Digital Commons Network^™

Three Dimensional Multiscalar Neurovascular Nephron Connectivity Map Of The Human Kidney Across The Lifespan, Liam Mclaughlin, Bo Zhang, Siddharth Sharma, Amanda L Knoten, Madhurima Kaushal, Jeffrey M Purkerson, Heidie L Huyck, Gloria S Pryhuber, Joseph P Gaut, Sanjay Jain

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The human kidney maintains homeostasis through a complex network of up to a million nephrons, its fundamental tissue units. Using innovative tissue processing and light sheet fluorescence microscopy, we mapped the 3D neurovascular connectivity of nephrons to understand how their structural organization enables coordinated functions like filtration, absorption, and blood pressure regulation. Our analysis revealed developmental changes in glomerular orientation, density, volume, and innervation from birth through aging. We discovered an extensive nerve network connecting different nephron segments and organizing glomeruli into distinct communities. These communities are linked through "mother glomeruli" that serve as control centers, creating a repeating pattern …

An Isometry Theorem For Persistent Homology Of Circle-Valued Functions, Nathan Broomhead, Mariam Pirashvili

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This paper explores persistence modules for circle-valued functions, presenting a new extension of the interleaving and bottleneck distances in this setting. We propose a natural generalisation of barcodes in terms of arcs on a geometric model associated to the derived category of quiver representations. The main result is an isometry theorem that establishes an equivalence between the interleaving distance and the bottleneck distance for circle-valued persistence modules.

Convergence Research For Microplastic Pollution At The Watershed Scale, Heejun Chang, Elise F. Granek, Amanda Gannon, Jordyn M. Wolfand, Janice Brahney

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microplastics are found in Earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, and ecosphere. While there is a growing interest and need to solve this grand challenge in both the academic and policy realms, few have engaged with academics, policymakers, and community partners to co-identify the problem, co-design research, and co-produce knowledge in tackling this issue. Using a convergence research framework, we investigated the perception of microplastic pollution among different end users, delivered educational materials to K-12 teachers and practitioners, and identified key sampling points for assessing environmental microplastic concentrations in the Columbia River Basin, United States. Three community partner workshops identified regional …

A Heterogeneous Kinetic Monte Carlo Model Of Maleic Anhydride Grafting Onto Polypropylene, Tomás Romero Pietrafesa, Jorge Guapacha, Mariano Asteasuain

Polymer Reaction Engineering XII

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Safe Human–Robot Collaboration With Risk Tunable Control Barrier Functions, Vipul K. Sharma, Pokuang Zhou, Zhengtong Xu, Yu She, S. Sivaranjani

School of Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

In this article, we consider the problem of guaranteeing safety constraint satisfaction in human–robot collaboration (HRC) with uncertain human position. We pose this problem as a chance-constrained problem with safety (chance) constraints represented by uncertain control barrier functions, where the probability of safety constraint satisfaction under uncertainty is bounded by a tunable user-defined risk. We solve this stochastic optimization problem using a sampling-based approach and obtain a risk-tunable controller to safely accomplish HRC tasks. We demonstrate the safety and performance of this approach through both simulation and hardware experiments on a 7 degree-of-freedom Franka–Panda manipulator and characterize the tradeoff between …

Phage-Induced Protection Against Lethal Bacterial Reinfection, Yikun Xing, Haroldo J Hernandez Santos, Ling Qiu, Samantha R Ritter, Jacob J Zulk, Rachel Lahowetz, Kathryn A Patras, Austen L Terwilliger, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that target and infect bacteria. Due to a worldwide rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), phages have been proposed as a promising alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of resistant bacterial infections. Up to this point in history, phage use in preclinical animal studies, clinical trials, and emergency-use compassionate care cases has centered around the original observation from 1915 showing phage as lytic agent, and thus a treatment that kills bacteria. Here, we describe an activity associated with phage therapy that extends beyond lytic activity that results in long-term protection against reinfection. This activity is potent, …

Moderating Role Of Locus Of Control On The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy And Trust In Ai, Amelia Gillies

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into essential sectors, including healthcare, customer services, and defense, has underscored the importance of user trust in AI systems. Psychological traits such as locus of control (the extent to which individuals attribute outcomes to internal or external factors) and self-efficacy (individuals’ confidence in their ability) have been identified as significant factors influencing trust in these automated systems. Previous studies have independently linked these psychological traits to trust in technology; however, there has been limited exploration of potential moderating effects of locus of control on the relationship between digital technology self-efficacy and trust in …

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4 Mediates Sex Specific Outcomes In Sepsis Induced Cardiomyopathy, John Yap

Dissertations

During sepsis, males often experience worse cardiac outcomes than females. Here, we identified pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) as a key contributor to this disparity. PDK4 is a mitochondrial protein that regulates glucose utilization by inhibiting pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). Using a mouse model of endotoxemia, we induced acute inflammation with a sublethal dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which caused cardiac dysfunction and significantly increased myocardial PDK4 expression in males but not females. Cardiac-specific PDK4 overexpression promoted LPS-induced cardiac dysfunction in both sexes, whereas cardiac-specific PDK4 knockout provided protection. In wild-type males, LPS disrupted cardiac metabolism by decreasing PDH activity and fatty …

Interrogating The Dispersal Process And Relevant Genes In Vibrio Fischeri, Jeremy Esin

Dissertations

Biofilms are aggregates of bacteria encased in a matrix that shields bacteria from environmental hazards. These structures are formed in response to cues from the environment and drive colonization of new niches. Biofilms can be both beneficial and detrimental. Largely, research focuses on biofilms that have negative outcomes in clinical, environmental, and economical settings. However, the value of beneficial biofilms is recognized and studied. The marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri is part of a model system for studying symbiotic biofilms in a eukaryotic host. V. fischeri produces a transient biofilm at the surface of a specialized light organ and then disperses …

Marketing De Moda Predictivo E Inclusivo: Estrategias De Segmentación Avanzada Para Audiencias Diversas Con Inteligencia Artificial, Oscar Barroso Huertas

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

Introducción: El marketing predictivo, impulsado por la inteligencia artificial (IA), está transformando cómo las marcas anticipan las necesidades de sus audiencias. En Moda, la personalización es clave para conectar emocionalmente con los consumidores, pero también es esencial que las marcas sean inclusivas, respetando la diversidad y la privacidad. Este artículo explora cómo las marcas de moda usan el marketing predictivo para segmentar audiencias diversas, garantizando campañas personalizadas e inclusivas. Metodología: Este estudio adopta un enfoque mixto, combinando revisión documental y análisis cualitativo. Se revisan fuentes académicas y casos de marcas que aplican marketing predictivo inclusivo, utilizando tecnologías como machine learning …

Exploring Educator Psychological Capital Through Participation In A Coordinated School Violence Prevention Approach, Stephanie Lorraine Neff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study is a description of how educators’ participation in a coordinated approach to violence prevention contributed to employee wellness and school climate. Using principles of psychological capital (PsyCap) theory, archival focus group and interview data were used to describe educator experiences during implementation of a 3-year coordinated approach to school violence in a mid-sized public school district. Findings of the analysis revealed consistent references to feelings of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism throughout the study, but with slight shifts in frequency each year based on both internal (i.e. skill development, relationship-building), and external (i.e. administrative support, policy directives, broader …

Dynamics Of Urban Heat And Green Infrastructure, Yunjae Ock

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation provides a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between urban heat and green infrastructure (GI) in terms of dynamic aspects, spatiotemporal variation across various spatial scales, temporal phases, and socioeconomic contexts. By integrating a national-scale longitudinal analysis, street-level structural assessments, and neighborhood-specific resilience frameworks, this study enhances our understanding of how cities can utilize existing ecological assets to mitigate increasing heat risks while addressing systemic inequities.

Urban areas face unprecedented thermal challenges due to climate change and the urban heat island effect, with marginalized communities disproportionately affected. Although cities are increasingly adopting GI expansion for heat mitigation, significant knowledge …

A Survey Of Feature Attribution Techniques In Explainable Ai: Taxonomy, Analysis And Comparison, Mohd Amril Nazir, Edmund Evangelista, Syed Muhammad Salman Bukhari, Ravishankar Sharma

All Works

The feature attribution methods have become central to explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), providing critical insights into how machine learning (ML) models make individual and aggregate decisions. This survey presents a complete taxonomy of feature attribution techniques, organizing them into model-agnostic and model-specific categories while highlighting extensions such as rule-based and attention-based explanations. We analyze formal definitions of each method, mathematical formulations, application contexts, strengths, and limitations. A comparative analysis highlights key trade-offs among model flexibility, computational cost, explanation fidelity, and interpretability. In addition to theoretical perspectives, we provide practical comparisons of selected methods on benchmark tasks to guide real-world applicability. …

Mutant P53 Gain Of Function: Why Many See It, Why Some Do Not, Guillermina Lozano, Carol Prives, Kanaga Sabapathy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mutations in the TP53 tumor-suppressor gene in human cancer are unique in that 60% to 70% are of the missense variety, resulting in a full-length protein that is often highly expressed in patients' tumors. These missense mutant proteins often exhibit pro-oncogenic activities (referred to as gain of function) in mouse models and human cell lines and correlate with poor cancer prognosis in some cases.

A Novel Cardiomyopathy Phenotype Linked To A Chd7 Missense Variant, In Young Park, Chih-Wei Hsu, Karim Bouazoune, Christina E Espindola, Madeline Hannah Mclaughlin Armond, Cristian Coarfa, Sandra L Grimm, James F Martin, Donna M Martin, Cheryl Lyn Walker

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Loss of function in the chromatin remodeler CHD7 causes CHARGE syndrome, characterized by variable penetrance and diverse abnormalities. However, establishing genotype-phenotype correlations has been challenging, as most CHD7 inactivating mutations are null alleles. Through CHD7 missense variant analysis at potential phosphorylation sites, we identified T730 (T720 in mice) as a critical residue associated with pathogenesis. Using a CHD7 T730 missense variant (Chd7T720A) and a frameshift null allele (Chd7fs) in a mouse model, we found that Chd7fs/fs mice were non-viable, while Chd7fs/+ mice exhibited haploinsufficiency-related circling behavior. Notably, Chd7fs/T720A mice died before postnatal …

Adaptive Decision Engine Using Large Language Models And Configurable Schema, Gunalan S, Akshatha B

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes a framework to automate complex decisions by combining the strengths of human-defined logic with insights derived from large language models (LLMs). Human decision-makers define templates, known as ‘decision models’ or ‘decision schema,’ for the structure and the core logic of the decision-making process. The templates are augmented or populated using output derived from LLM analysis. The LLM can be used to provide insights, generate text, or fill in specific parts of a pre-defined template, thereby enhancing the human-designed logic. The framework uses the completed, LLM-enhanced templates to automate decisions efficiently and transparently. Effectively, LLMs augment and structure …

Organizational Change, Servant Leadership, And Christian Perspective, David Macauley, Randall Trent Stevenson, Helen Mitchell, David S. Fowler

Servant Leadership: Theory & Practice

In today’s dynamic business environment, organizational change is inevitable, yet with a failure rate of more than 70%, successfully navigating change remains elusive for the majority of business leaders. Effective change management requires more than just strategy, it demands a leadership approach that fosters trust, engagement, and resilience among employees. Servant leadership, with its focus on humility, empathy, and support, offers a powerful framework for guiding leaders and the organizations they serve through transformative periods, and can increase the effectiveness of organizational change efforts. By putting the needs of others first, and aligning leadership actions with values such as patience, …

Contributor Biographies, Editors Of Suurj

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Maghrebi Identity & Integration In France: Colonial Legacies And Contemporary Realities, Mariam Gohar

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

Historical ties between France and the Maghreb continue to shape and inform the experiences of the Maghrebi population in contemporary French society. There is an extensive Maghrebi population in France as a result of France’s colonial history in the region and subsequent migration. The Maghrebi populations face structural and social barriers in French society, including employment and education disparities, spatial segregation, and social Otherization. Maghrebi communities are only one example of France’s structural discrimination against non-European populations. This work aims to unpack the historical, political, and economic factors that resulted in French colonization of the Maghreb and relate these to …

Modeling And Predicting Momentum In Tennis Games, Patrick Baldwin-Mccurdy, Alexander Habib, Abey Joseph

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

As if being the first Wimbledon winner in over 20 years whose name wasn’t Djokovic, Federer, Murray, or Nadal wasn’t enough, Carlos Alcaraz’s victory was even more astonishing considering he came back after being handily dealt with by Djokovic in the first set of the final 1-6. Alcaraz’s miraculous recovery might be explained by a shift of flow in the game in his favor. In this paper, we compare two models that both interpret a small amount of past data within a given tennis match to determine which player has the current advantage, or “flow,” in the next game. We …

Effects Of Vegetation Change On Streamflow In The Tolt River, Samhita Tovinkere, Se-Yeun Lee

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

The City of Seattle depends on the Tolt River for both drinking water and hydropower. Hydrologic models have been employed to assess the future effects of climate change on streamflow in the area, which ultimately impact hydropower generation and the drinking water supply. However, the main issue with these models is that they assume vegetation growth and change to be static, overlooking the potential impact on streamflow. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of vegetation change on streamflow in the Tolt River by analyzing climate and streamflow data and vegetation indexes. The study examines the impact …

A Tale Of Two Cities: The Racial Disparities Of Air Pollution And Asthma In South Fresno, California, Alonso G. Lee, Caleb Stipkovits, Eve Wiseman

SUURJ: Seattle University Undergraduate Research Journal

This paper analyzes the relationship between PM2.5 pollution, asthma rates, and racial disparities in West, Central, and South-Central Fresno, California (WCSCF). Our findings reveal a moderate positive correlation between asthma prevalence and racial demographics, largely due to poor urban planning—for example, residential areas near high-traffic roads, industrial zones, limited green spaces, and political prioritization of economic development over health. The study identifies two policy gaps in California’s air quality legislation: First, SB 1000 has failed to hold Fresno accountable for addressing environmental justice concerns; Second, AB 617’s reallocation of Cap-and-Trade funds toward air quality monitoring does not tackle the root …

Implementation And Impact Of Four Practices On Students' Perspectives Of Sense Of Belonging, Confidence, And Performance, Tess Hagstrom

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

In the fields of Computer Science and Engineering, a lack of diversity remains a significant challenge. However, implementing certain practices can help increase student participation, regardless of their identity. Many such practices have been studied in literature. Results from our prior study revealed that CS Education community is familiar with such practices but there is a lack of adoption and evaluation of such practices. As a part of a bigger study, we implemented the following four practices in an introductory computer science course at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: allowing late submission, resubmission, scheduling meetings, and hosting review sessions. In this poster, …

Problem-Based Learning In Speech-Language Pathology Programs: A Scoping Review, Michelle P. Phoenix, Roohit Grewal, Kayla Brissette, Maya Albin, Minseo Kim

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Purpose: Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes student-centered, active learning and has been applied in many health disciplines, including speech-language pathology (SLP). There is some SLP literature outlining how PBL has been applied and its components, however, how PBL is applied across SLP programs worldwide is yet to be explored. We therefore sought to answer the question, how do SLP programs apply PBL and what are the associated student outcomes?

