Digital Commons Network^™

Laying Framework For A Novel System To Test Effects Of Histone Modifications, Taryn Evans, Luke Ramirez M.S, Aaron Bohn, Jacob Hunter, Sarah Hodson, Sarah Ricks, David Bates Ph.D, Steven M. Johnson Ph.D.

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Chromatin structure and composition play a significant role in regulating gene expression within eukaryotic cells. The fundamental organizational unit of chromatin is the nucleosome, which is composed of ~147 base pairs of DNA wrapped around a histone protein core. Post-translational modifications (PTM’s) to the protruding tails of histone proteins are known to regulate nucleosome occupancy and positioning, which influence chromatin architecture and thus gene expression. However, relatively little is known about the residual effects of histone PTM’s on transcription rate, especially in nucleosomes along the gene body. Here, we demonstrate a method for measuring transcription rate in real-time with a …

I’M Just Like You: Do Sympatric Lizard Species Exhibit Convergent Morphology? (Genus Sceloporus), Abigail Lamartine, Alison Whiting

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

The spiny lizards, genus Sceloporus, are the most speciose genus of reptiles endemic to North America. These lizards are commonly seen doing “push-ups” and head bobs, showing off their bright blue belly and throat patches (figure 5).Sceloporus use these displays to attract mates and defend their territory, and the size and color of patches is the most commonly used character to identify species(see figure 3). Within southwestern Utah, there is a small region where two species, S.occidentalis and S. tristichus, overlap in range (figure 1), and lizards can be found that appear to have patches intermediate between the two …

How Does Alcohol Affect Neurotransmission? — An Exploration Of Snap-25, Thomas Weed, Tanner M. Blocker, Jonah R. Beck, Jason T. Carlson, Christopher E. Hunt Jr., Mike Sumsion, Dixon J. Woodbury

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

SNAP-25 helps drive fusion of synaptic vesicles with the neuronal membrane. This process of exocytosis is fundamental for any form of neuro-communication. Prior to vesicle fusion, SNAP-25 comes together with two other SNARE proteins, syntaxin and synaptobrevin, to form the SNARE complex. As the SNARE complex tightens, vesicle fusion occurs, leading to neurotransmitter release. SNAP-25 is expressed in two isoforms, SNAP-25A and SNAP-25B, and are expressed at different stages of development. Previous literature has shown that alcohol and oxidative stress directly affect neurotransmission. We sought to determine if the method of action was through altering the secondary structure of SNAP-25. …

Gcsf Involvement In Ethanol Dopamine Adaptations, Zachary Valentine, Chase Seiter, Rachel Campbell, Camryn Holt, Jordan T. Yorgason

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Objective: Investigate the role of Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) in ethanol-induced dopamine adaptations using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry.

Hypothesis: Prolonged alcohol exposure will weaken GCSF release, resulting in diminished effects on dopamine terminals.

Dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a crucial role in learning stimuli associated with reward

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) is a known neuromodulator for for DA release

Ethanol has been demonstrated to increase the firing rate of dopamine neurons in the (VTA)

The effects of ethanol on GCSF neuromodulation remains unknown

Frog Barcodes: Scanning The Secret Species Of Pelodryadinae, Kennedy Hunter, Taylor Probst, Alison Whiting

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Tree frogs (Hylidae) have unique adaptations such as toe pads for life in the trees (figure 1).

The subfamily Pelodryadinae is poorly known and primarily found in the Australopapuan region.

Papua New Guinea is the island with the greatest frog diversity but many species remain undescribed.

DNA barcoding has been shown to be an effective tool in species delimitation and for examining species diversity in poorly understood groups.

Fishing For Neurocircuitry: Identifying Multi-Sensory Integrating Neurons In The Optic Tectum Of Zebrafish, Logan Carson, Arminda Suli, Adeline Hamilton, Logan Carson, Karianne Jex, Erika C. Marks, Jordan T. Yorgason, Tracianne B. Neilsen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

The superior colliculus (SC) is a mammalian midbrain structure involved in multimodal sensory integration and is implicated to have a role in neurodevelopmental disorders. Although the presence of multisensory integrating neurons (MINs) in the SC has been well documented by electrophysiology techniques, little is known about their morphological or molecular characterization. To identify and study MINs, we utilized SC’s non-mammalian homologous structure–the optic tectum (OT)–in the genetically tractable model organism zebrafish. In this process, we generated transgenic lines that allowed for fluorescent detection of neuronal activity by expressing the genetically engineered calcium indicators: cytoRGECO and H2B-jRGECO1a, respectively in mechanosensory hair …

