Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Analysis Of Human And Drosophila Melanogaster Circadian Rhythms Using Dam Software, Maria Eduarda Couto Dourado, Alessia Zedde, Melissa Lehman, Kimberly D. Rowland

Student Publications and Presentations

This study aims to analyze human sleep patterns and compare them to Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) circadian rhythms using Drosophila Activity Monitoring (DAM) software. The primary objective is to determine the similarities between human and Drosophila sleep-wake cycles under controlled conditions. Human subject data will be collected through an anonymous survey assessing sleep duration, bedtime, wake-up time, mood variations, and lifestyle factors such as work schedule and caffeine intake. The collected data will be processed using DAM software to analyze human sleep-wake cycle patterns. To compare circadian rhythms, human-derived sleep patterns will be integrated into the DAM system to regulate …

Bisphenol A Effects On Stress Behaviors, Alexis Galindez, Kevin Sosa, Emily Pintilie, Cassandra S. Korte

Student Publications and Presentations

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used polycarbonate plastic found in everyday items like water bottles, food containers, and children's toys, and is known to act as an endocrine disruptor. Due to its presence in consumer goods, human exposure to BPA is common, raising concerns about its impact on reproductive and neurological health. We aim to investigate whether BPA affects aquatic flatworms' neurological behaviors, specifically Girardia dorotocephala's phototaxis behavior to light. Using this model, we exposed planaria to varying BPA concentrations of 0.125 ppm through 2 ppm. The aim is to determine the lethal dose of BPA and assess its …

Circadian Rhythm Analysis In Drosophila Melanogaster With Neurodegenerative Risk Factor, Elijah Oran, Kimberly D. Rowland

Student Publications and Presentations

A circadian rhythm is an organism’s natural clock regulating sleep-wake cycles. (Poe et al., 2023) Drosophila are useful for genetic and behavioral research because they have many homologous brain development genes. One of these homologous genes, the APOE-4 gene, is associated with dementia and poor recovery from brain injury in humans. (Study Reveals How APOE4 Gene May Increase Risk for Dementia, 2021) Here, we use fly genetics expression system and the Drosophila Activity Monitor (DAM) to look at sleep-wake cycles to understand whether they are affected by extra APOE-4. Previous research suggests they will have a modified circadian rhythm when …

How Does Caffeine Affect Your Learning?, Kiana Rhee-Osorio, Carlton Parke, Khalique Ahmed, Alexis Galindez

Student Publications and Presentations

In the Organic Chemistry I laboratory, caffeine was extracted from tea using dichloromethane. This experiment sparked an interest in exploring the effects of caffeine consumption on the learning process. Caffeine, a widely consumed psychoactive substance found in various consumer products and medications, exerts significant physiological effects on the central nervous system (Khalique Ahmed & Ahmad, 2023). While it is often perceived to enhance cognitive performance, its primary action is the temporary alleviation of caffeine withdrawal symptoms (Kalumuck, 2019; Thau and Sharma, 2020),creating a misleading sense of improved function. Due to its structural similarity to adenosine and its high hydrophobicity and …

Antibiotic Resistance In Yogurt Bacteria, Kevin Sosa, Rafaela Oda, Max Werner, Cassandra S. Korte

Student Publications and Presentations

Probiotics are live microorganisms that benefit gut health in their host. Antibiotic resistance refers to the ability of bacteria becoming tolerant to antibiotic treatments. As the antibiotics are now useless, this resistance can cause difficulties in the treatment of bacterial infections. This study investigated the difference in antibiotic resistance in bacteria found in a probiotic yogurt vs. greek yogurt by testing the effectiveness of five antibiotics: penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, and chloramphenicol. We are investigating the research question: Is there a significant difference in antibiotic resistance in bacteria from probiotic plain whole milk yogurt vs. non-probiotic greek yogurt? Using sterile …

Circadian Rhythm Analysis In Drosophila Melanogaster Using Dam2 And Shiny-R: An Examination Of Activity Patterns, Rebeckha Theodore, Anaisha Desravines, Kimberly D. Rowland

Student Publications and Presentations

Circadian rhythms are inherent cycles that last approximately 24 hours and govern numerous physiological and behavioral processes, such as sleeping and waking, hormone secretion, and feeding (Fagiani, F., Di Marino, D., Romagnoli, A. et al., 2022). These rhythms are entrained in the external environmental signals of light and temperature so that organisms can anticipate and adapt to daily changes in their ambient environments. These molecular rhythms depend on a core set of clock genes and proteins that produce self-sustaining feedback loops to sustain periodicity. Light and temperature are the main external cues that control these cycles, allowing organisms to anticipate …

Hidden Risks: Quantifying Sources Of Phthalate Exposure From Cleansers, Vivika Arocho, Tanya Pach, Erika L. Doctor

Student Publications and Presentations

To what extent does using skincare products contribute to human exposure to phthalates? Phthalates are commonly used in personal care products as fragrance stabilizers but have been linked to endocrine disruption and other health concerns. These compounds can also leach from the plastic containers into the products inside. With increased consumer awareness, it is vital to investigate the presence of phthalates in everyday consumer products, such as cleansers, which are used in daily hygiene routines. This study determines whether phthalates are present in multiple brands of cleanser products and compares their levels across different formulations. Liquid-liquid extraction followed by high-pressure …

Cell Lysis Optimization To Measure Catalase Activity, Victoria Hendricks, Erika L. Doctor, Cassandra S. Korte

Student Publications and Presentations

Catalase is an enzyme that is found in almost all living organisms that are exposed to oxygen. The purpose of catalase is to break down hydrogen peroxide into its two components, water and oxygen. This process serves a vital role to protect cells from oxidative damage caused by hydrogen peroxide. Catalase is found among many organisms, including bacteria. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a type of bacteria that is naturally found among the human digestive system where it aids in digestion and vitamin production. This study is focused on optimizing cell lysis for E. coli for catalase retrieval. Different methods …

Barriers To Dental Care Access In Minority Communities, Sebastian Leslie, Daniel Ceccoli

Student Publications and Presentations

This poster presentation examines the persistent oral health disparities affecting African American children in the United States. Drawing from four key sources, including CDC reports and cohort studies, the paper analyzes the prevalence of these disparities, explores contributing factors, and discusses strategies for addressing this public health issue. Findings indicate that African American children consistently experience higher rates of untreated dental caries and tooth decay compared to their white counterparts, with disparities persisting across different age groups. The research identifies structural, sociocultural, and familial factors contributing to these disparities and emphasizes the significant role of social determinants of health. Proposed …

Colorimetric Assay For Detecting Forever Chemicals, Sara Miller, Erika L. Doctor

Student Publications and Presentations

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals added to products like paper cups and teflon pans to make them water-resistant and durable. Exposure to PFAS have been a growing concern for the health of humans because of the migration of PFAS into foods we consume. PFAS have been linked to various health issues such as cancer, immunotoxicity, and thyroid disturbances. This research project examines a colorimetric assay for detection of PFAS in aqueous samples. Looking at the three most common PFAS, it will be determined if different concentration levels of the three PFAS affect data results. We performed the …

Planarian Exposure To The Herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic (2,4-D), Emily Pintilie, Alexis Galindez, Cassandra S. Korte

Student Publications and Presentations

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a widely used agricultural pesticide, primarily on crops such as corn, soybean, and wheat; in recent years, its global usage has increased. Exposure to this pesticide has been linked to adverse effects, including reproductive disorders, genetic alterations, carcinogenic effects, and endocrine disruption. Planarians, aquatic flatworms with simple anatomy, are often used in toxicological studies due to their sensitivity to various stimuli, including chemicals, and their ability to exhibit reproducible behaviors in response to exposure. This study investigates the effects of 2,4-D exposure on planarians at concentrations of 0, 25, 40, 50, 60, 75, and 100 mg/L …

Sustainability In Aviation, Nicholas Cruz, Jennifer A. Torres

Student Publications and Presentations

Sustainable Aviation Fuel, often referred to as SAF, is precisely what it means. There have been increasingly more conversations regarding SAF and its benefits for the aviation industry. The aviation industry is known to be one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (World Wildlife Fund, n.d.). One research shows that global aviation emissions in 2023 alone added up to 820 million metric tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere (Tiseo, 2024a). Numerous airlines have already set goals for switching to SAF, as seen with United’s Flight Fund and Virgin Atlantic Airways’ Flight 100 (United, 2023b) (Virgin …

