Digital Commons Network^™

Role Of Ghrelin Level As A Diagnostic Tool For Hypogonadism In Females With Beta Thalassemia Major, Fatima A. Abdulhaleem, Alaa Hussein J. Al-Qaisi, Dalia M. Jamil

Baghdad Science Journal

Beta thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by inadequate or absence β-globin chains synthesis. β-thalassemia patients require blood transfusion to survive, but at the same time cause iron deposition in the endocrine glands, liver, and heart. Hypogonadism is the most prevalent endocrine disorder due to iron deposition in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and gonads. Ghrelin, a peptide hormone secreted by the gastric fundus mucosa and plays an important role in the regulation of body weight, energy balance, and reproductive functions. This study aimed to investigate the role of ghrelin level as a diagnostic tool for hypogonadism in females …

Shifting Grounds Of Accountability: How Governmentality Reduces The Commoning Practices Of The Monpa Community In Arunachal Pradesh, Pijush Kumar Dutta

Journal of Law and Public Policy

Pastoralism is one of the traditional livelihoods of Monpa community that resides in western Arunachal Pradesh, India. They have been rearing yaks, an integral part of their culture and tradition, and managing summer and winter pasture lands as commons for grazing, However, the Monpa’s yak‑based livelihood is facing challenges as the number of villagers engaged in grazing related activities is reducing and the composition of livestock in the area is changing. To understand the reasons for these changes and its impact, an open‑ended questionnaire was used to interview herders, members of traditional village institutions and village panchayats, and elderly villagers …

The Odds Don’T Lie: Mathematical Reasoning And Societal Ignorance In Don’T Look Up, Nysa Vedwan, Shane Carey

LASER Journal

In Adam McKay’s 2021 satirical sci-fi movie Don’t Look Up, two astronomers discover a comet heading directly toward Earth. Despite overwhelming evidence and near-certainty of global extinction, their warnings are ignored and ridiculed. This paper discusses the mathematical and scientific foundations of the movie’s social and political reception, and specifically focuses on orbital prediction and probabilistic modeling as they relate to public understanding of risk. This paper shows how data is often undermined by political and social dynamics, by connecting the fictional events of the movie with real-world crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency. In Don’t Look …

Examining The Effect Of Supportive Language Training Activities For Bilingual Children On Their Language Skills And Reading Levels, Zeynep Fulya Temel, Ayşe Belgin Aksoy, Vedat Bayraktar, Hurşide Kübra Ozkan Kunduracı, Kübra Kanat, Merve Karakaş Aksoy

i.e.: inquiry in education

The study aimed to examine the effect of supportive language training activities for bilingual children, who were attending state primary schools in Turkey, on their language skills and reading levels. To this end, one group pre-test and post-test experimental design from quantitative methods was used. 10 primary school children aged 6 to 9 years were selected on a voluntary basis by the Migration Services Centre of Kecioren Municipality in Ankara. Supportive language training activities were applied to the children two hours a day a week for a 12-week period. The Turkish Expressive and Receptive Language Test (TIFALDI) and the wordless …

Cover And Front Matter

Research and Reflection on Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Cover and Table of Contents for Volume 3 (2025)

Communication Supplementation Based On Sentiment Analysis, Mahdi Tayarani Najaran, Ruofei Du

Defensive Publications Series

Text-based communication systems often lead to misinterpretation of a message because the emotional context is lost. A recipient may infer a sender’s sentiment based solely on the text, leading to misunderstandings. This disclosure describes a method to supplement text messages (or other communications) with representations of the sender’s inferred sentiment, captured during composition. The technique involves collecting multi-modal biological information from the sender, such as facial expressions, gaze, and gestures, using sensors on the composing device. A machine learning model can analyze this data to infer the sender’s sentiment. A graphical representation, like an emoji, corresponding to the inferred sentiment …

Fall 2025 Student Showcase For Research And Creative Inquiry Program, Office Of Student Research, Longwood University

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

No abstract provided.

Simone De Beauvoir’S Influence On “The Handmaid’S Tale”, Hailee Jones

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Using the theories that Simone de Beauvoir presents in The Second Sex, this paper will analyze Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Discussing how Gilead reflects the oppression women face, and the idea of women as “other,” and Beauvoir describes. She spends much time discussing the Hegelian master-slave dialectic, which is seen in The Handmaid’s Tale through Gilead’s laws. Forcing the Handmaids to not only be an incubator for the commander, but also forcing them to do the shopping for the household, and not allowing them basic human rights such as reading. Mussett analyzes this and gives further analysis on women …

Leadership Communication, Heather Arlen, Eli Bruess, Mitchell Buerkle, Ali Gravelle, Magdalen Kramer

Leadership Education Newsletters

No abstract provided.

The Predictors Of Mental Health And Suicidal Ideation Among People With Homelessness, Pi-Ming Yeh

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction/Significance: A record-high 653,104 people experienced homelessness with 39.3 percent unsheltered in 2023. This is more than a 12.1 percent increase over the 2022. Homelessness is an important societal problem. Mental illness, adverse childhood experiences, and substance use are serious issues among people with homelessness.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors of psychological well-being, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and depression among people with homelessness.

Methods: Sixty people with homelessness were recruited in Tennessee, USA. This was a cross-sectional descriptive research design. IRB was approved. Questionnaires were used to collect data. SPSS 28.0 was used to analyze …

Exposure-Response Of Serum Biomarkers To Vamorolone, A Dissociative Corticosteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug, In 4- To <7-Year Children, Swati Mummidivarpu, Utkarsh J. Dang, Michael Ziemba, Yetrib Hathout, Paula R. Clemens, Jesse Damsker, Laura Hagerty, William J. Jusko, Edward C. Smith, Jean K. Mah, Michela Guglieri, Yoram Nevo, Nancy Kuntz, Craig M. Mcdonald, Monique M. Ryan, Diana Castro, Richard S. Finkel, Laurie S. Conklin, John M. Mccall, Kanneboyina Nagaraju, John Van Den Anker, Eric P. Hoffman

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Objectives: Corticosteroid agonists of the glucocorticoid receptor are a mainstay of therapeutics for pro-inflammatory conditions. Vamorolone is a novel partial agonist that is differentiated from the other members of the corticosteroid class by non-metabolism by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, antagonism of the mineralocorticoid receptor, and differential co-factor binding. Our objective was to define the pharmacodynamic response of serum proteins to vamorolone. Methods: Clinical trial participants with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (4 to < 7 yr; n = 39; mean [SD] age = 5.3 [1.0]) enrolled in a multiple ascending dose study of vamorolone were studied (24-fold dose range). Dose-response and exposure–response of 1,305 serum proteins were defined by intra-subject longitudinal changes (baseline vs. Day 14). Results: Dose-response analysis identified 159 of 1,305 serum proteins as dose-responsive to vamorolone (12 % of proteins tested; 20 % increased, 80 % decreased). Two inflammatory networks showed drug-responsive suppression. One centered on extracellular serine proteases and lymphotoxins (PI3, KLK7, KLK8, KLK11, lympho-toxins A, B) converging on NFκB. The second centered on cytokines (CCL22/MDC, CCL21, CCL14, CXCL12) and IL23 signaling. In the IL23 network, acutely responsive anti-inflammatory proteins included increases of an inhibitor of IL17 signaling (IL17RC) and decreases of IL23 (IL12B:IL23A). A protein associated with resistance to environmental microbes, PTP1C, showed strong induction and is a novel candidate for aspects of corticosteroid efficacy. Two networks of cell-associated proteins were identified as drug responsive that may represent muscle tissue response (efficacy): connective tissue remodeling upstream of Notch signaling, and plasma membrane proteins impinging on AKT1 signaling. Conclusion: The serum proteome pharmacodynamics of the response to vamorolone was defined.