Methods: Five databases were searched, as well as searching the grey literature for relevant articles. Covidence was used to de-duplicate, collate, and review articles. SLP program, study, PBL application, and student outcome …

Interdisciplinary Digital Health And Learning Survey Across Speech-Language Pathology, Technology, And Interior Design: Implications For Training In Rehabilitation And Aging-In-Place Practices, Jennine M. Harvey-Northrop, Isaac Chang, Gabriela Fonseca Pereira, Megan Cuellar

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

While the growing demand for technology integration in healthcare education and practice, technology training in speech-language pathology education is limited. Further research is warranted to investigate digital health and literacy training across interprofessional experiences. This study investigated interdisciplinary digital health and learning across speech-language pathology, technology, and interior design, as well as collaborators for virtual reality environments in rehabilitation and aging-in-place practices. Participants included 53 adult students studying speech-language pathology (N=35), technology (N=10), or interior design (N=7). The Interdisciplinary Digital Health and Learning survey was adapted from the Lin et al. (2021) for implementation across speech-language pathology, technology, and interior …

Investigation Of A Polymer-Based Holographic Grating For Visible Light Dosimetry Using A Bleachable Dye, Saoirse Maher, Denise Denning, Jackie Mccavana Dr., Seán Cournane Dr., Suzanne Martin Dr., Dervil Cody

Conference Papers

Holographic sensors are of interest for a range of sensing tasks because of their high sensitivity, rapid response time, broad dynamic range, lightweight characteristics, and design flexibility. The practical application of holography makes it possible to design optical sensors that are effective in the visible and near-infrared ranges. The objective of this research is to construct a holographic grating that is customised to provide quantitative data in visible light dosimetry applications. Upon exposure to visible light, the proposed holographic grating will produce a measurable change in diffraction efficiency based on the bleaching of the grating material. In the evolution of …

A Multiple Case Study On Cisgender Women Experiences In Electrical And Computer Engineering And Computer Science Majors, Alena Marie Degeorge

Theses and Dissertations

Gender disparities are found in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education because of gender norms and stereotypes that project the ideology that men are better at those subjects than women. Women who pursue a college education in STEM encounter barriers that influence them to switch to a non-STEM-related major making them part of the leaky pipeline. This case study examines the experiences that junior and senior cisgender women have while pursuing an electrical and computer engineering or computer science degree and how they overcome barriers they encounter to continue their educational pursuits in a Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) …

D.A.M.P.E.R.: Delay And Attenuation Modules For Propagation Emulation And Response, Matthew Guntz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

The DAMPER project, which stands for Delay and Attenuation Modules for Propagation Emulation and Response, is a hands-on system designed to help test how radio signals behave in the real world. When radio waves travel over long distances or through different environments, they often get weaker (attenuated) or arrive later than expected (delayed). DAMPER lets students, researchers, and engineers simulate those conditions in a lab using simple, low-voltage electronics.

Gnss Technology, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL presentation on GNSS Technology

Minimum Ghg Emissions And Energy Consumption Of U.S. Pet And Polyolefin Packaging Supply Chains In A Circular Economy, Utkarsh S. Chaudhari, Abhishek Patil, Tasmin Hossain, David Watkins, Damon S. Hartley, Barbara K. Reck, Robert Handler, Anne T. Johnson, Vicki S. Thompson, David Shonnard

Michigan Tech Publications

There is a wide agreement on the urgency of transforming linear management of plastics towards a circular economy model. However, no clear pathways exist as to required recycling technologies involved and system-wide environmental impacts. This study explores such pathways in the U.S. for the most commonly used packaging plastics through a combination of mechanical and emerging advanced recycling technologies. A system optimization model aimed at minimizing environmental impacts was developed to determine optimal end-of-life (EOL) management and locations of existing and emerging U.S. recycling infrastructures. Our study includes material flows from virgin resin production through semi-manufacturing processes to existing EOL …