Evolutionary Stasis In Life History Traits Between Xenophallus Clades Isolated During Pliocene Marine Incursions, Elias Johnson, Jerald B. Johnson

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Why do some species fail to evolve? The chiral livebearer, Xenophallus umbratilis, is found in Central America. Populations within this species have been isolated from each other for millions of years due to marine incursions, big rivers, and ecological filters downstream, leading to divergent clades (figure below). However, these isolated populations persist under similar ecological conditions, including the absence of predators and in similar headwater habitat types.

Epigenetic Reprogramming In Pediatric Tumors Predicts Active Pathways In The Tumor Microenvironments, Noah Moffat, Clark Tolbert, Colin Wessman, Matthew H. Bailey

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

Figure 1: We collected samples from five different studies that analyzed and generated spatial transcriptomic data from adult and pediatric brain tumors1-4.

Engineering Chromoprotein Variants With New Colors, Anna Bowman, Joel S. Griffitts, Kyler Fullmer

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2025

No abstract provided.

Efficiency Of Warm-Up Segment In Dyadic Parent Child Interaction Coding System: A Replication Study, Jayde Robinson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The clinical utility of assessment and treatment practices is of growing concern in the field of psychology. The Dyadic Parent Child Interaction Rating System (DPICS) is an analog behavioral observation that is the primary assessment measure in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). The clinical utility of the DPICS has the potential to be improved. Using archival data from a community sample in eastern Kentucky, this study examined the effectiveness of the five-minute warm-up segment at the beginning of the observation. The warm-up segment is meant to control for reactivity effects that may occur, however, there is little evidence that the …

Disproportionality Of English Learners In Special Education, Alysa Gordon

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the presence of disproportionality of English learners in special education. The search process yielded evidence of both overrepresentation and underrepresentation of English learners in special education, with some studies indicating disproportionality in specific disability categories. Underrepresentation was found to be present in categories of emotional behavioral disability, speech and language impairment, other health impairment, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism. Overrepresentation was found to be present in multiple disability categories, especially with specific learning disabilities and speech language impairment. Potential variables that could be contributors to overrepresentation were found to be educators’ …

Understanding The Individual Behavioral Variation Of Asian Elephants (Elephas Maximus) As An Indicator Of Human Elephant Conflict, Julia Brzezicki

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is an increasingly common event that arises from resource competition due to overlaps in human and elephant environments. Using a conservation behavior approach, the behaviors of elephants can be studied to enhance conservation efforts to mitigate HEC by better predicting which elephants engage in HEC. To understand the factors that affect individual behavioral types of adult Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), my project examined the behavioral patterns displayed by an elephant population in Sri Lanka. I collected demographic and behavioral data of a subset of 15 adult elephants to determine individual differences in five behavioral categories: Affiliation, aggression, …

A Systematic Study Of The Highly Endemic Spider Beetle Fauna (Coleoptera: Ptinidae: Ptininae) Found In The Coastal Deserts Of Perú, Marlena Askren

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Spider beetles are small, often flightless insects that occur in hyperarid environments around the world. They exhibit interesting morphology and behavior that allows them to conserve water they obtain from plant material, dung, and other detritus. One hyperarid region in which they are found is the Pacific coast of Perú and northern Chile. The Sechura Desert, Peruvian Coastal Desert, and Atacama Desert make up the arid coast where spider beetles occur from north to south. Through multiple years of field work and museum collections, populations of spider beetles were found along the coast in isolated pockets of vegetation, separated by …

Diastolic Dysfunction With Vascular Deficits In Hiv-1-Infected Female Humanized Mice Treated With Antiretroviral Drugs, Fadhel A. Alomar, Prasanta K. Dash, Mahendran Ramasamy, Zachary L. Venn, Sean R. Bidasee, Chen Zhang, Bryan T. Hackfort, Santhi Gorantla, Keshore R. Bidasee

Journal Articles: Cellular & Integrative Physiology

Early-onset heart failure is a major treat to healthy aging individuals with HIV-1 infection. Women with HIV-1 infection (WLWH) are especially vulnerable and develop heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), of which left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, vascular deficits, myocardial infarction, and fibrosis are major components. HIV-infected rodent models that exhibit these pathophysiological features remain under-reported, and this has left a void in our understanding of their molecular causes and therapeutic strategies to blunt its development. Here, we show that female NOD.Cg-Prkdc^scidIl2rgt^m1Wjl/SzJ humanized mice (Hu-mice) infected with HIV-1_ADA and treated for 13 weeks with dolutegravir …

Comparing Gait Patterns Of Individuals With And Without Cancer, Anna C. Gardner, Abigail C. Schmitt, Ashlyn M. Jendro, Nicholas P. Greene

2025 Honors Symposium

This study investigates the effects that cancer has on gait variables focusing on gait speed, step length, and stride width, and compares participants with cancer to participants without known disease.

