Digital Commons Network^™

Using “You” As A Subject In Biology Assessment Questions: Examining Student Preferences For Second-Person Framing, Noelle Clark, Kate Hill, Jeremy L. Hsu

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

In college biology courses, exams and quizzes are often used to assess students’ knowledge and performance. Since assessments are a crucial part of biology classes, there has been a wide range of work examining how assessment questions are written, revealing that small changes in how such questions are worded may have large impacts on students’ reading comprehension and performance. One aspect that instructors consider when writing a question is subject framing, i.e., which individual, if any, is being placed as the focal point of the question. In this study, we focus on the following subject framings, an authentic scientist, a …

Sources And Potential Risks Of Micro- And Nanoplastics In Foods, Zhao Xinlong, Li Wei, Zhang Mengling, Xing Liwen, Tian Huafeng

Food and Machinery

Plastics are widely used in food packaging, storage, processing, and other food-related applications, playing a vital role in extending food shelf life, reducing material loss, and promoting food circulation. However, these plastic products that come into direct or indirect contact with foods can release micro- and nanoplastics through various physical and chemical processes. These micro- and nanoplastics can accumulate in the human body through bioaccumulation and other pathways and have become one of the emerging contaminants threatening food safety and human health. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the research progress on the generation pathways, release mechanisms, potential health …

Screening Of Weizmannia Coagulans With High Stress Tolerance, Xiao Xue, Yu Wendi, Hu Yuanliang, Zhang Xicai, Yu Xiang

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To isolate and screen novel Weizmannia coagulans strains with high stress tolerance. [Methods] Using commercially fermented pickle brine as the sample, W. coagulans strains were isolated, purified, and identified by selective culture medium methods, morphological observation, physiological and biochemical characterization, and 16S rDNA sequencing. Taking survival rate as the evaluation index, the stress tolerance of the isolated strains and three laboratory-preserved W. coagulans strains was determined under high-temperature (80–100 ℃), acidic (pH 2.0–3.0), and bile salt (0.1%–0.5%) conditions. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to comprehensively assess the stress tolerance of the tested strains. [Results] Two W. coagulans strains, …

Preparation Of Cellulose Nanocrystals From The Shells Of Camellia Oleifera Abel And Their Effect On The Stability Of Camellia Oil Pickering Emulsions, Jin Sheng, Xie Shuting, Xiao Zhihong, Li Changzhu, Wang Jianhui

Food and Machinery

[Objective] To prepare cellulose nanocrystals from the shells of Camellia oleifera Abel (SCOA–CNCs) for stabilizing camellia oil Pickering emulsions, and to investigate the storage stability and environmental stability of the resulting emulsions. [Methods] Cellulose is extracted from SCOA through bleaching and alkali treatment, and SCOA–CNCs are prepared by sulfuric acid hydrolysis and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SCOA–CNCs are employed to stabilize camellia oil Pickering emulsions; the effects of the oil-to-water ratio and particle concentration on the emulsions are examined, and the stability of the emulsions under different environmental …

Advances In The Application Of Electroencephalography In Food Sensory Science, Li Wenbin, Hou Xiaoyi, Deng Na, Leng Tuo, Fu Haohua, Wang Jianhui

Food and Machinery

Traditional sensory evaluation of food is affected by subjectivity and other factors, resulting in significant limitations. Electroencephalography (EEG), owing to its advantages of high temporal resolution, non-invasiveness, and real-time dynamic monitoring, offers an objective neurophysiological perspective and analytical approach to address this issue, effectively advancing food science research from subjective descriptions to objective neural decoding. This paper systematically reviews the applications of EEG in food flavor recognition and prediction, objective evaluation of food quality, and analysis of food nutrition and consumer behavior. In light of the current state of technological development, it is proposed that multimodal technology integration and machine …

Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated With Increased Mortality In Patients With Breast Or Prostate Cancer, Jessica P Hwang, Ning Zhang, Mercy W Misoi, Sabhi Gull, Zayd A Razouki, Justin R Gregg, Natalia I Heredia, Sharon H Giordano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

We investigated the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with mortality in patients with breast and prostate cancer. Breast and prostate cancer cohorts were created retrospectively using the SEER-Medicare database. Patients with first primary breast or prostate cancer diagnosed in 2008-2019 were identified using ICD-O-3 site and histology codes. Among those, patients with MetS were identified using ICD-9/10-CM codes, CPT/HCPCS codes, and prescription drug use from Medicare claims files. We defined continuous enrollment from 12 months before through 12 months after diagnosis, exposure during the first 12 months after diagnosis, and survival follow-up starting 12 months after diagnosis. We used multivariable …

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes (July 13, 2026), Dmacc Board Of Directors

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

This file contains the minutes from the Des Moines Area Community College Board meeting held on July 13, 2026.

