Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Of Modifications To An Outdoor Field-Scale Rotating Algal Biofilm Reactor With A Focus On Biomass Productivity And Power Usage, Davis R. Haag, Phillip E. Heck, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Student Research

Filtrate from dewatering anaerobically digested biosolids is a side-stream of wastewater treatment that contains high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds that can serve as nutrients for cultivating microalgae biomass as biofilms for bioproduct production at Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs). One system used to cultivate attached microalgae biofilms is the rotating algal biofilm reactor (RABR). A pilot RABR with 72 m² growth surface area, 11.5 m² footprint area, and a liquid volume of 11,500 L was operated in an outdoor environment at the largest WRRF in Utah, U.S.A, the Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility (CVWRF). The configuration …

Exploring Students' Perceptions Of Genai Tools In Higher Education: A Case Study, Dina Mansour Tbaishat, Maha Waleed Elfadel

All Works

As artificial intelligence transforms the educational landscape, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools have become influential in enhancing learning experiences. Despite their growing presence in higher education, limited research explores how university students, especially learners in non-Western contexts, perceive these tools. This study investigates students' perceptions at a university in the UAE, focusing on five dimensions: perceived benefits, institutional support, technological self-efficacy, ethical considerations and user satisfaction. The findings reveal that students generally expressed strong agreement regarding the benefits of GenAI, demonstrated a clear sense of ethical awareness and felt confident in their technological abilities. While satisfaction levels were generally high, …

Prenatal Metabolomics Analysis And Fetal Congenital Anomalies And Genetic Conditions: A Review Of Current Literature, Sarah Araji, Onur Turkoglu, Mohamad Ali Maktabi, Tracy Ashby, Ignatia B Van Den Veyver

Library Staff Publications

Fetal congenital anomalies and genetic disorders complicate 3%-5% of pregnancies and can have a significant impact on pregnancy outcomes. Precise and individualized prenatal diagnosis is crucial for effective counseling and management. The identification of new biomarkers holds promise for enhancing prenatal screening, diagnosis, and prognostic counseling in affected pregnancies. Recently, metabolomics has emerged as a potential adjunct in the interpretation of genetic variants identified through genome-wide sequencing for rare genetic conditions. To assess the potential of metabolomic profiling as a functional assay capable of providing deeper insights into the pathological processes and genetic findings associated with prenatal congenital anomalies, we …

Blue-Shifted Ancyromonad Channelrhodopsins For Multiplex Optogenetics, Elena G Govorunova, Oleg A Sineshchekov, Hai Li, Yueyang Gou, Hongmei Chen, Shuyuan Yang, Yumei Wang, Stephen Mitchell, Alyssa Palmateer, Leonid S Brown, François St-Pierre, Mingshan Xue, John L Spudich

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Light-gated ion channels from protists (channelrhodopsins or ChRs) are optogenetic tools widely used for controlling neurons and cardiomyocytes. Multiplex optogenetic applications require spectrally separated molecules, which are difficult to engineer without disrupting channel function. Scanning numerous sequence databases, we identified three naturally blue-shifted ChRs from ancyromonads. They form a separate branch on the phylogenetic tree and contain residue motifs characteristic of anion ChRs (ACRs). However, only two conduct chloride, whereas the closely related Nutomonas longa homolog generates inward cation currents in mammalian cells under physiological conditions, significantly exceeding those by previously known tools with similar spectral maxima (peak absorption at …

A Computational Framework For Multi-Scale Analysis Of Mouse Cerebral Blood Flow Regulation, Hadi Esfandi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cerebral hemodynamic imaging is increasingly used as a non-invasive technique to study brain function and dysfunction in both research and clinical settings. Recent advances in imaging technologies have enabled high-speed, high-resolution, whole-brain measurements of blood flow and oxygenation. Improving the interpretation of these cerebral hemodynamic signals through a mechanistic understanding of their cellular drivers would enable more accurate characterization of brain function and pathology. However, no existing biophysical model fully captures the fine-grained dynamics observed in these signals. This dissertation introduces a biophysically grounded computational framework for multi-scale analysis of the mouse cerebral blood flow regulatory system, which captures mechanistic …

The Scarlet - Volume Civ, No. 2 (September 19, 2025), Scarlet Staff

The Scarlet (Student Newspaper) (2011-present)

The September 19, 2025 edition of The Scarlet (est. 1939), Clark University's student-run newspaper. The Scarlet is intellectually and editorially independent of the University.

2025-2026 Performance Forum - September 19, 2025, Zion Pe Montebon, Sheng Yuan Kuan, Owen Chen, Adolfo Ferrin Garcia Montañés, Nabil Hetman, Dj Combs, Devin Foster, Rebeca Sierra

Performance Forum

No abstract provided.

Mitochondrial Methylcytosines As Blood-Based Biomarkers For Alzheimer's Disease Dementia Prognosis, Jordi Gascón-Bayarri, Jose Luis Mosquera, Marta Blanch, Pau Martí, Beatriz Fontal, Carla Trapero, Nuria Rojo, Inma Rico, Jaume Campdelacreu, Cristopher Fowler, Simon M. Laws, Adrià Tort-Merino, Raquel Sanchez-Valle, Joan Bello, Juan Fortea, Alberto Lleó, Courosh Mehanian, Russell H. Swerdlow, Ramón Reñé-Ramírez, Marta Barrachina

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Alzheimer's Disease Dementia (ADD) prognosis is an unmet medical need. Mitochondrial dysfunction is an early AD etiopathogenic factor. The present study analyzed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) methylation patterns in blood samples from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who progressed to ADD (P), MCI remained stable (NP), and Cognitively Normal (CN) individuals. Differentially methylated sites were identified in the D-loop region in both CN vs. NP and NP vs. P comparisons, even before β-amyloid positivity. A Random Forest model was developed using mtDNA methylation data combined with cognitive and risk factor features. Model's performance was assessed by cross-validation and tested on …

Protocol For Non-Invasive Pulsed-Doppler Evaluation Of Blood Flow In The Mouse Ophthalmic Artery, Radwa Awad, Emil Martin, Anilkumar K Reddy, Iraida Sharina

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The number of reliable and non-invasive techniques to characterize ocular blood flow is limited. Here, we present a protocol for identifying a soft tissue window in the orbital aperture using pulsed-Doppler ultrasonography to offer real-time, non-invasive blood flow velocity monitoring in the mouse ophthalmic artery. We describe steps for preparing a mouse, positioning the ultrasound probe, and acquiring and recording signals. We then detail procedures for analyzing results using a workstation equipped with Doppler flow velocity software. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sharina et al.

Metabolic Shifts In Murine Inner Ears Mimicking Erythrocytes And Plasma Reveal Diagnostics And Early Predictors For Age-Related Hearing Loss, Qi Guo, Zhenjiang Li, Cheng Luo, Changhan Chen, Xi Long, Yidan Wang, Qingfen Qiang, Fang Yu, Wuping Liu, Yujin Zhang, Rodney E Kellems, Yang Xia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a major public health concern, driven by the interplay of multiple factors. Here, we reveal spatiotemporal metabolic shifts in murine inner ears mirroring erythrocytes and plasma. Isotope-labeled glucose tracing demonstrates a metabolic rerouting favoring glycolysis over the pentose phosphate pathway, alongside downregulation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, indicating impaired energy production and redox homeostasis. Accumulation of medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines further exacerbates lipotoxicity. Notably, age-dependent depletion of arginine, lysine, proline, and glycine disrupts the arginine-polyamine-urea cycle. Translationally, UK Biobank plasma metabolomics links omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, glycine, and albumin to ARHL resilience, while branched-chain …

Voluntary & Community Organisations: Not The Third But The First Sector Of Integrated Care?, Robin Miller, Michelle Nelson, Ivette Fullerton, Felix Gradinger, James Rees, Marianne Saragosa

Peninsula Medical School

When Mari, a person with diabetes and mental health challenges experiencing homelessness needed care, the hospital could treat their immediate health challenges but couldn’t address why they kept returning. It was a small community organization, with deep neighbourhood knowledge, flexible funding, and trusted relationships—that provided the wraparound support that finally broke the cycle. This story, repeated countless times across health systemsworldwide, raises a fundamental question: Why do we refer to the voluntary and community sector (VCS) as the “third sector” when it’s often the first to respond, innovate, and reach those most in need?Over the past decade, integrated care has …

1,2,4-Triazole-Based First-In-Class Non-Nucleoside Inhibitors Of The Bacterial Enzyme Mray, Tomayo Berida, Tzu-Yu Huang, Stefanie C Weck, Marcel Lutz, Samuel R Mckee, Nathalie Kagerah, Destinee L Manning, Mohamed E Jahan, Sushil Mishra, Jennifer Herrmann, Rolf Müller, Robert J Doerksen, Christina L Stallings, Christian Ducho, Sudeshna Roy

2020-Current year OA Pubs

MraY is an essential bacterial enzyme for peptidoglycan synthesis in cell walls and serves as a promising but unrealized target for developing effective antibacterial drugs. Nature has provided a remarkable array of nucleoside inhibitors of MraY, and researchers have skillfully refined these structures to develop inhibitors that effectively mimic natural products. Yet, both natural products and their synthetic variants often face challenges regarding inadequate

Human Single-Neuron Activity Is Modulated By Intracranial Theta Burst Stimulation Of The Basolateral Amygdala, Justin M Campbell, Shuo Wang, Lawrence N Eisenman, James Swift, Tao Xie, Peter Brunner, Jon Timothy Willie, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Direct electrical stimulation of the human brain has been used for numerous clinical and scientific applications. At present, however, little is known about how intracranial stimulation affects activity at the microscale. In this study, we recorded intracranial EEG data from a cohort of patients with medically refractory epilepsy as they completed a visual recognition memory task. During the memory task, brief trains of intracranial theta burst stimulation (TBS) were delivered to the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Using simultaneous microelectrode recordings, we isolated neurons in the hippocampus, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex and tested whether stimulation enhanced or suppressed firing …

Can Predictive And Functional Methods Locate The Dysplastic Hip Joint Center?, Michael Harris, Emma C. Behrman, Keith R. Lohse, Molly C. Shepherd, Bruce A. Macwilliams, Erin M. Mannen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Properly characterizing biomechanics in populations with known hip deformities, such as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), requires accurately identifying the hip joint center (HJC). Many studies have assessed the accuracy or repeatability of predictive and functional methods to locate the HJC in normally shaped hips, but not for hips with DDH.

RESEARCH QUESTION: For patients with DDH, which of three common functional and four common predictive HJC methods is most accurate compared to a magnetic-resonance-imaging-based anatomic method?

METHODS: HJC method accuracy was calculated as the resultant vector distance from the anatomic HJCs. Bias was calculated as distance errors …

The George-Anne Inkwell Edition, Georgia Southern University

The Inkwell

No abstract provided.

New Wisconsin State Records For Two Species Of Eusphalerum Kraatz (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae), Daniel K. Young, Jordan Marché Ii

The Great Lakes Entomologist

ABSTRACT: In Wisconsin, only one published species record exists for the omaliine rove beetle genus Eusphalerum. Two card-mounted specimens of Eusphalerum pothos were located in the research collection at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The collection event label provided no date but the Bayfield, Wisconsin location is consistent with an 1895 species list provided by Wickham.

New state records are confirmed for two species: Eusphalerum carolinensis and Eusphalerum convexum. A single specimen of E. carolinensis was collected on Rubus sp. in Dane County on 27 May 2017, while a series of 10 E. convexum came from Prunus spp. in Monroe County …

A Bumble Bee In A Haystack: Chance Observation Of An Overwintering Rusty Patched Bumble Bee, Bombus Affinis (Hymenoptera:Apidae) Gyne, Bradley M. Herrick, Susan G. Carpenter

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Bombus affinis (rusty-patched bumble bee) Cresson is listed as a federally endangered species in the United States and Canada. It is globally “imperiled” (G2) and listed as “critically endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. While the causes of the species’ precipitous decline are relatively unknown, researchers suspect introduced pathogens, habitat loss and degradation, competition with non-native bees, and climate change. Conservation strategies should encompass all aspects of the species’ life cycle. However, habitat selection of new overwintering gynes (gynes become queens when they establish nests in the spring) is the …

Injury To Soybean Seedlings From Alfalfa Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Larvae, Robert L. Koch, M. Lourdes Chamorro

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is primarily a pest of alfalfa, but it has been reported feeding on other plants, including soybean. The relatively limited literature on H. postica in soybean indicates that adults and larvae can feed on soybean, but it is not suitable for larval development and survival. There have been instances of H. postica adults moving from alfalfa to nearby soybean fields where they have inflicted significant injury to the soybean plants. Here we report an instance of H. postica larvae causing severe feeding injury to soybean. This infestation of soybean was the result of …

Variability In Arthropod Community Surveys: Observations Of Ground-Dwelling Arthropods Are Dependent On Methodological Choices, Katherine Mcnamara Manning, Kayla I. Perry, Christie A. Bahlai

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Sampling approaches are commonly adapted to reflect the study objectives in biodiversity monitoring projects. This approach optimizes findings to be locally relevant but comes at the cost of generalizability of findings. Here, we detail a comparison study directly examining how researchers’ choice of arthropod trap and level of specimen identification affects observations made in small-scale arthropod biodiversity studies. Four arthropod traps (pitfall traps, yellow ramp traps, yellow sticky cards, and novel jar ramp traps) were compared with respect to an array of biodiversity metrics calculated at two levels of identification. The arthropod community captured varied by trap type. Pitfalls and …

Pollen Loads Of Insects Caught In Cultivated Fields Of Oilseed Pennycress, Frank Forcella, Ellinor Sheik, Michael Zavada, Mark Bernards

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Although many insects are known to be associated with the floral canopies of oilseed pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), those that carry the crop’s pollen are unknown. During early spring of 2024 insects associated with pennycress flowers in Illinois and Minnesota were captured in sweep nets, frozen, sorted by species, and sonicated to remove pollen. Pollen grains were counted, and pollen loads per individual insect were calculated. Members of the orders Diptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera accounted for 66%, 16%, and 14% of the 850 insects examined, but these same orders were responsible, respectively, for 18%, 3%, and 78% of the …

Nest Pollen Provisions From An Urban Population Of Megachile Campanulae (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) In Minnesota Are Consistent With Oligolectic Classification., Lam D. Le, Thea A. Evans, Colleen Satyshur

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The conservation of bees is crucial for maintaining the essential ecological services they provide. Understanding bee species' risk of extinction is a key part of conservation efforts, and can include assessment of dietary specialization, which has been linked to higher extinction risk. Dietary specialization in bees, called oligolecty, occurs when females select pollen only from closely related plants to feed their larvae. While the solitary bee, Megachile (Chelostomoides) campanulae (Robertson 1903), has been associated with flowers in the genus Campanula L. (Campanulaceae: Asterales), evidence from pollen analysis is limited, and dietary classification is reported inconsistently. This study examined dietary specialization …

Nocturnal Flight Periodicity Of Caddisflies (Trichoptera) Along The Lake Huron Shoreline Of Drummond Island, Michigan (Usa), Robert A. Haack, David Houghton

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Over 7000 caddisfly specimens, representing 33 species in 10 families, were collected between sunset and sunrise on 12 nights: three nights each during early July and early August in both 2023 and 2024. Collections were made on the southwestern side of Drummond Island along the shoreline of Lake Huron. Sampling occurred for five minutes at 15-minute intervals from near sunset (21:00) to 01:00 and then once again at 03:00 and 05:00. Nocturnal flight periodicity was broadly similar between years and months, with mean caddisfly abundance and species richness peaking at about one hour after sunset. Mean species accumulation varied between …

Initial Changes In Ground Beetle (Carabidae: Coleoptera) Assemblages After Creating Gaps Of Varying Sizes In Mature Northern Hardwoods Forests In Wisconsin, Robert A. Haack, Robert E. Acciavatti, Toby R. Petrice, Robert L. Davidson, Terry F. Strong

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Managers of northern hardwood forests in the Great Lakes region create gaps in the forest canopy of various sizes during harvesting to achieve different silvicultural objectives. Single-tree harvesting favors recruitment of shade-tolerant tree species by creating small gaps in the canopy, whereas group selection creates larger gaps that can favor shade-intolerant tree species. We evaluated changes in carabid beetle abundance and diversity in harvest-created gaps of five sizes (gap diameters of 6, 10, 20, 30, and 46 m) and uncut forests in northern Wisconsin where sugar maple (Acer saccharum) was the dominant tree species. Gaps were cut during …

Michigan Entomological Society Becomes The Great Lakes Entomological Society, John Douglass, Robert Haack

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Michigan Entomological Society Becomes the Great Lakes Entomological Society. An overview of the rational of the change and history of the society.

Cover Art For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Art for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

Cover Pages For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Cover Pages for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

Full Issue For Tgle Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Full Issue for TGLE Vol. 58 Nos 1 & 2

Traditional And Technologically Reliant Studying Methods Of Bsn Students: A Comparative Study, Sofia Magdalena Norbe Robles

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Incorporating technology has emerged as a significant and influential factor in education that alters conventional approaches to teaching and learning. (Kulshreshtha, M. et al, 2023). Though technology has significantly influenced the global educational system, contributing to the advancement of education, traditional learning methods still exist. This study compares the preferences, advantages, and disadvantages between traditional and technology-reliant studying methods among Gen Z nursing students at Centro Escolar University.

A descriptive comparative research design was used to elicit the preferences, advantages, and disadvantages between traditional and technologically reliant study methods. Questionnaires were randomly given to 310 nursing students from level 1 …

The Role Of Burnout In Shaping Nursing Department Performance In Academia, Jennifer L. Saylor, Jennifer Evans, Dawn M. Goodolf, Adrienne Martinez-Hollingsworth, Nia Martin

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Burnout is a multifaceted occupational syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, detachment, and diminished sense of accomplishment.^1-2 Factors such as heavy workloads, low salaries, and lack of work-life balance are major contributors to faculty and administrative staff burnout.³ “Quiet quitting” has become more common in academic settings⁴ as many prioritize personal life over professional obligations.⁵ Despite these issues, a notable gap remains in understanding the critical role that academic nurse leaders play in mitigating burnout among the support staff they oversee.

Purpose: To examine academic nurse leaders’ perceptions of burnout and mitigation strategies among faculty and …

Innovative Leadership For Success Among Bipoc And First-Generation Students, Jennifer L. Saylor, Jennifer S. Graber, Elizabeth Speakman

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: The literature review reveals that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and first-generation college (FGC) students need more support during their college transition. Barriers to success include feeling uncomfortable seeking help while under stress, which can stem from racist attitudes on campus, feeling isolated, and the rigor of the nursing curricula that are often immediately pushed on BIPOC and FGC students.

Purpose: The Connecting Future Caregivers Program (CFCP) was developed to facilitate community-building and enhance academic success strategies, without positioning faculty and staff as benevolent authorities providing knowledge to BIPOC and FGC nursing students,

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional …