Digital Commons Network^™

The Present And Future Of Robotic Surgery In Breast Cancer And Breast Reconstruction, Brett Allen, Alexis Knutson, Noama Iftekhar, Casey Giles, Jarrell Patterson, Joshua Macdavid, Richard Baynosa

Department of Plastic Surgery Faculty Research

Background: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women with an improving mortality rate and a growing need for reconstruction following oncologic resection. Advancements in robotic surgery and minimally invasive techniques have offered refinement to traditional open techniques of flap harvest for reconstruction, particularly regarding improved donor site morbidity. Methods: The literature review was based on a PubMed database search using the keyword “Robotic breast reconstruction” in conjunction with the Boolean operators “Flap”, “Latissimus”, and “DIEP” to specify the search. In total, 106 results were generated, which were then manually reviewed and condensed for a comprehensive stance on …

An Investigation Of The Acute Effects Of Dance On Heart Rate Variability In People With Parkinson’S, Mirza M F Subhan, Jaspreet Kaur, Sophia Hulbert, Ruth Way

School of Biomedical Sciences

Background: There is limited research investigating heart rate variability (HRV) in Parkinson’s during dance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dance on HRV in people with Parkinson’s (PwP). Methods: Ten PwP were recruited from a Parkinson’s dance class and completed six sessions; the first half was danced sitting down, while the latter half was standing up. Breathing rate, skin temperature and HRV data were collected and analysed by repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Analysing all six sections together showed skin temperature (p < 0.001), heart rate (HR; p = 0.029), short-term HRV (SD1; p = 0.025), normalised standard deviation of all the R-R intervals (nSDRR; p = 0.028), and breathing rate (BR; p = 0.001) were significantly different. Conclusions: Significant changes in HR, SD1, nSDRR, BR and skin temperature of PwP occurred during all sections, showing dance improved autonomic function. Further work examining the long-term effects of HRV in a community setting is needed to understand the potential benefits of dance for PwP.

Dynamic Mean-Field Theory For Continuous Random Networks, Wilson A. Zuniga-Galindo

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This article studies the dynamics of the mean-field approximation of continuous random networks. These networks are stochastic integrodifferential equations driven by Gaussian noise. The kernels in the integral operators are realizations of generalized Gaussian random variables. The equation controls the time evolution of a macroscopic state interpreted as neural activity, which depends on position and time. Such a network corresponds to a statistical field theory (SFT) given by a momenta-generating functional. Discrete versions of the mentioned networks appeared in spin glasses and as models of artificial neural networks. Each of these discrete networks corresponds to a lattice SFT, where the …

A Brief Commentary On Human-Ai Attachment And Possible Impacts On Family Dynamics, Brandon T. Mcdaniel Phd, Amanda Coupe, Allison Weston, Jessica A. Pater

Health Services and Informatics Research

Objective: In this brief commentary article, we outline an emerging idea that it may be possible that as Conversational Artificial Intelligence (CAI) becomes a part of an individual’s environment and interacts with them their attachment system may become activated, potentially leading to behaviors—such as seeking out the CAI to feel safe in times of stress—that have typically been reserved for human-to-human attachment relationships. We term this attachmentlike behavior, but future work must determine if these behaviors are driven by a Human-AI attachment or something else entirely. Background: CAI is an emerging technical advancement that is the cornerstone of many everyday …

Designing A Cave Air Monitoring System: Guide And Feedback From 15 Years Of Monitoring The Cussac Cave (France), Nicolas Peyraube, Jessica D. Villanueva, Fabien Naessens, Roland Lastennet, Sylvain Mateo, Alain Denis

International Journal of Speleology

Understanding the cave’s ventilation system is important for determining how the cavity interacts with external airflow. This requires a well-designed monitoring system. This article addresses these key aspects: how to build a monitoring system for cave air parameters and how to assess the ventilation of a cave. We proposed a flowchart to help address the issues in: 1) the modularity of a monitoring system, 2) the use of “homemade device” or “ready to use device”, 3) the frequency of measure and its effect on the electrical consumption, 4) the duration of the survey, and 5) the accessibility of the recorded …

Information, Secrecy, And Falsehood, Pierre Le Morvan

Secrecy and Society

Can information be false? An important debate in the philosophy of information turns on this seemingly simple question. According to veridicalism (or the veridicality thesis), truth is a necessary condition for information; by contrast, according to non-veridicalism (or the non-veridicality thesis), it is not. I argue that this debate has noteworthy implications for how we should conceive of secrecy understood in terms of concealment of information. I also argue that, since falsehoods can be secret, it is more tenable to hold that secrecy is not restricted to true information than to hold that it is.

