Digital Commons Network^™

Too Cool For Camouflage?: The Effects Of Dive-Related Thermal Loss On Body Coloration In A Semi Aquatic Lizard, Lyra Lu, Alexandra Martin

Research Days Posters 2025

Rapid body color change is well documented in animals, but the variety of environmental factors that induce this change are not fully understood. Anolis aquaticus is a tropical lizard with rapid body color changes and that uses colder-than-average refugia, namely diving underwater for extended periods, to flee from predators. Using underwater refugia causes these lizards to lose several degrees of body heat. This research tested the relationship of low body temperatures on body coloration. First, an observational study was conducted in the field of the correlation between body temperature and body color. Then, body temperature was experimentally reduced in the …

No Evidence For Sex-Specific Visual Acuity In Anolis Aquaticus, Samantha Garnsey, Janelle Talavera, Lindsey Swierk

Research Days Posters 2025

Sex differences in sensory perception are widespread among animals, driven by sex-specific reproductive challenges. Males and females often exhibit different sensory abilities, such as in visual acuity; for example, in Heliconius butterflies, males exhibit greater visual acuity due to their mate-seeking behaviors. This study examined this idea in Anolis aquaticus, a semi-aquatic lizard with sexual dimorphism. Males court females using a colorful throat fan (dewlap), which females use to select mates. It is predicted that females will have greater visual acuity than males, given their reliance on visual signals for mate choice. A custom-built apparatus was used to test 45 …

Characterizing Biofilm Dispersion In The Gut Bacterium Enterococcus Faecalis, Raheema Mohammed-Abraham, Nermin Mohamed, Marian Abdikarin, Jackson Nguyen, David Lam, Peter T. Mckenney Phd, David G. Davies Phd

Research Days Posters 2025

Biofilm dispersion is a survival mechanism where bacteria transition to a planktonic lifestyle. Dispersion is not characterized in Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), a gut bacterium. In semi-batch cultures, E. faecalis formed steady state biofilms after 48 hours grown at 37°C in 10% Tryptic Soy Broth. Next, biofilm culture challenges with a 10-fold step increase in nutrients following 4 days of growth—prior to self-induced dispersion—resulted in statistically significant dispersion responses. To evaluate bile acids’ effect, dispersed cells were exposed to the primary and secondary bile acids cholic and lithocholic acid. Lithocholic acid retained biofilm growth during dispersion and thus may spur …

Womb To Waste: Climate Change’S Silent Attack On Reproductive Rights, Jenna Caron

Research Days Posters 2025

Women experience disproportionate impact on the effects of climate change—they’ve proven more likely to die in a climate disaster, rely on the resources that the climate crisis devastates, and to experience gender-based violence. This study examines the reproductive health within gender-based violence, positing that women residing in economically disadvantaged countries, identifying with historically marginalized communities, and/or possessing harmful medical predispositions, experience more severe maternal and fetal health outcomes. By examining data and academic literature through biomedical and biological studies of sexual violence, birth rates, climate-related stressors, and harmful pollutants, this study concludes a strong connection between climate-related weather conditions and …

Investigating The Correlation Between Diet Quality And Psychological Resilience, Bo Schooley, Sean Morrissey, Jasmina Abdurasulova, Margaret Giordano, Morgan Andersen

Research Days Posters 2025

Psychological resilience is associated with numerous positive mental health outcomes. This study examines the correlation between diet quality and psychological resilience. An anonymous survey was administered digitally and was shared by group members through social media platforms and flyers posted throughout the Binghamton University campus. The survey included questions regarding demographic and lifestyle information, nutrition habits, psychological resilience and flexibility, and recent experiences with emotions. A healthy balance of whole grains (p<0.01), vegetables (p<0.05), meat (p<0.05), and carbohydrates (p<0.05) is associated with increased psychological resilience. Comparatively, legumes (p<0.05) and caffeine (p<0.05) consumption are associated with lower reported psychological resilience. These findings emphasize the importance of improving diet quality for the overall psychological health of people as a simple and non-pharmaceutical way for all people to improve their psychological health, making it an accessible route for multiple populations.

Like A Natural Woman: Why We Still Need Ecofeminism, Emma Dean-Stahl

Research Days Posters 2025

In the last half-century, ecofeminism has emerged and expanded as a radical theory examining the connection between the oppression of women and the destruction of the environment. This theory denounces the shared patriarchal exploitation of women and nature by promoting holism and interdependence among all living things. Overtime, however, ecofeminist thought splintered into two distinct variants: cultural and radical. Cultural ecofeminism in particular, which embraces the biological and spiritual tie between women and nature as opposed to rejecting it, has faced many critiques about its apolitical, essentialist, and mystical philosophical approach. This project attempts to reinterpret and defend cultural ecofeminism …

Dataset For "The Role Of Metacognition And Confidence In Quantitative Reasoning In College Biology Courses", Joseph Dauer, Anum Khushal, Brian A. Couch, Robert L. Mayes, Kent Rittschof

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Quantitative modelling is a fundamental skill for biology students with performance determined by a host of cognitive and metacognitive resources and requiring instructors to integrate key quantitative dimensions into teaching biology. Using an assessment of quantitative modelling in biology, we explored biology students’ (n = 930 higher education students) modelling practices (i.e., abilities to create, test, revise), metacognition about the nature of models and confidence in their capabilities to model. Students performed best on items related to understanding variables used in models and performed more poorly on items related to interpreting, creating, and using models to understand biological phenomena. …

“One, Two, Three, Four, We Don’T Want Your Fucking War”: The Student Protest Movements At Columbia University And Kent State University During The War In Vietnam, Eric Kappaz

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The comparative study of student protests at drastically different universities and the success ofthose protests is significantly lacking from the historical record. The Vietnam era was a pivotal turning point in American university life, during which students across the country pushed for changes not only to the institutions of higher learning but also to the country as a whole. This historical comparative analysis utilizes significant primary source documentation to analyze how students and universities at the time dealt with the changes that were occurring in the university structure and the intrusion on university operations by outside actors, specifically the federal …

Predicting 18-Month M-Chat-R/F With Pediatractmv3.0 Motor And Social/Communication/Cognition Domains, Ryan Krebs

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background. The developmental cascade framework suggests early delays in one system can impact others. Infants born preterm or with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show such delays. Methods. The study included 498 infants enrolled in PediaTracTM a novel caregiver-report measure. The convergent validity of PediaTrac with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3) was examined, along with its ability to predict ASD risk at 18 months using cross-sectional (9- and 12-month) and longitudinal (0–12-month) latent traits of motor (MOT) and social/communication/cognitive (SCG) abilities. Results. Strong convergent validity was found between PediaTrac and ASQ-3 domains at both time points. MOT at 9-months …

Genetic Privacy, Ifeoma Ajunwa, Forrest Briscoe

Indiana Law Journal

The last decade has brought many technological advances to genetic testing. Increasingly, genetic testing, which was previously reserved for clinical or medical settings, has made its way to other spaces. Most significantly, we are now seeing the re-introduction of genetic testing to the workplace. Although the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which became law in 2009, would seemingly prohibit genetic testing in the workplace, genetic testing, as part of workplace wellness programs, is lawful under the aegis of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This poses a threat to genetic privacy in the workplace. While some, like the actor Angelina Jolie, …

The Arctic Ocean Region : Biodiversity, Governance And Protective Measures, Antonios Andreadakis, Graeme Chesters, Dimitrios Dalaklis, 90 North Foundation

Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• The Arctic Ocean region stands at the forefront of global environmental transformation, serving as a harbinger of climate change and a frontier for emergent geopolitical and economic interests.

• The Arctic region's economic potential, particularly in shipping and resource extraction, appears to offer shorter trade routes, reduced fuel consumption, and increased access to high-value resources. However, this analysis largely ignores the complex geo-physical, environmental and geographical limitations of the region.

• The fragility of Arctic Ocean ecosystems – characterized by slow ecological recovery, specialised biodiversity, and extreme environmental conditions – renders them especially vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances. …

Toward Biocompatible Assessment Of N-15 Hyperpolarized Metronidazole For Hypoxia Sensing, Faisal Asif

Wayne State University Theses

Recent advances in hyperpolarization, particularly Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange (SABRE), have enhanced molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for in vivo applications. This study investigates [15N3]metronidazole, a tri-nitrogen-labeled derivative of an FDA-approved antibiotic, as a hypoxia-sensitive imaging agent. Under hypoxic conditions, the nitroimidazole group undergoes stepwise reduction to an amino group, inducing significant 15N chemical shift changes (30–600 ppm). We aim to develop an iridium catalyst-free, biocompatible hyperpolarized (HP) [15N3]metronidazole formulation exhibiting robust polarization (up to 15%) and extended T1 lifetimes (~10 min). Three specific objectives guide this work: (1) formulation of a HP injectable with enhanced 15N detection, (2) …

