Digital Commons Network^™

High Polarization In Narrow Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy Iras 1239.7+3333, Bryn Connelly, Dirk Grupe Phd

The Cardinal Edge

IRAS 1239 is a narrow line Seyfert 1 galaxy discovered with the ROSAT All-Sky survey. It is interesting because it shows very high polarization, but very little cold X-ray absorption, potentially revealing more insight into the classification of Seyfert galaxies. An Active Galactic Nucleus, or AGN, is an accreting black hole at the center of a galaxy. Galaxies containing these AGNs are known as active galaxies. There are several different types of active galaxies, including Seyfert galaxies. These are a common galaxy type, making up around 10% of galaxies. They are classified by having strong emission lines and detectable host …

The Impact Of Linguistic Discrimination On The Mental Health Of International College Students: A Systematic Review Protocol Design, Isabella G. Hausladen, Chinarah D. Winston, Maria Kondaurova, Lidiya Grote

The Cardinal Edge

The analysis of education data from the National Foundation for American Policy demonstrates that between 50% and 82% of the full-time graduate students in STEM fields at United States universities are international students who provide a wide range of expertise, knowledge, and skills needed to participate in the STEM workforce (National Foundation for American Policy, 2017). One of the challenges international college students face is self-perceived linguistic discrimination, defined as a person’s individual experience of feeling unfairly treated due to their accent, proficiency, or choice of language. The objective of this study is to develop a protocol for a systematic …

Exploring A Game Before Instruction To Improve Understanding Of Social Dilemmas, Kyisha M. Walter

The Cardinal Edge

Social dilemmas occur when groups must balance self-interest with group interests when there are limited resources. Despite their prevalence in society, understanding varies and can magnify the possible risks associated. This study examines the differences in learning about ecological and social aspects of social dilemmas for small groups when confronted with a simulated social dilemma in a lab experiment. These conditions are meant to imitate broader classroom and field setting uses. Participants (N=116) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions and played a social dilemma board game twice. In the Lesson-First condition (n=56), participants received a lesson in the …

Hsp90 Inhibitor In Reducing Integrated Stress Response In An Experimental Mouse Model Of Spinal Cord Injury, Yousef Abozaid, Aditya Sarkar, Lukasz P. Slomnicki, Michal Hetman

The Cardinal Edge

Spinal cord injury (SCI) initiates a complex cascade of molecular events, including protein misfolding and neuroinflammation, contributing to neural damage and impaired functional recovery. Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90), a critical molecular chaperone involved in cellular stress responses, emerges as a promising therapeutic target to mitigate secondary damage after SCI. This study was designed to validate the in-vivo effects of different doses of HSP90 inhibitor, HSP990-i, administered acutely after moderate T9 SCI mouse model. The level of HSP70 protein level is measured through western blot from the injury epicenter. Adult mice underwent experimental contusive SCI at the T9 level, followed …

Effects Of Phosphorus Addition On Fungal Colonization In Little Bluestem, Isabel M. Zanartu, Alexx Nicholas, Mckenzie Goodwyn, Connor Morozumi

The Cardinal Edge

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a North American perennial grass that is able to tolerate high heat and droughts. This is possible by its extensive underground root network that taps deep into the ground for resources. Within the same soil systems are fungal endophytes, which are symbionts that live within plant tissues including roots. Fungal endophytes can affect host growth and nutrient acquisition, but the functional role these endophytes play in plant health may be dependent on the abiotic conditions the plant is facing. In the modern era, one large driver of abiotic conditions is synthetic fertilizer use which alters …

An Integration Of Care Ethics Into Design Thinking, Ellie Bruner

The Cardinal Edge

In An Ethic of Caring, Nell Noddings establishes a humanistic ethical ideal—ethics should be based upon our natural sentiment of caring, not abstract moral law. She differentiates ethical caring from natural caring; ethical caring requires stirring past sentiments and a call to care for others that natural caring may not provoke. Noddings places the ethical ideal above the moral principle because the latter is too general; the ethical ideal applies to specific situations with the universal aim of “maintenance of the caring relation” (Noddings 702). Limits to our ethical responsibilities are relational: there must be “existence of or potential …

Light As An Environmental Toxin: Impacts Of Temporal Circadian Misalignment On Physiology, Behavior, And Lifespan In Drosophila, Aubrey Reitzel, Krish Patel, Breanna Beard, Dae-Sung Hwangbo

The Cardinal Edge

In the modern world, we are exposed to irregular light patterns, which can disturb circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are patterns of behavior that operate on a 24-hour cycle and are regulated by the interactions between external signals and the internal circadian clock, which regulates sleep/wake patterns, feeding and sleep behavior, and resistance to starvation. Little is known about the impact of misalignment of these circadian rhythms as related to dietary composition on the lifespan, behaviors, and physiological changes of Drosophila. We hypothesized that circadian misalignment would significantly reduce lifespan and alter behaviors and physiologies. In this study, mated female …

Impact Of Legacy Amf Communities On Vegetative Growth & Yield Of Soybean, Dylan Habeeb, Connor Morozumi, Natalie Christian

The Cardinal Edge

Soil microbial communities are increasingly recognized as an important factor in sustainable agriculture. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), are key players in these communities, known to benefit their plant host in a number of ways, such as increased nutrient uptake. Plants can partner with multiple AMF species; however, little is known about how interactions between multispecies communities of AMF impact plant growth and yield. In an agricultural setting, the long-term development of these communities following practices such as rotational planting or cover cropping is also an important consideration, but there is little research on the long-term legacy of AMF communities or …

Effects Of Salinity On Interactions Between Epichloë Amarillans And Fusarium Spp. In American Beachgrass, Emma G. Mills, Dylan Habeeb, Natalie Christian, Connor Morozumi

The Cardinal Edge

Effects of Salinity on interactions between Epichloë amarillans and Fusarium spp. In American Beachgrass

Emma Mills, Dylan Habeeb, Natalie Christian, Connor Morozumi

Epichloë is a well-known genus of vertically transmitted fungal endophytes in many species of grasses. In Ammophila breviligulata (American beachgrass), Epichloë amarillans is a key endophyte species known to cause chemical and morphological changes to its host and provide protection from stressors. Additionally, Epichloë is thought to influence fungal endophyte community composition within its host. However, deepening research on the interaction of Epichloë with coexisting fungal endophytes may shed further light on its role in community composition. Additionally, …

Avaren-Fc, A Novel Immunotherapeutic, Recruits Nk Cells In B16f10 Melanoma Tumor Tissue, Vatsa Vemuri

The Cardinal Edge

Avaren-Fc, a Novel Immunotherapeutic, Recruits NK Cells in B16F10 Melanoma Tumor Tissue

Sreevatsa Vemuri¹, Katarina Mayer M.S.¹, Nobuyuki Matoba, Ph.D.^{1, 2, 3}

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology¹, UofL Health-Brown Cancer Center², Center for Predictive Medicine³, University of Louisville School of Medicine

Abstract

Avaren-Fc (AvFc) is an experimental antibody-like molecule, consisting of a recombinant Avaren lectin translationally fused to the Fc region of human IgG1. This unique design targets N-linked high-mannose glycans, which are overrepresented on the surface of malignant cells, including melanoma. With limited effective therapies available for …

Experience With A Systematic Review Project From An Undergraduate Student Perspective, Maggie Schade, Bianca Welikson, Maria Kondaurova

The Cardinal Edge

Trauma exposure due to gun violence, homelessness, and/or substance abuse is prevalent in West Louisville, KY. In 2020, 65% of adults in KY reported one traumatic experience. Depression, as a result of trauma, affects significantly more adults in KY than nationwide (25.7% vs. 20.5%). It is known that depression affects the characteristics of child-directed speech (CDS), a specific register that caregivers use while interacting with their children. CDS is characterized by exaggerated prosody, more distinct vowels, shorter and structurally simpler sentences in comparison to adult-directed speech, and is an important predictor of language development. However, our knowledge of the effect …

Stress And Sleep In A Community Sample Of Preschool-Aged Children, Khadija Awale, Akira Isaac M.S., Alyssa Rodriguez M.S., Sara Bufferd Ph.D.

The Cardinal Edge

Stress influences sleep patterns, as elevated stress levels can decrease adequate sleep. However, research on this relationship in preschool-aged children is limited. The current study examined the relationship between stress and sleep in preschool-aged children and sought to evaluate associations between children’s stress and sleep, as well as parental psychopathology (i.e., anxiety and depression). Participants included N = 609 parents and their children ages three to five at Time 1. 368 of whom participated again when children were ages six to eight years old at Time 2. Participants completed study questionnaires, and children’s hair samples were taken to assess cortisol …

Urban Areas Are Associated With Earlier Breeding Timing In American Robins, Lola Hackle, Jennifer Wickes, Elise Mittlestat, Ashley Stine, Keegan Abeson, Carolina Villalona, Mikus Abolins-Abols

The Cardinal Edge

Climate change and urban environment have been shown to affect bird reproductive timing. In particular, urban development can create the so-called “heat islands” – urban areas that are hotter than the surrounding environment. While the primary cue birds use to time their reproduction is daylength, birds also use temperature as a supplementary cue to fine-tune their reproductive timing. Change in the timing of breeding may impact the survivability of nestlings due to temperature fluctuations and food availability. The American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is a widespread songbird in North American cities and rural areas. We sought to see if urban heating …

The Resilient Families Project: Promoting Resilience, Mindfulness And Belonging Through Community Engagement And Interactive Reading In At-Risk Adults, Sydney Higdon, Dillon Hepler, Lora D. Haynes, Ph.D., Angela Ely, B.A.

The Cardinal Edge

Founded in 2011, the University of Louisville’s Resilient Families Project (RFP) is a community-engaged initiative that promotes evidence-based habits of resilience, mindfulness, and happiness among adults experiencing homelessness and/or in the addiction recovery program at Wayside Christian Mission (WCM). Through weekly trauma-informed sessions, RFP aims to strengthen such things as a sense of family/community, emotional awareness, positive coping strategies and a growth mindset.

This presentation highlights RFP’s current curriculum, centered around our six core values and integrated content from select storybooks, to support healthy attachment relations, interactive reading, and a sense of purpose and belonging.

The current authors also describe …

The Effect Of Prenatal Cigarette Smoke Exposure And Adult High-Fat/High-Fructose Diet On Liver Triglyceride Levels, Toni A. Adedokun, Isaiah Burciaga, Megan Jacobs, Katelyn Chism, Anna-Lee Harris, Kristen Overton, Selma Podbicanin, Andrew Potts, Rachel Neal, Cynthia Corbitt

The Cardinal Edge

Prenatal cigarette smoke exposure (CSE) is associated with chronic metabolic disease in adulthood, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease. Maternal cigarette smoking reduces uterine and placental blood flow, limiting nutrients and oxygen supply to the fetus. According to the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis, these conditions may cause developmental adaptations that are maladaptive in calorie-rich environments. We hypothesized that gestational CSE would sensitize affected offspring to the effects of an adulthood high-fat (40 kcal%), high fructose (20 kcal%) diet. C57BL/6J mice were exposed either to filtered room air (sham) or the smoke generated …

Depression, Belonging, And Self-Censorship About Palestine Among Arab Americans, Ghadir Habeeb, Amanda Jiang, Batool Alderawi, Yara Mekawi, Nadia Al-Dajani

The Cardinal Edge

Background: As a result of exposure to traumatic media depicting the Gaza genocide, many Arab Americans are moved to speak up in support of Palestine. Due to the suppression of pro-Palestinian advocacy, however, many Arab Americans self-censor as a defense mechanism, which can alleviate distress but can also exacerbate depressive symptoms. Belongingness may serve as a protective factor against the negative effects of self-censorship. Centering Arab Americans’ experiences, this study examines the relationship between self-censorship and depression, as well as the role of belongingness in this association.

Method: Arab Americans adults recruited through Qualtrics Survey Panels completed questionnaires assessing self-censorship, …

An Examination Of The Relationships Between Types Of Strain And Substance Misuse Among Queer Adults​, Mckenzie T. Nguyen, Katelyn Mcmahon

The Cardinal Edge

Current research has paid particular attention to outcomes of different strains using samples of sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth; however, minimal research has examined Agnew's (1992) General Strain Theory (GST) using samples of SGM adults. Using a path analysis, this study seeks to investigate how different strains - including financial strain, relationship strain, and victimization - are predictive of drug misuse, and if those effects are mediated by negative mental health outcomes. The study utilizes Meyer's (2016) Generations Study and includes a sample of 1,518 SGM Americans. Results indicate that only financial strain is partially mediated by negative emotions, …

Aristotle And The Proslavery Writings Of The Antebellum South, Ace Farris

The Cardinal Edge

This paper explores how nineteenth-century Southern intellectuals appropriated and adapted Aristotle’s ancient defense of slavery to legitimize racial slavery in the antebellum United States. Although Aristotle’s theory of “natural slavery” emerged from the social and economic conditions of classical Greece, where enslaved people constituted essential components of the household, Southern thinkers tailored his argument to justify the peculiar institution. The paper begins by outlining Aristotle’s defense of slavery in his Politics, which states that some individuals naturally lack the capacity for rational deliberation, thereby benefiting from enslavement. Then, it traces how the American South’s investment in classical education allowed …

Fear And Freedom: California Gay Bars In The 1960s, Bridget L. Kelley

The Cardinal Edge

This article explores the interactions between gay bars, queer people, and police in California in the 1960s. The gay bar served as both a place of community and safety while paradoxically being a site of oppression suffered at the hands of law enforcement. These conflicting experiences made gay bars sites of both fear and freedom. Arrest practices, plain clothes policing, raid practices, and monetary manipulation made the gay bar a space of danger. However, the resistance of queer patrons against police brutality made it a space where one could express their queerness and fight for change.

Making A Victim: The Quest To Define Austria In A Cold War Context, Katherine E. White

The Cardinal Edge

When the Second World War concluded, the Allied Powers were left with the complicated question of how to deal with the territories that they had occupied on their march to Berlin. Of all the territories conquered by Germany under Nazi rule, Austria proved to be one of the most difficult and polarizing to define. It towed the line between victim and accomplice, having endorsed its own annexation to Germany in 1938. For ten years after the war’s end, the Allied Powers occupied Austria, locked in a stalemate over the country’s fate. This paper examines how the various occupying powers, in …

The Kennedy Familys' Influence On The Passage Of The Immigration And Nationality Act Of 1965, Jillian Wallshield

The Cardinal Edge

This paper covers the influence of the Kennedy Family on immigration policy in the United States. United States immigration legislation changed dramatically in the 1960s with the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (sometimes called the Hart-Cellar Act). This shift was caused primarily by the political work of prominent figures like John F. Kennedy, and, later, Edward Kennedy. Edward Kennedy in particular is examined through his influence on Lyndon B. Johnson, the President under which the Immigration and Nationality Act was passed. This position is supported through the examination of relevant public speeches, private telephone calls, and …

Hallucinogens For Mood And Anxiety Disorders: A Critical Review Of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies, Georgia Chlebek

The Cardinal Edge

In quite a few people worldwide, there are several mental disorders that prevent the brain from operating in the “proper” way, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) being among the most common. Luckily, there are several medications that are produced and used to treat these disorders, but some medications are hard to access, and others simply don’t help the patient. Firstly, these medications take time to study and prove safe for public use, though in some cases time is not readily available. In other cases, these medications are going through shortages and becoming increasingly difficult for patients to access …

Determination Of Trace Amounts Of Pb2+ And Cu2+ Ions In The Ohio River With Anodic Stripping Voltammetry And Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy To Test Water Contamination From Factories., Eliana Purcell

The Cardinal Edge

In this project, water near factories in Rubbertown, Louisville, KY were tested to see if a significant enough amount of waste is deposited in the Ohio River that the concentrations of Pb2+ and Cu2+ exceed the maximum contaminant levels the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have set in place. Waste from industrial factories may contain contaminants that have negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and even human health, so two potentially harmful metal ions were tested. The concentration of Cu2+ in water samples was detected through flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), and the concentration …

Leaf Droppage Delayed In Sugar Maple Trees On An Urban To Rural Gradient, Isabella S. Bastien, Isabella Bastien

The Cardinal Edge

This study investigates the timing of leaf abscission in Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) trees along an urban-to-rural gradient in Louisville, Kentucky, to determine how proximity to urban environments influences leaf drop. We hypothesized that urban trees would retain their leaves longer than suburban or rural trees due to environmental stressors and tested this using weekly leaf collection and canopy cover measurements from three locations—urban, suburban, and rural. Results showed that urban trees exhibited delayed leaf drop and slower canopy opening compared to suburban and rural trees. These findings suggest that urban stressors significantly alter tree phenology, which may signal underlying …

Disrupted Nuclear Function And Nucleocytoplasmic Transport In Parkinson’S Disease, Ichiro M. Matoba

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

Asimina Triloba (L.) Dunal: The Complete Story Of America’S Forgotten Fruit, Autumn M. Howard

The Cardinal Edge

Asimina triloba, commonly known as the pawpaw, is a unique and historically significant native fruit tree of the eastern United States. This research paper explores the taxonomy, botanical description, distribution, habitat requirements, ecological interactions, economic importance, and reproductive biology of A. triloba. The species is distinguished by its tropical-flavored fruits, adaptation to temperate climates, and reliance on clonal reproduction and specific insect pollinators. While offering promising opportunities for sustainable agriculture and riparian restoration, A. triloba faces challenges related to limited seed dispersal, susceptibility to certain pests and diseases, and the presence of neurotoxic compounds. Despite its historical importance …

Development And Preliminary Pressure Control Validation Of Woundwatch: Npwt System With Remote Monitoring Capabilities, Swetha Senthil Nathan

The Cardinal Edge

Chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, and venous leg ulcers, affect over 40 million individuals worldwide and are often complicated by delayed healing due to limited access to continuous monitoring. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is an established treatment that promotes wound healing through controlled sub-atmospheric pressure. However, conventional NPWT systems lack real-time physiological feedback and require frequent in-person follow-ups, limiting their effectiveness in remote or low-resource settings. This study presents WoundWatch, a portable, low-cost NPWT device that integrates real-time temperature, humidity, and pressure sensing with wireless data transmission via an IoT platform. The system includes a vacuum …

Lamin A/C And Linc Complex Expression Affects Nuclei's Mechanical Properties And Functions In Osteosarcoma, Shridha Rajeswar

The Cardinal Edge

The nucleus has long been simplified in the field of biology, despite being an important organelle. Until recently, it has been commonly depicted as a simple sphere located at the center of a cell, responsible mainly for regulating protein synthesis. However, current research indicates that the linkers of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complexes, the pillars of nuclear architecture, play a critical role in maintaining nuclear integrity and function. These complexes interact with proteins, such as Lamins, that modulate responses to biomechanical stimuli through the regulation of gene expression. As such, when these structures are downregulated, they can contribute to …

The Silent Epidemic: How E-Cigarettes And Policy Gaps Endanger Public Health, Fizzah Syed, Saumya Sikhwal, Priya Viswakumar

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

The Developing Role Of Ai In Modern Engineering Research, Rianna Pais

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.