The Parthenon, November 19, 2025, Baylee Parsons, Kaitlyn Fleming, Ashton Pack, Nate Harrah, Caden Adkins, Scott Price, Lilli Ross, Wade Sullivan

The Parthenon

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Radiation Type On Charge Transport In Aged Polymers, Zachary J. Gibson, Jr Dennison, Virginie Griseri

Journal Articles

Spacecraft charging issues are often investigated with simulated space environments and evaluated on pass–fail criteria that may yield little or no information about materials’ properties. It is far more effective to understand and mitigate spacecraft charging issues through investigations of material properties. However, material properties are dynamic in the harsh environment of space. Approximations must be made to simulate the space environment in the laboratory. This article reports on the investigation of the approximation that energy deposition causes the same aging effects in materials irrespective of the type of radiation sources. Samples of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyether-etherketone (PEEK) were irradiated …

Bending Energy Schemes For Discrete-Spring-Network Structural Modelling Of Red Blood Cells, Osayomwanbor Ehi-Egharevba, Mingzhu Chen, Fergal Boyle

Articles

Red blood cells (RBCs) undergo large structural deformation, including bending, when passing through capillaries. They also exhibit a range of complex shapes such as stomatocytes, discocytes and echinocytes that form due to altered blood pH and salt levels, ingested drugs and adenosine triphosphate depletion. Discrete-spring-network structural models of RBCs employ different numerical treatments of the continuum bending energy. This affects bending accuracy and the prediction of accurate RBC shapes. This research compares three representations called bending energy scheme (BES) A, B and C to evaluate their accuracy in shape predictions. BES A, seen throughout the literature, is based on the …

Ladyfish (Elops Saurus) Neurocranium, Kaylee M. Blanchard, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Instant Noodle Anomaly Detection Based On Few-Shot Learning And Feature Alignment, Ma Kailong, Yang Chaoyu

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To achieve efficient detection of fine foreign objects in instant noodle, this paper proposes an instant noodle anomaly detection method based on few-shot learning and feature alignment. [Methods] The method uses a pre-trained residual network as a feature extraction network for efficiently extracting the features of the instant noodle image. The image is geometrically transformed by introducing a spatial transformation network for better alignment and extraction of features. Feature alignment is used to align the key features in the image so that the accuracy and generalization ability of the model can be ensured in detecting instant noodle anomalies. [Results] …

Probiotic Properties Of Pediococcus Acidilactici N8 And Screening Of High-Viability Protectants, Zhao Ying, Zou Yuan, Ye Zhiwei, Guo Liqiong, Lin Junfang

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the biological characteristics and in vitro probiotic functions of the food-derived Pediococcus acidilactici N8, and to screen effective protectants for the preparation of high-viability (>1012 CFU/g ) spray-dried probiotic preparations.[Methods] A lactic acid bacterium (strain N 8) isolated from cheese was identified through morphological analysis and 16S rDNA gene sequencing.Its probiotic potential was determined through tests on growth characteristics, safety, tolerance, antibacterial activity, adhesion ability, and antioxidant capacity.Spray drying was employed to prepare probiotic formulations, and high-viability spray-drying protectants were screened. [Results] Based on morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis, strain N 8 was …

In Vivo Antioxidant Activity Of Exogenous Glutathione On Aging Mice, Wang Ming, Yu Yongming, Wang Yuhui, Zhang Shuaijia, Luo Yao, Ma Chao

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the effect of exogenous glutathione (GSH ) on improving antioxidant capacity in aging mice. [Methods] Aging mice were administered GSH by gavage at different doses (166. 7, 83. 3, and 41. 7 mg/kg ) continuously for 30 days. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA ), 8-isoprostane, protein carbonyl (PCO ), and reduced GSH in serum and liver homogenate, as well as activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD ) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), were measured. [Results] Compared with the blank control group, the high-dose GSH group showed significant reductions in MDA and PCO levels, increased T-SOD activity in serum, and …

Preparation And Physicochemical Properties Of Protein Isolate From Spirulina Platensis, Shang Wenhui, Xue Changfeng, Chin Yaoxian, Hang Yuyu, Chen Yiran, Wang Gang

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the conditions for preparing Spirulina platensis protein isolate (spPI ) using repeated freeze-thaw cycles, and to compare the physicochemical properties of spPI and commercially processed phycocyanin (cpPC ). [Methods] The effects of soaking time, solid-to-liquid ratio, freezing duration, and number of freeze-thaw cycles on the protein extraction yield were studied. The physicochemical properties of spPI and cpPC were also determined. [Results] Under the conditions of 16 hours soaking, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶20 (g/mL ), 9 hours freezing time, and 10 freeze-thaw cycles, the protein extraction yield reached its optimum at (29. 74±0.16)%. spPI and cpPC exhibited …

