Digital Commons Network^™

From Cellphone Surface To Microbial Identity: Characterization Of An Unknown Bacterium, Raayan Haseeb Jafri

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This presentation explores the identification of an unknown bacterium isolated from a cellphone, highlighting the presence of microorganisms on everyday surfaces. Through microscopy, biochemical testing, and metabolic analysis, the organism was systematically characterized based on its morphology and physiological properties. Key tests included Gram staining, motility analysis, and multiple biochemical assays to determine metabolic capabilities. The results suggest that the organism is a Gram-positive, non-motile, fermentative bacterium most consistent with a Streptococcus species. This project demonstrates the importance of microbial identification and emphasizes the relevance of microorganisms in human-associated environments.

Elucidating The Function Of An Evolutionarily Conserved Embryonic Splice Variant Of Type Ii Collagen During Vertebrate Development, Taylor Woolman

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This study investigates the role of exon 2 in the zebrafish col2a1a gene, a paralog of the human COL2A1 gene essential for connective tissue and skeletal development. Exon 2 encodes the von Willebrand Factor Type C (VWF-C) domain, which binds TGF-β ligands involved in embryonic dorsoventral patterning. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we aim to delete exon 2 and prevent expression of the embryonic splice variant (v1), forcing premature use of the post-embryonic variant (v2). We hypothesize that loss of the VWF-C domain will disrupt TGF-β signaling, leading to defects in embryonic development and vertebral formation.

Phosphorylation And Isomerization Of The Synaptic Scaffold Protein Psd-95, Sai Kanuru

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

PSD-95 is an important scaffolding protein located in the postsynaptic density that is abundant in glutamatergic synapses in the brain. It provides structural support for receptors in the postsynaptic membrane. It has been shown to be implicated in various neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease and schizophrenia. It plays a crucial role in mediating NMDA receptor-dependent LTD, which is one of the primary mechanisms behind synaptic plasticity. NMDAR-LTD is dependent on multiple posttranslational modifications, one of which being phosphorylation. Our experiments investigated Pin1 mediated isomerization and phosphorylation of T19.

Modeling The Influence Of Environmental Factors On Invasive P. Clarkii Catch Per Unit Effort In An Urban River System, Penelope Reynolds, Reuben Keller, Rachel Anelise Rogers

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

Procambarus clarkii is an invasive crayfish species that has recently become established in the North Shore Channel of the Chicago River. The Keller Lab has been intensively trapping P. clarkii in the NSC and collecting data for the past eight years with the goal of reducing population growth and species spread. My research will use our collection of data and analyze it against multiple different environmental variables to explore the potential relationships between P. clarkii catch-per-unit-effort and environmental conditions. These relationships could provide insight on future trapping methods to maximize our invasive species removal efforts.

Greatness In Now - The Class Of 2019 Remembers A Classmate, Richard F. Roadcap Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Double Standard - Diy And Ethics, Elizabeth C. Stapleston Leiner Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Va Dent J July, August And September 2019

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Biologically-Inspired Slam Models Against Traditional Models, Colby Mullins, Asadbek Nematov, Ross Volenec, Chance Hamilton, Alfredo Weitzenfeld

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

This research presents a comparative analysis of biologically-inspired SLAM models (RatSLAM [2], SeqSLAM [3]) versus traditional feature-based geometric SLAM (ORB-SLAM3 [1]) to establish a standardized framework for evaluating accuracy, robustness, and computational efficiency under varying environmental conditions. To ensure an equitable baseline, models are subjected to a unified testing pipeline across real-world datasets (Oxford RobotCar clear and overcast sequences) and controlled Webots simulations (day/night and seasonal centerlines) using timestamp-aligned 480p monocular PNG images. Within this pipeline, pose estimations are standardized to the TUM trajectory format, and spatial alignment and scale correction are applied via the evo evaluation library [4] to …

Beyond Folded Proteins: Assessing The Limits Of Ai Structure Prediction For Intrinsically Disordered Complexes, Juan Velasquez, Faith Robinson, Sebastien Ghent, Taseef Rahman

Bellini College REU Symposium (BCREUS)

Introduction & Problem

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and their associated “fuzzy” complexes represent a major unresolved challenge in structural biology. Unlike traditional protein complexes that adopt stable, well-defined tertiary structures, fuzzy complexes retain conformational heterogeneity even in the bound state [1]. This dynamic behavior is functionally important in processes such as transcriptional regulation, signaling, and phase separation, but it complicates both experimental characterization and computational prediction. Recent advances in deep learning-based protein structure prediction, particularly AlphaFold2 and its successors, have demonstrated near-experimental accuracy for ordered proteins [2]. However, these models are fundamentally trained on static structural data, primarily derived from …

Preventative Healthcare With Wings, Ella Bruzek

Research Symposium

Vultures are the most important scavenger species on Earth. They fill a critical niche for ecological and public health by rapidly locating and consuming carrion that may otherwise contaminate soil and water sources, allow for an increase in populations of mammalian scavengers, and lead to disease outbreaks. Vulture populations worldwide are declining. Of the six vulture species in South Africa, all species are classified as either vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. Ongoing threats such as black market activity, poisoning, and other forms of poaching continue to drive this population loss. This is frightening considering that in South Asia, where vulture …

Linkage And The Loss Of Short Stamens In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Natalie Dresdner, Scarlett Dellacona, James Bingman, Jeffrey K. Conner

Research Symposium

How do genetic correlations between traits contribute to evolutionary processes? This study investigates the role of genetic linkage in an unexplained geographic cline of floral trait loss in Arabidopsis thaliana. A diagnostic characteristic of the Brassicaceae family is the arrangement of four long stamens and two short stamens in each flower. These short stamens are adaptive in outcrossing and have lost this function in highly selfing A. thaliana. Short stamens demonstrate incomplete loss across A. thaliana’s native range, with fewer stamens produced at lower altitudes and latitudes. We hypothesized that short stamen number is correlated with one or more traits …

How Nutrition And Physical Activity Shape Your Well-Being, Stacy Phillips

EFNEP

This publication will explore the link among nutrition, physical activity, physical health, and mental health and how it impacts whole-body well-being. Understanding how multiple aspects of a person's lifestyle can affect an individual's overall well-being is essential to providing better education on how to make better choices to improve their well-being.

Let's Get Personal - Meet Dr Elizabeth Reynolds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Oakwood, 2026

Oakwood

Oakwood, 2026

Ai Need Not Make One Slothful, Roy A. Kaelin Jr

Faculty Publications

As National Louis University seeks to plan and advance its way amid the potential perils and pitfalls of so-named artificial intelligence, one finds that with reasonable workflows and guard rails, the use of AI proposes both potential promise and prospect, to assist and augment the natural intelligence that students and teachers bring to the classroom, encouraging them to pursue STEM-related activities with the preparation and deployment of focused and directed AI-bots. This paper presents examples and a case study of that directed and focused approach, the incremental lessons learned to date, and a proposed path to advance worthwhile AI …

A Place At The Table: Lessons In Hospitality For Women Elders In The Churches Of Christ, Karen Cooke

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project concerns women who serve as elders in Church of Christ congregations. In the fall of 2023, a survey found that these women desire training to better serve their congregations. In response to that expressed need, a group of collaborators engaged in Participatory Action Research (PAR) to create the plan for a conference to provide training to women serving as elders in Churches of Christ. The conference will provide training in the theology and practice of hospitality to support these women in guiding their churches to be places of welcome. This dissertation presents a theology of hospitality drawn from …

Quantifying Macroalgal Coverage And Benthic Composition In Sarasota Bay, Zoe Hoover-Gonzalez

Theses & ETDs

This study quantifies macroalgal coverage and benthic composition across monitoring sites in Sarasota Bay, Florida during 2022 to 2024. By using photo-quadrat imagery, percent cover was calculated to assess tempo-spatial patterns in macroalgal abundance. Results revealed seasonal fluctuations with peaks during spring months under favorable temperature and light conditions. Filamentous brown algae and cyanobacteria emerged across quadrants as disturbance-tolerant taxa. These algae forms often co-occurred with seagrass beds and suggested potential competitive interactions. Through comparative analysis of these results with Sarasota Bay Estuary Program data, there was an indication of localized increases in macroalgal abundance. These findings highlight the importance …

Microalgae In Observation: Techniques For Micromanipulation, Movement Treatments Of Dunaliella Salina, And Explorations Of Alternative Photobioreactors, Claire Compton

Theses & ETDs

This work explores microalgae within three contexts: micromanipulation of microalgae for isolation, testing of Dunaliella salina movement conditions, and photobioreactor designs that incorporate sculptural elements. To micromanipulate microalgae, a protocol using micropipettes for the isolation of single cells from a mixed sample was developed. To test the movement preferences of the microalgae, Dunaliella salina, an experiment was conducted using five treatments: a fast and slow orbital movement, a fast and slow rate of added bubbling, and a control treatment with no added movement. To measure the impact of the added movement, a cell density counter was used. Results revealed that …

Spatial Memory And Context Change In The Figure Eight Puffer (Dichotomytere Ocellatus), Madison Lloyd

Theses & ETDs

It's been more than 100 years since radial mazes have been used for rodent research, and more recently, fish research. No experimentation has been done on the figure eight puffer (Dichotomytere ocellatus) in relation to the cognitive processes or maze tasks, however, there have been zebrafish, bettas, stickleback and wrasse to base research off. There have been many experiments on fish behavior regarding salinity changes, yet, none have used salinity as context towards altering cognitive abilities. The current study tested 11 figure eight puffers on their ability to solve an eight-arm radial maze in different contexts. The puffers were split …

Should We Be Concerned About Demographic Decline? An Economic Analysis, Collin Gates

Theses & ETDs

This thesis uses economic theory to examine the causes and consequences of falling fertility rates around the world. It examines contributions to economic theory on population given by economists such as Thomas Malthus, Gary Becker, Paul Heyne, Paul Ehrlich and Julian Simon. Next, it analyzes what the externalities of falling fertility rates could be to the world’s economies, environments, workforces, and individual people through economic models such as the Solow growth model. The thesis concludes by looking at three countries–Japan, South Korea, and Italy– who have been experiencing fertility rates below the replacement level for over 20 years, relating relevant …

Repeatability Of Aggressive Behavior Of Heterandria Formosa, Nicole Lustic

Theses & ETDs

Animal personality is the consistent individual differences in behavior over time and context. Some examples of personality that are measurable in fish are boldness, shyness, and aggression. In this study, I will look at whether Heterandria formosa (least killifish) from the Trout Pond (TP) population exhibit aggressive behaviors, showing that there is an individual difference in behavior among individual fish when exposed to a conspecific. I will record aggressive behaviors across repeated trials in which each focal fish is presented with a conspecific. By quantifying behaviors such as chases and strikes, I can see whether individuals show consistent aggression levels …

Comparative Analysis Of The Surgical Techniques Used To Repair A Ruptured Achilles Tendon, Tyler Rucker

Theses & ETDs

This thesis will examine the impact of an Achilles tendon rupture on recovery and performance in professional athletes. The primary question is whether the modern surgical technique has produced better outcomes compared to traditional surgical repair methods. To address this question, this thesis analyzes the structure and function of the Achilles tendon, the mechanisms that cause injuries, and treatment approaches, including the nonsurgical and surgical options. It includes a comparative case analysis of professional athletes Aaron Rodgers, who underwent a minimally invasive procedure, and Klay Thompson, who underwent a traditional surgical repair. The recovery processes, timelines, and post-recovery performances are …

Synthetic Approaches Towards Bn2tcma For The Modeling Of Oxalate-Degrading Enzymes, Olivier Servius

Theses & ETDs

Oxalate is a naturally occurring compound that can be toxic to humans at high concentrations as humans lack the oxalate degrading enzymes found in plants, fungi and bacteria. Key enzymes involved in oxalate metabolism are oxalate oxidase and oxalate decarboxylase, both of which are manganese based metalloenzymes. Due to limited research, much is unknown regarding their mechanism of action ,with multiple proposals reported, but no unified consensus. Synthetic model complexes are commonly used to probe the function of metalloenzymes by replicating structural and electronic features in simplified systems. In biomimicry, 1,4,7,-triazacyclononane (TACN) has attracted attention for its N3O donor set …

Factors Associated With Stunting And Underweight Indices Among Children 0–3 Years In Nairobi, Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study, Eunice Njoroge, Kevinson Mwangi, Esther Chongwo, Martha Kaniala, Kevin Wekesa, Isaac Lihanda, Vibian Angweny, Rachel Odhiambo, Margaret Kabue, Japhet Adina, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background:Childundernutritionremainsoneofthemostpressingglobalpublic health challenges, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Most studies focus broadly on children under five, potentially overlooking the unique vulnerabilities a ecting children in the first 1,000 days of life. This study investigated potential factors associated with stunting and underweight malnutritional presentation among children aged 0–3 years in Nairobi City County, Kenya.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2903 caregiver-child dyads living in Nairobi City County to assess stunting [Height-for-Age Z-scores (HAZ)] and underweight [Weight-for-Age Z-scores (WAZ)] using the World Health Organisation (WHO) growth standards among 0–3-year-olds. Child, caregiver, and householdcharacteristicswereincludedinthelinearmixede ects regression models …