Covid-19 Conspiracies: A Bodyguard Of Lies, Chris Hables Gray

Secrecy and Society

No abstract provided.

Introduction, Special Issue On Pandemic Secrecy: The Covid Origin Story And Pandemic Risk Society, Susan Maret

Secrecy and Society

No abstract provided.

Novus Ordo Seclorum: Making The Case For Natural Law Originalism, Ryan Fuhrman

Helms School of Government Spring Public Policy Conference

The judicial branch of the American government is tasked with interpreting and applying the law, including determining whether laws and executive actions are constitutional. This is the essence of judicial review.

Throughout our nation’s history, various judicial philosophies have shaped how judges have interpreted the Constitution. However, recent criticisms of the judiciary have become increasingly aggressive, with calls for court packing, and even the abolishment of judicial review. These solutions miss the mark. The answer lies in returning to our founding principles. This paper advocates for a judicial philosophy that synthesizes the best elements of various approaches to jurisprudence.

This …

Pogues Run Greenway: Indiana's First Glow-In-The-Dark Asphalt Greenway, Charlie Starling, Bill Kincius

Purdue Road School

Nestled in an unlit section of Spades Park in Indianapolis, the Pogues Run Greenway illuminates each night with thousands of photoluminescent stones. This presentation covers the inspiration behind the idea, glow-stone data, installation processes, and the finished product’s results and challenges.

Linking Water Quality And Climate Change To Long-Term Trends In Species Abundance In Norwalk Harbor, Viktoria Savatorova, Aidan Kieft, Nicole C. Spiller, Kasey Burns

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

This study examines the effects of environmental changes on fish populations in Norwalk Harbor, focusing on winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), cunner (Tautogolabrus adspersus), northern pipefish (Syngnathus fuscus), and naked goby (Gobiosoma bosci) as examples of species responding to climate-related shifts. We analyze how water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen correlate with fish abundance. To assess statistically significant differences in catch per unit effort (CPUE) across harbor regions, we applied the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's post-hoc test. Seasonal variations in CPUE were examined by comparing monthly catch data for each species. K-means …

Influence Of Adding Clay In Removing Nitrate From Groundwater By Zerovalent Iron, Maan Bitar, Muhammad Haitham Haboub, Nawzat Nebghali

Baghdad Science Journal

The method of removing nitrates from water using zero-valent metals is one of the methods that proves to be highly effective day after day, especially zero-valent iron. However, the most prominent obstacles that cause an obstacle to continuing its use are the exposure of its surface to passivation during the reaction and the production of ammonium ions as a main product for the reduction of nitrates under conditions of treatment. In this research, the effect of clay during the removal of nitrate by Fe⁰ was studied. Raw clay, acid-activated clay, and clay modified with iron nanoparticles at a ratio …

Optimization Of Wood Vinegar From Cacao Pod Shells By Response Surface Methodology, Hera Desvita, Muhammad Faisal, Mahidin, Suhendrayatna

Baghdad Science Journal

The purpose of this study is to find the optimal conditions for producing wood vinegar from cacao pod shells using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Box Behnken Design (BBD) was used to optimize the variables of pyrolysis times, temperature, and particle size. Wood vinegar was prepared by slow pyrolysis technology. The RSM with three design variables including pyrolysis duration at 50, 75, and 100 minutes; pyrolysis temperatures at 300°C, 340°C, and 380°C; and particle size of 3, 5 and 7 cm with 15 runs were applied. Chemical characterization of wood vinegar was performed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The results …

Synthesis, Characterization And Studying Thermal Analysis For Complexes Of Some Metal Ions And Determining Their Activity As Antioxidants, Rasha Khider Hussain Al-Daffay, Abbas Ali Salih Al-Hamdani, Emran Abduljabbar Emran Elluhaibi

Baghdad Science Journal

According to previous studies, a new azo ligand (N-(3-acetyl-2-hydroxy-5-methyl-phenyl)N-(4-carboxy-cyclohexylmethyl)-diazonium salt) was prepared and after verifying the proposed formula according to the results of the analyzes and after using Ligand to prepare a series of complexes using equal molar ratios (1:1) of the ligand and its reaction with each of the salts of manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper and zinc, and after verification according to spectroscopic (ultraviolet and infrared) and diagnostic analysis techniques, which gave tetrahedral shapes for all complexes in a neutral formula, and the ligand is tridentate (NOO) related to azo, ketonic and phenolic hydroxyl group, respectively. Then, the thermal …

