Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Marine Microbial Products: Targeting Medical Bacteria In Little Bayou Bay, Shivam Anil Patel

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

This study focuses on the identification and curation of microbial natural products, with a specific interest in their potential to target medical-related bacteria. The environment of the Little Bayou Bay was sandy with dirt near alley water that goes out to the Little Bayou Bay. The depth of sample was collected can have different pH level, and bacteria that live in the area. Understanding these reasons why microbial natural target medical-related bacteria can open numerous treatment options. The goal of the research lab is to isolate a bacterium from a sample from Little Bayou Bay. During the lab conduct multiple …

Comparison Between Aunp And Tio2np Nanocarriers For The Treatment Of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Andrew Thomas, Vedant Patel, Rohit Borra, Joy Yang

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the most fatal diseases in the world, leading to lung tissue damage and persistent inflammation. Patients with COPD are typically treated with a bronchodilator and steroids to alleviate bronchoconstriction and inflammation; however, the steroids have limited effects. Inhaled nanomedicine utilizes small agents that facilitate pulmonary-targeted delivery, which improves the absorption and potency of the medication. Over a century ago, Paul Ehrlich proposed the 'magic bullet' theory—targeting diseases precisely while minimizing side effects. Recently, nanomedicine has emerged to support Ehrlich’s theory by fostering nanoparticle drug delivery systems, such as gold (AuNPs) and titanium …

Srgap2c And The Human Mind: A Genetic Key To Cognitive Evolution, Alexis J. Zayas

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

The SLIT-ROBO Rho GTPase Activating Protein 2C (SRGAP2C) gene is a human-specific ortholog of murine SRGAP2 and paralog of SRGAP2A, playing a pivotal role in cortical development and neural plasticity. Unlike SRGAP2A, SRGAP2C arose through segmental duplications unique to the Homo lineage approximately 3.4, 2.1, and 1 million years ago. These duplication events coincide with the divergence of early Homo species from Australopithecus and the emergence of increased cognitive abilities and tool use. SRGAP2C functions as a dominant-negative regulator of SRGAP2A by inhibiting its activity. This results in delayed synaptic maturation and increased density of dendritic spines, key factors thought …

Evolutionary Optimization Of Biologically-Inspired Mechanistic Input-Output Neural Circuit Models In The Auditory Pathway, Abdul-Malik Zekri

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Understanding how to compute specific functions from neural architecture is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience, with profound implications for artificial intelligence, neuromorphic computing, and neurological health. This study employs evolutionary meta-heuristic algorithms to optimize a mechanistic input-output spiking neural network (SNN) model of the cochlear nucleus, a key circuit in the auditory pathway. The research integrates biologically inspired initialization, iterative optimization, and data-driven validation to explore how connectivity and topology influence input-output relationships in neural circuits. Synthetic input-output spike train pairs for spiral ganglion and bushy cells are generated using a computational model of the cochlear nucleus. SNNs are initialized …

Reverberations Of The 1950s Puerto Rico Nationalist Independence Movement, Gustavo Alonso Chamu

History in the Making

In the first half of the twentieth century, the nationalist movement in Puerto Rico, led by Harvard Law School graduate Pedro Albizu Campos (1893–1965), firmly called for the independence of the island. Its supporters made vociferous calls against the exploitation of the island by the United States government, its military and multinational corporations. Their campaign for independence culminated on October 30, 1950, with small-scale armed insurgencies across Puerto Rico, the Governor’s residence in San Juan, and the attacks against then President Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) at Blair House, Washington D.C. While a combination of domestic and foreign actors played significant …

The Black Curse: The Curse Of Ham And The Mark Of Cain As Justification For Black Subjugation, Margaret Phillips

History in the Making

The concept of race, particularly the construction of blackness and anti-blackness, emerged during the Medieval and Early Modern periods around the Mediterranean and its surrounding cultures. It is a concept of religious origin, in that it first depended on the worldview of the Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam— and their interpretations of the narratives surrounding the Biblical figures Cain and Ham. This established the “mark” of black skin as a curse placed by the Abrahamic God that made up the foundational justifications for racial hierarchies and the subjugation of black Africans. The convenient narrative framed blackness as inherently inferior and …

Ethical Issues Involved In Solid Organ Xenotransplantation., Daniel J Hurst, Chris Bobier, Luz A Padilla

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Xenotransplantation (specifically, genetically modified pig-to-human transplant of organs, tissues, or cells) clinical trials are set to begin in the United States after decades of pre-clinical studies and recent decedent and compassionate use investigations. This article provides a primer on the key ethical issues attendant with this emerging therapy. We explore four central areas of concern: (i) the use of animals to meet human transplant needs, as well as their welfare since they are housed in non-natural conditions, (ii) the risk of infectious disease transfer from the porcine graft to the human recipient, known as xenozoonosis, (iii) patient selection criteria for …