Mammonc-Db, An Integrative Breast Cancer Data Analysis Platform For Target Discovery, Sadeep Shrestha, Ritu Aneja, Rajesh Singh, Celina G Kleer, Sidharth Kumar, Zhaohui S Qin, Harikrishna Nakshatri, Upender Manne, Chad J Creighton, Sooryanarayana Varambally

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Breast cancer (BCa), a leading malignancy among women, is characterized by morphological and molecular heterogeneity. While early-stage, hormone receptor, and HER2-positive BCa are treatable, triple-negative BCa and metastatic BCa remains largely untreatable. Advances in sequencing and proteomic technologies have improved our understanding of the molecular alterations that occur during BCa initiation and progression and enabled identification of subclass-specific biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Despite the availability of abundant omics data in public repositories, user-friendly tools for multi-omics data analysis and integration are scarce. To address this, we developed a comprehensive BCa data analysis platform called MammOnc-DB ( http://resource.path.uab.edu/MammOnc-Home.html ), comprising data …

Progesterone Signaling In Oviductal Epithelial Cells Modulates The Immune Response To Support Preimplantation Embryonic Development, Ryan M Marquardt, Feyza Nur Arguc, Peter F Lais, San-Pin Wu, Sarayut Winuthayanon, Haval Shirwan, Esma S Yolcu, Mark I Hunter, James K Pru, John P Lydon, Francesco J Demayo, Wipawee Winuthayanon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

More than 60% of pregnancy losses occur during the first trimester, highlighting the need to understand the role of the oviduct in early pregnancy. In this study, we conditionally ablated the classical progesterone receptor (Pgr) in oviductal epithelial cells, called the Pgrd/d mouse model. We found that 40% of embryos collected from Pgrd/d females were nonviable or developmentally delayed, indicating that epithelial PGR expression is crucial for embryonic development. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed up-regulation of proinflammatory genes, including interleukin-22 (IL-22), in the epithelial cells of Pgrd/d females. Pharmacological inhibition of inflammation using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs …

Brain-Like Border Ownership Signals Support Prediction Of Natural Videos, Zeyuan Ye, Ralf Wessel, Tom P Franken

2020-Current year OA Pubs

To make sense of visual scenes, the brain must segment foreground from background. This is thought to be facilitated by neurons that signal border ownership (BOS), which indicate which side of a border in their receptive field is owned by an object. How these signals emerge without a teaching signal of what is foreground remains unclear. Here we find that many units in PredNet, a self-supervised deep neural network trained to predict future frames in natural videos, are selective for BOS. They share key properties with BOS neurons in the brain, including robustness to object transformations and hysteresis. Ablation revealed …

Determining Potential Immunomodulatory Drug Efficacy In Sepsis Using Elispot, Andrew H Walton, Dale F Osborne, Ethan B Davitt, Anne M Drewry, Richard S Hotchkiss, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This study evaluated the ability of ELISpot to identify potential immuno-modulatory drug therapies in sepsis. ELISpot was performed ex vivo on whole blood from septic patients and healthy controls. Innate and adaptive immunity were evaluated by production of TNF-α and IFN-γ, respectively. Drug efficacy was determined by their effects to modulate the both the number of cytokine-producing cells and amount of cytokine produced per cell. The corticosteroid dexamethasone was evaluated for its ability to down modulate TNF-α and IFN-γ production. The TLR7/8 agonist resiquimod (R848) and T cell stimulants IL-7 and anti-PD-1 mAb were tested for their ability to enhance …

Injured Tubular Epithelia-Derived Ccn1 Promotes The Mobilization Of Fibroblasts Toward Injury Sites After Kidney Injury, Tomohiro Nakata, Benjamin D Humphreys, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Humoral factors that prompt fibroblasts to migrate to an injury site at an appropriate time point are deemed indispensable for repair after kidney injury. We herein demonstrated the pivotal roles of injured tubule-derived cellular communication network factor 1 (CCN1) in the mobilization of fibroblasts to the injury site after kidney injury. Based on analyses of ligand-receptor interactions

Adjuvant Radiotherapy In Pt3-4n0m0 Major Salivary Gland Cancer Without Other Adverse Features, Aman M. Patel, Afash Haleem, Praneet C. Kaki, Jake J. Lee, Russell Maxwell, Jason A. Brant, Robert M. Brody, Ryan M. Carey

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

OBJECTIVE: To investigate adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) utilization and associated differences in overall survival (OS) in pT3-4N0M0 major salivary gland cancer (MSGC) without evidence of other adverse pathologic features.