Adsorption Of Indigo Carmine Dye On Chitosan Grafted Poly (Methyl Methacrylate), Faiq F. Karam, Karar A. Alwan

Baghdad Science Journal

This study investigated the adsorption of indigo carmine dye (a chemical considered to be a pollutant in water) onto chitosan nanocomposite grafted with methyl methacrylate (Ch-g-PMMA) polymer. Absorption values are found for solutions at different conditions of concentration, temperature, weight and acidity. The adsorption process was studied to choose the best weight of the compound from 0.01–0.07. It showed that the largest amount of dye adsorbed on the surface of the triple composite was at pH = 4. The results of the effect of ionic strength on the process of absorption of salts (sodium chloride, calcium carbonate) were also presented. …

Study Of The Toxicity And Cell Viability Of Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared From An Extract Of The Vitex Agnus Castus Plant, Saba H. Mahdi, Lekaa K. Abdul Karem

Baghdad Science Journal

In the current study, ZrO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized using a plant extract derived from Vitex agnus castus, and an alkaline medium such as sodium hydroxide. A biosynthetic approach was utilized to prepare zirconium oxide nanoparticles for this research project. This method stands out from others due to its cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and lack of potential risks.The prepared samples were characterized using transmission electron microscopy TEM, scanning electron microscopy SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FT-IR, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy UV-VIS, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy EDX. The size of the crystal was determined using X-ray diffraction in conjunction with the Debye-Scherer equation, …

Adsorption And Photocatalytic Of Biosynthesis Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles For Removing Acid Black 210 Dye From Aqueous Medium, Zahraa A. Najm, Mohammed A. Atiya, Ahmed K. Hassan

Baghdad Science Journal

This study treated Acid black 210 dye contaminated textile wastewater by adsorption and photocatalytic techniques using zinc ferrite nanoparticles. Zinc ferrite nanoparticles were formed by the green synthesis technique using eucalyptus leaves as reducing and capping agents. SEM, EDAX, XRD, BET, Zeta potential, and FTIR techniques identified the resulting zinc ferrite nanoparticles. The images from the SEM indicated the crystallinity and spherical shape of the zinc ferrite nanoparticles with a particle size of 32 nm. In addition, this study involved using a photoreactor to accomplish the photo-degradation process. Effect of the main factors on the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of …

Approved Programs 3-18-25, Angela Brock

Programs Committee (PC)

No abstract provided.

Phase Separation Clustering Of Poly Ubiquitin Cargos On Ternary Mixture Lipid Membranes By Synthetically Cross-Linked Ubiquitin Binder Peptides, Soojung Kim, Kamsy K. Okafor, Rina Tabuchi, Cedric Briones, Il Hyung Lee

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Ubiquitylation is involved in various physiological processes, such as signaling and vesicle trafficking, whereas ubiquitin (UB) is considered an important clinical target. The polymeric addition of UB enables cargo molecules to be recognized specifically by multivalent binding interactions with UB-binding proteins, which results in various downstream processes. Recently, protein condensate formation by ubiquitylated proteins has been reported in many independent UB processes, suggesting its potential role in governing the spatial organization of ubiquitylated cargo proteins. We created modular polymeric UB binding motifs and polymeric UB cargos by synthetic bioconjugation and protein purification. Giant unilamellar vesicles with lipid raft composition were …

Responding To Digital Addiction, Ned Snow

Seattle University Law Review

In Unwired: Gaining Control over Addictive Technologies, Professor Gaia Bernstein calls our attention to the growing problem of digital addiction. Digital addiction may sound like something out of a science-fiction novel or something that does not raise the same sort of real-life practical concerns as are present in a physical health crisis or an economic decline. But as Bernstein presents the evidence, we learn that the consequences of digital addiction can be just as harmful as a serious disease or a financial depression. Cognitive development disorders, anxiety, emotional depression, social isolation, and other mental health ills can be debilitating—as much …

How Does Honey Make Gold Nanoparticles? Optical Analysis Of The Effects Of Temperature And Composition, Lydia Alvarnaz, Davon Ferrara Phd

SPARK Symposium Presentations

In recent years, with an increasing interest in green chemistry, there has been an effort to find and understand synthesis methods using biologically-produced reducing and capping agents to produce stable gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Previous research using honey has shown this substance is a viable reducing agent in the formation of nanoparticles but have not looked at the stability of the colloidal gold nanoparticles. In this work, gold nanoparticles were reduced from an aqueous solution of gold chloroauric acid and a solution of varying concentrations of honey and water. The formation of NPs was analyzed using UV-Visible transmission spectroscopy to confirm …