The Indiana Statesman, September 18, 2025, Indiana State University

Student Newspaper

Indiana State sued by American Civil Liberties Union; Campus mourns passing of Kaylynn Lucas

September 2025 Academic Affairs Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Academic Affairs Committee

Academic Affairs Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Α-Amylase-Mediated Antibiotic Degradation And Sequestration In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm Therapy, Robert K. Murray, Allison E. Martin, Sarah Zipkowitz, Nusrat Jahan, Tony D. Davis, Whitni K. Redman

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Background: As of 2022, 80% of all documented microbial infections are biofilm-associated: communities of microorganisms adhered to a surface and enclosed in a complex extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). The EPS acts as a physical barrier protecting the bacteria from antimicrobial agents and host immune responses. To combat this hurdle, the application of glycoside hydrolases (GH) has been investigated due to their ability to cleave particular structural polysaccharides within the EPS, thus breaking down the protective barrier and improving antibiotic clearance. While various studies demonstrate the capacity of GHs to improve antibiotic efficacy against biofilms in combination, there is clear differential …

Minutes, College Of Liberal Arts Faculty Meeting, Thursday, September 18, 2025, College Of Liberal Arts Faculty, Rollins College

The College of Liberal Arts Faculty Minutes

No abstract provided.

Molecular Analysis And Biochemical Profiling Of Bacteria From Domestics Dogs Saliva: A Pilot Study, Hadba Al-Amrah, Asseel Alotiby, Badriyah Aljuhani, Hadeel Huri, Noha Al Garni, Reem Aljedani, Zeina W. Sharawi

The Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Science

Microbiota is the collection of microorganisms living in a particular environment, such as the dog’s saliva. The aim of the present work was the detection of bacteriome that plays a crucial role in various ecological processes and has a significant impact on the health and functioning of their host organisms. We collected saliva samples from five dogs. After that, identify the unknown bacterial species by inoculating samples into the Swapped Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) and MacConkey (MAC). In addition, These bacterial isolates were identified by using morphological characteristics, biochemical tests, and partial sequencing of their 16S rRNA gene.Results] appeared in …

Gc-Ms-Based Metabolomics For Understanding The Metabolite Profile Of Mopane Worm (Gonimbrasia Belina) And Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor L), Mpho Sebabiki Maleke, Tumisi Beiri Jeremiah Molelekoa, Jonathan Wilkin, Xi Feng, Moira Ledbetter, Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Edible insects are nutritious, having high levels of protein, essential amino acids, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. In areas where sorghum is a primary crop, mixing this gluten-free grain with protein-rich insect powder provides a novel approach to making nutrient-rich products. Understanding the sorghum and mopane worm flours' metabolomic changes during bioprocessing can however, enhance their nutritional value and food safety. The research investigated metabolite compounds that are found in raw and processed (fermented, malted (sorghum), and ultrasonicated) mopane worms and sorghum. In the study, sorghum grains were traditionally fermented and malted at 35°C for 48 h and ultrasonicated for …

A Case Study Of Long-Term Disease Burden In A Rural Community Near An Open Burn Facility, Arundhati Bakshi, Liana Baconguis, Md Abdullah Al-Mamun, Qingzhao Yu, Jennifer Richmond-Bryant, Stephania A. Cormier

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Open burning and open detonation (OB/OD) of explosive and hazardous wastes creates various toxic waste products, including particulate matter, that is released into the atmosphere and capable of generating significant health impacts upon exposure. The last commercially run OB/OD thermal treatment facility in operation in the United States is located near the rural community of Colfax in central Louisiana. To evaluate the community’s concerns about the potential health impacts from air pollution due to the facility’s regular open burning of explosive and hazardous wastes, we examined the disease burden in Colfax compared to the surrounding parish and state. In a …

Gc Minutes Sept 18, 2025, Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Grizzly, September 18, 2025, Renee Washart, Sidney D. Belleroche, Sophia Kumar, Adam Denn, Hadley Whitman, Jesse Cherone

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Talking Greek Life With Maggie Diaz '28 • Best Booth in Sports? Ursinus's! • Are Ursinus Bears Going Extinct? An Enrollment Analysis • APEX Hub Spotlight: Sports! • The Making of Out! Just Over the Line • Ursinus Does Got Talent • Place and Chase: The Ursinus Field Hockey Ball Boys • A Fanatical Visit to 97.5

