Publications

Xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis (XO) is a rare form of chronic osteomyelitis characterized by mass-forming inflammatory lesions rich in lipid-laden macrophages. It commonly presents as an osteolytic, tumor-like bone lesion that may expand rapidly and mimic malignancy on imaging, leading to diagnostic uncertainty. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to characterize the clinical presentation, diagnostic strategies, treatment approaches, and outcomes of reported XO cases. Case reports and case series with histopathologic confirmation of XO were included. Extracted data encompassed patient demographics, immune status, anatomic involvement, clinical features, diagnostic modalities, management …

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 …

Ndls Communicator: Week Of 03.23.26, Notre Dame Law School

NDLS Communicator

The Latest News

• Notre Dame Law School to Host Second Annual Death Penalty Abolition Week, March 23-27, 2026

Student News

• Jessup International Law Moot Court Team
• Moot Court Board
• Matthew Krauter
• Oliver To, Liam Deschamps, & Clara McCormick
• Black Law Students Association

Faculty Briefs

• Patrick Corrigan & Bobby Reddy
• Sherif Girgis
• Rick Garnett
• Jimmy Gurulé
• Mary Ellen O'Connell
• Brendan Wilson & Brett Cavanaugh
• David McIlroy

ND Law in the News

• The Eviction Clinic was featured by WSBT

Events

• Law & Economics Workshop - Patrick Corrigan, Is Confidential Supervisory Information Material to Investors? Evaluating the Conflict between Banking and Securities Law …

Evaluation Of Antibacterial Activity For Aqueous Exteracted Combination Of Triphala And Aloe-Vera Against Streptoccocus Oralis: (In Vitro Study), Abbas Hussein Irrihaim, Maha Abdul-Aziz Ahmed

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: Streptoccocus Oralis is an early colonizer in dental biofilm and contributes to plaque formation and periodontal inflammation. The search for safe, natural antimicrobial alternatives has increased interest in herbal agents such as Triphala and Aloe vera. However, their combined activity against S. oralis has not been fully assessed alongside phytochemical profiling.

Aim: To evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous-extracted Triphala, Aloe vera, and their combination against S. oralis, including inhibition zone measurement, MIC, MBC, and HPLC characterization. Materials and Methods: Aloe vera gel and Triphala powder were extracted using aqueous extraction and freeze-drying. Antibacterial activity was assessed using …

Immune Checkpoint Inhibition In Relapsed Or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma: A U.S. Cohort Analysis, Daniel R. Whitman, Emily K. Patterson, Jonathan M. Reyes, Laura B. Chen

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: Relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) remains a therapeutic challenge, particularly in patients who progress after multiple lines of therapy or autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway have demonstrated substantial activity in clinical trials; however, real-world outcomes in routine clinical practice across heterogeneous patient populations in the United States remain limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of PD-1 blockade in patients with relapsed or refractory cHL treated in a U.S. cohort. Methods: We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study including adult patients (≥ 18 years) with histologically confirmed …

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 …

How Do Water Utilities Meet Growing Demand And Maintain Resilience Through Water Reuse? A Systems Thinking Approach, Elizabeth F. Vicario

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water and wastewater utility management is becoming increasingly complex due to factors like urbanization, climate change, new regulations, and rising costs. Utility leaders must balance competing political and financial pressures while managing aging infrastructure, rising demand, climate resilience planning, and customer concerns about affordability. Reuse of treated wastewater has emerged as a promising solution to address scarcity, declining source water quality, and new regulations on wastewater discharge in the United States. However, water reuse is not one-size-fits-all, and bespoke solutions are needed to optimize economic, environmental, and social returns from this finite resource. Despite growing interest, little is known about …

Making Sense Of The Body: Cognitive Science, Disability, And Embodiment, Cheyne L. Joslin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to analyze different methodological approaches in the philosophy of cognitive science, with the goal of determining their usefulness for explaining and understanding bodily awareness and skill-acquisition over time. The examples of skill-acquisition are limited to motor control, impaired by various kinds of disability—but then acquired over time, via technological or rehabilitative means. These phenomena of motor learning are then viewed through the lens of two competing theoretical approaches in cognitive science: neuromechanical cognitive science, and radical enactivist cognitive science.

The strengths of the neuromechanical framework are found in its historical pedigree, and in the …

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 …

Intouch Week Of March 23, 2026, New York Medical College

InTouch

• Match Day Marks a New Season of Growth for the Class of 2026
• NYMC Explores the Lasting Impact of Marie Curie at Women’s History Month Event
• Department of Public Health Introduces New Certificate Option
• NYMC Teams Shine at Inaugural RISE Case Competition
• New Vein-Harvesting Technique Could Reduce Bypass Graft Failure
• Spring Into Publishing: Meet the Experts
• Student Spotlight: Exploring Connections Between Alzheimer's Disease and Glaucoma

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation As An Adjuvant For Nonfluent Aphasia: A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Lynsey M. Keator, Lisa Johnson, Roger Newman-Norlund Ph.D., Kyler Spell, Samaneh Nemati, Leigh Ann Spell, Dirk B. Den Ouden, Chris Rorden, Julius Fridriksson Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Effective rehabilitation tools are essential for improving language outcomes in chronic aphasia. Speech entrainment is a behavioral treatment that has shown promise in enhancing speech output in nonfluent aphasia, potentially by acting as an external mechanism to synchronize anterior and posterior language regions in the left hemisphere. Transcranial alternating current stimulation has been hypothesized to enhance functional connectivity between brain regions by amplifying endogenous oscillations. This proof-of-concept study explored whether high-definition tACS (HD-tACS) could improve speech fluency in nonfluent aphasia when paired with speech entrainment. In a double-blind, pseudorandomized study, 1 mA of HD-tACS at 7 Hz was applied to …

Umn Morris Receives Stars Gold Rating For Sustainability Achievements, Communications And Marketing

Campus News Archive

No abstract provided.

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

Role Congruence Meets Feminist Identity: Disaggregating Causes Of The Double Bind On Women Political Candidates, Sarah Shair-Rosenfield, Melody E. Valdini, Jeanette Morehouse Mendez, Tracy Osborn

Politics and Global Affairs Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies in social psychology and political science have noted the negative impact of the “double bind” facing women leaders and candidates, which suggests that women must demonstrate both masculine and feminine attributes in order to achieve the same success as men can achieve by demonstrating only masculine attributes. Less attention has focused on how feminist identity conditions these evaluations. We focus on whether individuals’ evaluations of men and women are affected by (1) the gendered attributes associated with a candidate and (2) feminist identity. Using data from an original survey experiment in the US, we investigate the relationship between respondents’ …

Disability, Inclusion And Language-In-Education Policy In The Global South: The Colombian Context, Rosa Dene David, Kimberley Brown

Applied Linguistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper calls for a shift related to English language-in-education policy and inclusive education initiatives in Colombia to ensure that English language learners with disabilities receive equitable and inclusive classroom instruction that is context-appropriate. We call for English language initiatives and policies to draw from theories and practices from both the Global South and the Global North in order to teach towards inclusive education. Trends in both English language teaching and inclusive education have drawn upon the Global North for solutions, which cannot be systemised to fit one international standard. Instead, using the Colombian context as an example, the present …

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' …

4-Aminoquinolines Block Heme Iron Reactivity And Interfere With Artemisinin Action, Melissa Rosenthal, Daniel E Goldberg

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) remain the mainstay of treatment for

Get Up, Stand Up…Stand Up For Your Rights: How To Engage In Legislative Advocacy In Perilous Times, Ashley Young, Anna Pless Peel, Rose Llanos, Samantha Krietemeyer

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

Getting involved in government advocacy work can be difficult for practitioners. We recognize that it is especially risky in this political climate to speak out about education issues and injustices that impact our students. With this in mind, this session will engage counselors, admissions staff, and community-based professionals in discussing ways to advocate for students on social justice issues and provide easy ways to connect with like-minded advocates and lawmakers to advance change.

Participants will be empowered through this session, which will discuss the following:

1. How to safely engage in activism as a practitioner
2. Ways to build a coalition with …