METHODS: The 2006 to 2018 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with MSGC classified as pT3-4N0M0. Patients with evidence of lymphovascular invasion or positive surgical margins were excluded. Multivariable binary logistic and Cox regression models adjusting for patient demographics, pathologic features including histology, and treatment were implemented.

RESULTS: Of 897 patients satisfying inclusion criteria, 368 (41.0 %) underwent aRT. Compared with those not undergoing aRT, patients undergoing aRT were younger (median …

System For Delegating Energy-Intensive Ai Tasks From Mobile Devices, Daniel Steinbock

Defensive Publications Series

This publication describes systems and methods for delegating energy-intensive artificial intelligence (AI) tasks from a mobile device. The use of local compute (LC) devices is disclosed, where the LC devices are used to process AI workloads (e.g., large language model (LLM) queries, AI inference tasks) from the mobile device. Methodology for selection between original equipment manufacturer (OEM) devices, LC devices, and other devices for processing AI workloads is outlined.

Loyalty Detection And Rewards For Non-Connected Devices, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

The invention outlines a novel approach to enhance customer purchase decisions in the SMB and enterprise markets by offering premium printer services without the need for direct cloud connections. Traditionally, verifying the use of genuine supplies required cloud connectivity, but this new method provides an alternative.

The system features a printer capable of accepting consumable cartridges and equipped with firmware that executes a secure algorithm to track and rank user activities, fostering loyalty and trust. The firmware can update authentication algorithm criteria through various methods: using a cartridge memory element, connecting to the cloud, manual updates, or via an intermediate …

Selecting Best Synce Source In A Network Based On Eec Hop Count

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure presents a method to enhance synchronization accuracy in telecommunications networks employing IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) alongside Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE). The approach addresses the inherent challenges posed by static synchronization source selection methods, particularly the sub-optimal choices resulting from network rerouting or link failures. By systematically embedding hop-count information—the total number of Ethernet Equipment Clocks (EECs) traversed—into Ethernet Synchronization Messaging Channel (ESMC) Protocol Data Units (PDUs), the invention provides downstream devices with real-time visibility into the synchronization path length. Specifically, the previously reserved octet 22 of the ESMC PDU is repurposed as a "cascaded EEC count" field, incrementing …

Quest Archival Research Trip, University Of Texas At Austin, April 2025, Michael Schueth

Research Week

In April, Collin College students visited the University of Texas-Austin to visit on-site archives, including the Briscoe Center for American History, The Harry Ransom Center, and the LBJ Presidential Library. Students received library instruction and completed archival research on a wide-variety of subject areas.

Erratum For Effect Of Chronotype On Sleep Quality In A Laboratory Setting, Brianna Harfmann, Natashia Swalve, John Mitrzyk, Alexander Montoye

International Journal of Exercise Science

No abstract provided.

Discovering Prompt Engineering: A Qualitative Study Of Nonexpert Teachers' Interactions With Chatgpt, Katherine Carl, Christopher A. Dignam

Research Days

Discussions of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) have become ubiquitous in research, industry, and education. Prompt engineering has emerged as a valuable skill desired by employers, and students have begun to express interest in learning effective ways of interacting with Generative AI. While much research has been done to formalize and optimize the process of prompt engineering, few studies have investigated the use of AI by nonexperts, including nonexpert teachers. In this study, we use qualitative analysis to characterize the process by which nonexpert teachers engage with and learn from ChatGPT as they engage with it as co-creators to …

Fieldwork Educator Use Of Knowledge Translation During Occupational Therapy Level Ii Fieldwork, Kelly Dunn Ots, Yuanqin Liu Ots, Chandler Mahood Ots, Rachel Paw Ots, Dustin Hogan Mot Otr/L, Caren Schranz Drot, Ms, Otr/L

Research Days

Knowledge translation (KT) is the exchange, synthesis, and application of knowledge amongst researchers and users to accelerate the capture of the benefits of research to improve overall outcomes, according to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2016). Yet current estimates reveal a persistent 17 knowledge-to-action gap, representing a significant delay in the translation of research and evidence into clinical practice. Evidence suggests barriers to KT implementation being lack of interest in continuing education to stay updated with the latest practices, insufficient time to focus on KT due to other demands. Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators (FWEs) are among the many professionals …

The Rise Of Artificial Intelligence In Graduate Healthcare Programs, Rachael Hinkel Ots, Kenna Kleinert Ots, Colin O'Donnell Ots, Martina Youssef Ots, Erin Simpson Drot, Mot, Otr/L

Research Days

With the current progression of the digital world, artificial intelligence (A)I implementation has been progressing rapidly in graduate school curricula. Previous studies have focused primarily on physicians' attitudes toward implementing AI. Still, a growing need exists to assess students' perspectives across healthcare disciplines to help inform future curriculum development (Teng et al., 2021). This study aims to gain knowledge about the overall use and teaching of artificial intelligence in graduate healthcare professions and its carryover into the healthcare field. Quantitative research with an exploratory design was conducted using a survey method. The findings of this research study revealed a growing …

Enhancing Stroke Awareness Through Interprofessional Education And Collaboration, Somi Nagaraj Dnp, Msn, Rn, Cssgb, Contl, Camille Byrd O'Quin Edd, Ccc-Slp/L, Cynthia Carr Drot, Tonya S. Roberson Phd, Mph,Dtr, Terri Chairse Msn, Rn

Research Days

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability in the United States, disproportionately affecting older adults in underserved communities. This project, Enhancing Stroke Awareness Through Interprofessional Education and Collaboration, highlights a collaborative effort between graduate and undergraduate students in speech-language pathology, nursing, occupational therapy, community health, and addictions studies. The Interprofessional Education and Collaboration (IPEC) project was implemented at the Bremen Township Senior Wellness Center, engaging seniors in stroke awareness education, prevention strategies, and communication resources for stroke recovery. Through a three-session model, students developed interdisciplinary teamwork skills while providing community members with evidence-based information about stroke prevention, lifestyle modifications, and …

Exploring Interprofessional Collaborative Practice And Occupational Therapy’S Contribution, Grace Bette Ots, Jacob Jackowski Ots, Kaley Sheehan Ots, Allicia K. Watson Ots, Frank Czuba Drot, Otr/L

Research Days

Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) occurs when multiple healthcare professionals from various professional backgrounds work with clients, families, and communities to provide high-quality care. Occupational therapy (OT) therapeutically uses everyday occupations with persons, groups, or populations to enhance or enable participation. IPCP in healthcare involves collaboration with OTPs, PTs, SLPs, nurses, doctors, case managers, and others to ensure efficient, high-quality care to optimal outcomes. Evidence consistently supports IPCP’s role in improving patient outcomes and experiences and enhancing the quality of care. Participants report high proficiency (87.93%) in IPCP, indicating strong preparedness from collaboration across various healthcare settings. 100% of participants recognized …

Using Trade Books To Thematically Teach Civil Rights Issues, Alyssa Whitford, Timothy Lintner, Caroline Sheffield

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This semester-long project examined the use of social studies trade books to thematically teach the civic contributions of three individuals who served as change agents in the United States during the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Two were African American men, Robert Smalls and Frederick Douglass, who took civic action to address racial discrimination faced by the Black community following the U.S. Civil War. The other was Ida B. Wells who challenged social inequities and injustices within her community. Throughout this project, sixth-grade students read selected trade books, examined primary sources, completed graphic organizers, and crafted writing …

History’S Unsung Hero: Examining Oscar Dunn And African American History Through A Graphical Novel, Nefertari Yancie

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Social studies curriculum is at the center of heated debates in U. S. politics. Conservative politicians seek to limit what student are taught about the experiences of people of color who have been oppressed or subjected to racist policies and treatment throughout American history. Whitewashing history denies students the chance to examine history in its fullness as they are unable to analyze the voices and experiences of all people whose stories have contributed to the American story. In this article, the author explores how graphic novels may be used to teach African American history. Specifically, the author discusses how activities …