Antioxidation And Hypolipidemia Functions Of Three Oils In Vitro, Wu Qiutong, Meng Xin, Wang Meili, Xing Huiyu

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To investigate the antioxidant activity and hypolipidemic function of camellia seed oil, bitter apricot kernel oil, and peanut oil. [Methods] The antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities of the three oils are evaluated through in vitro antioxidant tests and in vitro hypolipemic tests. [Results] The order of DPPH free radical scavenging capacity is camellia seed oil >bitter apricot kernel oil >peanut oil. The order of superoxide anion free radical scavenging capacity is camellia seed oil >bitter apricot kernel oil >peanut oil. Additionally, the order of hydroxyl free radical scavenging capacity is camellia seed oil >bitter apricot kernel oil >peanut oil. At …

Protective Effect Of A Compound Staple Food Against Oxidative Damage In Hepg 2 Cells, Nie Beibei, Luo Wu, Guo Shengxiang, Lin Shu, Liu Dongbo

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To explore the protective effect and mechanism of a compound staple food (CSF ) against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG 2). [Methods] The in vitro antioxidant capacity of CSF was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. An oxidative stress model was established by inducing HepG 2 cells with H2O2, and the effect of CSF on cell viability was measured by the CCK-8 assay. The impact of CSF on cellular oxidative stress was assessed by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS ), mitochondrial membrane potential (JC-1), malondialdehyde (MDA ), and superoxide dismutase (SOD ) levels. …

Optimization Of Preparation Technology And Evaluation Of Anti-Exercise Fatigue Activity Of Oyster Peptide, Deng Chaoyou, Tang Liping, Li Jianmin, Sui Ming

Food and Machinery

[Objective] Oyster was used as the raw material to prepare antioxidant oyster peptides by hydrolysis with complex proteases (papain, alkaline protease, and aminopeptidase ), and their anti-exercise fatigue activity was evaluated. [Methods] Using degree of hydrolysis and DPPH radical scavenging rate as evaluation indicators, response surface methodology was applied to optimize the preparation process of oyster peptides, and the fatigue-alleviating effects of oyster peptides were investigated in exercise-induced mice. [Results] The optimal extraction conditions for oyster peptides were as follows:4% complex protease addition, hydrolysis pH 7. 5, material-to-liquid ratio 1∶7. 5 (g/mL ), hydrolysis temperature 57 ℃, and hydrolysis time …

Optimization Of Lonicera Japonica Polysaccharide Extraction Process And Antioxidant Activity Of Polysaccharide Extracts From Different Organs, Zhang Xiaoxia, Li Jin, Lou Lifang

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To develop the medicinal and food resources of Lonicera japonica, improve the yield of polysaccharides, determine the antioxidant activity of different organs, and reduce the waste of natural Chinese medicine resources. [Methods] Different organs of L. japonica are utilized as raw materials, with polysaccharide yield as the primary investigation index. The response surface method is used to determine the optimal extraction process. The in vitro antioxidant activity of different organs is assessed and analyzed by metrological methods. [Results] The optimal extraction conditions are as follows:solid-liquid ratio of 1∶25 （g/mL ）, ultrasonic temperature of 80 ℃, ultrasonic time of 60 …

Selection And Fermentation Quality Evaluation Of Raw Peppers For Semi-Finished Chili Sauce In Red Sour Soup, Chen Yanlin, Wang Xiujun, Xu Jiuhong, Hu Rongnian, Zhang Lu

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To screen the raw pepper varieties suitable for semi-finished chili sauce in red sour soup. [Methods] Ten different varieties of high-quality peppers from Guizhou Province are taken as research objects. The aspects below are studied among different varieties of mature fresh peppers during fermentation:the changes of color, total acid, nitrite, amino acid nitrogen, soluble solids, and other quality indicators, as well as the content of capsaicin and organic acids at the end of fermentation. Then, sensory evaluation is conducted on the semi-finished chili sauces. [Results] The results show that Guizhou Erjingtiao pepper, sheep-horn pepper, Honghang pepper, and screw pepper …

Optimization Of Extraction Method For Polygonatum Kingianum Polysaccharides Based On Comprehensive Functional Characteristics, Tang Yayuan, Wei Zhen, Yue Jian, Su Juan, Sun Jian, He Xuemei

