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Ftc Titans #17576 2026 Engineering Portfolio, Andrew Sun '27, Ian Wang '27, Noah David '26, Aparna Sadhanagiri '26, Adam Park '28, Ajay Srinivasan '28

Distinguished Student Work

FTC Robotics is a program for students to engage with designing, assembling, and driving an 18x18x18' robot to compete in local, regional, and state competitions. During the 25/26 season, we reached over 150k+ individuals, connected with 36 STEM professionals, helped mentor 11 robotics teams, and curated an Instagram page with over 360k+ views. The team was the Reach award winner at the regional level and was first pick on the Winning Alliance. Then, at the Illinois State Championship, we were 3rd place in qualification matches and reached Semifinalist in the elimination rounds. The 25/26 season, in terms of overall OPR …

Department Of English Newsletter, Winter 2025-2026, Illinois State University, Department Of English

Department of English Newsletter

Newsletter of the Illinois State University Department of English

Are Skip Laminectomy And Oblique Corpectomy Effective Options To Treat Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy While Preserving Motion? Results Of A Scoping Review, Justin L Lomax, Ankit Mehta, Aditya Vedantam, Rory Goodwin, Nathan Evaniew, Mario Ganau, Chris J Neal, Rex A W Marco, Ryan Quisling, Jonathan Palmer, Adam T Archie, Keith L Jackson, John G Devine, Jefferson R Wilson, Uzondu F Agochukwu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Study Design

Scoping Literature Review.

Objective

The aim of this literature review is to examine the results of both skip laminectomy and oblique corpectomy in the setting of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM).

Methods

A scoping review of the relevant literature examining the efficacy of cervical skip laminectomy and oblique corpectomy in patients with DCM was conducted using the Medline database. Our review strategy aimed at answering two research questions. #1: Do clinical outcomes differ between patients undergoing cervical laminoplasty vs skip laminectomy in the setting of myelopathy. #2: Which outcomes can oblique corpectomy provide, and how its related complication profile …

Negotiating Health: A Qualitative Analysis Of Home Smoking Rules Among Families With Medically Vulnerable Infants, Yolanda R Villarreal, Thomas F Northrup, Stephen M Fischer, Jackson S Norwood, Angela L Stotts

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Approximately 5000 child deaths are attributed to secondhand smoke exposure (SHSe) annually, which is three times the number of childhood cancers combined. Infants, medically fragile infants, are highly vulnerable to the harmful effects of SHSe, including respiratory infections and sudden infant death syndrome. While having a home smoking ban may mitigate these risks, implementation remains a challenge for many families. Our primary aim was to explore the familial and sociocultural factors associated with smoking-ban initiation and maintenance in households with medically fragile infants.

Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 mothers participating in a behavioral intervention from 2015 to …

Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Sex Differences, Afzal Misrani, Conelius Ngwa, Fudong Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, accounts for 70% of cases and remains a major healthcare challenge due to its rising prevalence and lack of disease-modifying treatments. Clinically, AD is a sexually dimorphic disease. Women exhibit more rapid cognitive decline and accelerated brain atrophy during mild cognitive impairment and early dementia, whereas men more frequently present cardiovascular comorbidities, earlier mitochondrial dysfunction, and greater neuropsychiatric symptoms. AD is marked by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, neuroinflammation, and neuronal loss, with mitochondrial dysfunction emerging as a key early contributor that exhibits sex specific phenotypes. Mitochondria are vital for neuronal …

Thrombelastography As A Predictive Tool For Thromboembolic Events After Extremity Trauma: A Secondary Analysis Of Prevent-Clot, Cory K Mayfield, Nathan N O'Hara, Prism S Schneider, Renan C Castillo, Robert V O'Toole, Katherine P Frey, William Obremskey, Deborah M Stein, Reza Firoozabadi, Stephen J Warner, Madhav A Karunakar, Joshua L Gary

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) poses significant risk of morbidity and mortality in orthopaedic trauma patients. Thromboelastography (TEG) analysis has been demonstrated to provide value in demonstrating hypercoagulability and predicting the risk of post-injury VTE. The primary aim was to investigate if TEG analysis at the time of admission following severe extremity trauma predicts thromboembolic events. We hypothesized that previously described elevations in maximal amplitude (MA) on initial TEG would correlate with an increased risk of VTE.

