Digital Commons Network^™

Laminarin-Loaded Solid-In-Oil Nanodispersion For Enhanced Non-Invasive Transdermal Immunization, Md. Shahin Ekka Sarker, Yoshirou Kawaguchi, Rie C. Wakabayashi, Noriho J. Kamiya, Muhammad Moniruzzaman, Masahiro Goto

Publications and Research

Simple and non-invasive transdermal vaccination is an attractive alternative to conventional injection-based immunization. However, the effectiveness of transdermal vaccines is often constrained by the stratum corneum barrier. Although the use of solid-in-oil (S/O) nanodispersion technology has successfully facilitated skin permeation to induce an immunological response, the antibody titers remain suboptimal. Herein, a dectin-1 selective ligand, laminarin, was used as an immunostimulatory adjuvant to enhance the immune response. S/O nanodispersions loaded with laminarin and ovalbumin (OVA) were systematically developed and characterized in terms of particle size, in vitro OVA release behavior, and skin permeation performance using excised mouse skin. In vivo …

Temporal And Spatial Variation In Temperature And Oxygen At The Microscale: Key Niche Axes For Aquatic Life, W. C.E.P. Verberk, David T Bilton

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

To understand animal adaptations, we need accurate estimates of the ecological factors impacting organisms in nature. While temperature is a well-established driver of physiological performance, its effects in aquatic systems are closely linked to water oxygenation. Oxygen levels are expected to differ spatially and fluctuate temporally much more strongly in water than on land, but our understanding of variation in temperature and oxygen levels in freshwaters remains limited. It is essential that environmental variation is recorded at spatial and temporal resolutions relevant to the organism. Here, we analyse spatial and temporal variation in water temperature and oxygenation across running and …

Does Set Configuration Influence Long-Term Adaptations To Complex Training In National-Level Wrestlers? A Volumematched Randomized Trial, Yueqiang Ma, Pengpeng Gou, Yuxiong Huang, Jialiang Yu, Lijia Zhou, Kai Xu, Binbin Jia, Danyang Li

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: Complex training is commonly used to enhance strength and explosive performance in athletes; however, the long-term influence of set configuration within complex training remains unclear in highly trained wrestlers. This randomized, volumematched trial investigated whether set configuration influences long-term adaptations to complex training (CT) in national-level male Chinese-style wrestlers. Specifically, the study compared the effects of cluster-set complex training (CS-CT) and traditional-set complex training (TS-CT) on maximal strength, lower-limb explosive performance, anaerobic power, and sport-specific performance.

Methods: Sixteen highly trained wrestlers (Tier 3; n=16) completed an 8-week lowerbody CT program performed twice weekly. Participants were randomly allocated to either …

Intersectional Pathways To Prison And Sentence Disparities: Exploring The Role Of Race, Gender Identity, And Sexuality In Women’S Sentencing Outcomes, Jae Collett

Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the relationship between race, gender identity, sexuality, and prison sentence length using data from the Survey of Prison Inmates, 2016. While state and federal guidelines are ostensibly in place to prevent disparate sentencing outcomes, research still finds disparities in prison sentence lengths across identities of defendants. Women generally receive more lenient sentences than men, and may be shown chivalry when processed through the criminal legal system. However, qualifications for chivalrous treatment have historically only been accessible to certain women (i.e. cisgender, heterosexual, white women). The social and institutional exclusion queer women and/or women of color experience may …

Antibiotics Stimulate Protein Transfer To Persister Cells, Katelin M Hagstrom, Shubham Singh, Shrawan Kumar Mageswaran, Xiaoli Wang, Bo Hu, Kobie T Welch, Matthew B Cooke, Jennifer A Halliday, Laura Deus Ramirez, Antoinette E Martinez, Yi-Wei Chang, David A Weitz, Christophe Herman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The exchange of biological matter between bacterial cells drives adaptation and evolution. However, whether bacteria can exchange functional proteins remains unclear. In this work, we found that antibiotic treatment can induce vesicle-mediated horizontal protein transfer within and between bacterial species. We developed a genetic system in Escherichia coli to track transfer events and performed single-cell transcriptomic profiling on an isogenic population of bacteria. Antibiotics stimulated the differentiation of this isogenic population into distinct cell states: donor cells that activated a membrane stress response to release protein-containing vesicles and recipient cells that suppressed this response to acquire protein from their neighbors. …

Factors Influencing Attitudes Toward Transgender Army National Guard Personnel And Policy, Michelle Lyn Branch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

After Ratification: How Will Indonesia Navigate The Bbnj Agreement?, Febryani Sabatira, Ria Wierma Putri, Orima Melati Davey

Indonesian Journal of International Law

Indonesia’s ratification of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) signals its entry into a new phase of ocean governance. Translating this commitment into practice requires understanding the Agreement’s scope, assessing its institutional design, and evaluating its implications for Indonesia’s marine legal framework. This paper applies a normative legal analysis and draws on international treaties, domestic laws, and policy instruments to examine the BBNJ’s four substantive pillars—marine genetic resources, area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments, and capacity building and technology transfer—and their relevance to global and national biodiversity …

Patterns In Emotional Labor Outcomes: Assessing Seasonal Cycles Of Burnout In Minor League Sport Employees, Mandy Barefoot, Mike Martinez

Global Sport Business Journal

Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment (Kristensen et al., 2005), is a growing concern among sport employees, with research documenting high levels of emotional strain, role conflict, and turnover intentions in collegiate and professional sport settings (Taylor et al., 2019; Weight et al., 2021). Although burnout is often examined as a stable condition, little attention has been given to how the cyclical nature of the sport calendar may shape its development over time.

This study examines burnout among middle managers in minor league baseball and hockey through the lens of Affective Events Theory, exploring how seasonal …

26 Years And Counting - Science Fair Showcases Students' Talents, Barclay K. Weisberg Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Oral Cancer- Application Of Emerging Technologies To Understand Pathogenesis And Aid Early Detection, W. Andrew Yeudall Bds, Phd

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Phasm As A Novel Atmospheric And Air–Sea Interface Sensing Platform For Coastal Boundary Layer Assessment, Daniel J. Gassen, Jamey Jacob, Jason Bruck, Paige Stevens

ISARRA 2026

Understanding coupled processes at the sea–atmosphere interface remains a major challenge in coastal meteorology, particularly in regions influenced by land–sea breeze circulations and rapid convective initiation. Traditional atmospheric observations over coastal waters are spatially sparse and often fail to capture fine-scale thermodynamic variability associated with evaporation, transpiration-like moisture exchange, aerosol transport, and biologically mediated air–sea interactions. This presentation explores a novel extension of the Passive Health Assessment for Sea Mammals (PHASM) system toward atmospheric and environmental sensing applications using uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).

Originally developed as a minimally invasive airborne sampling platform for marine mammal hormone assessment, PHASM integrates precision …

Refining Of An Online Rotator Cuff Related Pain Screening Tool (Orcs): A Mixed Methods Refinement Study, Andrew J. Smythe, Rhiannon Whale, Melanie Farlie, Peter Malliaras

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to refine an online rotator cuff related shoulder pain screening tool. Method: A mixed methods item-refinement study was used. The original tool was designed through expert opinion and informal literature review. In this study the original tool was refined over three rounds of cognitive interviews totalling 39 participants. The screening tool consisted of two sections, red flag screening followed by rotator cuff related shoulder pain differential diagnostic items. Results from each round of interviews were summarised and informed a nominal group research panel review process to modify items and develop a finalised version …

Constructing Evidence And Epistemic Agency In Science, Katherine S. Misar

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

This microethnographic discourse analytic study uses an academic literacies theoretical lens to examine how a highly regarded urban high school biology teacher taught students to write from scientific data and positioned of students with epistemic agency using modeling instruction. Drawing on 6 lessons from one instructional unit over the course of two weeks; data sources include audio and video recordings, 30 transcribed literacy events, students’ written work, teacher interviews, case study student interviews, and photos. Participants included an experienced teacher and a student teacher using modeling instruction and 23 “accelerated” biology students in an urban high school. This study addresses …

Objectively And Subjectively Measured Physical Activity Levels Among Children And Adolescents In Poland (2012–2022): A Systematic Review, Jarosław Herbert, Vasylyna Petrovets

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of research on physical activity levels among children and adolescents in Poland from 2012 to 2022, considering both objective and subjective assessment methods. A systematic review of the literature was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA reporting recommendations. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar databases, as well as Polish scientific databases were searched. The review included studies published from 2012 to 2022, on children and adolescents aged 3–18 living in Poland, assessing physical activity levels using objective and/or subjective methods. This analysis of the selected studies showed that physical activity levels …

Influence Of Peak Height Velocity On The Level Of Motor Skills And Anthropometric Features In Young Male Footballers, Dariusz Tadeusz Skalski, Magdalena Prończuk, Artur Terbalyan, Kinga Łosińska, Adam Maszczyk, Robert Krzysztof Roczniok

Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity

Background: This study examines the influence of Peak Height Velocity (PHV) on motor abilities and anthropometric characteristics of young male football players aged 12–16. The research aimed to determine whether PHV significantly affects motor performance beyond the chronological age, providing insights for talent identification and training optimization. Materials and methods: A total of 248 male football players from four professional academies were assessed and categorized into three maturation groups: Pre-PHV (n = 95, 38.3%), Mid-PHV (n = 98, 39.5%), and Post-PHV (n = 55, 22.2%) Anthropometric measurements included height, body mass, BMI, and leg length, while motor tests …

Urban Resilience To Environmental Displacement: Sustainable Design Strategies In Samarra And Najaf, Ghufran Rassam Hade, Khalid Hammood Mudhahe

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

This research investigates the critical role of urban resilience as a strategic framework to mitigate climate-induced environmental displacement in hot-arid regions, specifically focusing on the historical Iraqi cities of Samarra and Najaf. As global temperatures rise, these cities face intensifying thermal stress and desertification, acting as primary ``push factors'' for involuntary migration. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of sustainable urban design and traditional planning morphologies in enhancing the adaptive capacity of these urban centers. The methodology employs a Variable-based Digital Spatial Analysis utilizing Landsat 8 TIRS and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. Through advanced geospatial processing, original …

Mae Enewsbrief January-March 2026, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Receiving Isaac Again: Joy And Return To The Finite In Fear And Trembling, Jeffrey M. Matheson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that joy is a constitutive but underexamined feature of faith in Søren Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling. While the text is often interpreted through sacrifice, silence, dread, paradox, and the teleological suspension of the ethical, these categories do not exhaust Johannes de Silentio’s account of Abraham. By foregrounding Abraham’s joy, this thesis shows that faith is not merely the willingness to surrender the finite, but the capacity to receive the finite again after it has been given up. Isaac is not only Abraham’s beloved son, but the child of promise, the visible form of God’s covenant, and the …

A Mathematical Model Of The Interactions Between A Collagen Lattice, Fibroblasts, And Fixed Surfaces With Varying Topographies, Mary Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations

Collagen is an important structural protein in the body, which plays a role in wound healing, particularly the contraction process. Collagen lattices have been studied for nearly 50 years to provide insight into wound contraction. In some cases, collagen interacts with surfaces that have fixed shapes, such as medical implants. Our model focuses on the interactions of a collagen lattice with such a fixed surface. We mathematically model a collagen lattice as a network of nodes connected by springs. We also model fixed surfaces that have various topographies. Our model includes fibroblast cells that connect to both surfaces and remodel …

On The Edge Of Science?, Mark Briffa, Lynne U. Sneddon

Animal Sentience

In The Edge of Sentience, Jonathan Birch (2024) provides a thought-provoking synthesis of current perspectives on animal (and artificial) sentience. He addresses the question from conceptual, ethical, regulatory and empirical viewpoints. Here we focus on some of the scientific issues raised, including defining and operationalising the concept of sentience and the implications for policy and regulation. Despite unresolved conceptual challenges, the book makes a compelling case for the continued scientific investigation of animal sentience.

Measurement Invariance: A Tool To Weird-Icize Global Knowledge Production?, Klaus Boehnke

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

The article examines measurement invariance in quantitative cross-cultural research. Instruments are typically translated, data are collected for the different language versions, and psychometric invariance is assessed. Items deemed equivalent are preserved, while the remaining items are traditionally eliminated. Culturally inclusive methodologies independently develop items across various cultures, translate them into a lingua franca, preserve translatable items, collect data, and corroborate invariance. Non-equivalent items are usually eliminated. A more radical strategy for preserving local (emic) elements is suggested here. Instrument developers across cultures concur on the measurability of a specific construct for which they independently create items, collect data without translation, …

The Holy Grail Of Arthurian Manuscripts Is For Auction At Christie’S, Christopher Berard

Humanities Program Faculty Publications

One of the most important surviving manuscripts of Arthurian literature is set to go under the hammer at Christie’s this July, carrying an estimated value of up to £2 million. Christopher Berard explores the medieval romances that gave shape to the stories of King Arthur, Lancelot, Merlin, and the Holy Grail.

https://www.medievalists.net/2026/06/holy-grail-of-arthurian-manuscripts/

Covid-19'S Impact On Student Behavior In Rural-Urban Fringe Elementary Schools, Chanel V. Leslie

College of Education

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on student behavior in rural-urban fringe schools in Northern Alabama. The qualitative narrative inquiry research centers the lived experiences of teachers from four different schools as they navigate and explain this shift during this time. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory, the study is guided by three research questions that address the changes in student behavior and classroom dynamics; teacher preparedness and the ability to manage post-pandemic behavioral challenges; and effective interventions and support strategies. This research offers further insight into the erosion of foundational social skills, widespread emotional dysregulation, and patterns …

Navigating The Cocoon: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Mothers’ Experiences Of Seeking Diagnosis And Services For Children With Disabilities In Insular Rural American Samoa, Elizabeth Cutrer, Ocean K. Akau, Lorena Seu, Isabel Medina Hull, G. E. Kawika Allen, Ofa H. Kanuch, Cameron W. H. Hee, Melia Fonoimoana Garrett

Faculty Publications

This study examines how mothers raising children with disabilities in American Samoa experience the processes of seeking diagnosis, navigating special education, and advocating for services within an insular rural context. American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. territory located 2600 miles from Hawaiʻi with a population under 50,000, represents a case of what we term insular rurality—a condition in which the structural disadvantages of rurality are intensified by oceanic isolation, territorial governance, and colonial history. Data were collected through three focus groups with fifteen mothers whose children hold a range of disability diagnoses, with a card sort activity at the outset of …

Qualitative Analysis Of Solutions To A General Class Of Nonlinear Difference Equations With Applications, Osama Moaaz, Mohamed F. Abouelenein, Mona Anis

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

This work examines the qualitative behavior of a general class of difference equations. We establish criteria guaranteeing the stability, periodicity, and boundedness of the solutions of the equation under consideration. In addition, we identify its invariant intervals. The theoretical results are subsequently applied to various special cases, among them the May--Host model. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the dynamics of the solutions and to validate the theoretical analysis.

Examining The Referral Pathway For Black Families Evaluated Through The Early Steps Program, Zelda Fleming

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that for children with or at risk for developmental delays, early intervention services are associated with improvements in academic and cognitive skills by the time they reach kindergarten (Atkins et al., 2020; Litt et al., 2017). Untreated developmental delays are linked to early school failure and social and emotional problems (Sher et al., 2020). Black children are 5 times less likely to receive early intervention services when compared to their White peers (Barnard-Brak et al., 2021; Feinberg et al.,2011). Thus, they often do not have the opportunity to receive early intervention services. The literature in this area suggests …

Designing For Fitness And Resilience In Human Artificial Intelligence Systems, Thomas R. Gill

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the last decade, new artificial intelligence models, frameworks, and applications have emerged that have radically changed the socio-technical landscape. These new technologies represent both great opportunities and great potential risks. Due to the recency of their emergence, there is little known about the longevity and long-term repercussions of artifacts powered by new artificial intelligence technology. In this dissertation, I evaluate A.I. and A.I.-based artifacts through the lens of the fitness-utility model, a tool developed by Gill and Hevner (2013) for the evaluation of an artifact's ability to survive and reproduce over long time horizons. In so doing, I also …

Assessing Renal Dysfunction Incidence Related To Intravenous Acyclovir Usage, Marwa Said Aljahwari, Mohammad Abobakr Alghazali, Aya Said Alsaidi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the incidence and contributing factors of renal dysfunction among patients receiving intravenous (IV) acyclovir at Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Specifically, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) following IV acyclovir administration, associated risk factors and potential preventive strategies to reduce nephrotoxicity. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Khoula Hospital and included patients aged 12–80 years who received IV acyclovir between January 2019 and December 2023. Patients with pre-existing renal disease or increased baseline serum creatinine were excluded. The sample size was computed using Daniel's formula, resulting …

Supporting The Wellbeing Of Multilingual Learners A Case Study On Secondary Teachers’ Use Of Transformative Social Emotional Learning Practices, Jaclyn Sparks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This qualitative case study investigated how bilingual and monolingual English-speaking teachers support the wellbeing of Multilingual Learners (MLs) and which aspects of Transformative Social Emotional Learning (TSEL) these teachers perceive themselves incorporating with MLs. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. Data analysis was conducted using open coding, axial coding, and constant comparative methods.

Findings indicate that teachers support MLs’ wellbeing by creating inclusive environments through intentionally planned lessons that center equitable opportunities for MLs to engage with the content. Furthermore, teachers perceive to utilize decolonizing practices to make the curriculum accessible for MLs. This …

Diabetes And Insulin Resistance, Causes And Treatment- A Review, Aoss Moez Abed–Alhussian Alyassery, Anas Al-Yasiry, Zainab Mahmood Al-Jammali

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: Insulin resistance, is a hormone that is produced in the beta cells of the pancreas and works to manage the sugar balance in the body, it usually occurs when the cells in the muscles, fat and liver do not respond properly to insulin and thus cannot absorb glucose from the blood, which leads to increased work of the pancreas to increase glucose.

HOMA-IR is probable a person may be infected 10 or 15 years ago from beginning the type 2 diabetes. When it derives addressing insulin resistance, life style changes should be the importance.

Objective: to review the causes …