Digital Commons Network^™

Akron Police Department Non-Fatal Shootings, Sarah B. Baumer

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project will study the variables that impact disposition status of non-fatal shooting cases in the city of Akron. This research project will be conducted through temporal and spatial analysis of the information gathered from the Akron Police Department. This analysis will identify common factors and patterns throughout the non-fatal shooting cases. This will then follow with in depth research of intelligence led policing articles that provide relevant solutions. The final steps will be identifying and adapting solutions to fit the needs of the Akron Police Department. The final product will include maps, police products and data visualization through Excel.

The Impact Of Congenital Heart Disease On The Timing Of Alzheimer's Disease In Down Syndrome, Julianne G. Clina, Brian C. Helsel, Sigan L. Hartley, David A. White, Victoria L. Fleming-Batayneh, Benjamin Handen, Bradley Christian, Elizabeth Head, Mark Mapstone, Christy L. Hom, Beau Ances, Jeffrey Burns, H. Diana Rosas, Florence Lai, Sharon Krinsky Mchale, Joseph H. Lee, Frederick A. Schmitt, Jordan Harp, Ira T. Lott, Shahid Zaman, Lauren T. Ptomey

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Down syndrome (DS) exceeds 90%. Approximately 50% of people with DS have congenital heart disease (CHD). Having CHD increases risk for early-onset AD in populations without DS, but it is unclear if CHD influences AD in DS. METHODS: Data from the Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS) were used. Participants with CHD (n = 82, mean age = 39.9 ± 8.5 years, 97.6% White race) were age- and sex-matched to participants without CHD (n = 82, mean age = 40.5 ± 8.1 years, 98.8% White race). Cognitive assessments and Centiloid load (CL) (positron …

Plasma P-Tau217 And Apoe Genotype, Ann M. Stowe, Bilal Kahn, Ali Ballesteros, Monique Cortez, Linda S. Hynan, Victoria Cantrell, Indu Raman, Guangchun Chen, Eric D. Vidoni, Ellen Binder, Jeffrey Burns, Jeffrey N. Keller, Diana R. Kerwin, Tristyn Hall, Pavel Yanev, Wanpen Vongapatanasin, David C. Zhu, Norman Scheel, C. Munro Cullum, Rong Zhang, Dwight C. German

Neurology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Plasma phosphorylated tau (p-tau)217 levels and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype are used for prodromal identification of individuals at high risk for dementia. We used baseline samples from cognitively normal subjects in the Risk Reduction for Alzheimer's Disease (rrAD) clinical trial (NCT02913664) to investigate the relationship between these two markers in older adults with additional vascular risk factors. Methods: We measured APOE genotype, plasma p-tau217, and standard neuroimaging metrics in 400 rrAD participants, aged 60 to 84 years, with sedentary lifestyle, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Results: Plasma p-tau217 was 57% higher in subjects with at least one APOE ε4 allele, …

Decoding The Human Pbmc Isonome, Patricia Hayes Doyle, Madeline L. Page, J. Anthony Brandon, Bernardo Aguzzoli Heberle, Brendan J. White, Ann Marie Stowe, Mark T.W. Ebbert

Neurology Faculty Publications

Long-read single-cell RNA sequencing provides an opportunity to understand human health and disease at a level difficult to resolve with bulk or short-read methods. This approach enables isoform-level investigation of cellular diversity and disease mechanisms and definition of cell-types, rather than using genes alone. Using a modified, microfluidic-free PIPseq workflow and computational pipeline adapted for Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing, we generated the largest long-read single-cell dataset of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a single donor to date, the first with sufficient cell numbers to detect megakaryocytes. This study profiled isoform usage across immune cells, integrating marker expression and …

Post-Approval Study 3-Year Outcomes Of The Neuroform Atlas Stent For The Treatment Of Wide-Necked Intracranial Aneurysms, Brian Jankowitz, Ashutosh P. Jadhav, Bradley Gross, Tudor G. Jovin, Abdulnasser A. Alhajeri, Justin F. Fraser, Ricardo A. Hanel, Eric Sauvageau, Amin Aghaebrahim, Donald Frei, Richard Bellon, David N. Loy, Ajit S. Puri, Adel M. Malek, Ajith J. Thomas, Gabor Toth, Demetrius Klee Lopes, R. Webster Crowley, John Reavey-Cantwell, Eugene Lin, Adnan Siddiqui, Michael J. Alexander, Ahmad Khaldi, Geoffrey P. Colby, Justin M. Caplan, Sudhakar R. Satti, Aquilla S. Turk, Alejandro M. Spiotta, Richard Klucznik, Danial K. Hallam, David Kung, Michael T. Froehler

Neurology Faculty Publications

Introduction The ATLAS trial was a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, investigational device exemption (IDE) study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Neuroform Atlas Stent System for the treatment of widenecked bifurcation aneurysms. This analysis presents the 36-month follow-up data for the anterior and posterior cohorts. Methods Of the 182patients in the IDE anterior cohort, 146 consented to participate in the post-approval study (PAS) and, of the 116patients in the IDE posterior cohort, 101 consented to participate in the PAS. The primary effectiveness endpoint was core laboratory adjudicated (Raymond–Roy 1; RR1) without retreatment or parent artery stenosis (>50%) at …

Microscopic Insights On Shear Rheology Of Polyampholyte Ionomers Via Molecular Simulations, Kyle Vonscio

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Ionomers are polymers that contain a small fraction of charged groups. The ionic attraction of charged groups allows ionomers to act similarly to crosslinked polymers. Depending on the strength of electrostatic interactions and structure of the ionomers, different dynamics and rheological responses can be observed. With moderate attraction between ions, these noncovalent crosslinks can be broken when heated, allowing ionomers to flow and show the strength of a crosslinked network at low temperatures. Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations will be performed under shear in the xy-plane and the macroscopic rheology and conformation of the polyampholyte ionomer will be determined. The …

Women's Work And Wealth: Measuring The Impact Of Incremental Liberations, 1850-1870, Hannah Kelly

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Using a two-way fixed effects difference-in-difference model, this project analyzes data from the IPUMS Full Count census for 1850, 1860, and 1870 at a state level for 48 states. Four models assess the impact of property laws on women's real property holdings, labor force participation, household types, and real property values.

By quantifying the impact of various legal reforms on women's economic empowerment, this project fills a gap in the understanding of the intersection between law, society, and women's economic agency during a transformative period in pre-industrial American history. These impacts can implicate the effectiveness of legislative measures in advancing …

Determining Critical Micelle Concentrations Of Standard Surfactants And Rhamnolipids, Kathryn E. Kunz

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

My proposed project will study the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of rhamnolipids using the pendant-drop and drop-weight methods. First, the critical micelle concentrations of ionic and nonionic common surfactants will be tested. Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) will be used as an ionic surfactant and Tween 20 will be used as a nonionic surfactant. The critical micelle concentrations will be determined using the pendant-drop and drop-weight methods. The experimental results from the standard surfactants compared to their accepted values will be tested to assist with determining a more suitable approach. Completing the tests will provide a better understanding of critical micelle …

Crashheart, Ellie Riekert, Kennady Skidmore, Madison Furino

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to develop an XR (extended reality) iPad training system to improve pediatric crash cart preparedness among nurses and clinical staff at Akron Children’s Hospital. In emergencies such as respiratory failure or shock, quick and accurate access to crash cart supplies is vital, yet opportunities for hands-on practice are limited. Current nurse training relies on PowerPoint instruction or costly physical simulations, reducing engagement and skill retention. Our interactive XR solution replicates the crash cart’s layout and contents, allowing users to practice identifying and retrieving critical items in a realistic environment without using physical supplies. The system will be …

Supporting Mothers Within The Criminal Legal System: Programs In Akron And Perceptions Of “Good Motherhood”, Brynn R. Lewis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper examines the programs and support systems available in Akron, Ohio, for mothers involved in the criminal legal system, including defendants, survivors, and other justice-involved individuals. Using qualitative interviews (n = 6) with professionals across courts, legal defense, community corrections, and advocacy organizations, this study examines how local institutions provide resources and support to mothers. Findings indicate that while programs aim to promote stability and rehabilitation, mothers face persistent barriers such as limited access to transportation, childcare, and communication, as well as heightened stigma tied to societal expectations of caregiving. These findings reveal that institutional support both reflects and …

Synaptic Connectivity Of Rod Bipolar Cells In The Mouse Retina: A Connectomic Analysis Using Webknossos, Harold F. Eshun

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Rod bipolar cells (RBCs) are key interneurons in the mouse retina that transmit signals from rod photoreceptors to downstream amacrine and ganglion cells under scotopic (low-light) conditions. Although their general morphology and function are well established, the fine-scale organization of their synaptic inputs and outputs remains incompletely characterized. This project aims to map the pre- and postsynaptic partners of a fully reconstructed rod bipolar cell using the Yu volume, a serial block-face electron microscopy dataset from the ventral retina of an adult wild-type mouse. Using the webKnossos platform, I identify synaptic ribbons in the axon terminals of the rod bipolar …

Stanislavski And Operatic Acting: What Caused The Divide Between Stanislavski’S Ideals And The Opera World?, Max Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

There is a difference between the realism of acting in opera and in other theatrical art forms. One reason for this might be due to theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski’s ideals not being readily adopted in the opera world. Due to translation and publication issues in both the West and in the USSR, his work on opera has been largely neglected by theatre and opera historians. Certain demands of opera as an art form limit or make more difficult the ability for realism in portraying a character, but Stanislavski and others show that it is possible. A look at literature reflecting …

Analyzing Network Traffic And Data Exfiltration Via Smb In Post-Vm Escape Scenarios, Noah M. Disanza

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Virtual machines (VMs) play a crucial role in modern IT infrastructure environments by providing isolation and enhanced security, among other things, for both personal and corporate systems. VMs are heavily rely upon to safely test malware, manage infrastructure, and reduce risk to host systems. This reliance is so substantial that the idea of reducing risk to the host system is believed to be erasing risk entirely. However, this mindset has shown to be challenged time and time again by the emergence of exploits known as virtual machine escapes. These exploits allow malicious actors to break out of the virtualized environment …

Lumacurve Control System Update, Jacob Kustra, Caleb Wengerd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The existing track heater control system used by Lumacurve has become outdated and requires frequent maintenance due to inconsistent operation and component failures. This project aims to modernize the system through the implementation of a programmable logic controller (PLC), infrared non-contact temperature sensing, and an automated pneumatic ejection mechanism.

The redesigned system improves temperature monitoring accuracy and reduces operator intervention by automatically ejecting heated plastic tracks from the heater once the desired temperature is reached. An emergency ejection subsystem is also incorporated to safely clear tracks from the heater in the event of improper operation or system faults. Additional emphasis …

Rapid Skin Stapler, Emma J. Patterson, Allison M. Milligan, Morgan E. Dunlap

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Severe burn injuries frequently require split-thickness skin grafts, with metal surgical staples serving as the current standard for fixation. While staples provide rapid and secure placement of graft material, they also introduce significant challenges. Removal is painful, time-consuming, and often requires sedation in pediatric patients, leading to added risk, resource strain, and poor patient experience. These drawbacks highlight the need for improved fixation methods that maintain graft stability while reducing procedural burden. This project applies the engineering design process to address these challenges through identification of user needs, translation into design inputs, risk assessment, and development of a prototype aimed …

The Effect Of Minimum Wage On Household Debts And Delinquencies, Payton G. Rader

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper examines how increases in binding minimum wages affect various types of household debts and delinquency rates. Within this paper, household debt is defined as the combined sum of auto loans, credit card debt, mortgage debt, and student loan debt. The goal of the analysis is to conclude whether minimum wage increases are contributing to America’s growing debt crisis. The answer to this question likely relies on whether or not minimum wage increases cause unemployment. This is because unemployment can contribute significantly to debt levels when unemployed people rely on credit for day-to-day transactions or payments. Traditional economic theory …

A Decade Of Programming Languages: Trends In Popularity And Influence, Jonathan C. Erb

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Programming languages play a central role in open-source software ecosystems, yet their adoption, visibility, and influence shift over time as technologies, developer communities, and industry practices evolve. The study aims to investigate long-term trends in programming-language usage on GitHub from 2014 through 2024, focusing on ten major languages that represent diverse domains and ecosystems. Using repository metadata, engagement metrics such as stars and forks, and language-level code statistics measured with cloc, the analysis will examine changes in repository creation, code contribution volume, and popularity. Since popularity remains an unsettled and multidimensional concept, part of this research involves determining how it …

Reconstructing Lost Voices, Lana Tamim

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project uses digital text mining tools (OCR, NLP, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling) to analyze 19th–20th-century newspaper archives, focusing on how marginalized groups (women, immigrants, or labor workers) were historically portrayed. Many historical newspapers were dominated by elite voices, so this project aims to recover silenced or misrepresented perspectives by identifying hidden patterns in language, frequency of coverage, sentiment, and shifts in public perception over time. Using machine learning and visualization tools, the project will create interactive maps and timelines showing how representation evolved across regions.

Analyzing The Effect Of Network Properties On Self-Assembly Of Polymer Grafted Nanoparticles In Vitrimer Nanocomposites, Tyler Eakin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project aims to show the how polymer grafted nanoparticles behave in a vitrimer composite network. The effect of varying the network parameters such as the grafting density, the volume fraction of nanoparticles, and the ratio of polymer chain length : graft chain length will be studied. The assemblies formed by the polymer grafted nanoparticles will be visually analyzed and assigned one of 5 possible conformations. A phase diagram of grafting density vs network chain length / graft length will be constructed. The phase diagram will provide valuable insight into how nanoparticle self-assembly can be manipulated through changing network parameters

Redrawing Anatomy: Addressing Female Genital Underrepresentation In Educational Texts, Clara E. Krohn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The fight for female equality in the historically male dominated medical field is an ongoing battle. This project focuses primarily on the underrepresentation of female genitalia in undergraduate academic textbooks. A dissected pelvis of a female cadaver was initially examined. Pictures were obtained with scale bars to accurately depict size of the structures included. Underrepresented structures such as the clitoris and the broad ligament were closely examined along with the reproductive system as a whole. The pictures compiled along with further research were used to design a portfolio of diagrams and a survey to be later administered. The survey was …

Immigration As A Catalyst To The Far-Right: The Case Of Vox And Spain, Evelyn R. White

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Over the last decade or two, the world has witnessed a global rise in the popularity and success of far-right wing parties. This new era of the radical right raises questions of what is causing and fueling these political movements. Political Scientists have identified several contributing factors from the global economic crisis of 2008, the migrant crisis of 2015 and the global pandemic in 2020. This research paper aims to demonstrate how immigration acts as a catalyst to the far-right by intersecting with political science ideologies and other variables. The focus of this paper is how the Vox Party found …

Designing Crime Prevention And Crowd Management Plans For The New Berea Campus Expansion Project For The Cleveland Browns, Elleana G. Grant

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Cleveland Browns are expanding their CrossCountry Mortgage Campus by 16 acres. This research seeks to answer a core question: How can the design of the new expansion support both crime prevention and effective crowd management for events drawing up to 6,000 guests? Additional research questions include identifying the safety risks associated and determining which evidence-based strategies are most appropriate. The main goal of this research is to ensure that the expanded campus is safe for all visitors. This work is motivated by the significant increase in daily activity that the expansion will bring, not only during major events, but …

Expanding State Tax Authority: Public And Private Sector Impacts Of Wayfair, Maxwell Pastoria

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The 2018 Supreme Court decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. (Wayfair) overturned the longstanding physical presence rule for state sales tax collection, enabling states to enforce tax obligations on remote sellers through marketplace facilitator and economic nexus laws (Oyez, 2018). This study investigates the effects of these two post-Wayfair tax laws on state sales tax revenues, entrepreneurship, and public expenditures across all 50 states. Using a two-way fixed effects difference-in-differences (TWFE DID) framework, this research analyzes how policy adoption influenced per-capita outcomes in tax revenue, firm formation, and government spending in social services, education, infrastructure, and …

Designing Intentionally: Color Psychology In Graphic Design, Savannah Jons

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study will explore the role of color in graphic design and the psychological processes behind viewersʼ emotional and perceptual responses. Research will investigate how color psychology is influential on design, how the selection of color guides design appeal, and how it can alter commercial messaging.