Methods: This was a secondary study of PREVENT CLOT, a multicenter, randomized trial that enrolled adult patients with an extremity fracture (from hip to …

Guía Para Padres Y Familias, 2026-2027, Illinois State University, Dean Of Students Office, Parent And Family Services

Parent and Family Guide

Campus guide prepared by the Illinois State University Dean of Students Office's Parent and Family Services Department

Parent And Family Guide, 2026-2027, Illinois State University, Dean Of Students Office, Parent And Family Services

Parent and Family Guide

Campus guide prepared by the Illinois State University Dean of Students Office's Parent and Family Services Department

Donor-Derived Cell-Free Dna In Antibody-Mediated Rejection: An Analysis Of The Surveillance Heartcare Outcomes Registry, Paul J. Kim, Amit H. Alam, Jeffrey J. Teuteberg, Kiran K. Khush, Sean P. Pinney, Richard K. Cheng, Amin Yehya, Jeremy Kobulnik, Kevin M. Pinney, Kris A. Oreschak, Christopher R. Ensor Pharmd, Steven Fan, Marcus A. Urey, Palak Shah, Shelley A. Hall

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) has emerged as a biomarker for antibody-mediated rejection (AMR), but its performance characteristics have not been evaluated in a large contemporary heart transplant population.

Objectives

The study aimed to characterize the incidence and timing of biopsy-proven AMR and evaluate the performance characteristics of dd-cfDNA for AMR.

Methods

The authors included 2,240 subjects from the SHORE (Surveillance HeartCare Outcomes Registry) registry transplanted between 2017 and 2022 with verified biopsy, dd-cfDNA, echocardiographic, and donor-specific antibody (DSA) data. They evaluated the performance characteristics of dd-cfDNA for AMR and the incidence of AMR in different clinical contexts.

Results

AMR …

The Psychiatric Burden Of Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Trinetx Analysis Of Sex-Specific Disparities In Mental Health And Medication Use, Emily Sheetz, Julia Feord, Collette Sholi, Parker Adams, Tamas Gal, Susan G. Kornstein, Arturo Saavedra

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background:

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition associated with physical and psychological burden. Prior research has shown increased rates of depression and anxiety among individuals with HS; however, sex-based disparities in the prevalence of these mental health conditions in patients with HS remain underexplored.

Objective:

To evaluate sex-based differences in the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and the prescribing of antidepressants and anxiolytics among patients with HS.

Methods:

Using the TriNetX database, we identified patients over the age of 18 who had a recorded diagnosis of HS. Propensity score matching based on …

Cold-Sensitive Acral Hand Lesions, Avery H. Seward, Jocelyn H. Larocque

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

[Case description] An otherwise healthy woman in her 60s presented with a 2-year history of a persistent, itchy, and tender rash on the dorsal hands. The rash fluctuated in severity with the seasons, worsening during the colder months. The patient denied joint pain and fatigue, or lesions elsewhere.

Examination revealed partially blanchable violaceous plaques on the dorsal hands with partial sparing of the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints (Fig 1). A few punctate, crusted erosions and purpuric macules were present on the dorsal and volar distal phalanges (Figs 2 and 3).

Thyroid Storm At Sea: A Case Report Of Algae-Induced Thyrotoxicosis, Alynna Knaub, Amanda Cecchini, John Janousek, Laura Strojny, Jairo Noreña, Zachary Pawlikowski

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Iodine-induced thyrotoxicosis (IIT), also known as the Jod-Basedow phenomenon, is a rare yet recognized cause of hyperthyroidism. While iodinated contrast is the most frequent trigger, iodine-rich supplements such as seaweed products or supplements can also precipitate thyrotoxicosis, particularly in individuals with prior chronic iodine deficiency or preexisting thyroid nodular disease. We present a case of thyroid storm following short-term ingestion of Irish sea moss as part of a “crash diet.” A 37-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus, well controlled on subcutaneous insulin therapy, presented with nausea and vomiting after 6 days of following a restrictive diet consisting solely of …

Enhancing Mri Accessibility Through Community Engagement For Autistic Young Adults, Antonio F Pagán, Grace Gogola, Ashley Huang, Katherine A Loveland

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The present study, a community-engaged research initiative, was specifically designed to enhance MRI accessibility and optimize the overall experience for autistic Latino young adults. Crucially, we employed a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach, ensuring that the voices and perspectives of the target community were central to every stage of inquiry. Insights were gathered from Community Scientist meetings and 18 autistic Latino young adults (ages 18-25) through focus groups with nine MRI-naïve individuals and individual interviews with a separate cohort of nine individuals who had prior MRI experience. Transcripts from these sessions underwent thematic analysis to identify key patterns related to …

Circulating Biomarker Results From A Phase 2 Study Of Seralutinib In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Robin Osterhout, Athénaïs Boucly, Raymond L. Benza, Richard N. Channick, Kelly M. Chin, Robert P. Frantz, Anna R. Hemnes, Luke S. Howard, Vallerie V. Mclaughlin, Olivier Sitbon, Jean-Luc Vachiéry, Rotham T. Zamanian, Richard Aranda, Matt Cravets, Zhaoqing Ding, Thao Duong-Verlé, David Mattola, Robert F. Roscigno, Ravikumar Sitapara, Lawrence S. Zisman, Jean-Marie Bruey, Hossein-Ardeschir Ghofrani

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

[Introduction] To the Editor: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by obstructive pulmonary arterial remodeling (1). Seralutinib, an investigational inhaled tyrosine kinase inhibitor, potently and selectively targets kinases relevant to PAH pathobiology including platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR) α and β, colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), and mast/stem cell growth factor receptor kit (c-KIT) (2). In preclinical models, seralutinib improved cardiopulmonary hemodynamics, reversed pulmonary vascular pathology and decreased right ventricular hypertrophy (3). In TORREY, a phase 2, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in PAH, seralutinib significantly reduced pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) after 24 weeks with good …

Failure Rates And Patient-Reported Outcomes Are Similar Across 5 Arthroscopic, Suprapectoral Bicepts Tenodesis Fixation Techniques, Senah E. Stephens, Samantha M. Strohm, Rachael M. Shaughnessy, Katherine S. Worcester, Kevin F. Bonner

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose

To compare failure rates and patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) across 5 arthroscopic, suprapectoral biceps tenodesis fixation techniques: tenodesis screw, tenodesis anchor, expanding tenodesis anchor, onlay with single all‐suture anchor, and soft tissue tenodesis in the bicipital groove with suture.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study approved by the Institutional Review Board, including patients age 18 years or older who underwent arthroscopic, suprapectoral biceps tenodesis between 2014 and 2024 with a minimum of 6 months of clinical follow‐up. Exclusion criteria included cervical pathology, chronic pain syndromes, revisions, and workers' compensation cases. Patients completed PROMs including pain Visual Analog Scale …

An Analysis Of Heart Failure Among Cancer Patients In The United States Between 1999 And 2020, Abes A. Bautista Neughebauer, Deepak Talreja, Apostolos Gaitanidis

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer and heart failure (HF) are highly prevalent in the population and can co-exist, due to shared risk factors and an aging population. The HF-related mortality burden in cancer patients across in the United States (US) remains poorly understood. The goal of this study is to evaluate the patterns of HF-related deaths among cancer patients in the United States.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER Multiple Cause of Death database between years 1999 and 2020. HF-related deaths were defined as death certificates listing HF as a contributing cause of …

All-Inside Arthroscopic Technique For Repairing Radial Meniscus Tears At The Anterior Horn-Body Junction, Brandon Omari Boyd, Robert M. Walker, Harrison A. Volaski, Ferdinand J. Chan

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Radial meniscus tears are a common tear pattern that, if left untreated, can ultimately lead to accelerated degenerative changes and disability. There is well-established evidence that supports meniscal preservation in patients with radial meniscus tears. Various surgical techniques are used to repair radial tears, including inside-out, outside-in, and all-inside methods. Self-retrieving all-inside devices are a safe option when repairing radial tears. However, radial tears at the junction of the anterior horn and body present a unique surgical challenge, as surgeons may have difficulty maneuvering the jaws of the self-retrieving suture device around the anterior limb of the meniscal tear. We …

Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease And Circadian Rhythm: Current Understanding And Implications For Future Therapeutic Interventions, William K. Slover, Ashley V. Huang, Steve M. D'Souza, Edward C. Oldfield, David A. Johnson

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), defined by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases as hepatic steatosis with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor, affects approximately 30-40% of adults worldwide. This condition may progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The rising prevalence, alongside obesity and type 2 diabetes, underscores the need for early risk stratification and integrated therapeutic strategies. Circadian homeostasis, orchestrated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and core clock gene feedback loops, synchronizes hepatic metabolic pathways with environmental light-dark cycles. The objective of this review is to evaluate the role of circadian disruption and metabolic dysfunction …