Hot And Bothered: Introduced Generalist Marine Snail Outperforms Native Specialist Under Gradual And Extreme Warming, Alysha B. Putnam, Adeline Dwyer, Danielle T. Weiss, Bethany A. Bradley, Michelle D. Staudinger, Paulette Peckol

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Climate change is reshaping coastal ecosystems through gradual warming and increasingly frequent extreme heat events, potentially affecting native and introduced species differently. We experimentally compared the native marine snail Littorina obtusata, a habitat and dietary specialist, to the introduced generalist Littorina littorea under sustained warming and short-term extreme heat. We measured survival and performance metrics, including grazing, growth, and attachment strength, under short- and long-term thermal stress in air and water. L. littorea consistently outperformed L. obtusata, maintaining or increasing function under warming and exhibiting greater survival during simulated heatwaves. Conversely, L. obtusata showed performance declines and higher …

Aligning Horizon Scanning Approaches With Differing Needs And Topics At The Science–Policy Interface On Chemicals, Waste, And Pollution, Gabriel Sigmund, Ricardo O. Barra, Michael G. Bertram, Miriam L. Diamond, Alex T. Ford, İPek İMamoğLu, Jinhui Li, Rainer Lohmann, Andreas SchäFfer, Martin Scheringer, KateřIna ŠEbková, Maria Clara V. M. Starling, Noriyuki Suzuki, Penny Vlahos, Roland Weber, Bryan W. Brooks

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

Knowledge on chemicals, waste, and pollution is shaped by geographical, financial, and disciplinary biases, which can cause blind spots for key emerging issues, including those relevant to low income countries and vulnerable communities. Scientists, practitioners, affected communities, and policy makers working in the areas of the newly established Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution (ISP-CWP) have interest in identifying issues of potential and emerging relevance that currently escape their attention. Horizon scanning offers a critical tool to identify such issues. Here, we provide guidance on aligning horizon scanning approaches with differing objectives, audiences, and thematic scopes. We structure …

Blue Economy In Madura: Research Trends And Structural Change, Herry Yulistiyono, Aditya Tri Prasetyo, Ari Warokka

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Studi Pembangunan

This study examines the development of the blue economy in Madura through bibliometric analysis, focusing on research trends and economic structural changes from 2020 to 2024, as well as analyzing gaps and potential areas for future research. The methodology employed is a quantitative approach utilizing bibliometric methods. Data were obtained from scientific publications and analyzed using metrics that measure the ratio of citations to publications.

The results indicate a significant increase in the number of publications on the blue economy in Madura, peaking in 2023 with 29 researchers focusing on diverse topics. Performance metrics analysis revealed Marine Policy as the …

Presentation On Scientific Activities Related To Environmental Law, Mahjoub El Haiba El Haiba

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

Environmental problems have a global character due to the interdependence of biosphere components, yet they also have significant local dimensions. Climate change and the greenhouse effect, which have intensified in recent decades, pose serious threats to biological balance and endanger human, plant, and animal life. While these issues demand global solutions, local responsibility remains crucial, as the causes and impacts vary across regions. This presentation highlights the scientific activities of the Moroccan Association for Environmental Law, which organizes events—such as roundtables on ozone layer protection—aimed at bridging scientific knowledge and legal frameworks to address both global and local environmental challenges …

A Review Of Juvenile Solitary Confinement In The United States: Why Developmental Science Supports Banning Isolation Of Youth, Morgan R. Wagner, Krystia Reed, April Thomas

Northwestern Journal of Human Rights

The use of solitary confinement in carceral settings has been prevalent in the United States for as long as the justice system has been in place. The practice of isolating people who are incarcerated from the general prison population was adopted in the juvenile justice system as well, despite the system’s purported focus on rehabilitation. This paper reviews the developmental psychological literature suggesting that solitary confinement can harm adolescents in a variety of ways (psychological, psychosocial, and physical). We then discuss the prevalence of juvenile solitary confinement in federal and state courts. Finally, considering this research, we identify goals for …

Perpetual Purgatory: Lamennais's Religious Influence On The Persona And Music Of Franz Liszt, Matthew Peter Wood

