Digital Commons Network^™

The Contributions Of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps In Vasculopathies Of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy, Dakota Hunter, Riley Sullivan, Joseph Schrader

Poster Presentations

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a cerebrovascular disorder characterized by the progressive deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides within the walls of small to medium-sized cerebral blood vessels. As a prevalent comorbidity of Alzheimer's disease, CAA disproportionately affects the aging population, with an estimated 25% of individuals over 50 and approximately 50% of those over 80 exhibiting moderate to severe pathology. The condition is clinically significant due to its strong associations with microbleeds, intracranial hemorrhage, and cognitive decline. At the molecular level, Aβ accumulation arises from the irregular cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP), disrupting vascular integrity and triggering downstream pathological …

Adaptive Capacity Of Rhode Island Commercial Lobstermen: An Analysis Of Ecosystem Shift Impacts From Warming Waters, Jocelyn Miller

Poster Presentations

Warming waters and declining catch have significantly impacted Rhode Island’s commercial lobster industry. As ocean conditions shift, new species such as black sea bass are moving northward, increasing predation on juvenile lobsters and intensifying ecological competition. The warming water also increases the percentage of lobsters experiencing a fatal bacterial disease called Epizootic Shell Rot Disease. These environmental pressures, combined with trap reductions implemented in response to the Southern New England lobster stock collapse, have forced many lobstermen out of the industry. At this point, lobstermen need to decide how to adapt by strengthening their adaptive capacity strategies to stay in …

Residential Life As An Equity Strategy For First-Year Persistence Among First-Generation, Low-Income, And Racially Minoritized Students, Joshua Kwaku Addai

Poster Presentations

Despite decades of research on student retention, first-year attrition continues to disproportionately affect first-generation, low-income, and racially minoritized students. Institutional responses have largely emphasized financial aid, advising reform, and classroom-based interventions. However, students spend much of their first year within residential environments; spaces that profoundly shape belonging, identity development, and daily engagement. This study argues that residential life is not merely a housing function but a critical, and often underexamined, site of equity-driven student persistence. Drawing on Tinto’s theory of academic and social integration and Museus’s Culturally Engaging Campus Environments (CECE) model, this literature review synthesizes interdisciplinary research to examine …

A Universal Influenza Vlp Vaccine Built On Conserved Antigens, Labone Akter, Yibo Li, Xinyuan Chen

Poster Presentations

The ectodomain of matrix protein 2 (M2e) is highly conserved among influenza A viruses and represents an attractive target for universal influenza vaccines. Because M2e is weakly immunogenic, highly immunogenic platforms are needed to elicit protective responses. We recently developed a flagellin-displayed hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine (FH-M2e VLPs) in which the surface-exposed D3 domain of FljB was replaced with four tandem M2e copies from human H1/H3, swine H1, and avian H5/H7 strains. FH-M2e VLPs induced high anti-M2e IgG and conferred cross-protection in mice; however, they also elicited substantial anti-FljB (anti-flagellin) antibodies. We hypothesized that removing the …

Wic Staffs’ Perspectives On Underutilization Of Wic In Rhode Island, Ophelia Xorlali Mensah, Fred B. Addo, Kathryn Roy, Ann Barone

Poster Presentations

Background and Objectives: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) improve food security, nutrition, and overall health for low income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and young children in the U.S. However, continuous participation and retention drop as children age in the WIC program. Very few studies have assessed these challenges faced by caregivers from the perspectives of the WIC staff. We therefore explored perspectives of WIC staff on caregivers’ participation and early dropout from WIC. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews among 3-4 staff from each of the major WIC agencies in Rhode Island (n=20). By …

Depression And Hypertension Among U.S. Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of Nhanes Data, Abimbola Sola-Aremu

Poster Presentations

Objectives

Depression and hypertension are prevalent chronic conditions in the United States and may co-occur due to shared behavioral and physiological risk factors. This study examined the association between depression and hypertension among U.S. adults using nationally representative survey data.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2021–2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Depression was defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score ≥10. Hypertension was defined by measured systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg, self-reported physician diagnosis, or antihypertensive medication use. Participant characteristics were compared by depression status using …

Using Multi-Group Path Analysis To Examine Variability In Risk For Alcohol Problems Across Race/Ethnicity And Gender, Riza Tolga Ulman, Liam Rozum, Milagros Grados, Chrystal Vergara-Lopez, Hector Lopez-Vergara

Poster Presentations

Student Author and Department: Riza Tolga Ulman, Department of Human Development and Family Science, College of Health Sciences, URI Faculty Sponsor/Advisor and Department: Hector Lopez-Vergara, Department of Psychology, College of Health Sciences, URI Full citation: Ulman, R. T., Rozum, W., Grados, M., Vergara-Lopez, C., & Lopez-Vergara, H. I. (2026, March 27–28). Using multi-group path analysis to examine variability in risk for alcohol problems across race/ethnicity and gender [Poster presentation]. Graduate Student Conference, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. (Submitted) Background: Previous research has shown that alcohol use problems are a substantial public health concern. The addiction literature has previously identified …

Rapid Visual Selection Of Transgenic Sorghum In Facilitated By Grf/Gif, Joelle Shamatta, Ryan Donnelly, Dylan Langton, Yu-Ton Chen, Mike Tilelli, Eric Myer, Albert P. Kausch

Poster Presentations

An accelerated transformation pipeline has been developed for functional genomics and trait gene analysis in Sorghum bicolor based on visual selection using the AmCyan reporter. Here, we combine a GRF4–GIF1 morphogenic regulator with a constitutively expressed AmCyan fluorescent reporter to enable early visual identification of transformed tissues from immature embryo (IE) explants and to shorten time‑to‑regeneration. We demonstrate a practical workflow in which AmCyan‑positive embryogenic clusters are visually recognized and excised 24-48 days after infection (DAI), and then rapidly regenerated directly into plants, in the absence of antibiotic/herbicide selection exposure. Further, we implement a 96‑well microplate reader assay that quantifies …

Alteration Of Spinal Serotonin Receptors After Prenatal Hypoxia Ischemia In An Animal Model, Tracy Santos, Landon Genry, Emily Reedich, Elvia Mena Avila, Brendan Moline, Katharina Quinlan, Marin Manuel

Poster Presentations

Cerebral palsy often results from perinatal hypoxia-ischemia and is characterized by motor and sensory dysfunction associated with altered serotonergic signaling in the spinal cord. The 5-HT₇ receptor, a G-protein-coupled receptor implicated in both motor control and nociceptive modulation, may thus play a critical role in these post-injury changes. However, the regional and developmental patterns of expression of 5-HTR₇ following HI injury are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the expression of spinal 5-HTR₇ in a neonatal rabbit model of HI injury at P1, P5, and P8 using Western blot analyses normalized to total protein. Tissue was isolated from …

Analysis Of Parameters For Improved Morphogenic-Regulator-Meditated-Transformation Using Immature Embryo Explants In Sorghum Bicolor., Ryan Donnelly, Yu-Ton Chen, Michael Tilelli, Erik A. Myers, Albert P. Kausch

Poster Presentations

Reliable Agrobacterium mediated transformation of Sorghum remains constrained by low transformation frequencies and the requirement for high quality immature embryos (IEs). A useful conceptual framework describes transformation efficiency T=V(Cd×Ci×Cr), as the product of DNA delivery (Cd), stable integration (Ci), regeneration competence (Cr), and experiment specific variables (V). Using this framework, in a multi-year study we systematically evaluated parameters predicted to influence DNA delivery and regeneration. Standard IE workflows established baseline developmental dynamics of somatic embryogenesis and regeneration. To increase DNA delivery, we tested Agrobacterium strains and ternary vir helper vectors, which enhanced bacterial attachment and transient reporter expression. To elevate …

Machine Learning In Sensors: Feature Learning From Complex Spectra In Mmwave Radar Signals, Erkan Karakus, Qing Yang

Poster Presentations

This work discusses how to directly extract features from complex-valued spectra using an energy-based probability distribution that represents complex-valued data. As an extension of the well-known restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), the proposed model, the complex-valued restricted Boltzmann machine (CRBM), is made to deal with complex valued visible units. With the use of contrastive divergence (CD) or Gibbs sampling, the CRBM, like the RBM, develops a grasp of the relationships between visible and hidden units without requiring connections between units in the same layer. We propose a new in-sensor computing architecture that can dramatically reduce the amount of data transferred from …

Biosynthesis Of Manganese Oxide Nanoparticle For Agricultural Fertilization Application, Nicoly Welter, Vinka Oyandel-Craver

Poster Presentations

Green synthetized nanoparticles have been the object of study for their use as fertilizers in the agricultural field. Among them, manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnONPs) have been used to increase the growth and biomass of rice seedlings, mung bean, moringa plants, among others. In this work, we explore the biosynthesis and purification of MnONPs for these environmental applications, seeing as the biosynthesis of MnONPs consumes less thermal energy compared to chemical synthesis methods. In this study, MnONPs were biosynthesized using a strain derived from the marine environment, Pseudomonas putida GB-1. The bacteria were incubated in a batch system in Leptothorix media, …

2025-2026 Master Of Music Recital - Michael Shipps (French Horn), Michael Shipps, Rebeca Sierra

Master of Music Recitals

No abstract provided.

Sweep Angle Effects Of Flow Over A Seal Whisker-Inspired Undulated Cylinder, Trevor Dunt, Christin T. Murphy, Ondrej Fercak, Raúl Bayoán Cal, Jennifer A. Franck

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Flow over a seal whisker-inspired undulated cylinder at swept back angles is computationally investigated, comparing the vortex shedding, forces, and wake characteristics to those of an equivalent smooth geometry. Numerous prior studies have demonstrated that undulated cylinders can reduce mean drag and unsteady lift oscillations; however, none have isolated the effects of the sweep angle resulting from whisker positioning in flow. Inspired by the active control seals exert over their whiskers while navigating and sensing in unsteady aquatic environments, this study investigates how such orientation influences the hydrodynamic performance of the geometry. Simulations are performed of flow across a rigid, …

Weakening Relations Over Duals Of Limit Ordinals, Nikolaos Galatos, Isis A. Gallardo

Mathematics: Faculty Scholarship

We prove that all varieties generated by weakening relation algebras over duals of limit ordinals have a decidable equational theory. We also show that there are only countably-many such varieties and they form a chain that embeds in. The time warp algebra is isomorphic to one of these weakening relation algebras (over the dual of the naturals), so we obtain the main result of a recent publication as a special case. The algebras we study connect to the theory of relation algebras, to time warps and graded modalities, and to the algebraic semantics of substructural logics. Our methods are inspired …

Graduate Recital: Yuzhuo Wang, Mezzo-Soprano; March 27, 2026, Yuzhuo Wang, Dennis Gotkowski

School of Music Programs

This is the one hundred and twenty-fourth program of the 2025-2026.

Kemp Recital Hall

March 27, 2026

Friday Evening

6:00 p.m.

Suffering In The Present-Eternal: Kierkegaardian Absurd Faith, Despair, And The Dark Night Of The Soul, Jackson Price

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

This paper examines the meaning of suffering in relation to faith through a dialogue between Søren Kierkegaard’s accounts of despair and absurd faith and St. John of the Cross’s doctrine of the Dark Night of the Soul. Drawing on The Sickness Unto Death and Fear and Trembling, it argues that Kierkegaard’s conception of the self as a synthesis grounded in God provides a metaphysical and existential framework for interpreting the Dark Night as a divinely initiated process of purification. In both thinkers, suffering is not merely a psychological burden but the site in which the self is stripped of …

2025-2026 Senior Recital - Devin Salazar (Horn), Devin Salazar, Sheng Yuan Kuan

Junior and Senior Recitals

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Master Of Music Recital - Joseph Muhl (French Horn), Joseph Muhl, Nabil Hetman

Master of Music Recitals

No abstract provided.

Design, Synthesis, And Bioevaluation Of Moxifloxacin Hydrazide Metal Complexes: Integrated Spectroscopic, Computational, Antimicrobial, And Anticancer Investigations, Abbas Mamdoh Abbas, Sara Reda Fisal, Ibrahim A.I. Ali, W. Christropher Boyd, Haitham F. Kalil, Adel Sayed Orabi

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This study reports the synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and biological evaluation of a novel moxifloxacin hydrazide derivative (MOX-H) and its metal complexes with Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), VO(IV), and Gd(III). The ligand was synthesized by hydrazinolysis of moxifloxacin hydrochloride, and the resulting hydrazide was subsequently complexed with the respective metal salts. The interaction between MOX-H and the metal ions yielded the corresponding complexes, formulated as [Co(H2O)Cl(MOX-H)2]Cl & centerdot;2.5H2O, [Ni(H2O)Cl(MOX-H)2]Cl.4.5H2O, [VO(MOX-H)2]SO4.3.5H2O, [Gd (H2O)(MOX-H)2(NO3)2]NO3.2H2O, and [Cu(MOX-H)2(H2O)Cl]Cl & centerdot;xH2O (where x = 2, 2.5, 0.5, for products synthesized via template, microwave-assisted, and hydrothermal methods, respectively). The synthesized analogues were characterized by elemental analysis (CHN), FT-IR, …

Ud In The News March 20-27, University Of Dayton

News Releases

Entrepreneurship took top billing this week with stories on Dayton 24/7 Now about the fifth anniversary of The Hub Powered by PNC Bank and the winner of the Flyer Pitch competition. Theologian Vince Miller contributed a piece to Commonweal.

Increasing Utilization Trends Of Robotic Assistance In Orthopaedic Surgery, Anish K. Ponna, Alec Giakas, Anthony A. Khoudary, Spencer N. Uggla, Sina Ramtin, Yousef A. Soliman, Asif M. Ilyas

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Robotic-assisted surgeries in orthopaedics have increased, particularly in hip and knee arthroplasty and spine surgeries. This study evaluates national utilization trends of robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgeries and demographic and geographic distribution of patients undergoing these surgeries.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty, total and partial knee arthroplasty, or spine arthrodesis from 2017 to 2023 using the TriNetX database. Relevant International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, and Current Procedural Terminology codes identified patients who underwent a primary surgery with a corresponding robot-assisted code on the same day. Temporal trends in procedural volume were …

The River Of Life In Flannery O'Connor's "The River", Abbi L. Peo

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the role of the River in “The River” by Flannery O’Connor.  O’Connor’s fiction consistently explores the workings of grace and “The River” is no exception. In the story, the River functions as a metaphor for Christ’s grace. Most literary critics focus on the disconcerting drowning of the young protagonist, Harry Ashfield, an example of O’Connor’s signature use of the grotesque to facilitate her characters’ encounters with grace. However, this emphasis on Harry often obscures the broader role of the River within the narrative. When the story’s analysis is limited to Harry’s death, critics overlook how the River …

Christopher Radziewicz V. Usa

2026 Decisions

USDC for the District of Delaware

Maria Rosa Caguana Duchi V. Attorney General United States Of America

2026 Decisions

Agency

The Importance Of Sports Physical Leading To The Diagnosis Of Loeys–Dietz Syndrome, Fnu Varnika, Anastasia Dihel, Michael Bereisha, Nergess Taheri

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Abstract

The pre-participation school or sports physical, introduced in the mid-20th century, remains a cornerstone of adolescent health screening, primarily aimed at ensuring athletic safety. While most evaluations reveal benign conditions, these encounters occasionally uncover critical yet asymptomatic disorders. This report highlights the incidental discovery of Loeys–Dietz syndrome (LDS) type 4 in a 17-year-old male during a routine sports physical, underscoring the clinical value of thorough cardiovascular assessment and recognition of subtle phenotypic cues in preventive settings.

Significance: Loeys–Dietz syndrome is a rare, autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder affecting fewer than 1 in 100,000 individuals, often misdiagnosed as Marfan syndrome …

Jamir Chozen Henry

African American Funeral Programs

Program for the funeral of Jamir Chozen Henry held at Matthew H. Lovett and Son's Funeral Home on March 27th, 2026

High Prevalence Of Criminal Legal Involvement Among Non-Fatally Injured Ed Patients - An Exploratory Retrospective Observational Cohort Analysis, Vidya Eswaran, Raphael Cohen, Taylor Kaser, Alysse G Wurcel, Michael Mancini, Kateri Chapman-Kramer, Nicholas Szoko, Keyria Page, Melik Coffey, Kristen Mueller

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Individuals who have been incarcerated are at high risk of death by homicide after release from carceral settings. Our study aimed to assess the prevalence of criminal legal system involvement (CLSI) among non-fatal violently injured patients enrolled in a hospital-based violence intervention (HVIP) program and describe demographic and clinical characteristics specific to this population.

METHODS: This is an exploratory retrospective cohort study of all patients enrolled in the St. Louis, Missouri based HVIP, Life Outside of Violence (LOV), between 08/15/2018 and 12/31/2024. LOV enrolls patients aged 8-30 who receive violent injury care at a partner hospital. We collected data …

Effective Spectrum-Based Antibiotic Resistance Index For Monitoring Resistance In Gram-Negative Bacilli, M Cristina Vazquez Guillamet, Alice Bewley, Nicole J Tarlton, Reid Goodman, Michael J Durkin, Michael Bernauer, Meghan Brett, Kevin Hsueh, Cristian Bologa, George Turabelidze, Andrew Atkinson, Victoria J Fraser

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health threat, and we currently lack accurate measures to track and trend this resistance. We developed the antibiotic resistance index (ARI) that aggregates resistance of Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) into a single metric which can be tracked across healthcare settings and over time.

METHODS: Culture data were collected from adult patients who met the CDC adult sepsis event criteria across 10 Barnes-Jewish HealthCare (BJC) hospitals between January 2018 and December 2023. An antibiotic's effective spectrum (AES) was calculated as the ratio of susceptible GNB to all identified GNB. The ARI was calculated as …

Impact Of Who Aware Antibiotic Handbook Training On Antibiotics Prescribing Knowledge Among Private Primary Care Providers: A Vignette-Based, Prep-Post Pilot Study In Patna, India, Poshan Thapa, Prachi Shukla, Chandrashekhar Joshi, Sena Sayood, Pradeep Kumar Sinha, Diwash Timilsina, Mili Dutta, Madhukar Pai, Samira Abbasgholizadeh Rahimi, Sumanth Gandra

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing is a major concern in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly at the primary care level. The WHO AWaRe Antibiotic Handbook was introduced to promote rational antibiotic use, yet its real-world feasibility and potential impact remain underexplored. Our study evaluated the impact and usefulness of the WHO AWaRe Handbook training among private primary care providers (PCPs) in Patna, India.

METHODS: We conducted a pre-post pilot study among 145 private PCPs (40 formal PCPs (FPs) and 105 informal PCPs (IPs) in Patna, India. Participants received training from an infectious disease physician on the WHO AWaRe Antibiotic Handbook. …