The Future Of Shipping At The Biodiversity-Climate Nexus : Round Table Report, Mary S. Wisz, Fabio Berzaghi, Mikaela Gomez, Maud C. Quinzin, Renis Auma Ojwala, Emily Nuckolls

Reports

This report presents the outcomes of a cross-disciplinary Round Table hosted by the World Maritime University (WMU) from May 13-15, 2024, in Malmö, Sweden. The event brought together 51 experts from academia, industry, NGOs, and international organizations, including the IMO, to explore shipping’s role at the biodiversity-climate nexus. The Round Table had a particular focus on the impacts of shipping that are currently unregulated or under-regulated, and opportunities to address biodiversity loss and pollution as the sector decarbonizes. The report highlights the need to apply comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to effectively manage shipping's impacts, including cumulative impacts, on the environment, people, …

Color Inside The Lines: Achieving Pharmaceutical Deal Certainty When The Courts Keep Redrawing The Ip Lines, James Farrington

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

In The Genome Defense, Jorge Contreras vividly describes the story of how gene patents were challenged in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics and the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the USPTO’s long-standing practice of allowing patents on human genes. This Article examines how pharmaceutical companies navigate intellectual property challenges in the wake of the Myriad decision and other landmark cases that have redrawn the boundaries of patent-eligible subject matter. Drawing on the Author’s 35 years of experience in life science transactions, the Article analyzes three key strategies that pharmaceutical companies employ: (1) adapting their business and licensing …

From Myriad To Moderna: The Modern (Bio)Pharmaceutical Company, Ana Santos Rutschman

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This Article examines the emergence of two modern pharmaceutical companies: Myriad and Moderna. After providing a brief background on each company, this Article contrasts them across the following areas: the technologies they have brought to market; their location; their start-up stages and the role that venture capital played in catalyzing their evolution from start-ups to large corporate structures; their relationships with other entities in the private sector, in academia and in the public sector; and their intellectual property and licensing strategies.

2025 Uni Panther Soccer Media Guide, University Of Northern Iowa

Athletics Media Guides

Contents:

Contents / Staff / Schedule --- 2
Quick Facts / Media Information --- 3
Roster --- 4-5
The Panther Program --- 6
Media Protocols --- 7
Parking Map --- 8
Missouri Valley Conference --- 9-11
UNI Soccer Field --- 12
Interim Head Coach Alex Place Thomas --- 14-15
Coaching Staff --- 16-17
Player Bios --- 18-42
2024 Season Stats --- 44
2024 MVC Stats --- 45
2024 MVC Awards --- 46
2024 MVC Tournament Results --- 47
Coaching History --- 49
Award Winners --- 50
Individual Career Records --- 51
Individual Single-Season Records --- 52
Individual & Team Single-Game …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2024/2025, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-Time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted 2024/25
--- Degree Summary 2024/25
--- Program Certificates 2023/24
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Development And Validation Of A Nomogram To Predict Survival After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy In Elderly Women With Triple-Negative Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer: A Seer Population-Based Study, Ying Gao, Jinmiao Wang, Shoujun Wang, Weijie Tao, Ran Duan, Jie Hao, Ming Gao

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To construct and verify a nomogram for post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy survival predication in elderly women with triple-negative invasive ductal breast cancer. Methods: Elderly patients diagnosed as triple-negative invasive ductal breast cancer between 2019-2000 were screened from surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database. Depending on the post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy pathological response, they were assigned to the complete or non-complete response group. Inter-group clinicopathological characteristics and disease-specific and overall survivals were compared. Then, they were allocated randomly into the training or validation cohort. A prediction nomogram was developed in the training cohort and verified in the validation cohort. Results: A total of 382 …

Durable Oxyfluoride Waste Forms For Salt Wastes From Molten Salt Reactors, Alevtina A. Maksimova, Jake W. Amoroso, Matthew Page, Gregory Morrison, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are promising technology to replace traditional light and heavy water reactors in the near future. Waste management for MSRs, however, remains a pressing concern that needs to be resolved prior to realizing deployment of MSRs. Specifically, the generated salt waste needs to be safely sequestered, a task made difficult by the high solubility of the salt waste that can cause the release of radionuclides into the environment. This work demonstrates a new approach to immobilize multiple fluoride salts into a single waste form by converting highly-soluble fluorides to durable and stable oxyfluorides. Notably, we report a …

Ovarian Response, Endocrine Environment, And Pregnancy-Associated Glycoproteins In Beef Cows Using The 7 & 7 Synchronization Protocol, Hunter Haberman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Review aims to provide an overview of the bovine estrous cycle and pregnancy establishment, beginning with follicular development, luteolysis, maternal recognition of pregnancy and early embryonic development. Manipulating the estrus cycle with synchronization protocols is a critical aspect of the beef industry and has greatly improved the efficiency of artificial insemination. This review will evaluate various strategies to synchronize estrus from the very basic to more advanced synchronization protocols. There are many factors that affect the success of the protocol, and many studies have been done to evaluate the estrus cycle to reach the highest level of success from …

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women Of Color In New York City: Biological And Systemic Impacts, Kaylin Peña

Pitzer Senior Theses

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women of Color in New York City: Biological and Systemic Impacts

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore how racial health disparities, underrepresentation in gynecology, and socioeconomic barriers contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes among women of color in New York City. Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines resources from medical anthropology and human biology, this research will examine the biological implications of chronic stress, specifically HPA axis dysregulation, and its role in maternal health outcomes. With the idea of intersectionality, as conceptualized by Kimberlé Crenshaw, the study analyzes the various effects of systemic inequities and social …

Technology Competency Road Map In Rhode Island: Reforming Professional Rules And Continuing Legal Education With Modern Educational Frameworks And Instructional Design Principles To Protect Clients, Myrta L. Ventura

Roger Williams University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Mapping The Tren Maya’S Mark On Mérida, Diego Tamayo

Pitzer Senior Theses

Mapping the Tren Maya’s Mark on Mérida investigates whether the Tren Maya railway is ushering in new sustainable development which provides economic and social benefits for the residents of Mérida, Mexico. The Mexican government has spearheaded the megaproject’s construction in a mere four years with the goal of boosting economic growth in an environmentally and socially conscious manner. The following investigation highlights where this vision, articulated in technocratically-constructed public documents and amplified in reporting, has been fulfilled in Mérida. Through geospatial, physical, and journalistic investigations and analysis, it is revealed the Tren Maya has brought a host of impacts upon …

Feeding The System: A Political Ecology Of Stakeholders In The Soy Value Chain, Calli E. Oneal

Pitzer Senior Theses

This thesis presents a holistic analysis of power dynamics within the global soybean value chain, through the evaluation of the trade relationship between Brazil and the European Union. In order to identify how critical decisions regarding sustainability are concentrated among a few dominant actors. Eight core stakeholder groups are mapped: land-use conversion actors, producers, traders, agro-input providers, financial institutions, regulatory bodies, NGOs, and key consumers, including meatpacking and animal feed companies. Multinational traders, who control approximately 80% of global soy trade, act as sustainability gatekeepers through their lobbying influence and control over supply chain narratives and are disincentivized from human …

The Landscape Of Cyclin‑Dependent Kinase 4/6 Inhibitors In Solid Malignancies: Emphasis On Immunotherapy Combinatorial Strategies, Maha R.A. Abdollah, Sara A. Hussein, Ahmed H. Saadawy, Eman Badr, Neamtullah Wael, Rasha M. Allam, Ahmed M. Al‑Abd, Ana Maria Roncero Sanchez, Mai Tolba

Pharmacy

Given the pivotal role of CDK4/6 deregulation in the pathogenesis of various malignancies, CDK4/6 inhibitors have been incorporated into cancer treatment protocols. Beyond their antiproliferative effects, these inhibitors exhibit prominent immunomodulatory properties. Preclinical data indicated that CDK4/6 inhibitors enhance the tumor cell antigen presentation capacity and restrict the proliferation of immunosuppressive regulatory T-cells. Furthermore, studies showed that CDK4/6 inhibitors could enhance the development of memory T-cell in vivo in melanoma mouse models and in the clinical setting in breast cancer (BC) patients. In silico analysis identified 225 protein targets for CDK4/6 inhibitors involved in 57 immune-related pathways which further supported …

Corchorus Olitorius Exhibits Antiproliferative Potential Supported By Metabolic Profiling And Integrative Biological Analyses, Maha R.A. Abdollah, Salma Sameh, Ahmed Elissawy, Eman Al-Sayed, Rola Labib, Lan Ye, Fang-Rong Chang, Abdel Nasser B. Singab

Pharmacy

Herbal nutraceuticals could be employed as alternative or complementary routes for alleviating cancer. Corchorus olitorius (Malvaceae) was employed traditionally in the management of tumors. The study aimed to investigate the antiproliferative activity of C. olitorius leaves. In vitro cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic activities of C. olitorius were estimated. The bioactive fraction was subjected to in vivo study on BALB/ c female mice using Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma model. UPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis was done to determine the phytometabolites followed by in silico studies on the major identified compounds. The bioactive fraction possessed potent in vitro activity against A549 cells with IC50 = 7.8 µg/mL …

A Cocaine Hydrolase Engineered From Human Butyrylcholinesterase As A Medical Countermeasure For Aldicarb Poisoning, Johnathan E. Lesaint, Nellore Bhanu Chandar, Annet Kyomuhangi, Huimei Wei, Fang Zheng, Chang-Guo Zhan

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Aldicarb is known to be the most toxic carbamate pesticide and could be used easily by terrorists to cause a mass casualty incident. It is highly desired to discover a medical countermeasure for aldicarb poisoning. Based on structural insights from molecular modeling and in vitro experimental validation, CocH3-Fc(M3), a potent cocaine hydrolase engineered from human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), has a ~4-fold improved binding affinity with aldicarb compared to wild-type human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and BChE and a 9-28-fold improved bimolecular rate constant for the carbamylation with aldicarb compared to AChE. CocH3-Fc(M3) also has significant catalytic activity for aldicarb hydrolysis and, hence, is …

Development Of A Ghrelin Deacylase To Attenuate Drug Reward And Associated Effects Of Methamphetamine, Madeline J. Stewart, Huimei Wei, Nellore Bhanu Chandar, Fang Zheng, Chang-Guo Zhan

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

All addictive substances directly or indirectly interact with the dopamine reward system to alter the brain’s dopamine receptor activities. It is essential for a truly effective addiction medication to attenuate substance reward and normalize the brain’s physiological functions. Conventional pharmacological intervention approaches to the treatment of substance addiction usually aim to develop and deliver a potential therapeutic agent to the brain to directly block or decrease actions of the substance or its therapeutic target in the brain. However, it is a grand challenge to attenuate the substance reward without affecting the normal physiological functions of brain receptors or transporters. Here, …

Effects Of Biased Analogues Of The Kappa Opioid Receptor Agonist, U50,488, In Preclinical Models Of Pain And Side Effects, Ross Van De Wetering, Loan Y. Vu, Lindsay D. Kornberger, Dan Luo, Brittany Scouller, Sheein Hong, Kelly F. Paton, Thomas E. Prisinzano, Bronwyn M. Kivell

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have well-established antinociceptive effects. However, many KOR agonists have negative side effects, which limit their therapeutic potential. Some researchers have suggested that the development of biased agonists that preferentially stimulate KOR G-protein pathways over β-arrestin pathways may yield drugs with fewer adverse side effects. This was investigated in the current study. We describe the synthesis and characterization of three U50,488 analogues, 1, 2, and 3. We evaluated the acute and chronic antinociceptive effects of these compounds in mice using the warm-water tail flick assay and in a paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain model. Side …

Effects Of Fentanyl-Adulterated Methamphetamine On Circulating Ghrelin In Rats, Huimei Wei, Elise C. Maul, Shawn Park, Kaniz Fatema, Daniel J. Peter, Chang-Guo Zhan, Fang Zheng

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

The appetite hormone ghrelin influences biological processes that are responsible for substance use disorder, which is related to alcohol and most abused drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, etc. In general, upregulation of the ghrelin system enhances drug cravings and substance use. Studies reported in the literature consistently demonstrated that the ghrelin system is associated with stimulants. However, research on opioids in combination with methamphetamine has not been reported. In this study, we examined the relationship of circulating ghrelin with the polydrug use of fentanyl and methamphetamine in male Sprague-Dawley rats, demonstrating for the first time that concurrent use of fentanyl …