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Montana Kaimin, April 23, 2026, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Federalist Politics And The Elusive Original Meaning Of The Free Exercise Clause, Jack Thorlin

Catholic University Law Review

Originalism requires interpreting the Constitution by reference to a provision’s original public meaning. But there is very little evidence of original public meaning for some constitutional provisions, most notably the Free Exercise Clause. Originalists have splintered into several different methodological approaches toward the Clause. Justices Scalia and O’Connor staked out opposing originalist views on the Clause thirty years ago in Employment Division v. Smith and City of Boerne v. Flores. In the Roberts Court, some of the conservative justices have attempted to apply a simple textualist interpretation of the Clause, but those efforts have not attracted most of the …

The Double-Edged Rhetoric Of Parental Rights: Conflicts Between Freedom And Control In Cases Concerning Transgender Youth, Susan Etta Keller

Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy

This Article examines the rhetorical structures courts and advocates deploy in two distinct lines of cases adjudicating parental rights claims affecting transgender youth: cases challenging state bans on gender-affirming care, and cases challenging school policies supportive of transgender students. Although the legal basis for the parental rights claims in each set of cases is the same—substantive due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment—the alignment of parental interests with those of their children diverges between the two sets. In the gender-affirming care cases, parents act in concert with their children’s expressed interests; in the school policy cases, parents seek to override …

Quantification Of Mouse Tracheal Epithelial Cell Differentiation With Cilia Defects, Olivia V. Allen

Honors Thesis

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder that affects 1 in every 7,500 live births. PCD results from motile cilia defects, impairing mucociliary clearance and causing chronic respiratory infections. Our lab studies include three PCD mouse lines — bgh (Spef2), nm1054 (Cfap221), and Cfap54^gt/gt (Cfap54). Prior transcriptomic data led us to hypothesize that PCD mutant mouse tracheal epithelial cells (MTECs) exhibit reduced differentiation into ciliated cells. MTECs from the trachea of the Wild Type (WT) and the PCD mutant mouse lines were cultured at an Air Liquid Interface (ALI) to start …

Llm For Clinical Named Entity Recognition: A Study On Rag With Pubmed And Umls, Apoorv Tripathi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first step of biomedical NLP is recognizing clinical named entities, which consist of identifying and categorizing a variety of clinical entities such as diseases, symptoms, genetics, diagnostic tests, procedures, etc. from a body of unstructured clinical text. This study presents a PubMed and UMLS based Retrieval Augmented Generation framework which improves the performance of the Large Language Models to identify clinical entities by providing context. In particular, the framework consists of a two-stage pipeline, where candidate tokens are identified from initial LLM-based classification and refined with retrieved context from either PubMed or UMLS. The proposed framework is assessed across …

Synthesis, Structural Elucidation, In Vitro Antibacterial Activity Of Mononuclear Ag(I) Complex Derived From (E)-N-(4-Fluorophenyl)-1-(Pyridin-2-Yl) Methanimine And Triphenylphosphine Ancillary Ligand., Olufemi Stephen Odulaja, Saliu Alao Amolegbe, Muritala Adeniyi Olusola

Tanzania Journal of Science

Chemo-therapeutic application of metal complexes to remediation and subjugation of emerging infectious diseases with a view to improving potency and efficacy of a variety of drugs is gaining more momentum, especially in the 21st century. This research work designed a new biologically active complex [AgL(PPh3)2]NO3,C, obtained from the reaction of Ag(I) nitrate with bidentate pyridinyl Schiff base ligand (E)-N-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-(pyridin-2-yl) methanimine L, with triphenylphosphine (PPh3) as co-ligand. Characterisation was done by FT-IR, UV-Vis, NMR, (TGA/DTA), X-ray crystallography, and elemental analysis. The combined effects of pyridinyl Schiff base ligand and PPh3 on the antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, …

Dietary Preferences And Food-Seeking Behavior Of Discoid Cockroaches, Blaberus Discoidaliscont., Robert Larsen, Sadie Ariola

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Blaberus discoidalis, also known as discoid cockroaches, inhabit the tropics of South America where their diet consists of leaf litter and decaying organic matter on the ground. This experiment expands on research from two previous years, originally based on the loitering time of the roach's different food types. Such as peanuts, leaf litter, and bananas. The experiment this year was to determine which food was preferred by determining how much it was eaten. Each food item, peanuts, banana, and leaf litter (peanuts alone are crushed) were dried in an oven for 24 hours and weighed before and after each trial. …

Horned Oak Galls And Their Dispersal On Lindenwood's Campus, Peyton Birkenmeier, Timothy Sesterhenn

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Horned oak galls are woody growths found on the branches of oak trees (Quercus sp.). These growths are caused by the parasitic wasp, Callirhytis cornigera. These wasps produce the galls by piercing the branch with their ovipositors and laying eggs into the branch. Based on the severity of infestation, these galls can cause severe damage or even death to oak trees. This research determined the dispersal and severity of horned oak galls infesting the different species of oak trees around the heritage side of Lindenwood. This was done by walking around the heritage side of campus and observing different species …

Exploring The Impact Of A Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Autonomic Functioning: A Multisystem Approach, Li Shen Chong, Rachel C. Bucher, Edward Merritt, Elana B. Gordis

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Previous work on brief mindfulness-based interventions (bMBI) reveals that they consistently alleviate stress, but their impact on biological stress response systems, such as the autonomic nervous system (ANS), varies. Nevertheless, most of this work has focused on only a single physiological response system or a specific biomarker, limiting insight into how multiple systems work together. The present study tested whether bMBI alters ANS markers and coordination across ANS subsystems. Participants were young adults (bMBI: n = 44, M age = 18.64 years; control: n = 47, M age = 19.00 years) who completed two sessions of either a brief mindfulness …

Effects Of Gibberellic Acid On Mutant Millet, Claire Swiderski, Eric Grant, Kimberly Karlsson, Neil Telfer, Jonathan Becker

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Millets are grasses with small seeds grown as a cereal crop, a major food crop, especially in equatorial regions and in developing countries. Millet plants can develop a dwarfism mutation that leads to less growth and lower yields than normal millet plants. This mutation can be related to a deficiency or insensitivity to a plant growth hormone called gibberellin. We used two experimental groups of millet plants, a control group and a group that received gibberellin treatments. By treating the plants with gibberellin, we observed increased growth in mutant and wild-type millet plants. We measured the length of each plant …

Effects Of Gibberellic Acid (Ga3) On Growth, Height, And Structural Strength In Mutant Setaria Viridis, Gracie Jones, Emma Lewis, Robert Larsen, Alejandro Molina

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Gibberellin (GA3) is a plant hormone that promotes stem elongation and overall plant growth. It increases cell elongation, which results in taller plants. However, increased growth may come at the cost of structural strength. Some mutant plants respond differently to gibberellin depending on whether they are sensitive or insensitive to the hormone. Sensitive mutants lack the ability to produce gibberellin but respond when it is applied, while insensitive mutants do not respond due to defects in hormone signaling. This experiment examines how GA3 affects plant height, panicle development, and structural stability in mutant Setariaviridis.

Neuromuscular Function And Balance In Young Adults: Feasibility And Reliability Of Strength And Conditioning Assessments, Riley Fritzsche, Nicole Waldo Johnson, Jessica M. Moon

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Neuromuscular assessments are widely used in exercise science however; the reliability of comprehensive functional testing batteries in healthy young adults remains unclear. Since sex and hormone status may influence performance, this study proposes that neuromuscular outcomes will differ across males, naturally cycling females, and hormonal contraceptive users. This pilot study will evaluate the feasibility and test-retest reliability of a neuromuscular assessment battery in adults aged 18–35 using a repeated-measures design. Participants will complete two identical testing sessions separated by 5–10 days. Assessments will include balance on force plates, handgrip strength, a 5-repetition chair-rise, and the 3-meter Timed Up-and-Go, alongside neuromuscular …

How Does The Concentration Of Gibberellic Acid (Ga3) Impact The Growth Of Different Setaria Viridis Mutants?, Liz Ritenhour, Gracey Horn, Lawson Veit, Grant Juris, Rodrigo Suarez Almajano

2026 Student Academic Showcase

We tested the relationship between gibberlin and plant growth through the use of gibberellic acid and different dwarf millet variants. Subjects were split into two groups: group one with no gibberellic acid application, and group two with periodic gibberellic application. Each group consisted of 17 pots. Each row held one mutant variant, while the bottom left pot was removed to store water. The objective was to have significant data by the end of the semester to prove the relevant relationship of gibberellin and plant growth.

Dopamine, Addiction, And Cocaine, Addison Delisle

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that strongly affects brain function by altering the dopamine system. This project examines both the short- and long-term neurological effects of cocaine, focusing on molecular, cellular, and brain-wide changes. Short-term use increases dopamine in the synapse, causing intense euphoria, heightened alertness, and impaired decision-making. Repeated use leads to long-term changes, including fewer dopamine receptors, structural changes in the prefrontal cortex and striatum, and reduced synaptic plasticity, which contribute to addiction, cognitive problems, and emotional instability. Drawing on neuroimaging, behavioral studies, and molecular research, this project highlights how cocaine progressively reshapes brain circuits. Understanding these effects …

Growth Effects Of Gibberellin Acid On Seteria Viridis, Isabella Calmet, Jamie Karase, Riley Massey, Allsion Schrumpf, Molly Suppa

2026 Student Academic Showcase

This study examined the effects of gibberellic acid (GAs) on growth in dwarf mutant families of Setaria viridis, a model grass species used to investigate hormone-regulated plant development. Dwarf phenotypes in grasses are often associated with disruptions in gibberellin biosynthesis or signaling, making them ideal for evaluating hormone response. Eight mutant families were analyzed using a paired experimental design, where each family was equally distributed between a control group and a GAs-treated group. Seeds were planted in pots with four seeds per pot, maintaining consistent representation of each family across treatments. During the third week of growth, the treatment group …

Effects Of Gibberellic Acid (Ga3) On Growth In Setaria Viridis Mutant Families, Rebecca Laird, Charmaine Dao, Kayneisha Hepburn, Madison Brown, Hailey Veninga

2026 Student Academic Showcase

The grass Setaria viridis has frequently been employed in research due to its short life cycle, small genome, and close relationship to food crops like maize (corn). Setaria is utilized to study the genetic processes governing reproductive development. In this experiment, the effects of gibberellic acid (GA) therapy on several Setaria viridis mutant families have been investigated. This experiment also aims to detect variations in plant height phenotype by comparing GA-treated plants with untreated control plants. The researchers collected and planted eight dwarf millet seeds and one wild type mutant seed and planted in a ‘control’ tray and a ‘treatment’ …

Mandibular Landmark Determination Based On Statistical Features Of Panoramic Radiograph Images Using Multi-Output Neural Network, Nur Nafiiyah, Agus Harjoko, Kang-Hyun Jo, Rini Widyaningrum, Eha Renwi Astuti, Alhidayati Asymal

Baghdad Science Journal

The mandible is crucial in orthodontic treatment, forensic identification, and clinical diagnosis. However, manually identifying mandibular landmarks is time-consuming and highly dependent on expert skill, necessitating a more reliable automated prediction method. Previous research has used linear and nonlinear regression methods, in which each model predicts a single landmark point, resulting in inefficiency. In addition, these methods only use the centroid of the binary image of the mandible as input. This research proposes a multi-output neural network model that is able to predict multiple mandibular landmark points simultaneously. The proposed neural network architecture in predicting mandibular landmark points is 11 …

Aggression And Fish Welfare: Challenges And Opportunities, Christine M. Soper, Peter D. Dijkstra

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano’s (2024) [O&B] target article discusses the wellbeing and sociality of bony fishes. Many fish species, such as cichlids, are not only social but territorial. Aggression is normal, but territorial aggression in a captive environment can have a negative impact on welfare. Aggression-related injuries and deaths are prevalent in pet stores as well as research settings. We discuss the need to develop effective methods to minimize the negative consequences of aggression.

Second April 2026 Graduate Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Family-Based Gwas Of Cognitive Endophenotypes Reveals Genetic Architecture Of Memory And Executive Function In Alzheimer’S Disease, Kesheng Wang, Xueying Yang, Gayenell Magwood, Chun Xu, R. Osvaldo Navia, Jean Neils-Strunjas, Xiaoming Li

Health & Biomedical Sciences Faculty Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is characterized by progressive memory and cognitive decline. Conventional genome-wide association studies (GWAS) comparing AD cases and controls may miss genetic influences that act along a continuum of cognitive function. Using data from 3007 participants in the National Institute on Aging Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Family Study (NIA-LOAD GWAS), we conducted a family-based GWAS of eight quantitative cognitive phenotypes encompassing episodic memory (Logical Memory IA and IIA), working memory (Digit Span Forward, Backward, and Ordering), and semantic fluency (Animal, Fruit and Vegetable, and Vegetable Fluency). Family-based association testing in PLINK v1.9 identified …

Effects Of Spatially Targeted Fertilizer Strategies On Canopy Growth Across Contrasting Tart Cherry Orchard Sites, Kurt Wedegaertner, Brent Black, Matt Yost, Grant Cardon

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Variable-rate fertilization is increasingly promoted in perennial orchard systems, but its effectiveness remains difficult to predict because tree responses are often inconsistent and strongly conditioned by site-specific constraints. To address this, we evaluated soil-based and vigor-based zoning frameworks across four commercial tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) orchards representing contrasting soil conditions, canopy structures, and management histories. Within each orchard, management zones were defined using either soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) or satellite-derived canopy vigor. Fertilization strategies were implemented by varying fertilizer application timing among zones using split-application approaches while maintaining a constant total fertilizer rate. Tree-level canopy structure was …

Liminality And Space In The Iliad And The Heike Monogatari, Jade Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

Both the Iliad and the Heike monogatari have received scholarly attention throughout the years, though rarely in comparison with one another. A few scholars, such as Tyler Creer and Naoko Yamagata, have attempted to examine the two side by side, but very little work has been done beyond their respective analyses. This is unsurprising as a cursory glance at the two texts suggests that they are too separated by time and space to warrant closer examination. I argue, however, that there is great value in analyzing the two side by side. Indeed, a closer look at these texts reveals that …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 19 - April 23, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 19 - April 23, 2026. 16 pages.

Optimization Of Pediatric Multidetector Ct Imaging Parameters Using A Machine Learning–Based Monte Carlo Simulation Model, Ali O. Masoud, Adithya Rajnaryanan, Khamis O. Amour, Ahmed M. Jusabani, Justin E Ngaile, Manoj Kumar, Mwingereza John Kumwenda Dr

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study utilized Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to optimize radiation doses in pediatric multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) head scans by analyzing key parameters like tube current (mA), tube voltage (kV), pitch, and slice thickness. The findings indicate that reducing tube current significantly lowers the Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIvol) and Dose Length Product (DLP), effectively minimizing patient radiation exposure. Higher pitch values (0.7–0.9) further reduced radiation by decreasing beam overlap, while using a thinner slice thickness (0.6 mm) improved dose efficiency. A comparison highlighted the effectiveness of optimization: simulated parameters kVp 100, mAs 81, pitch 0.98 yielded a CTDIvol of …

Mitochondrial Dna Replication Is Regulated By Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mitochondrial Contact Sites, The Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter, And Manganese, Amaia Lopez De Arbina, Angelica Zamudio-Ochoa, Mikel Muñoz-Oreja, Diego Perez-Rodriguez, Laura Mosqueira-Martín, Rebecca Lasalandra, Marina Villar-Fernandez, Uxoa Fernandez-Pelayo, Laura Rodriguez-Gomez, Seungtae Lee, Francisco Gil-Bea, Nerea Osinalde, Ainara Vallejo-Illaramendi, Dmitry Temiakov, Antonella Spinazzola, Ian Holt

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Mitochondrial DNA replication occurs at contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria (ERMCS). Beyond the known role of the tubular ER protein RTN4, the factors regulating this process are poorly defined. Here, we show that repressing the ER protein ERLIN2 in human fibroblasts depletes ER-mitochondrial contact sites and inhibits mitochondrial DNA replication, as does silencing RTN4 or the ER-mitochondrial tether GRP75. GRP75 or RTN4 scarcity also decreases the level of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU), whose inhibition blocks mitochondrial DNA synthesis. Because ERMCS depletion did not diminish mitochondrial calcium, and MCU complex can transport manganese, we tested whether …

The Effects Of Oleuropein In Olive Leaf Extract Alone Or Combined With Calcitriol On The Viability And Migration Of Human Endometrial Cells In Vitro, Katelyn Devereaux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide and is commonly associated with pelvic pain, infertility, and reduced quality of life. Current management strategies, including hormonal therapies and surgical intervention, often provide only temporary relief and are associated with recurrence and adverse effects. These limitations highlight the need for alternative, non-hormonal therapeutic approaches that target underlying inflammatory and cellular mechanisms of disease progression.

This study evaluated the effects of oleuropein, contained within an olive leaf extract, and calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, on cellular viability and migration in immortalized human endometriotic epithelial (12Z) …

What Happens After Oil And Gas Decommissioning? A Global Systematic Review Of Marine Environmental Effects, Anaelle Lemasson Lemasson, Antony M. Knights

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The thousands of oil and gas (OG) platforms placed at sea for fossil fuel extraction have introduced new hard substrate to the marine environment. Over time, these structures can become colonized by a diversity of marine life, fostering novel ecosystems. However, an increasing number of OG platforms are reaching decommissioning age and decisions regarding their fate must be made. Some view these artificial structures as litter that ought to be removed; others view them as valuable contributors to marine biodiversity worth preserving. Evidence of the environmental effects of these structures following different decommissioning strategies is needed to identify the potential …

April 23, 2026, The Daily Mississippian

Daily Mississippian (all digitized issues)

No abstract provided.

Theory And Simulations Of Delayed Stochastic And Deterministic Models Of Prion Diseases, Gangadhara Boregowda, Omar Sharif, Daniel Gutierrez Iii, Allegra Simmons, Laurent Pujo-Menjouet, Tamer Oraby, Michael R. Lindstrom

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prion diseases, are characterized by the dynamical spread of toxic proteins through the brain. In prion diseases, cellular prion protein (PrPC), produced by neurons, misfolds into a toxic form, known as scrapie prion protein (PrPSc). PrPSc induces neuronal stress which ultimately leads to cell death. In this paper, we develop mathematical models for the progression of prion diseases, incorporating a cellular defense mechanism that introduces a delay term affecting protein translation and a volatility term accounting for unaccounted biological factors influencing the system. We also extend the model to capture the spatial …

April 23, 2026, James Madison University

The Breeze, 2020-

The Breeze is the student newspaper of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.