Incorporating Mindfulness Techniques In Therapeutic Practices To Impact A Patient’S Pain Perception, Abigail E. Masters

2025 Honors Symposium

Background: Chronic pain is a widespread condition that affects millions of individuals and leads to substantial healthcare costs, with estimates in the U.S. ranging from $560 billion to $635 billion annually. Traditional pain management heavily relies on opioid prescriptions, which, while effective in the short term, have contributed to the ongoing opioid crisis due to risks of addiction and dependency. As a result, there is a growing interest in alternative, non- pharmacological approaches to pain management, including mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). MBIs have been increasingly recognized for their ability to help patients modulate pain perception and improve overall well-being. This study …

School Level Patterns In Student Engagement In Illinois’ Career And Technical Education Pathways: Exploring Patterns Between Enrollment And Postsecondary Matriculation In Three Pathways, Nikolas C. Butenhoff

Dissertations of Practice

This dissertation examined the relationship between high school career and technical education (CTE) program enrollment and postsecondary enrollments. It also examines current demographic enrollment trends within CTE programs. There were two objectives for this research. The first was to gather information that may be used to determine whether CTE programs are preparing students for careers in middle skill job areas like health sciences, information technology, and manufacturing. The other was to gain data to determine whether student tracking occurs for students enrolling in these programs.

This quantitative study examined CTE programs in traditional high schools in the state of Illinois …

Science Identity Development Among Minoritized Students In Professional Stem Student Organizations: A Basic Qualitative Study, Michaela Friedrichova Holtz

Dissertations of Practice

Despite national efforts to broaden participation in STEM, underrepresented minoritized (URM) students continue to face systemic barriers to persistence and degree completion. While many intervention programs focus on academic preparedness, less is known about the role of co-curricular experiences—specifically professional STEM student organizations—in shaping science identity, a key predictor of persistence and success. This qualitative study explored how involvement in race- and gender-based STEM student organizations at a public research university in the Midwest influenced URM students’ science identity development, persistence in STEM majors, and career aspirations. Using the science identity framework developed in 2007 by Carlone and Johnson, semi-structured …

An Exploration Of Change In Teachers’ Sel Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Beliefs After Participation In A Sel Professional Development Course For Uruguayan Teachers Of Secondary Schools, Sheila Coli

Dissertations of Practice

This convergent mixed-methods study explored how secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Uruguay changed their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of social emotional learning (SEL), and their beliefs about their role in SEL integration, after participating in a six-week online professional development (PD) course. Amid increased international emphasis on the importance of social and emotional competencies (SECs) for students’ academic and personal success, Uruguay’s EFL national curriculum calls for the promotion of these competencies, yet offers limited guidelines or training for their EFL educators. The PD course was designed by the researcher to address this gap, providing …

Crosslinking Effects On High-Oleic Soybean Oil-Based Anionic Polyurethane Dispersions, Zoran Petrović, Jasna Djonlagić, Jian Hong, Milica Lovrić Vuković

National Institute for Materials Advancement

Waterborne polyurethane dispersions are known as non-toxic, non-flammable, environmentally friendly products widely used in the coatings industry. We prepared a series of anionic dispersions based on the polyol from high-oleic soybean oil, isophorone diisocyanate and dimethylol propionic acid. Stable anionic dispersions were achieved when the acid content in formulations ranged from 7.7 to 10.8 wt%. All dispersions in this series had average particle sizes of 163–211 nm with unimodal size distribution. Utilization of the high-oleic oil, with three double bonds on average, and the resulting trifunctional polyol, renders crosslinked products with improved hydrophobicity and excellent chemical and physical properties. Also, …

Impulsivity And Investment Risks: A Behavioral-Economic Analysis Of Magnitude Effects In Decision-Making, Samuel C. Latty

Psychology

Human decision making involves weighing probabilistic outcomes and uncertainty alongside the magnitude of potential gains and losses. Delay discounting refers to a perceived decline in the present value of a reward as the delay to acquisition increases. Impulsivity can be reflected by an individual's preference for smaller, immediate reward compared to larger, delayed reward. Experimental manipulation of tasks such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) have been introduced to evaluate individual sensitivity to risk in monetary decision-making scenarios. In the current study, we compared two versions of the IGT, one with original magnitudes and one with high magnitudes. We proposed …

Overture: Dj Methodology: Resounding The Past, Paul Db Watkins

WLU Press Books

"Overture: DJ Methodology: Resounding the Past" is the introductory chapter to Soundin' Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship by Paul db Watkins.

Part exploration of a key group of Black Canadian poets, part literary, cultural, and musical history, Soundin’ Canaan demonstrates how music in Black Canadian poetry is not solely aesthetic, but a form of social, ethical, and political expression.

Soundin' Canaan refers to the code name often used for Canada during the Black migration to Canada. The book analyzes the contributions of key Black Canadian poets, including their poetic styles and their performances. The book has several key …

Faculty Convocation Program 2025, Seton Hall University

Faculty Convocation Programs

No abstract provided.

Review Of Design Is Power: The Dark Side, Samantha Osys

Book Reviews

No abstract provided.

2024 Celebration Of Faculty Scholars Condensed Program, University Of Northern Colorado Libraries

Celebration of Faculty Scholars

The Office of the Provost, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and University Libraries are proud to host the fourth annual Celebration of Faculty Scholars. This year, we recognize the achievements of 272 faculty, who have contributed over 1,000 publications, presentations, and creative works, and secured more than $6,000,000 in grant funding in 2024.

Graduate Students In Medical School: Navigating Their Roles As Students And Parents, Laura Rafaj

Dissertations of Practice

This narrative inquiry examines the stories of medical students with children and how they manage and balance the demands of their roles as students and parents. Participant stories were used to illustrate the daily lives of medical student parents, highlighting some of the challenges and choices student parents face. Major themes that emerged relating to the needs of medical student parents include: the tools they use to balance their roles, how family status influences their academic and professional choices, how the structure of medical education impacts their experiences, and stigmas they face as a parenting and/or non-traditional student. This study …

The Winning Combination: A Study Of The Experiences Of Black Women Head Women Basketball Coaches On The Division I Level, Monique Bernoudy

Dissertations of Practice

Black women serving as NCAA college head women’s basketball coaches have limited representation and opportunities especially at the most elite Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. In Division I FBS women’s basketball programs, White women hold 38% of the head coaching positions and Black women hold 22. This is troubling because women’s basketball rosters reflect a quantity of Black women assistant coaches (37%) and Black women student-athletes (46%) which exceed the quantities of their White peers, yet they fail to rise in equitable quantities into head coaching positions. There is no plausible explanation for the inequitable representation of Black …

Biocultural Mobility: The Impact Of Osteoarthritis On Rural Kentuckians, Alexandria Anderson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic degenerative joint disease that results in joint pain and loss of joint function, and it is rising in prevalence alongside an aging population. OA has a complex etiology, with various biological, mechanical, and sociocultural factors affecting its acquisition and progression. Like most diseases, OA has a differential prevalence among populations; it is disproportionally more common in underserved communities, including rural areas. This thesis presents (1) a study comparing selected OA treatment type and patient travel time, (2) a study comparing OA comorbidity amount and rurality, and (3) a discussion of exploratory interdisciplinary methods in …

The Effects Of The Replication Crisis Instruction On Skepticism, Ericka Hoppes

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Over the past decade, there has been growing concern regarding the Replication Crisis in psychology. The crisis has called into question the credibility of psychological research by highlighting the field’s difficulty in reproducing findings (Open Science Collaboration, 2015), as well as the prevalence of questionable research practices amongst psychologists (e.g., p-hacking, falsifying data, incomplete reporting of measures, etc.). Given that the crisis presents psychological research through a critical lens, learning about the aspects of the crisis can be a useful pedagogical tool for helping students develop a healthy sense of skepticism regarding scientific studies. The present study investigated how teaching …

Tremors Of Silver ~ A Battle Of The Brain: An Exploration Of Parkinson's Disease Through Dance, Kelsey Lynn Halio

Dance Department Honors Papers

No abstract provided.