Locked In: The High Price Of Overcrowding And The Strain Of America's Growing Prison System, Kaitlyn N. Timmerman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Over the past several decades, the number of people incarcerated in the United States has increased substantially, placing a significant strain on correctional systems. This project examines long-term trends in incarceration to better understand how population growth may relate to concerns about overcrowding. Specifically, it asks: How has the total incarcerated population in the United States changed from 1925 to 2022? Which type of correctional system (state prisons, federal prisons, or local jails) has experienced the most growth? And to what extent can changes in incarceration counts and facility distribution be used as indicators of overcrowding?

Using historical data and …

Cardiorespiratory Response In Esports Participants In Competition And Scrimmage, Jacob W. Bowerman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study is to explore how heart rate differs between scrimmages and competitions in varsity esports athletes at The University of Akron. This study also examines how heart rate varies across video game titles, as well as before and after both scrimmage and competition play. A scrimmage is defined as a practice game between two collegiate esports teams in which league standings and tournament eligibility are not affected by the outcome. In contrast, a competition is an official match between collegiate esports teams in which results directly influence league standings and tournament qualification.

Physiological stress can be …

The Impact Of Night Shift On New Nurses: Effects On Mental Health And Work-Life Balance, Avery Windham, Abby Maruskin, Elizabeth Yoder

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research examines the impact of night shift schedules on new nurses' mental health and work-life balance as they transition into professional practice. The transition from nursing school to the workforce presents challenges that are further compounded by shift work, which can disrupt circadian rhythms and contribute to stress, fatigue, and reduced job satisfaction. The purpose of this research is to evaluate how starting on night shift versus day shift influences nurses’ self-evaluation of work-life balance within their first year of practice. This systematic review synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed sources to assess the physical, emotional, and professional consequences of night …

Brains Under Pressure: The Role Of Media, Ai, And Technology In Toxic Student Stress, Ella C. Granat

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This Honors Research Project examines the relationship between toxic stress and everyday technology use among college students aged 18 and older. The study explores how media consumption, reliance on digital tools, and the use of artificial intelligence in academic work may contribute to stress and influence brain functioning. Using a quantitative, survey-based design, data will be collected through self-administered questionnaires distributed both in print and online. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) will be used to measure stress levels, alongside a supplemental questionnaire assessing patterns of technology use and related life factors. Recruitment will occur through flyers, email, and snowball sampling …

Effects Of Hofmeister Ions On Lower Critical Solution Temperatures Of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) And Poly(Vinyl Methyl Ether), Joseph Joaquin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this study is to compare how four different Hofmeister anions (Cl-, SCN-, F-, and I-) affect the Lower Critical Solution temperature (LCST) on two thermo-responsive polymers: poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAM) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME). pNIPAAm is commonly used in the environmental applications such as monitoring, oil-water separations, or antifouling materials, and in medical industry from drug delivery to tissue engineering. When pNIPAAM or PVME reaches a temperature above their LCST, they become hydrophobic, and the polymer chains coiled, leading to their aqueous solutions turn opaque. PVME exhibits a similar LCST as that of pNIPAAM, so it can be …

The Compass, Summer 2026

The Compass, 2018-

The Compass is an annual orientation guide for VCU students produced by the Student Media Collective in the VCU Student Media Centered. The guide is distributed physically during summer orientation sessions for new and transfer students. The publication includes short articles, illustrations, letters of welcome from students and administrators, comics, and advertisements from VCU and Richmond organizations.