Aspirin And Preterm Birth Among Pregnant People With Increased Heat Exposure: Secondary Analysis Of A Randomized Clinical Trial, Gabriella Meltzer, Luke Duttweiler, Sarah Saleem, Kartik Shankar, Manolo Mazariegos, Antoinette Tshefu, Jackie Patterson, Elwyn Chomba, Waldemar Carlo, Shivaprasad Goudar, Richard Derman, Archana Patel, Patricia Hibberd, Edward Liechty, Fabian Essamai, Edwin Asturias, Denise Babineau, Janet Moore, Cascade Tuholske, Andrew Zimmer, Brent Coull, Elizabeth Mcclure, Robert Goldenberg, Nancy Krebs, Matthew Hoffman, Blair Wylie

Global Health Articles

IMPORTANCE: Scalable interventions are urgently needed to mitigate the adverse effects of heat on pregnancy and newborn health.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether low-dose aspirin modifies the association between heat exposure and preterm birth.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This secondary analysis of the Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research Aspirin Supplementation for Pregnancy Indicated Risk Reduction in Nulliparas (ASPIRIN) randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted from March 2016 to June 2018. Statistical analyses were performed from June 2024 to June 2025. The study settings included the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Kenya, Guatemala, Pakistan, and Belagavi and Nagpur, …

Evaluation Of The Weed Control Efficacy And Potential Economic Returns Of An Autonomous Weeder In Vegetable Production Systems, Claire Plassmeyer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Vegetable production requires intensive weed management. Conventional producers rely on herbicide applications to manage weeds effectively at low costs; however, growers are under pressure to minimize chemical use due to environmental concerns and increased incidences of herbicide resistance. Non-conventional systems, including organic and sustainably focused small-scale production, rely primarily on cultural practices and physical weed control methods, which are labor-intensive and costly due to limited labor availability and rising wages. These concerns have prompted the development of autonomous weeding devices, such as unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) equipped with navigation sensors and implements to provide repeated, high-precision weed control. Compact devices …

Discerning If Triops Have Personality, Gwen Therrien

Theses & ETDs

Triops, or tadpole shrimp, are small, freshwater invertebrates. They are the apex predator of their habitat, temporary pools of freshwater. They eat plant matter, worms, mosquito larvae and their own eggs. Their eggs go through anhydrobiosis; meaning they can survive without water for extended periods of time. There have been no previous studies specifically on Triops’ personality. Thus this raises the question if individuals demonstrate different personalities from each other. Boldness trials were conducted on 13 specimens that were on a diet of herbivore pellets and carrots. Each set of trials were repeated 1-11 times depending on how long the …

The Invisible Hand: Narrating Wildlife Through Hybrid Scoring, Weiyi Li

Composition/Recording Projects

This paper explores the creative and theoretical processes involved in composing the original score and sound design for "Ningxia Yellow River: The Home for the Avian," a wildlife documentary centered on the Ningxia wetlands in China. The research addresses the challenge of creating a "sonic bridge" between silent natural imagery and a human audience by balancing documentary realism with musical persuasion. The methodology utilizes a hybrid scoring approach that integrates Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) orchestration with organic sound elements, guided by three core pillars: cultural semiotics, acoustic ecology, and technical synchronization. By applying traditional Chinese pentatonic modes alongside Western orchestral …

The Implications Of A Competitive Athletic Season For Lower Limb Musculoskeletal Health, Benjamin Walker

Theses & ETDs

This thesis examines the implications of a competitive athletic season on lower limb musculoskeletal health in collegiate athletes. Through an organized narrative literature review, this study synthesizes biomechanical, epidemiology, and clinical research to evaluate how cumulative seasonal loading influences joint, bone, tendon, and soft tissue. Findings that indicated lower extremity injuries account for the majority of sport-related musculoskeletal conditions, with overuse injuries being a dominant role due to inadequate recovery and repetitive mechanical stress. Key evidence shows that rapid increases in training load, distinctly during preseason periods, significantly raises injury risk by surpassing tissue adaptive capacity. In addition, subclinical changes …

Emotion Regulation And Pretend Play In Preschool-Aged Children, Alyssa Dolphin

Theses & ETDs

The current study included only well-established, high-fidelity Montessori programs to explore differences in children’s emotion regulation levels across varying preschool contexts (Montessori, traditional, and at-home/no preschool), the relationship between time spent in a Montessori program and emotion regulation, and the potential moderating role of preschool environment in the relationship between pretend play and emotion regulation. Seven parents of children enrolled in a Montessori program, seven parents of children enrolled in a traditional preschool program, and 21 parents of children not currently enrolled in preschool completed an online survey consisting of an emotion regulation scale, a pretend play scale, and demographic …