Digital Commons Network^™

Acousto-Dielectric Tweezers Enable Independent Manipulation Of Multiple Particles, Liang Shen, Zhenhua Tian, Kaichun Yang, Joseph Rich, Jinxin Zhang, Jianping Xia, Wesley Collyer, Brandon Lu, Nanjing Hao, Zhichao Pei, Chuyi Chen, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Acoustic tweezers have gained substantial interest in biology, engineering, and materials science for their label-free, precise, contactless, and programmable manipulation of small objects. However, acoustic tweezers cannot independently manipulate multiple microparticles simultaneously. This study introduces acousto-dielectric tweezers capable of independently manipulating multiple microparticles and precise control over intercellular distances and cyclical cell pairing and separation for detailed cell-cell interaction analysis. Our acousto-dielectric tweezers leverage the competition between acoustic radiation forces, generated by standing surface acoustic waves (SAWs), and dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces, induced by gradient electric fields. Modulating these fields allows for the precise positioning of individual microparticles at points where …

Molecular Mechanisms Behind Methionine-Derived Glucosinolate Diversity In Brassica Plants, Vivian Kitainda

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

In Brassica plants, glucosinolates are a diverse class of natural products that serve as plant defense molecules. Their structural diversity comes from the use of amino acids as precursors and elongation of side chains by up to nine carbons, as well as further chemical modifications. Aliphatic methionine-derived glucosinolates are the most abundant form of these compounds. Although both elongation and chemical modification of amino acid sidechains are important for methionine-glucosinolate diversity, its elongation process has not been well described. The chain elongation enzyme methylthioalkylmalate synthase (MAMS) functions as the glucosinolate pathway gatekeeper through its substrate specificity. The x-ray crystal structure …

Resource Limitation Of Compensatory Responses In Ecosystem Processes After Biodiversity Loss, Jan Hiddink, Thomas Davies

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Biodiversity loss may result in the decline in important ecosystem processes. The effect of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning is determined by the functional contribution of the species lost and the compensatory responses of the remaining species. It is unknown to what extent the strength of the compensatory response of the remaining species depends on resources availability. Here we evaluate how the primary production of an assemblage of salt marsh plants responds to a realistic sequence of species loss in an 7-year experiment, with and without the addition of fertiliser. We found near-full compensation of progressive species loss in gross …

Genomic, Morphological And Physiological Data Support Fast Ecotypic Differentiation And Incipient Speciation In An Alpine Diving Beetle, Susana Pallares, Joaquin Ortego, Jose Antonio Carbonell, Eduardo Franco-Fuentes, David T. Bilton, Andres Millan, Pedro Abellan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

An intricate interplay between evolutionary and demographic processes has frequently resulted in complex patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity in alpine lineages, posing serious challenges to species delimitation and biodiversity conservation planning. Here we integrate genomic data, geometric morphometric analyses and thermal tolerance experiments to explore the role of Pleistocene climatic changes and adaptation to alpine environments on patterns of genomic and phenotypic variation in diving beetles from the taxonomically complex Agabus bipustulatus species group. Genetic structure and phylogenomic analyses revealed the presence of three geographically cohesive lineages, two representing trans-Palearctic and Iberian populations of the elevation-generalist A. bipustulatus and …

Identification Of Genetic Subtypes In Follicular Lymphoma, Victoria Shelton, Brad Kahl, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Follicular lymphoma (FL) exhibits considerable variability in biological features and clinical trajectories across patients. To dissect the diversity of FL, we utilized a Bernoulli mixture model to identify genetic subtypes in 713 pre-treatment tumor tissue samples. Our analysis revealed the existence of five subtypes with unique genetic profiles that correlated with clinicopathological characteristics. The clusters were enriched in specific mutations as follows: CS (CREBBP and STAT6), TT (TNFAIP3 and TP53), GM (GNA13 and MEF2B), Q (quiescent, for low mutation burden), and AR (mutations of mTOR pathway-related genes). The subtype Q was enriched for patients with stage I disease and associated …

Seroprevalence And Associated Risk Factors Of Toxoplasma Gondii Infections In Dogs In Egypt, Abdelfattah Selim, Mohamed Marzok, Hattan S. Gattan, Omar A. Aljabr, Mohammed H. Alruhaili, Mohamed Salem

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that is found all over the world and has significant importance in veterinary medicine and public health. Dogs are considered as a final host for the parasite and play an important role in spreading of infection via contamination of environment by oocysts. The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii and analysis risk factors associated with the infections in dogs. A total of 430 blood samples were collected from dogs from three governorates situated at northern Egypt and analyzed using commercial ELISA kit. The overall seroprevalence of T. gondii in dogs was 24% …

A Machine Learning Based Approach For The Identification Of Fake Bills, Tianyang Lu, Hongyang Pang

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

Fake or counterfeiting currency, which has been around as long as money has existed, is a major economic problem. Since the US dollar is the most popular form of currency globally, it is the most popular currency to counterfeit. The United States Department of Treasury estimates that between $70 million and $200 million in fake bills are in circulation. The Federal Reserve Bank uses special banknote processing systems to count each bill deposited by the bank and examine them for the possibility of counterfeits. These machines have sensors designed to detect general quality of the bills, including paper type, quality …

Science Of Hemp: Production And Pest Management Meeting Proceedings (2023)

Science of Hemp Annual Meeting

The fourth meeting of the Science of Hemp: Production and Pest Management Conference was held on November 13-15, 2023 at Auburn University in Auburn, AL. Agricultural scientists from 13 different universities across the United States attended a series of scientific presentations. Topics included agronomy, entomology, plant pathology, weed science, and controlled environment production. The abstracts for presentations and posters are included within this publication.

Global Portraits From A Changing Climate: The Influence Of Environmental Storytelling On The Climate Narrative, Alexandra Welch

Capstone Collection

Environmental Storytelling can influence the climate narrative and serve as a catalyst to structurally alter how individuals think about the environment. The medium of the “Eco-film” allows viewers to create intimate connections with the natural world, and in turn alter how individuals engage and perceive issues like climate change. To combat climate denialism this project showcases different hopeful stories in a deliverable video collection, called “Global Portraits from a Changing Climate”. Two of these videos will be filmed in Germany, featuring the Waldrapp Team Research and Conservation project. One of the videos from Waldrapp Team will touch on the social …

Living Dead Forests: Assessing Detrital Services In Puget Sound Pseudotsuga Menziesii Ecosystems, Forrest Becker

Capstone Collection

Coarse woody debris (CWD), the detrital result of down wood recruitment, contributes to wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, morphological processes like soil formation, and each forest’s sense of place but if undermanaged can fuel wildfires or obstruct stakeholder use. Despite its ubiquity in Puget Sound Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in Washington, USA, few studies quantify the exact ecosystem services which down wood provides. This study seeks to understand how forest managers can estimate the ecosystem services of down wood and how human communities perceive down wood management between community, public, and private Douglas fir (P. menziesii) …

A Compact High-Resolution Ion & Neutral Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer For Advanced Space Applications, Lucas Anderson, Chad Fish, Gregory Miller, Ryan Blase

Small Satellite Conference

We present the design, development, and testing of four novel, compact, high-precision Time-Of-Flight (TOF) Mass Spectrometers (MS) for integration with the next generation of space flight platforms. These MS instruments are capable of sampling both ions and neutral elements and are designed to integrate with a variety of space flight vehicles, including sounding rockets and small satellites (ESPA & 12U CubeSats or larger). One of the four flight instruments has been prototyped as a sounding rocket payload with a SWAP of approximately ~8 kg, and ~15 W using a 12-bit 3.2Gs/s analog-to-digital converter data acquisition system (With a Time to …

Charlotte: A Modern Tool For Cave Surveying, Luca Tringali Mr., Giacomo Canciani Dr., Alexander Debenjak, Tecla Tripari

International Journal of Speleology

The future of cave surveying is a full 3D scan, as automatic as possible, capturing all morphologically relevant details. However, the vast majority of cavers are still using tools designed more than 15 years ago. The advancements in tools for architects, CAD designers, programmers of VR and robotics could be helpful also for the caving community. That’s why Charlotte, a cheap DIY 2.5D scanner designed for cave surveying, was developed and built. To demonstrate its capabilities, a new survey of Grotta Regina del Carso cave (cad. nr. 2328/4760VG), the biggest cave in the Gorizia Karst, has been realized and published. …

Maximizing Legged Accelerations: A Matter Of Force, Time, And Gravity, Lance Brooks

Applied Physiology and Wellness Theses and Dissertations

Sprint running accelerations require runners to apply surface forces that: support body weight by pushing downward, accelerate the body horizontally by pushing backward, and align the direction of the push with the body’s mass center to maintain balance and posture, which imposes an upper limit on the average forward acceleration force equal to the average gravitational force (1.0 G) acting on the runner. This expectation arises from the mechanical constraints imposed by the need to generate sufficient vertical force to support body weight against gravity while simultaneously producing horizontal force to accelerate forward and aligning the push through the center …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Board Of Governors Meeting, August 6, 2024, Marshall University Board Of Governors

Board of Governors Minutes

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Dosimetric Comparison Of Radiation Therapy Treatment Using Hybrid-Vmat Technique For Esophageal Cancer, Colleen Cozzie

Masters Projects

Abstract

Introduction

Esophageal cancer is the fifth most common gastrointestinal cancer in the United States. As oncology treatment includes radiation as a standard of care, it is vital to examine effective treatment delivery options. Understanding the dosimetric differences between VMAT and hybrid-VMAT can help providers choose the most appropriate care plan for patients undergoing esophageal irradiation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if VMAT or hybrid-VMAT delivery would be the superior planning method for patients with planning target volumes greater than ten centimeters. Adequately covering the tumor volume while sparing dose to adjacent critical structures is the goal …

Stephen Krahling V. Merck & Co Inc

2024 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

International Consensus On Fasting Terminology, Daniela A. Koppold, Carolin Breinlinger, Etienne Hanslian, Christian Kessler, Holger Cramer, Anika Rajput Khokhar, Courtney M. Peterson, Grant Tinsley, Claudio Vernieri, Richard J. Bloomer, Michael Boschmann, Nicola L. Bragazzi, Sebastian Brandhorst, Kelsey Gabel, Alan C. Goldhamer, Martin M. Grajower, Michelle Harvie, Leonie Heilbronn, Benjamin D. Horne, Spyridon N. Karras, Jost Langhorst, Eva Lischka, Frank Madeo, Sarah J. Mitchell, Ioannis Eleemon Papagiannopoulos-Vatopaidinos, Maria Papagiannopoulou, Hanno Pijl, Eric Ravussin, Martha Ritzmann-Widderich, Krista Varady, Lilian Adamidou, Melika Chihaoui, Rafael De Cabo, Mohamed Hassanein

Clinical Research Faculty Publications

Although fasting is increasingly applied for disease prevention and treatment, consensus on terminology is lacking. Using Delphi methodology, an international, multidisciplinary panel of researchers and clinicians standardized definitions of various fasting approaches in humans. Five online surveys and a live online conference were conducted with 38 experts, 25 of whom completed all 5 surveys. Consensus was achieved for the following terms: “fasting” (voluntary abstinence from some or all foods or foods and beverages), “modified fasting” (restriction of energy intake to max. 25% of energy needs), “fluid-only fasting,” “alternate-day fasting,” “short-term fasting” (lasting 2–3 days), “prolonged fasting” (≥4 consecutive days), and …

Activity Map Generation And Event-Based Sensor Processing With Spiking Autoencoders And Sparse Dictionary Learning, Jack Easton

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the potential of Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) in processing event sensor data and generating high-fidelity activity maps. Event sensors capture asynchronous binary events with high dynamic range, but traditional processing methods often fail to leverage their advantages fully. SNNs, with their asynchronous, event-driven nature, offer a promising alternative.

A Spiking Autoencoder (SAE) was employed in this thesis to handle the stochastic and sparse event data, integrating deep dictionary learning to enhance the feature space and improve activity map quality. The encoder, modeled after the VGG network, extracts features from event streams generated by speckle patterns, which are …

Bayesian And Deep Generative Modeling In Immunology, Yuqiu Yang

Statistical Science Theses and Dissertations

Due to the accumulation of a large volume of data of different natures such as sequencing data, proteomics data, and clinical data, statistical methods and deep learning algorithms have become increasingly important in the field of immunology. By leveraging the diverse datasets as well as interdisciplinary knowledge from areas like biology and public health, these quantitative methods have revolutionized this field by providing powerful tools for data analysis, modeling, and prediction. This has led to a deeper understanding of the immune system, accelerated the development of novel therapies, and paved the way for personalized and precision medicine approaches in immunology. …

Integration Of Machine Learning And Quantum Mechanical Calculations For De Novo Drug Design, Ayesh Madushanka Mahamada Kalapuwage

Chemistry Theses and Dissertations

The drug designing process is an intricate and resource-intensive endeavor, spanning approximately 12 years to transform a lead compound into a functional drug. Computer-aided drug design (CADD) plays a fundamental role in this process, mitigating the risk of failures in the later stage and saving valuable time and money. In the last decade, Artificial intelligence (AI) has provided remarkable alternatives for practical challenges, including drug design. Simultaneously, advanced QM calculations have achieved near-experimental accuracy in simulating drug-target interactions. However, introducing QM and AI-based techniques into drug discovery presents considerable challenges. AI techniques require high- quality data and often struggle with …

Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry Applications For Metabolomics, Darcy Cochran, Robert Powers

Robert Powers Publications

Metabolomics is an interdisciplinary field that aims to study all metabolites < 1500 Da that are ubiquitously found within all organisms. Metabolomics is experiencing exponential growth and commonly relies on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) is a form of HRMS that is particularly well suited for metabolomics research due to its exceptionally high resolution (10⁵–10⁶) and sensitivity with a mass accuracy in parts per billion (ppb). In this regard, FT-ICR-MS can provide valuable insights into the metabolomics analysis of complex biological systems due to unique capabilities such as the easy separation of isobaric and isomeric species, isotopic fine structure analysis, spatial resolution of metabolites in cells and tissues, and a high confidence (error) in metabolite identification. Alternatively, the large and complex data sets, long acquisition times, high cost, and limited access mainly through national mass spectrometry facilities may impede the …

Swab, Summer J. Decker, Jonathan Ford, Todd Hazelton, Todd Goldstein, Kami Kim, Michael Teng, John Sinnott

USF Patents

No abstract provided.

Bio-Enriched Soil Technologies (Best), Norma Arcelia Alcantar

USF Patents

A bio-enriched soil and method of production is presented. If water supply is scant, bio-enriched soil technologies (BEST) are able to attract, store, and transport water and nutrient molecules to a plant in a controlled way. If the water or nutrient resources are excessive, BEST can release the excess and supply only what is needed. Hence, bio-enriched soil can function in climates in which crops normally are under stress by increasing the bioavailability of nutrients and water.

Spring-Loaded Device For Eliciting Deep Tendon Reflexes, Kevin Chao Hong

USF Patents

A deep tendon reflex-eliciting device actuated by pressure against a patient's skin, which releases a spring-loaded mass that delivers an impulse through a fully-enclosed housing. This device includes a weight contained within the casings, and a mainspring in communication with the weight. The mainspring has a bias toward expansion. In the compressed position, the mainspring is also compressed, and the weight is pushed backwards into the rear casing. The weight is released to be driven forward by the mainspring. The weight strikes the inside of the forward casing, delivering an impulse to a surface against which the device is pressed. …

Comparative Plan Analysis: Helical Tomotherapy Vs. Linac Vmat For Lower Extremity Sarcomas, Marie E. Dibona

Masters Projects

Abstract

Introduction

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) affect about 13,500 people annually in the United States, and those in the lower extremities present unique challenges in radiation therapy due to the wide variability in tumor sizes, sometimes exceeding 30cm. Traditional treatment involves C-Arm linear accelerators using Volumetric Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT), which provides precise targeting while sparing nearby organs. Helical Tomotherapy (HT) is another option, delivering radiation in a helical pattern with a binary MLC for a uniform dose distribution. However, no studies have compared VMAT and HT for lower extremity sarcomas of different sizes. This study aims to compare these …

Stress Granule Formation Helps To Mitigate Neurodegeneration, M. Rebecca Glineburg, Evrim Yildirim, Nicolas Gomez, Genesis Rodriguez, Jaclyn Pak, Xingli Li, Christopher Altheim, Jacob Waksmacki, Gerald M. Mcinerney, Sami J. Barmada, Peter K. Todd

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Cellular stress pathways that inhibit translation initiation lead to transient formation of cytoplasmic RNA/protein complexes known as stress granules. Many of the proteins found within stress granules and the dynamics of stress granule formation and dissolution are implicated in neurodegenerative disease. Whether stress granule formation is protective or harmful in neurodegenerative conditions is not known. To address this, we took advantage of the alphavirus protein nsP3, which selectively binds dimers of the central stress granule nucleator protein G3BP and markedly reduces stress granule formation without directly impacting the protein translational inhibitory pathways that trigger stress granule formation. In Drosophila and …

Development Of A Nephelometer For Characterization Of Calcium Oxalate Crystal Concentrations Within Solution, Conrad Small

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of kidney stones has been steadily increasing over the last 30 years, affecting both men and women across all age groups. This rise is largely attributed to lifestyle changes associated with technological advancements, such as more sedentary lifestyles, dietary shifts towards more processed foods, and an increased incidence of metabolic diseases like diabetes. Despite the growing prevalence of kidney stones, the methods for early detection have remained relatively unchanged. Current testing involves collecting urine samples over a 24-hour period and sending them to a lab for microscopic and dipstick analysis. This process provides a comprehensive overview of urine …

Comparing Cadaveric And 3d-Printed Laryngeal Models In Transcutaneous Injection Laryngoplasty, Megha Chandna, Sana Siddiqui, Dylan Bertoni, Marah Sakkal, Sara Belko, Maurits Boon, Joseph Spiegel

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is increasing focus on the development of high-quality simulation models for medical education. Cadaveric models, although considered more realistic, may be difficult to obtain and costly. The advent of three-dimensional (3D) printing has offered a low-cost, reliable, and reproducible alternative. This study sought to compare the utility of 3D-printed to cadaveric models for training in transcutaneous injection laryngoplasty (TIL).

METHODS: A simulation course with a cross-over design was employed. Video laryngoscopes were utilized for both the 3D and cadaveric models to assess the accuracy of injection into the vocal fold. Pre-procedure and post-procedure surveys were administered to evaluate …

Knowledge Management Of Historical Data: Ontology Development For Chemical Reactions, Quynh D. Tran, Alexander Harding Bradley, Balashanmuga Priyan Rajamohan, Jonathan E. Gordon, Van D. Tran, Kiefer Lin, Erika I. Barcelos, Laura S. Bruckman, Roger H. French

Researchers, Instructors, & Staff Scholarship

Knowledge management of the literature and historical data is critical to accelerated drug and materials discovery. Currently, literature knowledge is scattered in journal articles in various formats: diagrams, texts, plots, etc. Historical data from past experiments are saved in a number of local computers under confusing folder structures with ambiguous file names. To manage and organize historical data and knowledge, our group (SDLE) at CWRU follows FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles, which outline the best practices for data stewardship and data provenance, and ontology, a formal representation of terms and concepts and their relationships, as a tool to improve …

Effects Of E-Cigarettes On The Lung And Systemic Metabolome In People With Hiv, Aline Zaparte, Courtney J. Christopher, Connie Arnold, Lauren Richey, Adairre Castille, Kyle Mistretta, Christopher M. Taylor, Huiyi Lin, Steve Nelson, John P. Kirwan, John W. Apolzan, Shawn R. Campagna, David A. Welsh

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The popularity of e-cigarettes (vaping) has soared, creating a public health crisis among teens and young adults. Chronic vaping can induce gut inflammation and reduce intestinal barrier function through the production of the proinflammatory molecule hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This is particularly concerning for people with HIV (PWH) as they already face impaired immune function and are at a higher risk for metabolic dysregulation, diabetes, and chronic liver disease. Furthermore, PWH experience unhealthy behaviors, making it crucial to understand the systemic metabolic dysregulation and pathophysiological mechanisms associated with vaping in this population. Here, we employed liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics to …