Rapid Mapping Of Spinal And Supraspinal Connectome Via Self-Targeting Glucose-Based Carbon Dots, Yasin B. Seven, Elif S. Seven, Emel Kirbas Cilingir, Komal Parikh, Mehmet Aydin, Edward K. Luca, Jayakrishnan Nair, Roger M. Leblanc

Department of Physical Therapy Faculty Papers

The spinal cord is a highly dynamic network, playing significant roles in the vital functions of the brain. Disorders of the spinal cord, such as spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are associated with neurodegeneration, often resulting in morbidity and mortality. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a major challenge to imaging and therapeutic agents because less than 2% of small-molecule drugs and almost no large-molecule drugs can cross the BBB. Furthermore, spatial spectroscopy studies have shown highly heterogeneous BBB crossing with significant accumulation at the unintended brain regions. Thus, targeting systems that can cross the BBB at the …

Addressing Food System Determinants Of Health Inequalities In Urban Environments:: Learnings From The Foodsequal And Foodsequal-Health Projects, Carol Wagstaff, Clare Pettinger

School of Health Professions

Diet is just one social determinant of health, with obesity and diet-related illness as leading causes of premature deaths and disability in the UK. People living in deprived areas of the UK are more likely to experience poor health outcomes, linked to many social determinants of health such as diet, housing, employment, education, power and discrimination and psycho-social factors such as isolation, quality of social network and perceived level of control. While socio-economic deprivation is a key risk for health inequalities, protected characteristics, vulnerable groups and geographical factors also indicate populations at risk of experiencing health inequalities. In this ‘opinion …

Development Of An Integrated Hydrothermal Liquefaction And Wet Oxidation Process, Patrick Biller, Giulia Zoppi, Guido Ceragioli, Carolin Schuck

PYROLIQ III – 2025: Pyrolysis and Liquefaction of Biomass and Wastes

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Solving The Vehicle Routing Problem Based On Deep Reinforcement Learning, Ming Jiang, Tao He

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) is a well-known combinatorial optimization challenge recognized as NP-hard due to its significant complexity. Building upon existing research, this paper introduces a novel end-to-end deep reinforcement learning approach based on a multi-pointer Transformer to tackle the CVRP. The proposed algorithm employs an invertible residual network in the encoder to encode input features, effectively reducing memory consumption. In the decoder, a multipointer network determines the probability distribution of solutions. To further enhance the performance of CVRP solutions, the algorithm leverages the symmetry in combinatorial optimization by implementing multi-trajectory parallel processing during both training …

Differential Effects Of Macrophage Subtype-Specific Cytokines On Fibroblast Proliferation And Endothelial Cell Function In Co-Culture System, Phillip Mcclellan, Thomas R. Wong, Sara Hijaz, David R. Fletcher, Ozan Akkus, Tracey L. Bonfield, James M. Anderson, Adonis Hijaz

Faculty Scholarship

Macrophages are involved in several critical activities associated with tissue repair and regeneration. Current approaches in regenerative medicine are focusing on leveraging the innate immune response to accelerate tissue regeneration and improve long-term healing outcomes. Of particular interest in this regard are the currently known, four main M2 macrophage subtypes: M2interleukin (IL)-4,IL-13, M2IC, M2IL-10, M2non-selective adenosine receptor agonists (NECA) (M2IL-4,IL-13 → M2(NECA). In this study, rat bone marrow-derived macrophages (M₀) were polarized to each of the four subtypes M2IL-4,IL-13 → M2NECA and cultured for 72 h in vitro. Luminex assay results highlighted increased production of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) …

Abnormal Invasive Hemodynamics In Heart Transplant Recipients, Navin Rajagopalan, Donna R. Dennis, Julia Akhtarekhavari, Kenneth Campbell

Physiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND Few studies have quantified invasive hemodynamic parameters in post heart transplant recipients. AIM To report the incidence of abnormal hemodynamics in heart transplant recipients at 1-year and 3-year post-transplant and determine if there was any correlation with recipient and donor characteristics. METHODS Data from 279 consecutive heart transplant recipients from 2007 through 2020 were analyzed. Clinical variables regarding both recipients and donors as well as hemodynamic variables obtained via right heart catheterization during 1-year and 3-year annual testing were recorded. Simple and multiple linear regression tests were used to determine how recipient and donor variables influenced hemodynamic parameters at …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 1 - September 18, 2025

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 1 - September 18, 2025. 20 pages.

Integrated Mirna-Mrna Analyses Of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer In Black And White Patients With Or Without Obesity, Fokhrul Hossain, Martha I. Gonzalez-Ramirez, Jone Garai, Diana Polania-Villanueva, Li Li, Farzeen Nafees, Md Manirujjaman, Bolin Liu, Samarpan Majumder, Xiao Cheng Wu, Chindo Hicks, Luis Del Valle, Denise Danos, Augusto Ochoa, Lucio Miele, Jovanny Zabaleta

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive, heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer. miRNAs play an essential role in TNBC pathogenesis and prognosis. Obesity is linked with an increased risk for several cancers, including breast cancer. Obesity is also related to the dysregulation of miRNA expression in adipose tissues. However, there is limited knowledge about race- and obesity-specific differential miRNA expression in TNBC. We performed miRNA sequencing of 48 samples (24 tumor and 24 adjacent non-tumor tissues) and RNA sequencing of 24 tumors samples from Black (AA) and White (EA) TNBC patients with or without obesity. We identified 55 miRNAs exclusively …

Efficacy And Safety Of Rigosertib In Patients With Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa-Associated Advanced/Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Martin Laimer, Andrew P. South, Elisabeth Mayr, Sophie Kitzmueller, Lauren Banner, Michael Alexander, Linda Hosler, Henry Yang, Matthew Parris, Meena Arora, Georg Zimmermann, Gregor Schweighofer-Zwink, Johann Bauer, Neda Nikbakht

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is an epithelial fragility disease primarily affecting the skin and is caused by variants in the COL7A1 gene. Individuals with RDEB are predisposed to develop highly aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) which are the most common cause of premature death. There is a lack of effective prevention or treatment options for patients with RDEB-SCC.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the antitumour activity and safety of the polo-like kinase-1 (PLK1) inhibitor, rigosertib, two investigator-initiated open-label, single-arm phase II studies were opened in Europe and the USA and enrolled five patients with RDEB diagnosed with locally advanced …

Editorial: Wearable Technology: The New Ornament Of Network Physiology, Ankita Srivastava, Santosh Kumar Yadav

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Introduction: The landscape of personal health monitoring is rapidly transforming, driven by advances in wearable technology. These devices, designed to be worn comfortably on the body, can capture real-time physiological data often difficult to obtain in traditional clinical settings. What began as a simple device for activity trackers for walking steps, heart rate, and blood oxygen saturation has evolved to play a crucial role in monitoring more complex physiological parameters critical for chronic disease management and preventative health.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is further expanding the potential of wearable devices, enabling deeper analysis and predictive modeling of the …

Disparities In Liver Transplantation For Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma, David W Victor, Sudha Kodali, Mazen Noureddin, Elizabeth W Brombosz, Analisa Lopez, Tamneet Basra, Edward A Graviss, Duc T Nguyen, Ashish Saharia, Ashton A Connor, Maen Abdelrahim, Yee Lee Cheah, Caroline J Simon, Mark J Hobeika, Constance M Mobley, R Mark Ghobrial

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is increasingly common, as is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the background of MASH. Liver transplantation (LT) provides superior long-term survival for patients with unresectable MASH-HCC, but not all patients have equal access to transplant. MASH-HCC disproportionately affects Hispanic patients, but minorities are less likely to undergo LT for HCC. Additionally, females also undergo LT at lower rates than males.

Aim: To investigate whether race/ethnicity and sex affect LT waitlist outcomes.

Methods: Records of adults with MASH-HCC in the United States Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database listed for LT between 1/2015 and 12/2021 were analyzed. …

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi As Key Drivers Of Plant Resilience: Mechanisms Of Stress Adaptation In Saline Environments, Rayna Elizabeth Koberstein

Dissertations and Theses

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a critical role in mediating plant responses to environmental stress, yet their ecological significance in saline wetland restoration remains underexplored. This greenhouse experiment investigated the effects of salinity, root-zone barrier type (solid, mesh, none), and neighboring species identity on AMF colonization and physiological responses in three native estuarine plants: Carex densa, Juncus patens, and Scirpus microcarpus. Results demonstrated species-specific physiological responses to salinity, with Juncus patens showing greater resilience in maintaining photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) and percent cover at higher salinity levels, while Scirpus microcarpus exhibited a significant decline. Mesh barriers, which permitted …

Semilunar Valve Replacement With A Telescoping Arterial Trunk Valve, Edo Bedzra, Herra Javed, James E. O'Brien, Taufiek Konrad Rajab

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

A bicuspid aortic valve, from autologous tissue, with growth potential can be constructed using the simple, and reproducible telescoping arterial trunk technique.

Bioresources And Bioproducts: A New Open Access Journal, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Greetings to the bioresource and bioproducts community! I will serve as the Editor-in-Chief to collaborate with you as we promote the aims and scope of this new MDPI journal [1], with the help of its distinguished Editorial Board, by publishing Special Issues, Topics, Topical Collections, and Editorials, and by providing high-impact scholarship through the outstanding published work of each of our contributors.