Crime scene investigators can analyze blood traces for use in reconstructing events under investigation. The morphology of a blood deposit is related to several variables, including volume, velocity, and angle of impact. To discover how closely reality adheres to the predetermined model between angle of impact and the ratio of major and minor axes of the deposit, machine prototypes that launch blood and control for velocity and volume were produced.

Extreme climatic events harm health, but dietary strategies may influence nutrition. From 2020 to 2023, severe drought caused widespread food insecurity and undernutrition in eastern Africa. We examined diet, nutrition, and food insecurity among Kenyan Daasanach. Meat consumption was associated with higher BMI in men, while fish consumption was associated with higher BMI in men but lower BMI and food insecurity in women. These findings highlight the role of traditional diets in nutritional stability among pastoralists.

Degradation Factor 1 (DEF1) has been primarily studied as a yeast DNA damage response factor. However, it has been found to be predominantly localized to the cytoplasm. Thus, my research is aimed at discovering which levels of gene expression DEF1 act on in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, focusing specifically on its promotion of transcription and involvement in mRNA turnover and decay.

This study investigated whether active C and biological N fixation differed between cover crop monoculture and mixture treatments. Since nitrogen is a limiting nutrient, we focused on BNF’s potential to increase N availability. Active C is the portion of sequestered belowground C that gets broken down and is available in the soil. This is vital for crop nutrient acquisition and is responsive to adjustments on a shorter time scale compared to stable nutrient pools.

A spectroscopic ultraviolet monitoring campaign, using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Hubble Space Telescope, will investigate rapidly rotating gas in two variable quasars. By measuring time lags between continuum and emission-line fluxes, we aim to map the rapidly rotating gas and address discrepancies in the canonical radius-luminosity relationship. Additionally, we seek to examine the impact of Eigenvector 1 on variability, refine black hole mass estimates, and advance our understanding of gas dynamics.

One Health is a focus on the direct interrelation between human, animal, and environmental health. In this project, community members in Center Hall and Schlow Library were educated by the Lion Clinic and students about One Health and how to interact safely with animals. There was also an establishment of a One Health Clinic. An interactive lesson with stuffed animals, coloring pages, and an infographic for loved ones were used to successfully teach the public.

LitR is a transcription factor that inhibits colonization of its squid host by certain strains of Vibrio fischeri, but the genes regulated by LitR that impact colonization remain unclear. This project is designed to address whether an MCP, which is involved in bacterial chemotaxis and repressed by LitR, impacts colonization. We found an MCP-deletion mutant colonized normally, and future colonization experiments using a litR MCP double mutant are also described.

This research aims to better understand the impact of baseline androgen status on the body composition and leptin levels of women exposed to a 12-month refeeding intervention. Participants were sorted based on their baseline free androgen index (FAI) and their leptin levels, anthropometric measurements, and DXA scans were analyzed at four time points – baseline, week 21, week 33, and post-intervention. The results demonstrate insignificant changes to body composition and leptin levels based on baseline FAI.

This research explores how confidence in the fairness and accuracy of elections affected voter support for Donald Trump in Pennsylvania during the 2024 election. The main hypothesis suggests that voters with lower confidence in election integrity are more likely to support Trump. The secondary hypothesis posits that concerns about election-related issues, such as voter fraud, further increase Trump support. Using 2024 exit poll data, the study analyzes the relationship between election trust and political behavior.

An overview of spring break embedded cultural immersion experience in Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur India. As part of this experience, I worked on an independent study focused on air quality emissions in India.

Trans-translation is the main ribosome rescue pathway for bacteria that removes ribosomes stalled on mRNAs during translation. Since trans-translation is ubiquitous in bacteria but not conserved in humans, trans-translation inhibitors have great potential to address the urgent need for new antibiotics able to treat MDR bacterial species. The goal of the proposed research is to determine whether trans-translation inhibitors could be used as an alternative treatment for infections caused by gram-positive pathogens

This study will explore the impact of internal financial factors on the dividend payouts of select companies. This analysis will incorporate companies from the S&P 500 and the iShares MSCI Japan ETF. The research will reveal the impact that factors such as leverage, sales, etc. have on the payout ratios of companies, and how these factors differ across domestic and international markets.

Background Existing literature highlights the role of socioeconomic disparities in post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) mental health outcomes. Lower income and education levels are associated with a higher prevalence of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, while racial disparities further influence psychiatric recovery, with non-White populations exhibiting more severe mental health trajectories following traumatic brain injury (Neumann et al., 2022; Remigio-Baker et al., 2022). However, there is limited research examining the experiences of minority populations. While socioeconomic factors are acknowledged in prior studies investigating TBI outcomes, income remains an under-investigated variable in understanding the relationship between TBI and psychiatric outcomes.MethodsDepressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), a screening tool designed for older adults. The GDS includes items rated on a Likert scale, with higher scores indicating more depressive symptoms. It is widely used in both clinical and research settings. Measures Participants (Meanage = 62.5, SDage = 8.28) with a history of moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (TBI; N = 121, nMale = 86) completed a questionnaire assessing injury outcomes, demographic characteristics, and psychiatric symptom severity at Pennsylvania State University. The most frequently reported level of education was a high school diploma (n=52). The mean Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at the time of injury was 11.1 (SD = 4.4), and the average time since injury was approximately 13.4 years (SD = 6.6). Regarding psychiatric history, 14.9% of participants reported a pre-injury psychiatric diagnosis, while 25.6% reported current psychiatric conditions, with depression and anxiety being the most prevalent.Results Chi-square analyses revealed no significant association between race and psychiatric diagnoses (?²(1) = 0.132, p = 0.716), suggesting that unmeasured factors, such as healthcare access and socioeconomic stability, may contribute to racial disparities in psychiatric outcomes. Further analyses are underway using ANOVA to examine the relationship between socioeconomic status and psychiatric diagnoses. These findings highlight the complexity of psychiatric recovery post-TBI and need for further research on how financial stability, healthcare accessibility, and resources shape mental health outcomes in diverse populations.

This study examines the influence of religious devotion on Donald Trump voter turnout in the 2024 presidential election, particularly among Evangelical Protestants and Catholics in Pennsylvania. As a crucial swing state, Pennsylvania voted for Trump's victory over Kamala Harris. Election Day exit polling gathered anonymous survey responses regarding voter preference, religious affiliation, and frequency of worship. Stronger religious affiliation, especially in Evangelical Protestant congregations, was associated with greater support for Trump.

Spiking neural networks only pass binary signals between neurons, unlike classical neural networks that pass a scalar activation. This is closer to biological neurons and may enable advantages of the brain over machines like energy efficiency and learning from a few examples. Neuromorphic hardware is at the frontier of achieving these benefits in practice; however, many machine-learning tasks are yet to be implemented this way. This research aims to develop a speech recognition neural network on Loihi 2 neurocore and test its accuracy and efficiency against classical approaches in noisy environments.

Oxygen (O2) is an essential environmental cue that affects the physiology, respiration, and virulence of bacteria. Globin-coupled sensor (GCS) proteins play an important role in O? response through direct ligand binding to the heme prosthetic group in the sensory globin domain. GCS proteins control a variety of physiological processes such as motility, biofilm, and virulence factor production. These functions are generally controlled through intracellular signaling pathways using small nucleotide second messengers. The use of small nucleotide signaling allows for timely response to varying oxygen levels and environmental conditions. One such molecule, cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), is a major regulatory molecule of bacterial processes. C-di-GMP is synthesized by diguanylate cyclase (DGC) and broken down by phosphodiesterase (PDE) domain-containing enzymes. Generally, elevated c-di-GMP levels enhance biofilm formation, while lower c-di-GMP concentrations enhance motility, enabling bacteria to search for more favorable environments. By incorporating oxygen availability into c-di-GMP signaling, DGC-containing GCS proteins enable bacteria to regulate their behavior based on a specific environmental signals. The Escherichia coli DosCP system is a unique example of an oxygen sensing DGC-PDE complex. DosCP enables dynamic regulation of intracellular c-di-GMP levels by integrating environmental oxygen sensing through its heme-based sensory domain, with DosC being a GCS protein, and DosP containing a sensory Pern-ARNT-Sim (PAS) domain. The DosCP system features a direct interplay between c-di-GMP synthesis and degradation, allowing for precise and rapid modulation of bacterial responses. The DosCP system serves as a unique model to study the structural and functional relationships between oxygen-dependent c-di-GMP metabolic proteins. This work done integrates fluorescence-based high-throughput monitoring to investigate DosCP-dependent growth phenotypes. Fluorescently tagged WT and ?dosCP E. coli expressing YFP, CFP, mEGFP, mCardinal, mCitrine, mGreenlantern, or mBFP were used to track bacterial growth and competition in real-time using a fluorescence microplate reader. This method allows the observation of these E. coli strains under different media conditions, assessing the role of DosCP on medium-dependent bacterial growth. Optimization of induction and detection conditions to allow for accurate measurements of growth through fluorescence output were performed, which can then be used as a proxy to measure bacterial competition.

The Game-Based Learning System for Teaching Pointers in System Programming introduces DeliverC, a Unity-based game that teaches C pointers interactively. Players manage a delivery company using C code, applying pointer operations to complete challenges. An LLM translates player-written C code into gameplay, filters irrelevant inputs, provides real-time feedback, and dynamically adjusts challenges based on performance. This approach enhances learning by integrating programming concepts into an engaging, adaptive gaming experience.

Geriatric parole policies allow older inmates to seek early release from prison once they reach a certain age, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria. This study reviewed public reports and state statutes to assess the prevalence of geriatric parole and its common eligibility requirements across U.S. jurisdictions. The findings aim to inform policymakers and correctional professionals in Pennsylvania, where geriatric parole does not exist.

Homelessness among veterans is a persistent issue, often linked to mental illness. In 2024, 32,882 veterans remained homeless despite a 7.3% decline since 2009. This study compares Housing First (HF) and therapeutic communities (TC) in addressing veteran homelessness. HF offers immediate housing without therapy requirements, while TC provides structured rehabilitation. Both models reduce homelessness, but TC’s long-term support may foster better health outcomes than HF’s rapid, but less structured approach.

From 2020 to 2023, the Greater Horn of Africa experienced a historic drought caused by five consecutive failed rainy seasons, leading to widespread food and water insecurity. Fingernail Cortisol Concentration (FCC) is a biomarker that reflects chronic stress over time, providing a long-term physiological measure. Studies have shown that food insecurity is significantly associated with lower FCC levels, while water insecurity is associated with higher FCC levels, highlighting the complex relationship between environmental stressors and biological stress responses.