Digital Commons Network^™

Mechanism-Aware Ml Identifies A Protease-Chemokine-Galectin (Pcg) Axis That Links Plasma Proteomics To Single-Cell Signaling And Enables Compact Severity Classification In Covid-19, Félix E. Rivera-Mariani, Albersy Armina-Rodriguez, Tashoy Campbell, Emily Solomon

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Land Of Bad Math And Science: Place-Based Learning In The Times Of Ai, Jonathan Litten

Essays in Education

No abstract provided.

Mexican Gray Wolf Reintroduction: Community Impact & Policy Tension, Jennifer Boer Vis

Doctoral Student Association Conference

The reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) falls between a highly contested crossroads. Tensions in Catron County are felt in local ranches, hunting camps/communities, and rural living. In Catron County, ranching and hunting are the backbone of the economy. The reintroduction has proven to be a highly controversial topic among the communities, with most against the ESA.

Using a mixed-method approach to my research, this study unifies gathered data from government entities and oversight reports, and academically published articles. The qualitative evidence gathered during in-depth interviews with local Catron County ranchers and hunting guides …

Mainehealth Investigator Vignettes

Journal of Maine Medical Center

No abstract provided.

Waste-To-Energy Innovations And Advances In Hydrothermal Carbonization, Microwave, And Pyrolysis Processes: A Review, Ali Mohammed Saleh, Noah Mohammed Saleh, Mahmod A. Abdulqader, Hadi Hamdi Mahdi, Jafar Keighobadi, Omar K. Ahmed, Khalil Farhan Yassin, Azil Bahari Bin Alias, Omar Abed Habeeb, Ibrahim Awad Mohammed

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

The accelerating global generation of municipal solid waste, coupled with escalating energy demands, presents one of the most pressing sustainability challenges of the 21st century. Conventional waste disposal pathways, such as landfilling and incineration, exacerbate environmental degradation and resource loss. In response, thermochemical technologies—specifically hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), microwave-assisted processing, and pyrolysis—have emerged as promising strategies for waste valorization and renewable energy recovery. This review critically examines recent advancements in these technologies, emphasizing their roles in converting diverse waste streams into high-value energy carriers and carbon-rich materials. Comparative analysis reveals that HTC operates efficiently under subcritical water conditions, producing hydrochar with …

The Sentience Of The Horse And The Philosophy Of Natural Horsemanship: Implications For Hrd Leadership, Rob E. Carpenter

Human Resource Development Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper advances a biologically grounded philosophy of leadership through the lens of Natural Horsemanship. It reframes leadership as an embodied, sentient process rather than a purely cognitive or behavioral construct. Drawing from neuroscience, affective biology, sociology, and human resource development (HRD), it proposes that the horse–human relationship provides a living model for relational intelligence. The horse’s exquisite attunement to human emotion—mediated through limbic regulation and bio-behavioral synchrony—reveals that influence arises not from authority but from coherence. Leadership, like horsemanship, is a reciprocal act of co-regulation in which trust, safety, and communication are revealed through physiology before language. By examining …

Three-Dimensional Printing Of The Epineurium For Peripheral Nerve Repair: A Comprehensive Review Of Novel Scaffolds For Nerve Conduits, Alynah J. Adams, Iulianna C. Taritsa, Kaavian Shariati, Aaron Dadzie, Jose A. Foppiani, Maria Jose Escobar-Domingo, Daniela Lee, Angelica Hernandez-Alvarez, Kirsten Schuster, Helen Xun

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Nerve conduits are used to bridge peripheral nerve defects caused by trauma, iatrogenic injury, or oncologic disruption. Three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration have advanced significantly in recent years, driven by improvements in printing technology and neuronal seeding techniques. We report on published designer conduits that can recreate the epineurium, a critical yet challenging-to-manufacture feature of nerve tissue.

Methods: A medical librarian conducted a literature search for our systematic review on EMBASE, Web of Science, and PUBMED, following PRISMA guidelines, for articles from January 2010 to January 2026 for the systematic review. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed …

Symptomatic Dermatographism Misattributed To Cockroach Exposure: A Diagnostic Pitfall, Simona Kogan, Sumeet Bhardwaj, Suchana Ghimire, Arushi Tewari, Rishima Tewari

Student Publications

Allergen exposure can present with a broad clinical spectrum. Individuals exposed to allergens may develop respiratory diseases such as asthma, skin manifestations such as urticaria, and potentially anaphylaxis. For those who reside in urban or unsanitary environments, cockroaches can serve as an unfortunate and persistent exposure to such allergens. Cockroach allergens are classically associated with IgE-mediated respiratory diseases. However, reliance on exposure history alone may lead to diagnostic misattribution when cutaneous symptoms occur without systemic allergic features. We describe a 22-year-old woman from Philadelphia who presented with a 48-hour history of diffuse pruritus and widespread erythematous linear and maculopapular wheals …

A Novel Laparoscopic Renal Denervation System In A Preclinical Swine Model, Linwei Zhao, Wei Yang, Binbin Zhu, Yahui Liu, Peng Tian, Xinyu Guo, Yang Dong, Zhiqiang Fan, Huiping Li, Yu Feng, Lijie Zhu, Minfu Bai, Qiuping Zhao, Xingkun Zhang, Chenchen Si, Qianqian Cheng, Gan-Xin Yan, Chuanyu Gao

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Laparoscopic renal denervation (RDN) represents a specialized approach for hypertension, particularly when conventional methods face limitations. While catheter-based RDN has demonstrated significant efficacy in recent large-scale clinical trials and has been integrated into international guidelines, its effectiveness can be constrained by complex renal anatomy or incomplete ablation. We developed a novel laparoscopic RDN system, comprising an integrated radiofrequency (RF) clamp, RF generator, and cooling pump, to achieve more controlled adventitial ablation. This study aims to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and optimal parameters of this new system in a preclinical swine model. Sixteen pigs were divided into an immediate group ( …

Fastpca: An R Package For Fast Singular Value Decomposition., Kimberly R. Ward, Mitchell Hayes, Lauren C. Peres, Brooke L. Fridley, Steven Eschrich, Alex C. Soupir

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The FastPCA package provides an interface to optimized matrix multiplication libraries (libtorch) for the purpose of singular value decomposition. Using FastPCA to perform randomized singular value decomposition (SVD, (Halko, Martinsson, & Tropp, 2011)) with the torch or pytorch backend drastically reduces the computational time compared to base R prcomp and other truncated singular value decomposition. Developed for biological data such as single-cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI imaging), FastPCA can efficiently and accurately identify the leading singular values in high-dimensional data.

Kinetic Human Movement Ontology: A Semantic Terminology Model To Symbolically Represent Physiological Movement, Muhammad Amith, Vivian Ha, Eloisa Nguyen, Yang Gong, Ahsiya Lin, Cui Tao, Licong Cui

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cataloging physiological and anatomical terminologies may provide a fundamental basis for bridging the involvement of muscles, skeletal, and other essential parts in human movement, in addition to understanding their role on human morbidity. We present a general formalized ontology model that focuses on anatomical and physiological entities that are active during human movement, called the Kinetic Human Movement Ontology (KHMO). We developed a model to represent human movement that links human postures using OWL2. We used the model to assemble various open-sourced controlled terminologies involved in human movement - anatomical entities, physiological terms, etc. KHMO presents 1954 classes, 42 properties, …

Catalase Activity In The Presence Of Pure Flavonoids, Emily Weems, Erika L. Doctor

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

Finding Our Tempo: Exploring Embodied Synchrony Through Full-Body Play In Children, Sena Beste Ercan, Belén González Mateo, Olga Galí Pérez, Gray Atherton, Liam Cross, Narcís Parés

School of Psychology

This study advances the design of timing-sensitive, full-body interactive experiences supporting both collaboration and individual agency in children’s group play. We investigate how temporal structuring within an improved version of a full-body interactive system influences behavioral and perceived synchrony among children aged 9–10. Prior research has often focused on dyads, required human facilitation, or neglected relationship between perceived and actual synchrony. Addressing these gaps, we conducted a multi-user study comparing synchronous and asynchronous interaction modes using system-logged behavioral data and self-reports. Results demonstrate the synchronous condition fosters higher user performance, tighter temporal coordination, and stronger perceptions of shared movement. In …

Keynote Presentation + Q&A, Kasi M. Guillot

Doctoral Student Association Conference

Kasi Guillot, Ed.D. is a scholar-practitioner and performance strategist whose work explores what happens when research refuses to stay on the page. She earned her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, where her dissertation, A Connectivist Approach for Introductory Biology Laboratory Courses: An Instructional Framework to Address STEM Education and Workforce Needs, examined how networked learning systems can bridge academic theory and workforce reality.

Rather than concluding with publication, her research became a catalyst. It evolved into the C-Link Framework, a connectivist-informed performance improvement model that integrates systems thinking, organizational behavior, and human performance technology to help leaders translate insight …

Pelvic Health: Lived Experience, Needs And Resources For Women With Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Louise Carroll, Catherine Doody, Cliona O’ Sullivan, Carla Perrotta, Brona M. Fullen

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects up to 50% of women and can substantially impact physical function, psychological wellbeing, and quality of life. Despite its prevalence, gaps remain in understanding the experiences and support needs of reproductive-age women, particularly within the Irish healthcare context. This thesis aimed to explore the lived experience of women with POP, examine knowledge and care gaps among women and healthcare professionals (HCPs), and develop an intervention to support self- management. A mixed-methods approach was used. A systematic review identified limitations in the use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and highlighted opportunities to better capture biopsychosocial characteristics …

When Irl Is Not An Option: Social Media Bans And The Exclusion Of Autistic Youth, Melanie Gruben, Ashley Sheil, Anne Ryan Duffy, Jacob Camillleri, Michelle O'Keeffe, Hazel Murray

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

After the roll-out of the social media ban in Australia in 2025, policy makers are considering psychosocial benefits and logistical implications. However, the needs of autistic people, who may rely more on the Internet for social connection earlier in life, should be taken into account. This white paper proposes a responsibility to support alternative means of social connection for autistic young people where bans are considered, as IRL (in real life) socialising is not always accessible.

Selfhealth: Continuous Semantic Intelligence For Privacy-Aware Lifelogging, Allie Tran

Women+ in Early Career Research Symposium

Lifelogging — the continuous digital recording of everyday experience through wearable cameras and sensors — has long promised benefits for memory augmentation, health monitoring, and lifestyle analysis. However, current systems follow a capture–store–retrieve model that delays analysis until after data collection, limiting their practical usefulness and creating significant privacy risks through prolonged retention of sensitive raw data. This paper argues that lifelogging should instead analyse data at the moment of capture, enabling timely, context-sensitive support and safer handling of personal information through privacy-by-design. We demonstrate the feasibility of this approach through SelfHealth, an early prototype system built on a custom …

Epigenetic Constraint Landscapes And Repair-Mediated Genome Evolution In Human Lineages, Jaymes Mozingo

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Evolutionary change is often framed primarily in terms of mutation and selection, yet this perspective overlooks a prior, testable question: which genetic changes are permitted to persist within the genome at all. This project presents a methods-driven pilot analysis that examines whether epigenetic regulation of DNA repair context constrains the retention of rare genomic variants, leaving a falsifiable signature in population-level data. The study uses de-identified, consented high-coverage Y-chromosome sequencing data and public phylogenies (e.g., FamilyTreeDNA, YFull). An explicit, a priori variant-selection rule is applied to define a class of rare lineage-discordant SNP states arising within a specified downstream phylogenetic …

Reversible O-O Bond Activation And Formation On Dinuclear Cobalt Complexes, Wenting He, Yan Li, Dong Wang

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Dinuclear metal-peroxo species have been proposed as key intermediates in the dioxygen activation pathway for a number of nonheme diiron and dicopper enzymes such as soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO). A key step in the O activation is the cleavage of the metal-peroxo O-O bond to form higher-valent metal-oxo species. Meanwhile, the reverse O–O bond formation process catalyzed by the Oxygen-Evolving Complex (OEC) in natural Photosystem II is a pivotal step in the conversion of water into molecular oxygen during photosynthesis. In synthetic chemistry, compared to the diiron and dicopper complexes, dicobalt peroxo complexes are relatively less studied. Furthermore, none of …

Lovecraftian Hybrids And Transgender Embodiment, Mari K. Newman

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

     While much of Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s oeuvre has been analyzed by queer theorists for homosexual metaphors within Lovecraft’s monsters, less argued is the subject of his hybrids mirroring transgender embodiment. I posit the rise of transgender identities in the Western mainstream and access to breakthrough gender-affirming care in the United States during Lovecraft’s life lend to a reading of his hybrids as embodying gender queerness. The proposed research is a literature review which draws upon interdisciplinary texts ranging from scholars in the social sciences—such as sociology and anthropology—to the hard sciences such as ecology and health sciences.

In this paper, …

Coordinating Lewis Bases To Ni(Iv) Enhances Reactivity Toward Strong Sp3 C-H Bonds, Collin R. Bryant

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

High-valent transition metal-oxo (TM-oxo) species have been ascertained to be key intermediates in the catalytic cycles of various metalloenzymes involved in C-H functionalization. Advances in the structural and mechanistic elucidation of these metalloenzymes have provided new rationale for designing biomimetic and bio-inspired systems that harness high-valent TM-oxo chemistry and in turn provide further insights into the electronic, structural and reactive properties of enzymatic TM-oxo intermediates. However, high-valent oxo complexes of late transition metals are less accessible due to electronic bonding restrictions. Synthetic efforts can be shifted toward developing high-valent late TM-non-oxo systems, which present electronic, structural and reactive properties similar …

Human Identification Through Forensic Skeletal Analysis: Three Case Reviews, Shelby Feirstein

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Human identification through forensic skeletal analysis: three case reviews

Article Co-authors: Joe Adserias-Garriga*, Shelby Feirstein, Dakota Bell, Hannah Skropits and Dennis C. Dirkmaat (https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owae053)

Establishing a positive identification of human remains found in a forensic setting is often accomplished through DNA, fingerprints, or odontology. However, when these primary identifiers cannot be applied, practitioners can rely on combining points of concordance derived from other identification modalities, such as antemortem trauma, pathology, or unique skeletal morphologies, to build up a case for identification. In order to conduct these comparisons, forensic anthropologists must be well trained and experienced in human skeletal variation and …

Using Adaptive Management To Understand Elk Population Dynamics In Northwest Montana, Andi Stewart, Nicole Bealer, Jesse Devoe, Zackary Farley, Christopher Hansen, Joshua Millspaugh, Kelly Proffitt

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Uncertainties about population dynamics may hamper the ability of state agencies and commissions to make informed wildlife management decisions. In hunting district 121, Montana, bull elk harvest has declined since 2012. Minimum counts suggest populations have been stable; however, it’s unknown if these counts reflect actual abundance and there are no vital rate data available for the region. Due to these uncertainties, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks developed an adaptive management project to address data gaps and uncertainties. From 2022-2025, we GPS collared 124 adult females, 18 adult males, and 185 neonate or 6-month-old calves. Across all years, the average …

Fluorescent Biosensor-Guided Engineering Of Enzyme Cascades For Electrochemical Applications, Nathan J. Ricks, Monica Brachi, Fnu Arun, Egor Baiarashov, Shelley D. Minteer, Ming C. Hammond

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Substrate channeling is a strategy for enhancing flux and yield in enzymatic cascades and is increasingly relevant for applications in biocatalysis, biotechnology, and bioelectrochemical systems. However, efforts to engineer channeling are limited by the lack of high-throughput methods to evaluate and optimize channeling efficiency. Here, we present a fluorescence-based screening assay to rapidly assess substrate channeling in a model system involving fumarase and malate dehydrogenase, two sequential enzymes from the Krebs cycle. By expressing genetic fusions in Escherichia coli, quantifying intermediate (malate) and product (NADH) formation in lysate using orthogonal fluorescent readouts, and comparing product-to-intermediate ratios, we screened a library …

Manufacturing And Clinical Applications Of Non-Car-T Immune Effector Cells., Thane Kubik, Theodros Mamo, David H Mckenna

Oncology Articles

No abstract provided.

Reexamined Costs: A More Comprehensive Evaluation Of Economic Growth In Michigan’S Teaching Of High School United States History, Kelsee Hyble

Masters Projects

The Michigan Department of Education social studies standards were crafted with the primary goal of promoting “the knowledge, skills, intellectual processes, and dispositions required of people to be actively engaged in fulfilling their responsibility of civic participation” (Michigan Department of Education, 2019, p.3).  The “Purpose of Social Studies” section goes on to explain that, “As members of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world, young people need to learn how to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good” (Michigan Department of Education, 2019, p.3). While the standards provide an accurate explanation of how the United States …

Molecular Origins Of Non-Frozen Water In Polyelectrolyte Brushes, Ali Dhinojwala, Saveen Jayaweera, Md Golam Kibria, George Mallinos

University Research

Polyelectrolyte brushes (PEBs) are promising coatings for reducing ice adhesion and regulating water freezing at interfaces, yet direct measurements of nonfrozen water retention at subzero temperatures remain scarce. Here, we investigate the freezing behavior of water confined in poly([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium) (PMETA) brushes with chloride, iodide, and sulfate counterions using a custom-built low-temperature attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy system. Furthermore, we quantify the fraction of water that was present within the brush that does not freeze as well as the changes in polymer volume fraction within the brush as a function of temperature. Spectroscopic analysis of water vibrational modes reveals that PMETA …

Negotiating Fatherhood: Young Men’S Narratives Of Care, Responsibility, And Struggle In A Low-Income South African Setting, Urlridge A. Thompson Dr, Tshepang Headman Mr, Leballo Tjemolane Mr, Lukhanyo H. Nyati Dr

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Financial provision continues to factor significantly in how Black men perceive and enact fatherhood, influencing the extent and manner of their paternal engagement. The enduring representation of men primarily as financial providers constrains the generation and enactment of alternative modalities of fatherhood within families and society. This qualitative study explored how the everyday lived experiences of young Black men in Soweto, South Africa, influence their varied engagements with fatherhood as they navigate structural constraints to pursuing their ideal of fatherhood. An exploratory descriptive qualitative approach was employed. We conducted two sets of semi-structured interviews with 19 young Black men in …

Repair Of Uterine Rupture With Placenta Accreta At 22 Weeks, Followed By Cesarean Hysterectomy Delivery Of Healthy Neonate At 32 Weeks, Molly Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson University, Marco Goldberg, Mae Florendo, Andrew Chau, Corrado Minimo, Kate Stampler, Jay Goldberg

Einstein Health Papers

Introduction: Uterine rupture at previable gestational ages is almost always treated with evacuation of the pregnancy, followed by uterine repair or hysterectomy. Case Presentation: A 40-year-old woman with one prior cesarean section presented at 22 weeks of gestation with an acute abdomen. Imaging noted hemoperitoneum with areas of bulging in the anterior uterine wall. Laparoscopy converted to a laparotomy through a midline incision, noted an actively bleeding 2 cm area of uterine rupture with protruding placental tissue. The uterine rupture was surgically closed with sutures. The patient was kept in the hospital for the remainder of her pregnancy. At 32 …

Early Camp Signaling Orchestrates Single-Cell Synchronicity Throughout Dictyostelium Development, Mariko Katoh-Kurasawa, Lena Trnovec, Peter Lehmann, Rui Chen, Yumei Li, Blaž Zupan, Gad Shaulsky

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Synchronicity is observed in many biological systems, including development, as seen in vertebrate body axis formation, fly eye development, and development of the social amoeba D. discoideum. Despite its prevalence, quantitative analyses of synchronicity at the single-cell level remain rare. Here we show that synchronicity in D. discoideum is mediated by early cAMP signaling. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we quantify transcriptome similarities between individual cells during development. We show that synchronicity first declines upon starvation but then increases with the onset of cAMP-pulse signaling. Synchronicity remains stable throughout development and differs between prespore and prestalk cells. Genetic perturbations of …