Digital Commons Network^™

Comparing Dissection Vs Literature Data Of Cestodes In Ducks, Sophia B. Cross

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Cestodes are a class of parasites that are often found in vertebrate animals, specifically ducks. Research conducted by Winona State University students showed that cestodes were the most prevalent type of parasites found within ducks. However, outside research provides controversy as to whether this is actually true. Ducks were dissected by Winona State students over the past seven years, and their internal organs were carefully inspected under a light microscope. Ducks were donated by hunters, mostly harvested along the Mississippi River, from Buffalo City, WI to Winona, MN. Parasites were obtained, stored, and labelled from each duck. A dichotomous key …

Impact Of News Sentiment Analysis On The Performance Of Stock Trading Models, Nindl

Research & Creative Achievement Day

This study investigated how news sentiment analysis improves stock price prediction accuracy. Two Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks were created using PyTorch, a baseline model without sentiment analysis trained using 22 technical features, and another model with sentiment analysis scores from Alpha Vantage’s sentiment analysis API. The historical data gathered spans from 2018-2025 and it covers a total of seven securities at 20-minute intervals. There are three volatile stocks (Tesla, NVIDIA, AMC), three stable stocks (Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble), and a single S&P 500 index (SPY). The models were run in the same testing environment that …

Self-Esteem, Self-Control, And Self-Acceptance As Predictors Of Grit And Resilience, Ava N. Krolnik

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Introduction: The debate between whether grit and resilience are the same thing or different concepts has long been discussed. While they may have different definitions, many claim that they measure the same thing while others claim that they are indeed separate ideas. During this debate, many studies have found that self-control, self-esteem, and self-acceptance are all positively correlated with both grit and resilience. Despite these positive correlations, it is unclear which of these self-factors is the strongest predictor of grit and resilience and if they are the same for both. The current study aims to delve deeper into these connections …

Psychology Internship 2026; Rise Family And Children's Center, Star D. Brown

Research & Creative Achievement Day

This will be a posterboard presentation on a completed internship though Winona State University. The internship was with the RISE program at The Family and Children's Center in Winona. The posterboard will cover curriculum made and lessons taught. The lessons will be there for guests to view and ask questions about. The posterboard will also cover changes brought to the program and the impact those changes had.

Exploring Boolean Dependency Mapping For Rust Crates Aimed At Embedded Systems, Hamilton A. Ferris

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Rust Crates are concise, safe ways to abstract compilation units in the Rust programming language. Each crate can be compiled individually, or some may depend on others (i.e. function `bar` may depend on crate `foo`). However, there is no standard way to compile Rust crates in a `no_std` configuration, which targets the compilation at embedded systems. Existing research into this topic mostly focuses on developer opinion. Sharma et al. (2025) discovered that only 68% of developers thought that Rust crate support was sufficient. In addition, 92% of developers surveyed also used C for embedded systems, and 64% of them claimed …

Progress Towards The Synthesis Of Trans-4-Bromo-2-Heptene, Ava L. Dillon

Research & Creative Achievement Day

trans-4-Bromo-2-heptene (1) is a simple compound that, despite two reports to the contrary, has never been synthesized in pure form. Nevertheless, it could be a useful starting material for organic synthesis. The compound presents a significant synthetic challenge due to a propensity to undergo allylic rearrangement to form a mixture of allylic bromides. Therefore, the goal of this research was to synthesize 1 with a multistep synthesis. Step 1 was to produce hept-2-yn-4-ol (2) via a Grignard synthesis by combining butanal and propynyl magnesium bromide with the triple bond acting as a masking group for the alkene. The alcohol was …

The Intersection Of Text And Theory: Drawing Lines Between Derrida, Barthes, Pynchon, And Calvino, Katherine Bechter

Liberty University Research Week

My research synthesizes major theories of Jacques Derrida and Roland Barthes to explore Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49 and Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler. These novels consider meaning, reading, translation, and intertextuality from a postmodern perspective, and the theorists posit complementary concepts on these subjects. Using their theories as guideposts, my analysis emerges as an investigation of postmodern tenets in practice. Understanding the way theory functions in these novels invites scholars to access clandestine textual meanings sheltered beneath the surface of playful narrative. In contemporary scholarship, postmodern theorists, such as Barthes and Derrida, certainly …

M.E. Bradford And American Conservatism, Avery White

Liberty University Research Week

M.E. Bradford was a professor of English at the University of Dallas who contributed significant intellectual work to the American conservative movement in the 1960s-1990s. His training in rhetoric and upbringing in the American South gave him a unique perspective on the founding documents of the United States and major events in American history like the Revolutionary War. Bradford focused on continuity arguing the rights and freedoms American enjoy are really extensions of the traditional rights of Englishmen the colonists enjoyed prior to independence. He analyzes the rhetoric of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution and finds a …

The 1778 Fort Pitt Treaty: U.S. Betrayal Of Lenni Lenape Sovereignty And The Start Of Broken Promises, Veronica Riddle

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Pre-War Cruiser Design And Doctrine On The Guadalcanal Campaign, Dawson Baber

Liberty University Research Week

The development of cruisers and their accompanying doctrine played a critical role in the hotly contested night engagements during the Guadalcanal Campaign of the Second World War. Upon entering the war, the US Navy’s doctrine focused on long range, open seas, decisive battles centered on a battleship battleline with cruisers serving as scouts or fleet screens/escorts. However, this research will focus on the Guadalcanal campaign, which saw close range, nighttime, defensive battles fought by vessels not designed for the task and men untrained for that type of combat. While the historiography surrounding the Guadalcanal campaign is vast, there are practically …

"The Real War": A Story Of Civil War Camp Life, Rebecca Felton

Liberty University Research Week

As Fred A. Shannon observes, “The drudgery and misery of warfare is the side of which the soldier sees the most, of which he complains in his generation, and which his children promptly forget.” When most people think of the American Civil War, they recall the agonies and ecstasies of battle, envisioning the bombardment of Fort Sumter, the glorious folly of Pickett’s Charge, and the ravages of Sherman’s March to the Sea. What gets left out of the history books is what the common soldier experienced more than anything else: camp life. This study highlights how Union and Confederate soldiers …

Experimental Investigation Of How Smartphone And Social Media Use Change Wellbeing, Emily Davis

Liberty University Research Week

As technology continues to advance, there are rising concerns around young adults’ usage patterns and developing methods to encourage healthy engagement. However, the current literature includes mixed results on the impact of smartphone and social media use on wellbeing making it difficult to determine what healthy usage looks like. This is thought to be due in part to variations in the operationalization of usage and a lack of understanding of their unique mechanisms of change. To address this gap, this study examines more closely the differentiating effects of social media use compared to smartphone use. The study utilized a randomized …

Does A Youth-Led Faith Revival Suggest Promise For Reversing Decades-Long Trends Of Religious Decline, James Black

Liberty University Research Week

Literature focusing on religious trends among demographic groups in both America and nationally have been generally understood to be showing a decline in the share of the population consistently practicing and holding religious beliefs, including Christianity. However, in more recent years, particularly from 2020 onwards, new research has been introduced, hinting at the possibility that these trends indicating religious decline among selected populations may be reversing due to increased church attendance and religious participation among younger demographics such as Milennials and Gen Z. While these trends are in their infancy, new literature suggests they are accompanied by broader cultural shifts …

Hybrid Rans-Les Modeling Of Airflow In A Bronchial Flow Simulation Of A Human Lung, Sunday Joseph

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Reframing Alpha-Gal Syndrome As A One Health Oral Health Risk: A Theoretical Model For Dental Safety And Policy Reform, Oyebolu Aderinola Akinkugbe, Akuchinyere Titus-Okpanachi, Oluwatosin Marylyn Oduneye

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Hybrid Turbulence Methods For Predicting Flow Oscillations In Supersonic Ramp–Cavity, Nansar Clement Jangfa

Liberty University Research Week

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of Supersonic cavity flow is presented. Supersonic cavity flows are characterized by complex interactions between shear-layer instabilities, shock waves, and acoustic feedback mechanisms that produce strong pressure oscillations. Accurate prediction of these phenomena remains a major challenge for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) due to the limitations of conventional turbulence models. In this study, hybrid Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes and Large-Eddy Simulation (RANS–LES) approaches are applied to investigate the unsteady flow behavior in a Mach 2 ramp–cavity configuration. The performance of the Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) model is evaluated against traditional RANS models in predicting shear-layer …

Decades After Exposure: The Continuing Burden Of Asbestos-Related Diseases In The United States, Hannah Mnayarji, Luke Montgomery, Tunde Adebola

Liberty University Research Week

Many consider diseases caused by asbestos exposure to be antiquated conditions that are rarely observed today. However, asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) have long latency periods, meaning that the time between exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease typically ranges between 20-40 years. Since the last import of asbestos to the United States was in 2023, occupational exposure has continued into recent history. This study hypothesizes that there has not yet been a decline in asbestosis and mesothelioma incidence and mortality–two conditions primarily caused by asbestos exposure–indicating that the latency period between asbestos exposure and disease occurrence persists into the modern …

Family Is Forever: A Qualitative Study Of The Impacts Of Adoption On Adoptees, Rebekah Hedlund

Liberty University Research Week

This study explores the lived experiences of adoptees and the ways in which adoption has impacted them. Grounded in communication theory of identity (CTI), this research examines how adoptees express their identities throughout their lives via communication. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with adoptees over the age of 18 from diverse backgrounds. The findings revealed three key themes from adoptees: identity, education, and opportunity. Participants described identity to be an ongoing and evolving process throughout life, often influenced by biological origins and family dynamics. The theme of education emerged through participants’ desire for educating potential adoptive …

Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas)Exposure And Its Influence On Fetal And Early Childhood Development, Tahirou Diallo

Liberty University Research Week

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent synthetic chemicals ubiquitous in environmental and biological matrices, with growing evidence implicating prenatal exposure in adverse developmental outcomes. This systematic review synthesizes cohort-based evidence published between 2016 and 2026 to evaluate the effects of maternal PFAS exposure on fetal growth and early childhood development. Studies were identified through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, and were included if they assessed prenatal PFAS concentrations in relation to birth weight, gestational age, fetal growth trajectories, or childhood anthropometric outcomes. Findings across multiple cohorts consistently link higher prenatal exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) …

Differential Effects Of Curcumin And C646 On Mitogenic And Metabolic Signaling In Insulin-Stimulated Hepg2 Cells, Davis Raz, Rachael De Klerk

Liberty University Research Week

Curcumin and C646 both inhibit p300/CBP histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity, but they differ markedly in their mechanisms, potency, and effects on cellular function. Both compounds have been investigated as modulators of the insulin-signaling pathway and have shown potential for improving insulin-signaling–related defects in experimental models. Our previous findings showed that curcumin positively impacted a metabolic pathway by reducing IRS-1 phosphorylation at S1101, a negative regulatory site, while maintaining downstream PRAS40 and RPS6 phosphorylation. Although C646 also reduced IRS-1 S1101 phosphorylation, it did not preserve downstream insulin signaling as effectively as curcumin. We hypothesized that target proteins within the mitogenic pathway, …

U.S. Involvement In Romania During World War Ii, Timothy Brophy

Liberty University Research Week

U.S. involvement in Romania during World War II was significant. This involvement began with a U.S. Army Air Forces bombing campaign against the country's oil refineries, which provided approximately 25% of Nazi Germany's oil supply during the war. Initial bombing raids occurred in 1942 and 1943, but it was not until April 4, 1944, that the Fifteenth Air Force (15th AF) launched a sustained bombing campaign against Romania. By August 1944, the American bombing of Romania had successfully crippled Romanian oil production and export to Nazi Germany, paved the way for the Soviets to drive German forces out of Romania, …

Rolling A Mile In My Wheels, Jaiden Lane

Liberty University Research Week

This thesis project emphasizes the importance of supporting students with disabilities on campus. The hope is that readers and participants will leave the project more educated on disabilities and accommodations. Ideally, all people reading the thesis will feel a burden to continue promoting and contributing to the field of disability research, specifically from a biblical worldview. As a Christian who believes that all people have been created in God's image, the goal when writing this thesis was to ensure that all readers and participants of the research know how loved and valued they are by their Creator.

Aerodynamic Performance Analysis Of High-Powered Rocket Airbrakes, Simon Babcock, Samuel Worthington, Sophia Batchelor

Liberty University Research Week

This research investigates the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to derive a coefficient-of-drag (Cd) profile for a high-powered rocket with an active airbrake control system to drive precise apogee control and trajectory prediction. High-fidelity CFD simulations are used to produce a reliable drag-coefficient function across relevant Mach numbers with airbrakes retracted and extended into the relative airstream, enabling more accurate trajectory modeling and control strategies for rockets employing aerodynamic drag modulation. This accurate drag characterization is critical as small deviations in the rocket’s Cd can significantly alter the predicted launch behavior and stability during high-powered flight. Prior work in …

Limited Access To Reproductive Health Care And Maternal Health Outcomes In Lynchburg, Virginia, Akuchinyere Titus-Okpanachi, Oyebolu Aderinola Akinkugbe, Wuraola Awosan

Liberty University Research Week

Introduction/Background

In 2022, the Virginia Maternal Mortality Review Team reported an increase in pregnancy-associated deaths, rising from 64 to 67, with a death rate of 70.1 per 100,000 live births, surpassing the U.S. rate of 18.6. Black women experienced a notably high death rate of 50.3, highlighting significant racial disparities, including a much higher infant mortality rate among Black infants compared to White infants. In the Central Virginia Health District, disparities are observed, although data availability is limited by small populations in surrounding counties. Lynchburg has recorded higher rates of late or no prenatal care, low birth weights, and preterm …

Social Connectedness In The Age Of Ai: Chatbot Use And Loneliness Among University Students, Pamela Mcilrath

Liberty University Research Week

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are rapidly becoming integrated into everyday life, with recent data indicating that approximately 29% of U.S. adults have used AI in the past year (Google & Ipsos, 2025). While AI tools are often utilized for productivity purposes (e.g., drafting emails, taking meeting minutes, etc.), younger populations are beginning to use them for personal conversations, companionship, and emotional/mental support. Recent research suggests that OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform might be the largest provider of mental health services in the United States of America (Rousmaniere et al., 2025). This development presents a unique opportunity to examine how use of AI …

Healthcare Access Barriers And Ags Outcomes In Central Virginia: A Qualitative Study, Oluwatosin Marylyn Oduneye

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Pathogen Carbon Metabolism On Host Immunity, Bright Danso

Liberty University Research Week

Cryptococcus neoformans is an emerging fungal (yeast) pathogen worldwide that causes cryptococcal meningoencephalitis and also responsible for life-threatening diseases of the lungs and skin. In this study, we assessed the production of host immune signals in response to infection with carbon assimilation mutants of C. neoformans to better understand the relationship between pathogen carbon metabolism and virulence. We focused on experimentally creating mutation in pyruvate kinase (pyk1¿), previously shown to have marked deficiencies in virulence without rapid clearance from the host. Cytokine production was investigated both in vivo and ex vivo using cultured macrophages. We furthermore employed additional carbon utilization …

Music Enhances Theta Brainwave Activity Regardless Of Tuning Frequency, Robert Somerville, Davis Raz, Ersilia Mirabelli, Jettson Yarborough, Luc-Shalom Kouame

Liberty University Research Week

Music has been shown to increase our ability to retain and recall information. This study attempts to expand the scientific knowledge in this area of study and seeks more efficient and effective genres and frequencies of music for increasing memory retention. In a world filled with those seeking knowledge and an ability to retain and use said knowledge to enhance their lives and the world around them, a method of enhancing their ability to do so would be revolutionary. Music is a powerful tool for relaxation, focus, and memory, but what if the way it is tuned is adversely affecting …

Cfd-Based Multi-Objective Optimization Of Airflow Channel Design For Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Management, Somto Azike

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Who Really Creates Reality Tv? How Audiences Complete Stuart Hall's Reception Theory Model, Cathryn Thomas

Liberty University Research Week

Broadcast television ratings are declining due to the popularity of streaming platforms (Attest Media, 2024; Bauder, 2025). Shows must adapt to survive in this increasingly digital environment. In 2025, Bachelor in Paradise (Teti, 2025) hired a new showrunner, Scott Teti, who adjusted the show’s format, structure, location, cinematography, and editing with the hope of boosting viewer engagement (Franklin, 2025). This study applied Stuart Hall’s (1973, 1980, 2021) encoding/decoding model to analyze audience Instagram comments in response to Teti’s premiere episode of Bachelor in Paradise. This study explored how audiences decoded and responded to these changes, and whether social media commentary …