Food and Machinery

[Objective] This study investigates the effects of various extraction methods on the chemical composition and functional characteristics of polysaccharides derived from Polygonatum kingianum, specifically the white flower and purple-red flower varieties. [Methods] P. kingianum polysaccharides (PKPs ) are extracted with traditional hot water, alkaline, acidic, enzymatic, ultrasonic, and hot water-alkaline extraction methods, and a comparative evaluation is made on their extraction yield, chemical composition (including total sugar, sulfate, and uronic acid content ), and biological properties (including DPPH radical scavenging activity, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity ). [Results] The extraction yield of PKPs and their chemical composition are …

Research Progress Of Molecular Imprinting Technique Based On Hollow Structural Materials In Food Safety Detection, Qiao Xueyong, Zhao Xiaolei, Sun Guoran, He Jinxing, Ou Yongling

Food and Machinery

Food safety is the core issue in the field of global public health, which is directly related to human health, social stability, and economic development. The development of reliable, sensitive, and efficient detection technology has far-reaching significance for monitoring harmful substances in food and protecting consumer health. In recent years, combining the excellent adsorption performance of hollow materials and the high selectivity of molecular imprinting technique to targets, hollow molecularly imprinted materials have attracted widespread attention of researchers, which can be used as new adsorption materials for sample pretreatment and construction of detection methods. This article reviews the preparation methods …

Research Progress Of Biomass-Based Food Packaging Materials, Chen Yanrong, Zhang Bo, Han Yanrong, Wang Chenyu, Yang Rui, Kuang Yishan

Food and Machinery

The non-degradable nature of traditional petroleum-based packaging materials has led to environmental pollution and food safety concerns, with microplastic pollution emerging as a global challenge. Biomass-based food packaging materials, owing to their renewability, biodegradability, and design flexibility, represent a significant technological pathway to address these issues. Existing food packaging materials still exhibit shortcomings in environmental friendliness, food safety, and functional diversity. This article reviews the development strategies and application domains of biomass-based food packaging materials, highlighting their inherent effectiveness and limitations. It further explores research advances in novel food packaging materials characterized by multifunctionality and intelligent properties.

Research Progress On The Extraction , Physiological Functions , And Applications Of Low-Molecular Pectin, Ma Shaoying, Yang Fengsu, Huang Jiaoli, Wu Heng, Huang Tingting

Food and Machinery

Low-molecular pectin (LMP ), a natural polysaccharide extracted from plant cell walls, has garnered increasing attention in recent years owing to its multiple physiological activities and broad applications. This review summarizes the advances in the extraction processes, physiological functions, and practical applications of LMP over the past decade. The extraction methodologies cover traditional chemical extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis, physical-assisted techniques, and other approaches. The physiological functions are also elaborated, encompassing anti-tumor effects, lipid-lowering, hypoglycemic, antioxidant activities, and regulation of intestinal microbiota. The application scenarios are discussed across diverse industries, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Meanwhile, future research directions of LMP …

Migration Of Organophosphate Flame Retardants From Biodegradable Food Contact Materials Into Food Simulants By Hplc-Ms/Ms, Zhu Lina, Cao Hui, Wang Jin, Tang Shali, Zhang Hui, Xiao Gongnian

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To explore the determination methods and migration patterns of 22 organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs ) in degradable food contact materials. [Methods] Samples were soaked in four kinds of food simulants. Ten percent ethanol and 3% acetic acid simulants were extracted with acetonitrile and salted out with NaCl. Olive oil was extracted with methanol/acetonitrile (v/v, 2/3), and 50% ethanol simulants were filtered and directly measured. OPFR extracts were separated by a C18 column and determined by positive electrospray ionization (ESI+) in multiple reaction monitoring mode, with quantification by matrix external standard method. The migration pattern of triphenyl phosphate (TPhP ) …

Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associatedfactors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with significant sex differences in outcomes. However, it is unclear whether these differences are driven by distinct risk factor profiles or by a differential impact of shared risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with CVD among PLWH and to specifically assess for effect modification by sex using a large, diverse nationwide database.

Methods

We utilized data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU). The primary outcome was a composite of coronary artery disease or stroke. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify …