Digital Commons Network^™

Characterization Of The Aspergillus Flavus Rdia Gene With A Rdi1∆ Mutant Of C. Neoformans, Sam Raub

Liberty University Research Week

The genus Aspergillus includes several species that are opportunistic pathogens, with members ranked in the World Health Organization’s fungal critical priority pathogen list. Aspergillus flavus, a member of the genus, synthesizes aflatoxin (AF), a polyketide mycotoxin and the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen known. aflR is a pathway-specific transcription factor that plays a central role in the regulatory network for AF biosynthesis. Transcriptomic analysis under AF-conducive and non-conducive conditions identified a cluster of genes with similar expression profiles to aflR. Among these is a putative Rho-GDP dissociation inhibitor that regulates AF production and virulence in A. flavus. Deletion of this …

Histological Quality Of Fresh And Pre-Fixed Tissue, Rebekah Satalino, Andrew Hodges, Bright Danso, Gretchka Mair, Kingsley Ampong

Liberty University Research Week

The quality of a tissue sample used for histological analysis robustly influences the accuracy of scientific results and diagnostic interpretation. For fresh tissue samples, the duration between termination and fixation is a major determinant for tissue quality going forward as fixation halts tissue degradation. The condition of the fixed tissue before subsequent processing can have a pronounced effect on staining characteristics and cellular component integrity as examined under the microscope. However, while fresh tissue is frequently considered best, many institutions may only have access to pre-fixed tissue for training or research purposes. The aim of this research is to compare …

Music Enhances Theta Brainwave Activity Regardless Of Tuning Frequency, Robert Somerville, Davis Raz, Ersilia Mirabelli, Jettson Yarborough, Luc-Shalom Kouame

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Influential Factors And Prospective Causes To The Development Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Kayley Palmer

Liberty University Research Week

Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative condition that presents with cognitive impairment and progressive functional decline. Alzheimer's Disease has affected every family to some extent, but do we truly understand the holistic picture of what exactly causes Alzheimer’s Disease? AD has boggled researchers for many years, and has often left the scientific community with more questions than answers. It is vital for the families of the individuals whose lives are forever altered by this progressive disease to understand what influences its production, and what prevention measures could be beneficial. It presents with even more importance for the mental health professionals to …

Quantifying Biogenic Amines In Anaerobic Porcine Liver Decomposition For Improved Pmi Estimation Using Gc/Ms, Shanice Rerrie, Faith Ekoh

Liberty University Research Week

Postmortem interval (PMI) estimation remains a central challenge in forensic science, particularly during the early stages of decomposition. Quantifying biochemical changes during tissue breakdown has emerged as a promising approach to improve accuracy in PMI determination. This study expands on earlier research that quantified the biogenic amines cadaverine (CAD), putrescine (PUT), and methylamine (MEA), which result from bacterial amino acid decarboxylation during decomposition. It specifically examines how these compounds form under anaerobic conditions over a prolonged 30-day period. Porcine liver, serving as a human tissue analog, was decomposed in sealed anaerobic chambers. Tissue samples were collected at regular intervals, homogenized, …

“Slaves To Sin:” Harnessing Neuroplasticity To Defeat Habitual Behaviors, Charity Parrott

Liberty University Research Week

How does neuroplasticity affect the life of a Christian? This thesis will seek to address the concepts of habit formation, neuroplasticity, and top-down control through a neurobiological perspective, and how they relate to the Biblical concept of habitual sin. Discoveries in neuroplasticity have revealed the brain to be a malleable organ, capable of rewiring neural connections and, in the hippocampus region, neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons (Fuchs & Flügge, 2014). This thesis will compile research in neuroplasticity, explore the biological reasons behind the difficulty in escaping patterns of sin, and connect Biblical-based strategies for sin prevention with neurobiology. …

The Impact Of Maternal Western-Style Diet On Ovarian Anti-Müllerian Hormone Expression And Localization In Mouse Offspring, Kati Platt, Chase Shinabery, Jackson Mellish, Madison Howard, Soriya Scott

Liberty University Research Week

The Western diet, characterized by high saturated fat and sucrose intake, has become increasingly prevalent in the United States and globally, yet its effects on female reproductive health across life stages remain insufficiently understood. In adult human females, consumption of a Western-style diet has been linked to an increase in premenstrual symptoms, higher rates of depression, and elevated free estradiol levels, contributing to an increased risk of breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. In human female children, Western diet consumption has been linked to an early onset of secondary sexual characteristics and premature menarche. Maternal consumption of this diet during …

Evaluating Sexual Dimorphism In An Urban Neonate Regina Septemvittata Population, Arleigh Wagoner, Nathan Wilkins

Liberty University Research Week

Regina septemvittata, commonly known as Queensnakes, are broadly distributed across eastern and central North America. In adult Queensnakes, females average a greater snout-vent length (SVL) than males. Since Queensnakes exhibit size dimorphism and have short life spans and low survival rates, it was hypothesized that neonate Queensnakes begin to display a distinct sex-related difference in SVL within their first few months of life. Our study investigated growth rates of neonate Queensnakes by conducting a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) study over a three-month period (August through October; birth to first brumation) in an urban stream in Lynchburg, VA. Captured snakes were measured (SVL), …

Evaluation Of Cadaver Tissue Antigenicity As A Practical Teaching Tool For Immunohistochemistry, Shanice Rerrie, Jumana Rizk, Levon Shukrian, Maria Mendoza Lopez

Liberty University Research Week

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a core technique in biomedical research and is increasingly important for teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. However, teaching laboratories typically rely on animal-derived tissues because the access to fresh human specimens is restricted due to ethical concerns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether cadaveric tissue can retain sufficient antigenicity for immunohistochemical analysis and thereby serve as an effective and ethical teaching resource. Liver lobe and renal cortex samples (approximately 1 cm³) were collected from an 88-year-old female donor. Target proteins were selected for their established roles in vitamin D metabolism and their …

Production, Isolation And Characterization Of Novel Peroxidases From Cucurbita Family, Rahel Mamo

Liberty University Research Week

Peroxidases are found throughout nature and are valuable biocatalysts due to their versatility in catalyzing oxidative reactions using hydrogen peroxide as a co-substrate. The peroxidase from horseradish root is widely used in diagnostics and synthetic applications, however, plant peroxidases from other plant sources remain underexplored. Recently, a peroxidase from the skin of Cucurbita maxima (PKS) was isolated and demonstrated promising biocatalytic properties related to the decomposition of a wide variety of fluorinated aromatic compounds. Purification and characterization of this enzyme revealed a protein sequence that was similar to the well characterized HRP, with some key amino acid substitutions. A second …

Characterizing B1 B-Cells In Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Alyssa Canelo, Victoria Pacheco

Liberty University Research Week

This project tests the hypothesis that developing antibodies specific to zebrafish CD5 and IgM will enable the reliable identification and characterization of B1 B-cells in zebrafish. B1 B-cells play a critical role in autoimmunity across species, yet their functions remain poorly characterized in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish are widely used as a developmental and immunological model organism due to their genetic similarity to humans as well as their transparent embryos. The lack of species-specific antibodies has hindered the study of B1 B-cells in zebrafish.

This project seeks to develop and validate antibodies against zebrafish CD5 and IgM. This will be …

Characterizing Novel Peroxidase Activity Through Enzyme Kinetics And Equilibrium Binding, Marika Yelle

Liberty University Research Week

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants, motivating the exploration of peroxidases as potential bioremediation catalysts. This study spectroscopically characterized three peroxidases, with a focus on Pumpkin Skin Peroxidase (PKS). Initial characterization assessed PKS equilibrium binding with various ligands to determine dissociation constants (Kd) for each ligand-enzyme interaction. To characterize PKS catalytic activity, guaiacol oxidation was monitored, with parallel KF trials modelled by Michaelis-Menten kinetics, revealing fluoride-induced increases in Km and Vmax, consistent with an inhibitory effect on substrate binding and catalytic turnover. These findings provide insight into the function of PKS and its potential for environmentally relevant …

Bacterial Purification Of Hat Enzymes From Cryptococcus Neoformans: Esa1 And Gcn5 Purification, Manasi Joshi, Andrew Wisley

Liberty University Research Week

Gene expression in eukaryotes is tightly regulated by post-translational modifications. Histone acetylation is an epigenetic modification associated with increased transcription. The putative histone acetyltransferase (HAT) in the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, Something About Silencing 3 (SAS3), has been a novel research target due to its potential role in virulence that causes nearly 112,000 to 625,000 annual deaths worldwide through cryptococcal meningitis. Although SAS3 homologs acetylate core histone 3 in mammalian organisms, recombinant SAS3 has not yet demonstrated HAT activity. Previously, an established human HAT p300 was used as a positive control to validate enzymatic conditions for HAT assays. However, using known …

Offspring Cognitive And Neurobiological Outcomes Influenced By Maternal Dietary Patterns, Emma Whatley, Abigail Frommack, Karina Long, Sarah Nelson

Liberty University Research Week

The impact of maternal diet on offspring neurodevelopment is a relatively new field, and its areas of focus are vast. The field is predominantly studied and understood through the impacts of an unhealthy diet, the maternal Western diet (WD), but there is very little research on healthy diets like the maternal Mediterranean diet (MD). The general healthiness of the diet and some limited research support that this diet could have beneficial impacts on offspring. This research aims to explore the impacts of a maternal MD on adult offspring. We hypothesize that the maternal MD will enhancing cognitive performance in learning, …

Pilot Study: Black Tea Extract And Theaflavin Polyphenols Effects On L6 Myotubes, Elizabeth Allen

Liberty University Research Week

This research investigates bioactive polyphenol group theaflavins found in black tea and how they affect Akt signaling in skeletal muscle. The black tea polyphenols are a collection of innate compounds in Camillia sinensis, among them being the theaflavin group which is comprised of four compounds: theaflavin (TF1), theaflavin 3-gallate (TF2A), theaflavin 3’-gallate (TF2B), and theaflavin 3,3’ digallate (TF3) (He, 2017). The theaflavins group has been described as bioactive in a variety of different cellular pathways such as apoptosis, cellular division, gene expression and nutrient regulation (Li et al., 2021)(He, 2017)(Lin et al., 2007).

Previous work by Nagano et al., demonstrated …

Examining Carroll’S Alice In Wonderland And Through The Looking Glass, And What Alice Found There: A Christian Calling To Spiritual Childhood, Kristen Hess

Liberty University Research Week

"Examining Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There: A Christian Calling to Spiritual Childhood" dives into the positive and negative childlike habits that Alice, a representative of children and childhood, embodies and how Christians should identify and emulate her positive childlike behaviors in order to best fulfill their roles as spiritual children of God. Because Christians are children of God according to Romans 8:16, it is vital for Christians, like children, to understand the world around them, learn about themselves and others, and enjoy physical and mental play and recreation. Lewis Carroll found …

Paws And Predictions: Interpreting Intraspecific Cat Social Interactions Through Facial Signals, Levi Neal, Lauren Scott, Gosia Zobel, Brittany Florkiewicz

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

There has been limited research on humans’ ability to perceive and predict social interactions among cats using facial signals. This area is crucial to explore since conflicts between cats often cause significant stress for their guardians. By evaluating individuals’ skills in understanding cat interactions, researchers can develop tools to help guardians predict affiliative and nonaffiliative behaviors, leading to effective intervention strategies for multicat households. We distributed a survey to individuals subscribed to the Companion Animals New Zealand newsletter to assess cat guardians’ effectiveness in perceiving and predicting various social interactions among cats. We hypothesized that guardians with one or more …

Real World Fertility: From Participatory Research To Clinical Trial, Belinda Tan, Azure Grant, Ayla Barmmer

Oxford ICSB

Nutritional supplements are widely popular for female reproductive health, but their ingredients are typically studied in isolation in the laboratory. Finished products make claims based on these isolated studies, creating a gap in which impact of multi-nutrient formulas in the real world are not investigated, largely due to high research costs. Decentralized clinical research methods are modernizing clinical trials, leading to affordable, efficient evidence generation in large representative populations. Utilizing a decentralized research platform, we tested the hypothesis that specific supplement protocols would be associated with improved female health and fertility in a real world cohort. We present a novel …

2026 Acssc Program, Acssc Planning Committee

Annual Celebration for Student Scholarship and Creativity

No abstract provided.

Frankincense (Boswellia Spp.) Essential Oils: Chemistry-Driven Authentication, Chemotype Discovery, And Sustainability Insights Across My Published Studies, Prabodh Satyal

Oxford ICSB

Frankincense, which comes from the oleo-gum resins of Boswellia species, is one of the most important botanicals in global trade. However, its essential oils often face issues like variations in chemical makeup, mislabeling, and adulteration. This presentation summarizes findings from ten peer-reviewed studies conducted between 2016 and 2023. These studies create a chemistry-based framework for authenticating frankincense and ensuring sustainable sourcing.  Research on various Boswellia species, including B. sacra, B. carteri, B. papyrifera, B. frereana, B. occulta, B. ogadensis, and B. rivae, shows strong patterns in volatile profiles at both the species and tree levels. This supports distinguishing between species …

Using Path Analysis To Examine The Psychological Well-Being Model For U.S. College Students, Pi-Ming Yeh, Cheng-Huei Chiao, Gavin Waters

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Background: College students’ psychological well-being and mental health issues are very important in this society. Little is known about a comprehensive psychological well-being model for college students.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was using Path Analysis to examine the Development of Personality and Psychological Well-Being Model among US college students.

Methods: This was a cross sectional, descriptive design. The 481 participants were recruited from nursing and business college students in the United States. After IRB approval, the trained researchers explained this study to college students. After agreeing to participate, they signed an informed consent form. Upon completion of a …

Smart Wearable Plasma Healing Patch With Adaptive Electronic Control And Integrated Biosensors, Zainab Hussam Al-Araji

Engineering and Technology Journal

Traditional healthcare for chronic wounds and Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) treatments relies on passive dressings and large-volume stationary equipment operating with open-loop systems, which severely limits their use and confines it to specialized clinical environments. To address the lack of active thermal safety mechanisms in mobile devices, this research proposes a wearable smart plasma patch equipped with a closed-loop adaptive electronic control system to ensure safe patient care and treatment at home. The smart patch integrates real-time analog biosensors to continuously monitor skin temperature and relative humidity. An algorithm running on a microcontroller dynamically adjusts the high-voltage plasma parameters using …

Pokok·Pokok Pikiran Mengenai Pengaturan Persaingan Sehat Dalam Dunia Usaha, A. Zen Umar Purba

Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan

Abstract

Spring 2026 Excellence In Research And Creative Inquiry And Incite Award Ceremony, Office Of Student Research, Longwood University

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

No abstract provided.

Morphometric-Based Biomass Distribution And Carbon Sequestration Capabilities Of Native Perennial Plants In An Extremely Arid Environment In Eastern Saudi Arabia, Mohamed I. Alzarah, Mohammed M. Elgarawany, Majed A. Alotaibi

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture

Understanding ecosystem functioning, the processes of land degradation, and the potential for climate mitigation in hyper-arid environments requires quantifying biomass, carbon sequestration, and the structural characteristics of desert vegetation. This study was done In a hyper-arid habitat such as the location of west of Al-Ahsa International Airport in Eastern Saudi Arabia to study the integrates morphometric characterization, non-destructive biomass modeling, physiological assessment, and carbon stock estimation for native perennial plant communities. Twelve dominant perennial species were assessed across a 5.5 ha site using systematic random sampling. Plant height (cm), canopy volume (m³), basal diameter, projected canopy cover (%), …

Distilled Identities: The History And Gender Politics Of The Perfume Industry, Emma Shaffer

Honors Projects

This paper analyzes the use of gendered perfume marketing in the West. Drawing upon the work of Joe Schwartz, Sarah Evrett, and others, I examine the history of this phenomenon and the politics keeping the perfume market segregated by gender. How long has perfume existed? Has it always been so strict on who wears what fragrance? My results found that perfume has only been gendered since the Victorian era, dispelling the myth that gendered fragrance is the only way to market perfume. However, I also found that when gender neutral fragrances have been introduced, they have not had much staying …

Improving Electrochemical Measurements And Informing Future Reprocessing Of Advanced Nuclear Fuels, J. Marvin Torrie

Theses and Dissertations

This research promotes the application of molten salts through developing analytical tools in electroanalytical studies and in the data analysis of vapor pressure data. The electrochemical community lacks standardized, stable, and repeatable reference electrode designs which threaten the reliability of measured thermophysical properties and repeatability of published studies. This work confirms the application of a saturated reference electrode design for molten chlorides systems that outperforms traditional Ag+/Ag reference electrodes. In the field of thermal physical property measurements, vapor pressure data for chloride salts are diffused throughout the literature, uncertainty quantification is absent or limited, and all previous studies rely on …

Spring 2026 Student Showcase For Research & Creative Inquiry Program, Office Of Student Research, Longwood University

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

No abstract provided.

2026 April 22 - Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes, Undergraduate Curriculum Council, East Tennessee State University

Undergraduate Curriculum Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Transgender And Gender Diverse Alumni Sense Of Belonging In Christian Higher Education: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Kara Elizabeth Martin

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study explored how nine transgender and gender diverse (TGD) alumni from member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) interpreted their undergraduate experiences with belonging and exclusion. Given the unique religious climates of CCCU schools, these alumni navigated complex tensions between their personal faith, gender identity, and institutional expectations. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, participants reflected retrospectively on their collegiate journeys, emphasizing the evolving meaning they ascribed to these experiences both during and after their enrollment. Analysis revealed a distinct temporal movement across three primary phases: entering college with idealized expectations of spiritual …