Dual Clinical Presentation Of A Birthmark: A Quiz, Avery H. Seward, Jacqueline E. Leyrer, Sarah H. Carlock

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

[Introduction] A man in his early 30s presented with a longstanding birthmark on the lift thigh that was first noticed at age 12. As a teenager, the lesion was treated with a CO2 laser at an outside institution; however, the lesion continued to slowly enlarge over the past several years. The patient reported recurrent irritation and swelling from a construction safety harness with occasional bleeding and frequent bruising. Recently, the area became inflamed, prompting an ER visit, where the patient was evaluated for cellulitis, underwent a normal ultrasound and was placed on cephalexin 500 gm twice daily for 10 days.

Defining Clinically Meaningful Within-Patient Changes In Heart Failure: Jacc Heart Failure Position Statement, Amin Yehya, Rebecca Hahn, Barry Borlaug, Victoria Delgado, Andrew Ambrosy, Ross Arena, Nosheen Reza, Gregory Lewis, Natalie Tapaskar, Salvatore Carbone, Cynthia Chauhan, Mitchell A. Psotka, Norman Stockbridge, James Januzzi, Javed Butler, Jennifer Cowger, Biykem Bozkurt, John Spertus

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Heart failure (HF) clinical trials increasingly rely on diverse endpoints beyond mortality, including hospitalizations, imaging, hemodynamic status, biomarkers, functional capacity, and patient-reported outcomes. Although statistically significant differences between treatment groups are commonly reported, interpreting whether these changes are clinically meaningful for individual patients remains challenging. This JACC: Heart Failure position statement proposes a pragmatic framework for defining clinically meaningful within-patient change across commonly used HF outcomes by integrating measurement variability, prognostic associations, and patient-anchored evidence where available. Relative and absolute risk reductions should both inform interpretation of clinical events, while imaging, hemodynamic, biomarker, and functional measures require changes exceeding measurement …

Understanding Educators’ Perceived Barriers On Generative Ai Use For P-12 Education: An Exploratory Study, Sohyun Yang Ph.D., Gary Andersen Ph.D., Elodie Jones Ph.D., Phillip A. Olt Ed.D.

Advanced Education Programs Faculty Publications

This study explored P-12 educators' perceptions of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for teaching through a qualitative approach using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Data were collected via a researcher-developed survey examining the barriers P-12 educators perceived related to GenAI use in teaching, administered to 119 educators enrolled in an online educator preparation program in a Midwestern state. The findings showed four levels of perceived barriers: educator, student, institution, and technology. Educator-related barriers included educators' lack of knowledge and readiness to use AI, the need for relevant training, their pedagogical beliefs, and professional identities. Student-related barriers included concerns about students’ …

Restoring The People-Powered Energiewende, Carol Hager

Environmental Studies Research and Scholarship

Germany was an early leader in the energy transition. In contrast to the country’s general top-down policymaking style, the Energiewende proceeded from the bottom up, through the activism of small innovators and local communities. The 2000 Renewable Energy Sources Act supported the local transition primarily through feed-in tariffs. The locally based Energiewende yielded diverse benefits, including climate resilience, economic vitality, and community efficacy. Technological challenges, however, combined with pressure from incumbent utilities, led the German government to shift back toward a more centralized model. As community ownership stalled, local opposition to facilities imposed from outside grew, slowing the transition and …

Improved Surgical Management Of Complex Neonates With Heterotaxy Syndrome, Alexander C Mills, Ashley E Dawson, Michael C Scott, Alexis M Kennedy, Beau A Bequeaith, Ioannis Zoupas, Jorge D Salazar, Damien J Lapar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Neonatal management of congenital heart defects (CHD) among heterotaxy patients remains challenging due to significant heterogeneity in cardiac and visceral phenotypes. This study evaluated contemporary surgical outcomes and identified high-risk anatomic substrates.

Methods: A total of 41 heterotaxy CHD patients who underwent neonatal surgical repair and/or palliation over a 10-year period were evaluated at a single institution. Heterotaxy anatomy was characterized according to right atrial isomerism (RAI) or left atrial isomerism (LAI), and other cardiac defects. Multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses evaluated operative and intermediate-term outcomes.

Results: Median age at initial operation was 7.0 days, and median operative …

Hyperglycemia In Combination With Excess Fat Intake Promotes Renal Pyroptosis And Fibrosis Through Gα12-Dependent Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Muhammad Sohaib Khan, Boram Kim, Yerim Jeon, Jihoon Tak, Yun Seok Kim, Sang Gil Lee, Eun Byul Lee, Chang-Hoon Lee, Cheol Bin Eom, Hyun Sook Lee, Hyeon-Ki Jang, Nakyeom Lee, Jeong Hae Kie, Jee Myung Yang, Yoon Mee Yang, Sang Geon Kim

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Chronic exposure to free fatty acids (FFAs) and glucose may disrupt metabolic homeostasis and initiate pathological processes. This study investigated the effects of hyperglycemia and fat overload on renal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, pyroptosis and fibrogenesis in mice and the underlying basis. We hypothesized that the combined insult would more severely induce Gα12-dependent ER stress and renal complications.

Methods: Mice were subjected to either high fat diet (HFD)+streptozotocin (STZ), or STZ treatment, and AZ2 was used as an anti-diabetic agent. Blood sera were used for blood biochemistry, and tissues were employed for RNA sequencing, immunoblottings, TEM, histology and immunohistochemistry. …

Proliferation And Apoptosis Adaptor Protein 15 (Pea15), A Potential Oncogenic Regulator Of Vhl And Hif1a Identified Through Proteomic Analysis In Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Yun Seong Jeong, Ji-Hyun Shin, Soo Mi Kim, Bo Hwa Sohn, Sun Young Yim, Ji Hoon Kim, Jae Jun Shim, Sung Hwan Lee, Yun Shin Chun, Sunyoung S Lee, Hui Dai, Ahmed Kaseb, Koo Jeong Kang, Holger K Eltzschig, A Robert Macleod, Xiaolin Luo, Alexey Revenko, Youngsoo Kim, Ju-Seog Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Remission Of Recalcitrant Pyoderma Gangrenosum Following Chemotherapy For Iatrogenic Kaposi Sarcoma, Noel X Yang, T Austin Black, Adan A Rios, Megan N Rogge

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Meiji Rhythm: Auditory Effects And Tradition Vs. Modernity In Late Nineteenth Century Verse, Roger K. Thomas

Faculty Publications – Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

This study, which grew out of a 2009 presentation at the Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs, examines possible alignments between choices of lineation in Japanese poetry of the Meiji period (1868-1912) and various political and social ideologies of the time. It argues that the choice of arrangements of lines into patterns of either 5-7 or 7-5 morae typically associated the former with advocacy of adaptation of the classical chōka  genre while the latter tended to be associated with more "progressive" values and was employed in shintaishi and songs that drew stylistic inspiration from the  imayō genre.

Belonging And Academic Success In A Bilingual Classroom For Latinx Students At Illinois State University, Alejandro Enriquez

Faculty Publications – Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

[In lieu of abstract, first paragraph is replicated here]

In May 2020, Illinois State University published a heartwarming human-interest news story about a recent Latine graduate. The alumna, a mass communication major, had landed a broadcasting job in one of Chicago’s regional television stations, and the goal of the story was to celebrate her success. In telling the story of the success, however, the article stated that “When she was 13 and spoke no English, her family packed up their life in their native Colombia and immigrated to the Chicago area for new opportunities.” In time, the story went on, …

Dietrich Von Bern’S Captivity Among Monsters: A Heroic Motif And Its Variations In Waldere, Virginal, Sigenot, And Laurin, Jonathan Seelye Martin

Faculty Publications – Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Longitudinal Analysis Of Blood Microrna-7-5p As A Possible Progression Biomarker In People With Parkinson’S Disease, Shayan Abdollah Zadegan, Corrine Hutchinson, Chiamaka Onuigbo, Juan D Martinez-Lemus, Laura Talbot, E Jeffrey Metter, Marie-Francoise Doursout, Emily Tharp, Jessika Suescun, Mohammad Shahnawaz, Timothy M Ellmore, Mya Schiess, Christopher Adams

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: MicroRNA-7-5p (miR-7-5p) may play a neuroprotective role in people with Parkinson's disease (PwP), as it has been found to regulate α-synuclein (α-syn) and the NLRP3 inflammasome in animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the use of miR-7-5p as a potential biomarker for disease progression in PwP by correlating it with time, clinical measures, and neurofilament light chain (NfL).

Methods: We performed a longitudinal retrospective analysis of blood miR-7-5p levels in 303 de novo PwP and 159 healthy controls (HCs) from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) cohort. In PwP, a linear mixed-effects …