Jill Hunsberger, Oral History Interview, 2025, Kat Hacanyan

Oral Histories

Jill Hunsberger is Associate Vice President for Advancement at EMU and a long time supporter and advisory board member of the Center for Jewish Studies. Since making her way here in 1999, Hunsberger has established herself as a dynamic and engaged community leader through her work with the EMU Foundation and the EMU Chapter of Women in Philanthropy. She became involved with the Center for Jewish Studies early on and helped to advance its initial growth and development. In this interview, Hunsberger talks about her deep rooted background in community service, developing university programs from start to finish, and how …

No Evidence Of Fisheries-Induced Evolution Observed From Bluegill Populations In Small Kansas Impoundments, Morganne C. Borsh, Ben C. Neely, Peter B. Berendzen

Faculty Publications

Objective: Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus support recreational fisheries throughout much of their geographic distribution. One characteristic of the species is for males to exhibit alternative reproductive tactics to maximize production of progeny. These divergent strategies coupled with size-selective harvest by anglers create the potential for fisheries-induced evolution (FIE). As such, we sought to characterize genetic diversity of five fished and five unfished Bluegill populations to test for the occurrence of FIE. Methods: Fin clips from 100 Bluegill across 10 populations in southeast Kansas were collected to examine genetic diversity and test for the occurrence of FIE associated with long-term selective harvest. …

Grove Scholars Profile: Destiny Kirksey, Destiny Kirksey

Grove Scholars

No abstract provided.

Program Review Report 3-18-25, Angela Brock

Program Review Committee

No abstract provided.

Novel Method For Pure Polymer Vagus Nerve Stimulators, James Dodge Iii

ENGS 88 Honors Thesis (AB Students)

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has become a promising treatment for epilepsy, depression, obesity, and more. However, the state-of-the-art nerve cuffs use metal conductors, limiting the implanted VNS devices’ biocompatibility, electronic properties, and ultimately the device lifetime. Because the benefits of VNS treatment increase over time, and metal limits the lifetime of devices, a transition to non-metallic conductors with a better match to tissue material properties and safer electronic properties promises to increase the lifetime of VNS devices. To demonstrate the replacement of metal with a conductor with properties closer to that of body tissue, a novel fabrication scheme was designed …

Diverse Ancestral Representation Improves Genetic Intolerance Metrics, Alexander L Han, Chloe F Sands, Dorota Matelska, Jessica C Butts, Vida Ravanmehr, Fengyuan Hu, Esmeralda Villavicencio Gonzalez, Nicholas Katsanis, Carlos D Bustamante, Quanli Wang, Slavé Petrovski, Dimitrios Vitsios, Ryan S Dhindsa

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

The unprecedented scale of genomic databases has revolutionized our ability to identify regions in the human genome intolerant to variation—regions often implicated in disease. However, these datasets remain constrained by limited ancestral diversity. Here, we analyze whole-exome sequencing data from 460,551 UK Biobank and 125,748 Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) participants across multiple ancestries to test several key intolerance metrics, including the Residual Variance Intolerance Score (RVIS), Missense Tolerance Ratio (MTR), and Loss-of-Function Observed/Expected ratio (LOF O/E). We demonstrate that increasing ancestral representation, rather than sample size alone, critically drives their performance. Scores trained on variation observed in African and Admixed …

Political Psychology As Applied To The Israeli Palestinian Conflict, Michael J. Reimer Dr

Department of Political Science and Law Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The of the field of study of Political Psychology can be a useful tool in analyzing both the Israeli Palestinian conflict and the attempt to resolve it in the twenty-first century.

Gamifying Anatomy Outreach: An Underexplored Opportunity, Mikaela L. Stiver, Aamna Naveed, John Chilton, Siobhan M. Moyes

Peninsula Medical School

This article explores the underutilized potential of incorporating gamified approaches into anatomy outreach initiatives. While gamification and game-based learning approaches have been widely adopted in formal educational settings, there is a surprising lack of research on their application for community-based public engagement with anatomy. We emphasize the importance of involving community partners from the outset to co-design gamified outreach activities. A collaborative approach tailors the final products to the needs, preferences, and resources of the target audiences. By actively involving end users, co-design fosters a sense of ownership, relevance, and long-term sustainability for the educational resources. This article also presents …

Program Agenda 3-18-25, Angela Brock

Programs Committee (PC)

No abstract provided.