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

For generations, musicological consensus has treated Liszt’s signature technique of “thematic transformation” as musical form born out of structural and sonic experimentation. This study argues that the impetus for Liszt to create his signature compositional device of thematic transformation proceeds from the influence of the post-Revolutionary liberal Catholicism of the French Abbé Félicité de Lamennais. By exploring the historical, cultural, and artistic intersections between Lamennais’s texts and Liszt’s manuscripts, this dissertation builds on existing scholarship to replace a conventional analysis of thematic transformation with new religio-philosophical analytical lens through which to view Liszt’s most significant contribution to the historical trajectory …

Isolated Transverse Colon Perforation During Corticosteroid Tapering In Quiescent Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Histopathology-Supported Diagnosis Of Exclusion, Ridwan A. Lawal, Nestor Malaga, Nida Asif, Fatimah Bello, Juliana Yang

School of Medicine Publications

Gastrointestinal perforation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is uncommon but potentially fatal, and attribution is clinically consequential because perforation may reflect lupus enteritis with mesenteric vasculitis, infection, diverticular or stercoral disease, malignancy, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), medication-related injury, or a combination of mechanisms. Corticosteroid-associated perforation is therefore best treated as a diagnosis of exclusion rather than as an isolated novel observation. We report a 62-year-old woman with SLE who developed sudden severe right-sided abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, leukocytosis, lactic acidosis, and radiographic pneumoperitoneum while tapering prednisone from 60 mg/day to 10 mg/day over three months, with 10 mg/day documented at …

Reflections: My Personal Journey, Jerry L. Pitts

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reflections: My Personal Journey is the heartfelt and inspiring memoir of Jerry L. Pitts Jr., a man whose life was transformed by faith, perseverance, and God's grace. From a turbulent childhood marked by frequent moves, rebellion, and poor choices, to becoming a devoted husband, father, educator, and servant of God, this powerful testimony reveals how divine purpose can emerge from life's greatest struggles.

Through deeply personal stories, Jerry shares his journey from the "road to destruction" to a life dedicated to serving Christ. Readers will walk beside him through broken relationships, career setbacks, military service, family triumphs, heartbreaking loss, spiritual …

Slc Transporter-Mediated Functional Imaging In Cancer Diagnosis, Lumeng Zhang, Jun He

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Functional imaging has become an important approach for evaluating tumor physiology in vivo beyond morphologic assessment. Radiotracers used for cancer imaging are designed to mimic endogenous substrates or substrate analogues, and their accumulation can depend on membrane transport, intracellular metabolism, and clearance from normal tissues. Specifically, SLC transporters contribute to tracer uptake and signal formation, linking transporter activity with measurable imaging signals in cancer. While [18F]FDG PET/CT remains the most widely used example of transporter-associated metabolic imaging, SLC transporter-mediated imaging strategies have been developed to assess amino acid transport, sodium-dependent glucose uptake, redox metabolism, lactate exchange, nucleoside metabolism, choline metabolism, …

Occult Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With No Identifiable Intrathyroidal Primary: A Case Report And Pooled Analysis Of 23 Published Cases, Michael J. Evans, Amanda M. Sonnenburg, Elijah Elliott, Alex Otto, Kent Mcintire

Student Publications

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) rarely presents as cervical lymph node metastasis without an identifiable intrathyroidal primary despite exhaustive imaging and histopathologic evaluation, representing the rarest form of occult thyroid carcinoma and posing distinct diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. We report a 27-year-old man who presented with a cystic lateral neck mass. Fine-needle aspiration confirmed metastatic PTC, yet ultrasonography, computed tomography, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography demonstrated no thyroid abnormality. Total thyroidectomy with modified radical neck dissection revealed metastatic PTC in two of the 21 lymph nodes (pN1b) without extranodal extension, while exhaustive sectioning of the thyroid demonstrated only chronic inflammatory changes …

Depression And Anxiety In Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Congenital Heart Disease: Pathophysiology And Clinical Implications Of The Heart–Brain Axis, Nicodemus N. Triatmojo, Valerinna Y.S. Putri

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Pulmonary hypertension associated with congenital heart disease or PH-CHD is an increasingly prevalent disorder in modern cardiology. It is characterized by progressive pulmonary vascular remodeling, chronic right ventricular (RV) pressure overload, and abnormal cardiopulmonary hemodynamic. Due to advances in congenital cardiology and treatments for pulmonary hypertension, survival rates have increased. As a result, the focus has switched to long-term functional status and quality of life. Depression and anxiety are currently recognized as prevalent and clinically significant manifestations in PH-CHD; nonetheless, they remain underdiagnosed and undertreated within cardiovascular care frameworks.

