Digital Commons Network^™

Inverted Gradient Attacks: Testing Priacy Attacks And Data Leakage In Federated Learning, Jonathan Auyong, Shan Peck, Liam Laidlaw, Zavareh Bozorgasl, Hao Chen

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Federated Learning (FL) is an emerging machine learning approach that proposes to train models collaboratively on user’s data in distributed environments. In FL, a central server holds a global model which are sent out to clients. The clients train their models on their private data, and send back gradients or parameter differences for aggregation. FL introduces its own issues with security and privacy, where attackers can poison the model to degrade performance or attempt to steal user’s private data through inference attacks. Past research on gradient inversion, a form of inference attack, shows these sent gradients in FL can be …

How Does Irrigation Affect American Kestrel (Falco Sparvarius) Nest Site Selection And Parasite Infection?, Izzy C. Piedmont, Sarah E. Scott, Mackenzie G. Hutchinson, Stephanie A. Low, Julie A. Heath

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Irrigated agricultural lands can provide important habitat and forage locations for wild birds. The costs and benefits of irrigated agricultural areas compared to wildlands remain unclear. Green vegetation attracts insects and small mammals, creating an abundant food source for predators. In addition, the use of chemicals on crops may reduce vectors of disease. American Kestrels (Falco sparverius) are a small species of falcon that make extensive use of both irrigated and non-irrigated landscapes. We examined nest site selection and Haemosporidian parasite loads in a partial migrant population of American Kestrels in irrigated and non-irrigated landscapes. If irrigated lands …

Removal Of Senescent Cells Using Senolytics Attenuates Α-Synuclein-Mediated Parkinson's Disease Pathology, Payton Wardwell, Dinesh Kumar Verma, Yong-Hwan Kim

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Emerging evidence suggests that cellular senescence contributes to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Cellular senescence is a state in which cells cease to proliferate in response to damage and contribute to tissue dysfunction through the release of toxic factors. While dopaminergic neurons are the primary cells lost in PD, senescent glia: astrocytes and microglia, are considered to play a vital role in regulating neuronal health. Using the pre-formed fibril (PFF) of alpha-synuclein to induce PD-like pathology, we examined the impact of senolytic treatment on glial cell senescence. Cellular senescence is assessed by measuring the levels of …

Exploring Satellite-Derived Indices For Assessing Crop Field Performance In The Hangman Creek Watershed, Jade Mokry, Sarah Olson, Mariana Dobre, Erin Brooks, Tyler Opp, Laura Laumatia

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

For generations, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe has maintained a deep relationship with Hangman Creek, relying on its natural resources for both physical and spiritual sustenance. As non-Native settlers began occupying Tribal lands, so did widespread Western agricultural development, resulting in losses of culturally significant plants and animals, such as camas and red-band trout. Land-use changes have replaced native Palouse vegetation with crops such as wheat, chickpeas, and lentils, leading to topsoil loss, increased erosion, and declining water quality. Consequently, the Tribe aims to restore areas of cultural importance suitable for removal from agricultural production. Crop yield is highly correlated with …

Transition Metal Phosphides And Pco Used To Sustainably Transfer Phosphorus In Energy And Electricity, Maya Hoffman, Chika Abonyi, Richard Thompson

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Transition metal PCO (P=C+O) complexes have potential uses to produce organophosphorus complexes in a much more efficient and sustainable manner. This project shows the synthesis, identification, and characterization of a Cu(I) PCO complex which is supported by a bulky N-heterocyclic carbene ligand (NHC*). This compound has been characterized via NMR (1H, 31P, 13C) and IR spectroscopy. Thermolysis of this compound shows the expulsion of carbon monoxide to generate a reactive Cu-P bond which appears to transfer the P-atom to the carbene ligand as gauged by NMR spectroscopy, as well as mass spectroscopy.

Investigating The Origins Of Parkinson's Disease In A Mouse Model, Cora Knueven, Jenna Kidwell, Kaitlyn Carver, Sabrina Wilson, Trevor Walker, Ty Naymik, David Tomlinson, Sydney J.W. Boutros

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Evidence suggests that Parkinson’s disease (PD) starts in the gut and travels to the brain. PD is marked by accumulation of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (aSyn) into aggregates called Lewy bodies. Pesticides have been implicated in PD, further suggesting origins in the gastrointestinal system. Yet, questions remain about how pathology spreads from the gut to the brain, and its appearance. Since the 1960s, the use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) like Roundup®, has risen dramatically. Growing concerns about GBH’s effects on human health stem from research suggesting glyphosate can cross the blood-brain barrier and contribute to neurodegeneration. We are assessing the gut-brain hypothesis …

C-Terminal Frameshift Variants In Gpkow Are Associated With A Multisystemic X-Linked Disorder, Jung-Wan Mok, Laura Mackay, Maria Blazo, Elizabeth Mizerik, Jozef Gecz, Renee Carroll, Mathilde Nizon, Sophie Rondeau, Madeleine Joubert, Silvestre Cuinat, Wallid Deb, Fernanda Valle Sirias, Monika Weisz-Hubshman, Shamika Ketkar, Urszula Polak, Alyssa A Tran, Debra Kearney, Neil A Hanchard, Oguz Kanca, Michael F Wangler, Hugo J Bellen, Brendan H Lee, Shinya Yamamoto, Keren Machol

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Purpose: GPKOW, a gene on the X-chromosome, encodes a nuclear RNA-binding protein important in messenger RNA (mRNA) processing as a spliceosome subunit. This work aims to establish GPKOW as a disease-associated gene.

Methods: We describe 3 males from 2 unrelated families with hemizygous frameshift variants affecting the last exon of GPKOW p.(Arg441SerfsTer30) and p.(Ser444GlufsTer28). The effect of p.(Ser444GlufsTer28) on gene expression was evaluated in patient's fibroblasts. In vivo studies in Drosophila melanogaster targeting the sole GPKOW fly ortholog, CG10324 (Gpkow) were performed.

Results: Clinical presentations included intrauterine growth restriction, microcephaly/microencephaly, and eye, brain, skin, and skeletal abnormalities. Heterozygote females presented …

From Disruption To Integration: Cryptocurrency Prices, Financial Fluctuations, And Macroeconomy, Zhengyang Chen

Faculty Publications

This paper examines cryptocurrency shock transmission to financial markets and the macroeconomy using a Bayesian structural VAR with Pandemic Priors from 2015 to 2024. By affecting overall risk appetite, cryptocurrency price shocks generate positive financial market spillovers, accounting for 18% of equity and 27% of commodity price fluctuations. Real economic effects are significant in driving investment but remain limited, contributing only 4% to unemployment and 6% to industrial production variance. However, cryptocurrency shocks explain 18% of price-level forecast error variance at long horizons. Narrative analysis reveals sentiment and technology as primary shock drivers. These findings demonstrate cryptocurrency's deep financial system …

Sidesense: Robust Physiological Motion Detection Via Mmwave Joint Communication And Sensing Systems With Multiple Beams, Mohammed Shadman Ishrak, Jannatun Noor Sameera, Alvin Yang, Yanjun Pan, Yao Zheng, Olga Boric-Lubecke, Victor M. Lubecke

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

A 28-GHz multibeam joint communication and sensing system called SideSense is presented, in which a line-of-sight (LoS) beam is used to maintain reliable communication, while other sensing beams are used to enhance physiological motion detection. SideSense decodes the motion frequency and shape from the channel state information (CSI) by first tuning the gain ratio and phase differences between the LoS communication beam and non-LoS (NLoS) beam to maximize the sensing signal-to-noise ratio (SSNR) without significantly degrading the communication channel capacity (CCC). Analytical results based on a bistatic model are presented to show a gain ratio of around 1 and a …

Surface Keratin 1, A Tumor-Selective Peptide Target In Human Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Shih-Jing Yao, Farideh Amirrad, Elmira Ziaei, Azam Saghaeidehkordi, Moom R. Roosan, Kiumars Shamloo, Ajay Sharma, Rachita K. Sumbria, Surya M. Nauli, Christopher G. Bunick, Kamaljit Kaur

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Targeting drugs to cancer cells via overexpressed cell-surface receptors has emerged as an effective therapeutic strategy for several cancers. However, identifying cell-surface receptors that allow selective uptake of targeting ligands by cancer cells—while sparing normal cells—remains a challenge, especially for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which lacks a well-defined receptor for targeted delivery. In this study, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis revealed that human TNBC patient tissues have significantly higher levels of keratin 1 (K1) compared to normal breast tissues. Among TNBC tissues, grade 3 tumors showed significantly higher (threefold) K1 expression compared to grade 2 tumors. We analyzed human TNBC and normal …

Estimation Of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction By Real-Time Three Dimensional Echocardiography In Comparison To Other Linear And Volumetric Methods In Coronary And Valvular Heart Diseases, Kawthar Ali Abid, Amal Al-Marayati, Ihsan Ali Al-Hasnawi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

 BACKGROUND:More dependence on real-time three dimensional echocardiography, is in practice in the assessment of LVsystolic function in coronary and valvular heart disease.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the accuracy of linear M-MODE and volumetric (BIPLANE and TRIPLANE)echocardiographic method versus the REAL-TIME 3DE in assessment of regional and global LV systolicfunction (depending on the high agreement of RT -3DE with CMR which is the gold standard inassessment of LV systolic function) and to start orientation to this issue in our centers.PATIENTS AND METHOD:This study included 60 patients with coronary heart disease and valvular heart disease who wereadmitted in Iraqi center for cardiac disease, for whom …

Duration Of Inter-Pregnancy Interval And Its Predictors Among A Sample Of Pregnant Women In Reproductive Age Attending Primary Health Care Centers In Al-Russafa /Al-Shaab Sector, Russul Mohammed, Huda Habib

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Inter-pregnancy interval is defined as the time in completed months from the reported date of live birth of the previous child to the self-reported last normal menstrual period.Study objectives: To assess the duration of inter-pregnancy interval, and to assess the possible predictors associated with the duration of inter-pregnancy interval.Participants & Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out during the period from 1st March to 1st August 2023. A convenient sample of pregnant women in the reproductive age group (15-49 years) who attended PHCCS in Al-Shaab sector, Baghdad-Alrusafa Health Directorate. Data was collected by direct interviews with the target population, …

The Value Of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient In Differentiating Metastatic From Benign Non Metastatic Axillary Lymph Nodes In Women With Breast Cancer, Saja Zaki, Mohmmed Alhiili

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Breast cancer is the most common woman cancer. Accurate diagnosis of metastatic axillary lymph node (ALN) have an important role because it controls the clinical therapeutic schedule and influence overall disease prognosis.The development of MRI including DWI\ADC sequences improve the detection of axillary lymph nodes metastasis using the Brownian phenomena this represents an important non-invasive method with no need for contrast media.Aim of this study: To evaluate the role of the apparent diffusion coefficient inthe differentiation between metastatic and benign non metastatic axillary lymphnodes .Patients and methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted atOncology teaching hospital in Medical city …

Hypofractionated Radiotherapy Versus Conventional Radiotherapy In Prostate Cancer Using Vmat Technique In Terms Of Dosimetry; A Comparative Study, Ahmed Jasim, Khudair Jassim Al-Rawaq

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most frequent malignancy in men beyond lung cancer. Modern radiation therapy techniques employ over 3D conformal radiotherapy has been widely used now a day.Objectives: The study aimed to compare between hypofractionated radiotherapy with conventional radiotherapy in prostate cancer using VMAT technique and to investigate the dose delivered to organs at risk in prostate cancer treated with conventional and hypofractionated VMAT techniques.Method: A prospective clinical and dosimetric study in radiotherapy, medical physics, and dosimetry. Forty patients diagnosed with proven PC will be treat with the VMAT technique. Two prescribed dose methods used for each …

Intracerebral Hemorrhage In Covid-19: A Case Series Study, Naqa'a Al-Zubaidi, Hasan Al-Hamadani

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background:SARS-CoV can cause dysfunction of multiple organs and systems. Cardiovascular complications after COVID-19 have now been reported very often but the knowledge of neurovascular complications especially Intracerebral hemorrhage is undetermined. Aim of the study: To describe the natural history of acute Intracranial Hemorrhage (ICH) in COVID-19 patients.Patients and Methods:A case series study was performed at Al-Imamain Al-Kadhimain medical city and Saad Alwitry Hospital for Neuroscience in 2021.Result: Twenty patients with ICH were included in this study, 12 (60%) participants were males while females were 8 (40%) participants with mean age of 54.38±10.51 years; 10 (50%) patients had high systolic & …

Effect Of Ramadan Fasting On Lipid Profile And Bmi Among A Group Of Healthy Adult People In Mosul City/ Iraq, Safana Mohammed, Manal Rasheed

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background :- There is increasing interest regarding the health implications of Ramadan fasting in the recent years. Many reports indicate that fasting during the holy month of Ramadan results in reduced body weight and improved metabolic parameters like lipid profile in healthy individuals . Aim of the study :- To study the effect of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan on serum lipid profile and BMI in healthy adult volunteers. Subjects and methods :- prospective cohort study was done including a total of 50 healthy volunteers. Venous blood samples were taken from volunteer, 1week before Ramadan, and , in …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Mri) ‎Based Scoring System To Differentiate ‎Solitary Osteoporotic From Malignant ‎Vertebral Compression Fractures, Mohammed Kadhim, Haneen Sahib

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Background: Discriminating pathological from osteoporotic vertebral compression ‌a fracture is sometimes challenging.‌Aim: to create scoring system using several MRI signs, trying to correctly ‌differentiate osteoporotic from malignant compression vertebral fractures.‌Patients and method: a prospective case control analytic study was performed in ‌MRI unite of Al-Imamain Al-Kadhemain Medical City/ Baghdad/Iraq, 68 patients (24 ‌male and 44 female) were included, all were presenting with acute back pain and ‌vertebral compression fracture on x ray. MRI was done within 2 months from ‌symptom onset and follow up for at least 4-6 weeks. A 9 MRI signs were evaluated in ‌terms of sensitivity, specificity …

The Immunological Benefits Of Breast Feeding (Review Article), Ahmed Al-Harbi, Asmaa Shetawi

Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal

Breast feeding (BF) provides infants with the most suitable nutrients from birth tell weaning. The major part of mother breast milk (MBM) is water in which the other components dissolve. These components include nutrients and immune factors. The concentration of these components varies by time after delivery. Breast milk even provides infants with various types of bacterial species that contribute for development of infant microbiota.Components that are regarded important for shaping of infant immune response include different factors. MBM contains oligosaccharides which are associated with guts defenses, cytokines that participate in inflammation and immune cells activation, immunoglobulins that arm infant’s …

Exploring Dynamics Of Power, Inequality And Violence, Ioli Filmeridis, Rachel Locke, Nana Afua Yeboaa Brantuo, Tarila Marclint Ebiede, Cherrell Green, Biko Koenig, Mardiya, Dayanna Palmar Uriana, Areli Palomo Contreras, Mirna Wasef

Kroc IPJ Research and Resources

The research included in this compendium centers Indigenous, diaspora, migrant, disenfranchised and disaffected groups in the discussions about violence and power. Through these perspectives the reader experiences the unflinching interrogations of the forces that seek to control, enforce, regulate and profit from the oppression, subjugation and criminalization of others highlight the harm of unchecked power. The research undertaken by the VIP Lab Fellows highlights how the experiences of those in the sightline of unmitigated power may otherwise be trivialized and obscured if attention and analysis is not devoted to understanding them. Their research also suggests contextually appropriate responses to remedy …

Enhancing Power System Operation: Hydrogen, Dc Transmission Systems, And Robust Optimization, Anping Zhou

Electrical Engineering Theses and Dissertations

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) has brought considerable economic and environmental benefits to power system operations. However, it also introduces several critical challenges that should be addressed to ensure system reliability and efficiency. First, from the generation side, energy curtailment remains a persistent issue due to the random and intermittent nature of RESs. Second, from the transmission side, delivering power from remote RESs (e.g., offshore wind farms) requires substantial infrastructure investment and careful planning. Third, from the operation side, the inherent uncertainty and variability of RES generation create operational difficulties that necessitate advanced mathematical optimization tools for …

Plato’S Moral Realism By Lloyd Gerson (Review), Brennan Mcdavid

Philosophy Faculty Articles and Research

A review of Plato’s Moral Realism by Lloyd Gerson.

Psy News, Summer 2025, Illinois State University, Department Of Psychology

PSY News

Newsletter of the Department of Psychology

Teaching Pathographies Of Mental Illness, Nathan Carlin, Angela Gomez, Margarita Ortiz

Faculty and Staff Publications

This paper describes the content and evolution of a fourth-year course for medical students on teaching pathographies of mental illness. (It is a follow-up to Nathan Carlin's Pathographies of Mental Illness that appeared as an Element in the Bioethics and Neuroethics series published by Cambridge University Press.) The course originally centered on classic (and some contemporary) memoirs; however, responding to student evaluations, newer material now ensures more diversity, with material written by women and people of color, and describes the difference that can make.

Heartlines Issue 6 (Fall 2025), Student Literary Magazine Creative Writing And Art

HeartLines

No abstract provided.

The Prep Ring Quarterly—Edition 3, July 2025, Ipm South Africa

Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (PrEP Ring)

This is the third edition of The PrEP Ring Quarterly newsletter, which provides information, updates, and resources dedicated to the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) also known as PrEP ring.

Ipm South Africa, Npc: Pioneering Hiv Prevention Options For Women, Ipm South Africa

Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (PrEP Ring)

The Population Council is leveraging its innovative ring technology to develop a range of next-generation prevention products that advance the science of HIV prevention. These include a three-month dapivirine-only vaginal ring as well as combination rings that leverage the potency of different ARVs.

There will be no single solution to ending the epidemic—stopping HIV will require a variety of options. Research from the family planning field has shown that when more options are available, women are able to choose what best fits their circumstance and life stage. This means that there is an urgent need to expand the number of …

The Sulu Sea Mandate: A Diplomatic And Military Initiative To Ensure Freedom Of The Seas, John Cheney

Theses

This thesis advocates the establishment of an official US government diplomatic policy, and recommends specific means for its implementation. By combining a written narrative with a unique and highly detailed Geographic Information System (GIS,) this thesis argues that securing the Philippines archipelago from further Chinese annexations is a US strategic imperative. To that end, US military forces and capabilities- particularly those of the US Marine Corps (USMC)- would be integrated into the revamped defense of the Philippines.

Utilizing a variety of datasets, the thesis GIS depicts such features as geopolitical boundaries, conflict zones, maritime trade routes, bathymetry, navigational hazards, undersea …

School Of Nursing Newsletter Summer 2025, Southern Adventist University

Southern Nursing - School of Nursing Newsletter

The Summer 2025 issue of the newsletter features information on the Nursing Club's work with a local breast cancer survivor, a new partnership with AdventHealth, and mission trip updates.

Full Issue - Spring 2025 - Volume 112, Issue 1, Colby College

Colby Magazine

04. Planting Seeds to Grow a Stronger Community
16. Retiring Provost McFadden: Colby’s ‘Special Sauce’ is What Makes it Great
24. Pulver Scholars Explore Scientific Possibility
32. A Warm Wilderness Welcome for New Colby Students
42. Dare Northward is Shaping Colby as a Global Leader
48. Bringing Them All Back Home

Mapping Co-Benefits And Cultural Values For Nature-Based Solutions: Palcencia, Belize (Report No. 9), J. M.S. Delevaux, R. K. Zarger, C. Dario, K. Hinds, N. Batista, J. M. Olaya-Restrepo, W. A. Webb, D. Mcdougall, M. Vernon, N. Gibson, R. Mckenna, M. A. Trotz

Strong Coasts Collection

On October 24th and 25th, 2024, 58 persons gathered in Placencia Village for a collaborative workshop aimed at sharing knowledge on priority areas for Nature-Based Solutions and co-benefits pertaining to mangroves and coral reefs, including mapping and valuing fisheries supply chains, and socio-cultural values pertaining to Nature-Based Solutions.

This two-part workshop was part of the Strong Coasts Coastlines and People (CoPE) project which studies the co-benefits of Nature-Based Solutions in terms of contributions to Habitat Extent & Health, Carbon Sequestration, Education, Erosion, Fisheries, Flood Reduction, Heritage, Recreation, Tourism, and Water Quality. The workshop was organized by project partners from the …