Digital Commons Network^™

Hazard Vs Risk: Scientific Considerations On The Eu Clp Approach To Mocs And Whole Essential Oil Classification With Tea Tree Essential Oil As An Illustrative Example, Cecile Bascoul, Dakota Carter, Joseph Dawson, Tim Valentiner, Russell J. Osguthorpe

Oxford ICSB

The ongoing revision of the EU Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation represents a critical development for the essential oil industry. A provisional derogation has been introduced for plant-derived, non-chemically modified Multi-Constituent Substances (MOCS), including essential oils, following sustained advocacy efforts. However, the European Commission is required to deliver, by the end of 2029, a scientific report reassessing the validity of this derogation based on scientifically and regulatorily accepted safety evaluation approaches. In the absence of such a derogation, essential oils could be classified solely on the basis of individual constituents exceeding regulatory thresholds, irrespective of the whole oil safety …

Building The Nursing Leadership Pipeline: Outcomes Of A Statewide Emerging Nurse Leader Fellowhip, Kathleen Kinser Dnp, Aprn, Belinda J. Fleming Phd, Christie Manasco Phd, Monaco M. Briggs Edd, Yan Cao Phd, Jennifer Hitt Phd

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Healthcare systems increasingly require skilled nurse leaders to address workforce shortages, quality improvement demands, and complex care environments. However, many nurses transition into leadership roles without formal preparation. In this quality improvement project, nurse scientists Kathleen Kinser DNP; Belinda Fleming, PhD; and Christie Manasco, PhD, from the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement (TCNA) evaluated outcomes of the Emerging Nurse Leader Fellowship developed to strengthen foundational leadership competencies among novice nurse leaders. Guided by transformational leadership theory, the fellowship was a statewide, cohort-based, instructor-led, asynchronous online program emphasizing practical leadership development and application in clinical settings. Two cohorts participated and completed …

The Mythopoeic Translator In Peter Jackson’S The Fellowship Of The Ring, Alyssa Johnson

Liberty University Research Week

Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" films are beloved by Tolkien fans around the world. But do they hold true to Tolkien's original vision for the stories? This presentation aims to discuss the mythopoeic elements in Tolkien's books and the way that the films follow those elements through the only thing that films can have that books cannot: music. Howard Shore's film score for "The Lord of the Rings" carries the movies across the divide created by transferring a story from paper to screen. The score creates a sense of wonder and mythopoeia in the viewers that returns beautifully …

Guppy: From Fleet Boat To Modern Submarine, Nathaniel Estrada

Liberty University Research Week

World War II changed everything when it came to American submarine warfare. Before the war, American naval leaders and planners debated over what the purpose of their submarine fleet should be. The more progressive thinkers claimed the submarine would be in-of-itself a decisive combat asset, while the conservative naval minds saw their “fleet boats” as supplementary to the main battle line. When the war ended, the debate was no longer about what role the submarine would play in the great game on the sea. In the Atlantic, the German U-boat fleet of 1,131 submarines would sink 14,878,463 tons of Allied …

Over The Garden Wall And The Divine Comedy: Mchale's Modern Vision Of Purgatory, Gloria Asper

Liberty University Research Week

This paper discusses how the allusions to The Divine Comedy in Patrick McHale’s mini-series Over the Garden Wall (OTGW) influences one’s interpretation of the series. Building off the work of other OTGW scholars such as Willsey and Camacho & Menchero as well as pop culture commentators such as Trey the Explainer, I highlight parallelisms within OTGW as well as reference comments from the creators in order to demonstrate how theoretical concepts in The Divine Comedy shape the understanding of OTGW. Specifically, one such theoretical concept involves Dante’s philosophical belief that the intellect and the will must work together to create …

An Unfaltering Step To The End: An Analysis Of Virginia Governor James L. Kemper's Veto Of The 1874 Petersburg Charter, Chandler Lilley

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Cyclical Relationships & Attachment Theory, Nicole Schutz, Alyssa Shuttlesworth, Faith Roberts, Faith Tucker, Jiyeon Shon, Nicole Horstemeyer

Liberty University Research Week

Previous research suggests that attachment style plays an important role in relational patterns (e.g., cyclical relationships and relationship renewals). Attachment theory explores how individuals approach relational trust, dependence, and intimacy. Avoidant and anxious attachment are commonly attributed to instability in romantic relationships. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between cyclical relationships and insecure attachment styles. Cyclical relationships are characterized by repeatedly breaking up and renewing the relationship between the same partners. Anxious attachment is defined by fear of abandonment, clinginess, emotional instability, and a constant need for reassurance. Avoidant attachment is characterized by emotional unavailability, avoidance …

Mycotoxin Trends In Cannabis Flower And Concentrates In The United States, Kyle Boyar, Yasha Kahn, Michael Esposito, Sukhikh Pavel

Oxford ICSB

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal metabolites that may pose potential health risks in cannabis products, yet limited data exists on their prevalence in regulated markets. This study analyzed multi-state compliance testing data for cannabis flower and concentrates across eleven U.S. states to evaluate detection and failure rates for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, and G2) and ochratoxin A. Ochratoxin A was the most frequently detected mycotoxin in both flower and concentrates; however, detections rarely exceeded regulatory action limits, with overall failure rates remaining low at 0.016% for flower and 0.017% for concentrates. After excluding outlier laboratories with unusually high detection rates, true …

Canndor Herbarium: A Comprehensive Herbarium Resource For Cannabis Identity, Diversity, And Botanical Research, Nick Batora, Laura Klein, Kerin Law, Eleanor Kuntz

Oxford ICSB

Decades of cannabis prohibition have created major gaps in our understanding of cannabis biology, especially with regard to the genomic, phenotypic, and germplasm resources that are standard in other agriculturally and medicinally important crops. Herbarium collections, which serve as archival specimens that preserve plant material for long term study, are no exception. Although herbarium specimens are meant to document plant diversity, most collections contain only a narrow sampling of cannabis and do not reflect the extensive variation present in commerce or this species at large. To address this need, the Canndor Herbarium was established in 2016 as the first dedicated …

Association Of Self-Efficacy, Preceptor Teaching, And Role Modeling With Practice Preparedness In Student Nurse Practitioners, Quinton Carroll, Pi-Ming Yeh, Jean Croce Hemphill, Melessia Webb, Alex Sargsyan

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Final-semester student nurse practitioners (SNPs) often report unpreparedness for practice. Little is known about which preceptor characteristics prepare students for practice. The purpose of this study was to examine whether final-semester SNPs' practice preparedness is associated with their self-efficacy and most significant preceptor’s clinical teaching effectiveness and role modeling.

Aim: To identify which student and preceptor factors are associated with and predict SNP preparedness.

Methods: Cross-sectional correlational study of final-semester SNPs (N = 83). Participants completed the New Nurse Practitioners’ Practice Preparedness Survey, New General Self-Efficacy Scale, Cleveland Clinic Teaching Effectiveness Instrument, and Role Model Apperception Tool. Analysis …

Mechanistic Insights Of Enterolactone Within 3t3-L1 Adipocyte Cells, Merritt Smith

Liberty University Research Week

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with approximately 25% of healthcare expenditures directed toward its management and associated metabolic complications. In response to the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies, recent research has focused on bioactive compounds derived from dietary sources. In light of that, we identified the plant lignan matairesinol (MA) and its gut-derived metabolite, enterolactone (ENL), as agents capable of enhancing glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes. These results suggest that enterolactone may represent a promising dietary supplement for improving glycemic control in patients with …

Characterization Of The Aspergillus Flavus Rdia Gene With A Rdi1∆ Mutant Of C. Neoformans, Sam Raub

Liberty University Research Week

The genus Aspergillus includes several species that are opportunistic pathogens, with members ranked in the World Health Organization’s fungal critical priority pathogen list. Aspergillus flavus, a member of the genus, synthesizes aflatoxin (AF), a polyketide mycotoxin and the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen known. aflR is a pathway-specific transcription factor that plays a central role in the regulatory network for AF biosynthesis. Transcriptomic analysis under AF-conducive and non-conducive conditions identified a cluster of genes with similar expression profiles to aflR. Among these is a putative Rho-GDP dissociation inhibitor that regulates AF production and virulence in A. flavus. Deletion of this …

“Slaves To Sin:” Harnessing Neuroplasticity To Defeat Habitual Behaviors, Charity Parrott

Liberty University Research Week

How does neuroplasticity affect the life of a Christian? This thesis will seek to address the concepts of habit formation, neuroplasticity, and top-down control through a neurobiological perspective, and how they relate to the Biblical concept of habitual sin. Discoveries in neuroplasticity have revealed the brain to be a malleable organ, capable of rewiring neural connections and, in the hippocampus region, neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons (Fuchs & Flügge, 2014). This thesis will compile research in neuroplasticity, explore the biological reasons behind the difficulty in escaping patterns of sin, and connect Biblical-based strategies for sin prevention with neurobiology. …

Influential Factors And Prospective Causes To The Development Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Kayley Palmer

Liberty University Research Week

Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative condition that presents with cognitive impairment and progressive functional decline. Alzheimer's Disease has affected every family to some extent, but do we truly understand the holistic picture of what exactly causes Alzheimer’s Disease? AD has boggled researchers for many years, and has often left the scientific community with more questions than answers. It is vital for the families of the individuals whose lives are forever altered by this progressive disease to understand what influences its production, and what prevention measures could be beneficial. It presents with even more importance for the mental health professionals to …

Evaluating Sexual Dimorphism In An Urban Neonate Regina Septemvittata Population, Arleigh Wagoner, Nathan Wilkins

Liberty University Research Week

Regina septemvittata, commonly known as Queensnakes, are broadly distributed across eastern and central North America. In adult Queensnakes, females average a greater snout-vent length (SVL) than males. Since Queensnakes exhibit size dimorphism and have short life spans and low survival rates, it was hypothesized that neonate Queensnakes begin to display a distinct sex-related difference in SVL within their first few months of life. Our study investigated growth rates of neonate Queensnakes by conducting a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) study over a three-month period (August through October; birth to first brumation) in an urban stream in Lynchburg, VA. Captured snakes were measured (SVL), …

An Evaluation Of White-Spotted Bamboo Shark (Chiloscyllium Plagiosum) Development, Madison Ashby, Alexa Ashby, Baylis Huckabay, Cyrus Harris, Emma Bron, Lydia Harris, Maia Dieken, Oliver Thomas, Will Chelberg

Liberty University Research Week

An inhabitant of the north Indo-Pacific Ocean, the whitespotted bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) is a demersal, ambush predator of fish and invertebrates. Despite the known abundance of C. plagiosum, there is limited diagnostic information on their growth beyond embryonic development and hatching. A population of this species under managed care provides a unique opportunity to chart growth from the respective stages of life such as egg hatchling, sub-adult, and adult life stages. Through this research, we set out to chart the growth parameters on three hatchling bamboo sharks from a weekly data collection. These parameters include weight (g), sex, pre-caudal …

Formation Of Rosette-Like Hierarchical Structures On Cylindrical Titanium Surfaces., Cole Urquhart, Ally Doud, Michael Korn, Hector Medina

Liberty University Research Week

The purpose of this experiment was to characterize titanium-based rosettes and other micro-sized crystal formations on multiple different non-planar titanium surfaces. Rosettes are crystal structures in the titanium sulfate family. They are 20-150µm in diameter and vastly increase the surface area of the places where they are grown, which can lead to various possible applications in future research. The titanium type that was being experimented on was titanium gauze (50µm diameter). To grow titanium-based structures, two steps are involved: etching and crystal formation. Firstly, the titanium material was placed in a centrifuge tube filled with 1mL of 18M (96%) conc. …

Sem-Edx Analysis Of Animal Hairs For The Presence Of Metals, Sydney Stevens, David Green, George Monroe

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Hypothalamic And Hippocampal Neurogenesis Across Sexes And Ages Of Mice, Chloe Jensen, Madison Reynolds, Rebecca Kinyon

Liberty University Research Week

Background: The hippocampus is primarily known for its function in learning and memory; thus, it makes sense that this is a well-established highly neurogenic zone. Recent studies have demonstrated that the hypothalamus also has neurogenic properties where there were once believed to be none. Because of these recent findings, our study aims to provide baseline data pertaining to rates of neurogenesis in the hypothalamus in comparison to the hippocampus along with distinguishing differences in these rates between males and females. Methods: Using four mice, three young and one aged female, we cryosectioned the brain to image the hippocampal and hypothalamic …

Allosteric Modulation Of Faah By Tocopherols, Beatrice Pyles

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Enzyme Kinetics Of Faah, Susanna Stell, Emma Hooks

Liberty University Research Week

Anandamide (AEA) is an endogenous ethanolamide that functions as a signaling molecule within the endocannabinoid system, a regulatory network processes including pain perception, mood regulation, appetite, and neural signaling. AEA belongs to a broader class of fatty acid ethanolamides naturally present in the body, which also includes palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA). The activity of AEA is tightly regulated through enzymatic degradation by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which hydrolyzes AEA into arachidonic acid and ethanolamine, thereby terminating its signaling activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the rate at which AEA is hydrolyzed by the FAAH enzyme …

Pilot Study: Black Tea Extract And Theaflavin Polyphenols Effects On L6 Myotubes, Elizabeth Allen

Liberty University Research Week

This research investigates bioactive polyphenol group theaflavins found in black tea and how they affect Akt signaling in skeletal muscle. The black tea polyphenols are a collection of innate compounds in Camillia sinensis, among them being the theaflavin group which is comprised of four compounds: theaflavin (TF1), theaflavin 3-gallate (TF2A), theaflavin 3’-gallate (TF2B), and theaflavin 3,3’ digallate (TF3) (He, 2017). The theaflavins group has been described as bioactive in a variety of different cellular pathways such as apoptosis, cellular division, gene expression and nutrient regulation (Li et al., 2021)(He, 2017)(Lin et al., 2007).

Previous work by Nagano et al., demonstrated …

M.E. Bradford And American Conservatism, Avery White

Liberty University Research Week

M.E. Bradford is an often overlooked figure in American Conservatism and his unique brand of Southern traditionalist political thought should be analyzed and understood better.

Not Allowed To Say Goodbye: The German Civilian's Perception Of Aktion T4, 1939 - 1941, Dylan Cumbo

Liberty University Research Week

Despite the public pushback during the sterilization program, little stopped it from continuing. Nazi officials had desired for the program to expand during the early stages of sterilization, their chance coming with the death of a child and the outbreak of World War II. Six centers were designated as the main euthanasia centers along with several other locations used to support it. Gas, lethal injections, and starvations were used to kill the disabled on mass. Despite attempts to keep the program secret, they failed as clues became increasingly apparent. Documented civilian responses were largely antagonistic and actions committed were passive …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Group 7 Tricarbonyl Fluoromethyl Substituted Aromatics, Christopher Roylance

Liberty University Research Week

Organometallic compounds are chemical species containing at least one direct bond between a carbon atom of an organic molecule and a metal atom. These compounds have a wide variety of uses, including OLEDs, semiconductors, reagents, catalysts, and pharmaceuticals. The compounds synthesized in this report are similar to the compounds used in the production of OLEDs and semiconductors.This research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of fluoromethyl-substituted aromatic tricarbonyl complexes employing Group 7 metal centers. Group 7 tricarbonyls have several applications that include hydrodesulfurization, medicine, and electronic materials. These complexes have been shown to be quite stable towards O2 and H2O …

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

Liberty University Research Week

No abstract provided.

Increasing Fatigue Life: Position And Energy Controlled Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment, Joseph Holt

Liberty University Research Week

Metal structures in engineering are limited by mechanical fatigue. When a material is repeatedly stressed, even beneath its ultimate strength, it slowly develops nano-fractures that propagate and eventually cause the material to suddenly fracture or fail. When this occurs in high-precision, cyclically stressed applications, such as commercial airliners, unchecked material fatigue is catastrophic. This study has shown promising increases in weld-site material fatigue life through a newly developed processing method. Researchers at Liberty University’s Center for Engineering Research and Education (CERE) custom-built a machine to perform position and energy controlled surface mechanical attrition treatment (PECSMAT), which harnesses the advantages of …

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, …

Authentic Vs. Artificial Intelligence: The Effect Of Generative Ai On Users’ Brains, Ivy Rath

Liberty University Research Week

Currently, research on generative AI's effect on the brains of those who use it is sparse. However, cognitive offloading, or the outsourcing of intellectual processes to technology or other people, is a well-known neurological phenomenon, and it is through cognitive offloading that we may begin to understand how generative AI affects mental processes. Cognitive offloading occurs frequently, and common examples include using a calculator, GPS, or driver-assist functions. Now, generative AI offers users a far more pervasive kind of cognitive offloading, in that entire mental processes once unique to human minds (such as problem-solving) may now be replicated and supplanted …

Playing The Past: Girls, Dolls, And Entrepreneurs, Taylor Schmalz

Liberty University Research Week

Mattel, Inc. is a toy company located in California and sells some of the most iconic children’s toys across gender lines. From Hot Wheels, Barbie, Fisher-Price, and over a hundred more toy brands, Mattel, Inc. has touched millions of lives since its creation in 1945. Two of the most famous being American Girl Dolls and the Barbie Doll. Each doll was created by female entrepreneurs and was made to empower little girls in America. While the dolls were created to empower girls, teach feminist ideas, and share women’s history, the dolls face backlash for not being feminist enough, too grown …