More study shows the disease's severity or symptom count cannot explain …

Feasibility Study Of An Artificial Intelligence Chatbot-Powered Cognitive-Behavioral Lifestyle Modification Program, Evans Forman, Charlotte Hagerman, Asher Hong, Zhuoran Huang, Hannah Mccausland, Jasmine Sun, Lauren Taylor, Meghan Butryn, Preetha Chatterjee, Ramtin Ehsani, Nawal Syed

Department of Family & Community Medicine Faculty Papers

Background: Approximately 2 billion adults seek lifestyle modification to improve their health and well-being. However, because of cost and access barriers, only a tiny fraction receive gold-standard lifestyle modification programs led by trained coaches. Digital programs without human coaches are more disseminable but have limited efficacy. Recent advances in large language model (LLM) AI chatbots have the potential to revolutionize digital programs by emulating human coaches, offering a safe, low-cost, and scalable lifestyle modification intervention. Yet, no studies have developed and tested such a program. Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and user engagement of a new …

A Phase Ii Trial Of Defactinib Combined With Avutometinib In Patients With Metastatic Uveal Melanoma, Rino S. Seedor, Mizue Terai, Sergei A. Koshkin, Andrew E. Aplin, Marlana Orloff, Erin Sharpe-Mills, Madeleine Naccarato, Aurora Mills, Alfredo A. Molinolo, J. Silvio Gutkind, Takami Sato

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

Background: Treatment options are limited, and outcomes remain poor for patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM). We conducted an investigator-initiated, prospective, single-arm, single-institution, phase II study evaluating the combination of an FAK inhibitor (defactinib) with a RAF/MEK inhibitor (avutometinib) for the treatment of MUM. Methods: From February 2021 through January 2023, 12 patients with MUM were treated with the combination of defactinib and avutometinib. Defactinib was given 200 mg twice daily, and avutometinib was given 3.2 mg twice a week. Both drugs were given for 3 weeks on and 1 week off (28-day cycle). Disease control rate was the primary …

An Ecophysiological Approach To Improving Health Outcomes Of Ornamental Shrimp During Aquarium Trade And Transportation, Sancha Conway Holroyd, John Spicer, Robert P. Ellis, Lucy Turner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Ecophysiology examines the interactions between an organism’s physiology and its environment. It seeks to understand how an organism functions and adapts under changing conditions. This has direct applications to live-trade aquaculture sectors, including the ornamental aquarium trade, where traded animals experience a variety of changing, and often stressful, environmental conditions that can threaten their health and survival. This review proposes a role for ecophysiology in managing organismal health, using Hatch (1962) theoretical framework of disease and dysfunction as a foundation for defining and distinguishing health. We focus on tropical (marine and freshwater) ornamental shrimp as an exemplar group to highlight …

Ecological Footprint Assessment, Santina Benincasa

Open Educational Resources

This handout guides students through a structured ecological footprint assessment using the online Footprint Calculator. By following a series of steps—selecting their location, entering detailed lifestyle information, and reviewing personalized results—students evaluate how many planets would be required if everyone lived with their same resource consumption patterns. The activity prompts learners to identify the largest contributors to their footprint, quantify their impact in global hectares, and explore scenario-based changes that could reduce their environmental demand. Through reflection, students consider how everyday human behaviors influence Earth’s productive capacity and resource availability. Overall, the exercise encourages critical thinking about sustainability and personal …

Correlating High-Resolution Terrestrial Organic Carbon Isotope Records Across The Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary, Gregory D. Price, Rhodri M. Jerrett, Lauren K. O'Connor, Emily Dearing Crampton-Flood, Bart E. Van Dongen, Sabine K. Lengger, Marc Davies

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary (∼66 million years ago) represents the most recent mass extinction event when an estimated 75% of all species became extinct, including all non-avian dinosaurs. Here we focus on the stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) analysis of coal and coaly sediments across the terrestrial K/Pg boundary from 10 sites, between 42 and 64°N, USA and Canada. Our δ¹³C data set shows a statistically significant positive correlation with paleolatitude that we interpret as a consequence of our lower latitude sites being relatively warmer and more humid than our higher latitude sites. Temporally, our data indicates that …

Health Profile Of Brazilian Mothers, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Social Media-Driven Feeding Practices On The Gut Microbiome Of Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus) In Surin, Thailand, Pongpreecha Malaluang, Nuttapon Bangkaew, Jaruwan Chaiyakhot, Patinya Patikae, Nattaya Watwiengkam, Phimphanit Choklikitumnuey, Thanaphat Phupanna, Sudachanok Phowiset, Prim Chuesaard, Tarid Purisotayo

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

This study investigated the effects of social media-driven live-streaming dietary supplementation on the gastrointestinal microbial community of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at the Elephant Kingdom, Surin Province, Thailand. A hierarchical two-tier observational design was used: Tier 1 compared a minimal-supplementation control group (Group H, n = 6) with a frequent heterogeneous-supplementation group (Group L, n = 18); Tier 2 compared, within Group L, low-frequency (Group A, ≤ 3 sessions per week, n = 7) and high-frequency (Group B, > 3 sessions per week, n = 11) live-streaming sub-groups. Faecal microbial profiles were obtained by 16S rRNA gene (V3–V4) …

Technical Disclosure: Integrated Space Readiness Training Center (Isrtc), Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

Current ground-based deep-space environmental analogs suffer from an institutional vulnerability designated as "Escape Room Bias." When human subjects operate under an implicit institutional guarantee of safety, their cognitive, behavioral, and adaptive responses default to gamified problem-solving rather than genuine expeditionary survival. This psychological insulation limits the validity of collected behavioral datasets to less than 20% of actual deep-space operational reality, leaving aerospace organizations blind to the most critical human failure mode in high-consequence environments: the psychological freeze response under unyielding peril.

The Integrated Space Readiness Training Complex (ISRTC) eliminates this predictive gap by establishing an enduring Dynamic Test Assembly operating …

Design, Fabrication, And Performance Evaluation Of A Recycling Machine For Converting Biodegradable Waste Into Compost, Mohamed T. Eraky, M.M Radwan, Abdelkhalik Eladl

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study evaluates the technical feasibility of composting shredded printed paper blended with organic waste using a manually operated aerobic composting system. The investigation focused on process performance under controlled initial conditions, particularly an optimized carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio of 30:1. Three composting piles were constructed with systematic variations in moisture content, aeration frequency, and additive composition (poultry manure, yeast, crushed eggshells, and cardboard) to assess their influence on thermal behavior and decomposition efficiency. Process performance was monitored through continuous temperature profiling and periodic observation of physical parameters, including color development and material degradation rate. Among the experimental setups, Pile 3 …

Electrospun Nanofiber Dressings: Advances In Fabrication, Polymers, And Clinical Applications For Skin Healing, Ahmed Yaseen, Maher Abdulrazzaq Luqman Al-Hakeem, Yasir Qasim Almajidi, Yaseen Taha Aljuburi

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

The increasing global need for more effective wound care arises because conventional dressings have limited antibacterial efficacy and other shortcomings. The protection that is provided by the materials used for dressing and the drug delivery to the wounds is crucial in the management of wounds. Today, extracellular matrix ECM structure and function-mimicking electrospun nanofiber membranes are deemed one prospective next-generation alternative for dressings in wounds. This review examines electrospun nanofiber dressings with an overview of fabrication principles, polymer selection, and challenges for clinical translation in an attempt to establish the current status and prospects of these dressings in the management …

The Host's Immune Responses Against Viruses: How We Know Our Own Bodies And How Our Bodies Defend Themselves From Viruses, Eman A. Muhsin, Neyaf Majid Alageedi, Shahrazad Ahmed Khalaf

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Background: Viral infections pose a significant threat to health worldwide, requiring a coordinated and effective immune response to limit and eventually eliminate viral infection. The purpose of this review is to examine the different ways by which the immune system responds, both by innate and adaptive pathways, against viral infections, along with the mechanisms by which viruses evade host immune responses.

Method: A systematic literature review was performed with an organized search through the following databases; PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect. The search was for studies published between 2015-2025. The final number of included articles was 45 as …

Antibacterial Efficacy Of Resin-Based Dental Composites Modified With Antibacterial Agents Against S. Mutans: A Systematic Review, Ahmad Setiawan Jarigau, Erwin Gunawan, Muhammad Akira Takashi Dharma, Fanny Dinda Nur Aulia, Lenni Indriani Hatta, Nurhayati Natsir

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

Introduction: Dental caries caused by Streptococcus mutans is a leading cause of dental restoration failure. Enhancing composite resins with antibacterial agents aims to inhibit bacterial growth and prolong restoration life.

Objectives: This review evaluates the anti-bacterial agents efficacy of these modified composites against S. mutans and explores their mechanisms and potential clinical benefits.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases following PRISMA guidelines, focusing on in vitro studies published between 2015 and 2025. Studies evaluating composites with antibacterial additives against S. mutans using standard microbiological assays were included. The quality of eligible studies was assessed using the …