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The challenges of being first: Exploring the perceptions of first-year first-generation college students towards their mental healthcare on-campus
No full textFirst-generation college students represent a growing percentage of enrolled students at colleges and universities across the United States. Parallel to this trend in enrollment, more and more college students experience mental health concerns, including stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. The global COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the growth of mental health concerns among students. This qualitative study grounded in narrative inquiry explored the perceptions of mental healthcare on-campus via semi-structured interviews with 10 participants, all of whom identified as first-generation, lived on-campus their first year, and accessed mental healthcare at least once during their first year. The theoretical framework for this study included Strayhorn’s (2012) research on sense of belonging and Yosso’s (2005) model of community cultural wealth. The findings identified four themes that yielded three primary perspectives, including (a) complex appreciation for the service and belonging; (b) seeing support-seeking as a sign of strength and use of capital; and (c) community/navigational social capital as roads to help. These findings helped illuminate how first-generation college students perceive of mental healthcare on-campus and subsequent ways institutional decision-makers can use this information to bolster their support of this particular student population
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Their Impact on Human Health
No full textColor poster with text, images, charts, and graphs.Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), also known as “forever chemicals”, are man-made chemicals consisting of C-chains, either poly- or per-fluorinated. PFASs have long been detected in the environment, but recent studies found their presence in the human body too. Due to the stable C-F bonds, these compounds resist degradation, and the long-term effects and toxicity on the human body are still unknown. In humans, PFASs have been associated with xenobiotic metabolism, immunity, hepatic steatosis, kidney cancer, liver toxicity, and more. Moreover, PFASs have been detected in the human brain, and it’s hypothesized their potential interference with neurotransmitter synthesis and act as receptor-binding site competitors, potentially leading to cognitive and developmental dysfunctions. However, the mechanism by which these chemicals enter the brain and can cross or bypass the blood-brain barrier transporters is still unclear. Thus, in this study, we aim to conduct a systematic study of PFASs and their binding into some of the known target proteins using computational chemistry tools, including cheminformatics, quantum chemical computation, and molecular docking. The presentation will document the absolute hardnesses, absolute electronegativities, and binding affinities to some known targets in our body, including human serum albumin, liver fatty acid binding proteins, organic anion-transporting polypeptides, and dopamine transporter.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
Impacts of temperature-dependent heating demand on wintertime emissions
No full textMost residences are heated by burning fuels, such as natural gas, heating oil, or wood, which emits combustion byproducts into the atmosphere. Space heating demand is dependent on outdoor temperatures, so the impact of residential heating on wintertime pollution covaries with changes in atmospheric dynamics and meteorologically-dependent chemical processes. However, current representations of emissions from non-wood residential fuel combustion (RFC) in atmospheric modeling are based on fixed monthly or seasonal allocations that do not vary with daily temperature. To improve the representation of these emissions, a method for temporally allocating annual residential fuel combustion emissions that reflects temperature-dependent changes in heating demand based on heating degree days (HDDs) was developed. The temperature-dependent daily scaling (DS) approach was applied to create an hourly RFC emissions inventory gridded to a 12 km domain covering the contiguous U.S. The DS approach was compared to a seasonal scaling (SS) approach that had a fixed temporal allocation for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Across all climate regions, the DS approach resulted in a redistribution of emissions toward March and November relative to the SS approach. RFC emissions contributed substantially to the total anthropogenic NOx and SO2 emissions in some grid cells, particularly during the heating season. DS had a greater range in hourly emission rates relative to SS, with higher median peak emission rates across all climate regions. Using a diurnal profile to represent hourly heating demand resulted 18% to 28% more emissions to allocated to nighttime hours compared to the default profile. The temperature-based DS approach offers improvements to the representation of heating demand over fixed temporal allocation methods, enabling future investigation into parsing the co-variable impacts of emissions, meteorology, and chemistry on wintertime air pollution
Glioblastoma Immunotherapy: Investigating the Role of Dendritic Cells in GIFT7-Induced TH17 Differentiation
No full textSenior Honors Thesis, Department of Neurobiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison"Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a highly aggressive and incurable brain tumor with limited treatment options. Immunotherapy, particularly tumor vaccines, has shown promise in other cancers but remains ineffective in GBM due to the aging immune system of the typical patient population. Our lab developed a novel fusokine, GIFT7—a fusion of GM-CSF and IL-7—that has demonstrated anti-tumor effects and increased survival in a GBM tumor vaccine mouse model. Unlike conventional immunotherapies, which often fail to overcome immune dysfunction in the aged tumor microenvironment, GIFT7 has demonstrated superior anti-tumor effects and increased survival in a GBM tumor vaccine mouse model. Notably, GIFT7 promotes TH17 cell differentiation, yet its direct administration to naïve CD4+ T cells fails to induce TH17 polarization, suggesting the involvement of additional cellular components. We hypothesize that dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in this process by priming CD4+ T cells towards a TH17 phenotype.
To investigate this, we created an in vitro co-culture system where bone marrow-derived DCs, naïve CD4+ T cells, and tumor cells are incubated with GIFT7. Flow cytometry will assess TH17 differentiation, with secondary gating for CD4+ subsets. We anticipate that the interactions between DCs and CD4+ T cells within the tumor microenvironment will be critical for TH17 differentiation and therefore the subsequent anti-tumor immunity. If in vitro conditions fail to recreate TH17 induction, we will utilize a syngeneic murine GBM model to evaluate GIFT7’s efficacy in vivo. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to improved GBM immunotherapies by leveraging TH17-mediated responses.
TOWARD A ROBUST AND PRACTICAL FEDERATED LEARNING SYSTEM WITH BUILT-IN INCENTIVE AND AUDITING MECHANISMS
No full textThis work presents a comprehensive exploration of federated learning (FL) technologies, from foundational frameworks and architectural analysis to novel integrations and applied implementations in educational settings. The first chapter surveys the landscape of existing FL libraries, highlighting their architectures, extensibility, and functional capabilities. It critically examines the challenges in developing effective FL applications—such as data heterogeneity, privacy leakage, and system scalability—and evaluates how current libraries address these issues. The second chapter advances this discussion by proposing an integrated FL framework that unifies outlier detection, incentive evaluation, and audit logging within a single server-side pipeline. Through the shared utilization of model updates and label distributions, this design minimizes redundant computations and enhances system efficiency, trustworthiness, and reproducibility, achieving up to 66.7\% reduction in redundant computation. Building on these foundations, the third chapter applies FL principles to the domain of AI-assisted education through the development of a Qwen3-8B-based framework for automated Java programming assessment. Leveraging a federated architecture ensures data privacy and personalization while maintaining grading accuracy and feedback consistency across distributed clients. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of combining fine-tuned LLMs with FL for scalable, privacy-preserving, and high-quality educational applications. Collectively, this research contributes to the evolving discourse on federated learning by offering both theoretical insights and practical frameworks that enhance efficiency, integrity, and ethical deployment in real-world AI systems.2026-12-2
The Impact of Footwear Type on Exercise Economy in Division III Long Distance Runners
No full textColor poster with text and photographs.This study aims to examine the impact of footwear on the running economy of division three female distance runners. Recent advancements in running footwear, particularly the introduction of carbon-plated shoes, have been shown to enhance running economy. However, women athletes are often underrepresented in sports performance research, leading to a lack of understanding about how such technology affects their performance. This research seeks to fill this gap by investigating the effects of carbon-plated shoes on female runners. Our study will involve 15-20 female long-distance runners from the UWEC cross-country team, who will run at various intensities based on their maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max), testing their running economy in both carbon-plated and non-carbon-plated shoes. Energy expenditure will be measured at different time periods during each trial, allowing for a direct comparison of the two shoe types. The expected outcome is to support or challenge the current understanding of the effectiveness of this technology for women, providing valuable insights for athletes and coaches. The findings may also encourage future research focused on underrepresented groups in sports science, helping to optimize footwear choices for female athletes.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Program
GAPDH is Determined to be a Useful Control Antibody for Studying Sickle Cell Disease in Livers
No full textUsing the Western blot procedure, a reliable control antibody was determined to be GAPDH when studying Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). Three primary antibodies were tested for their consistency in determining protein concentration in sickle cell mouse livers. As hypothesized, GAPDH accurately expressed protein concentration within the samples. Beta Actin was a less fit antibody because of its high presence within cytoskeletal filaments, which are lost during hemolysis of cells. KCTD12 was partially successful, likely due to its high presence in liver Kupffer cells. Determining GAPDH as a reliable primary antibody, the presence of desired proteins can be studied to monitor liver health in SCD patients
Harmful Algae Bloom (HABs) Dynamics in Mixing Zones of Lake Superior
No full textN/APhytoplankton, commonly referred to as algae, are found in water and create the base of the food web in aquatic ecosystems. When an ecosystem becomes unbalanced, phytoplankton can grow too much which can result in an algal bloom. Algal blooms can negatively impact the aquatic ecosystem by blocking sunlight while also taking up nutrients and other resources away from the natural plants and wildlife in the area. One species of phytoplankton, cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae), can produce and release harmful toxins into the water and concentrate into scum called a harmful algae bloom (HAB). Although Lake Superior is oligotrophic or nutrient-depleted, blooms have been more frequently observed within the St. Louis River Estuary (SLRE) throughout the last decade, which has bi-directional exchange with Lake Superior. This research was conducted to identify spatial and temporal patterns in phytoplankton species in the SLRE and southern shore of Lake Superior, with an emphasis on cyanobacteria. The results of this work help us understand the phenology of phytoplankton and what causes shifts in distribution and abundance throughout seasonal changes. Results of this study show brown algae species (diatoms) as the most abundant species at all locations over the sampling season, but overall algae community composition varies considerably among sampling locations. When present, peaks in cyanobacteria species were found at one sampling location at a time and their occurrence often lasted one day. This demonstrates that seasonality in environmental drivers and geographical location play an important role in phytoplankton community composition through time
THE ROLE OF ENDOGENOUS SEX HORMONES ON CEREBROVASCULAR REACTIVITY IN PREMENOPAUSAL FEMALES
No full textBackground: Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is a measure of cerebrovascular function that utilizes elevations in arterial carbon dioxide (CO2) to increase cerebral blood flow (CBF). Reduced CVR is associated with cerebrovascular risk, such as stroke and cognitive decline. CVR is a response due, in part, to the direct effects of CO2, systemic blood pressure responses, and the activation of enzymes that dilate intracranial vessels, such as cyclooxygenase (COX). There is evidence of hormonal regulation of CVR in females, with parallel declines in CVR and elevated cerebrovascular risk occurring after menopause.
Interestingly, there is evidence of hormonal regulation of COX expression and function, indicating that the role of hormones on CVR may be via alterations in COX signaling. Gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonists (GnRHa) are a class of drugs that can acutely decrease sex steroid concentrations in young, healthy females and are therefore a useful tool in determining the influence of sex hormones on vascular function. Therefore, we hypothesized that GnRHa would reduce CVR at global and lobular levels and that these reductions in CVR would be partially explained by a loss of COX signaling. Methods: CVR was measured in 11 young, healthy females (21 ± 4 yrs, BMI 22 ± 2 kg/m2) using magnetic resonance imaging (3T; pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling) to quantify CBF at rest and during isooxic hypercapnia (+8 mmHg end-tidal CO2; PETCO2). In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, two baseline trials were performed, once after a placebo and once after administration of the non-
selective COX inhibitor indomethacin (~1.5 mg/kg). These visits were repeated after ≥ 4 days of GnRHa
(elagolix; 200 mg twice daily). CVR was calculated as the %ΔCBF/ΔPETCO2 (CVRCBF; %/mmHg) at the whole brain, grey matter (GM), white matter (WM), and lobular perfusion levels. Additionally, to account for potential differences in mean arterial pressure (MAP) responses to GnRHa, CVR was also calculated as a change in cerebrovascular conductance (CVC; CBF/MAP) as %ΔCVC/ΔPETCO2 (CVRCVC; %/mmHg). Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. Results: After an average of 5 ± 1 days on GnRHa, significant reductions in serum estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone concentrations as well as increased sex-
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hormone binding-globulin were observed (p < 0.05). Resting CBF was unchanged at the whole brain,
GM, WM, and lobular level (all p ≥ 0.33). However, CVRCBF increased in the whole brain (4.9 ± 2.3 vs 6.6 ± 3.2 %/mmHg, p = 0.047) and GM (5.0 ± 2.1 vs 7.1 ± 3.3 %/mmHg, p = 0.022), but not WM (p = 0.4) following GnRHa. Heterogeneity was observed at the lobular level such that CVR was elevated in the subcortical regions, frontal lobe, and temporal lobe following GnRHa (all p ≤ 0.023) while no significant changes were detected in the brainstem and cerebellum, parietal lobe, or occipital lobe (p ≥ 0.14). After correction for multiple comparisons, CVRCBF remained significantly elevated in the subcortical regions and temporal lobe. However, when assessing CVRCVC, no elevations in reactivity were observed in the whole brain, GM, WM, or any lobe with exception for the temporal lobe, which increased after GnRHa (p = 0.024). This discrepancy between CVRCBF and CVRCVC appears to be due to an augmented pressor response to hypercapnia after GnRHa, resulting in greater MAP responses than at baseline. While indomethacin robustly decreased CVRCBF and CVRCVC at the whole brain, GM, and lobular perfusion levels (all p ≤ 0.027), there was no GnRHa–by–indomethacin interaction effect, with only a trend observed in a greater COX component in temporal lobe CVRCBF (p = 0.072). Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, elevations in CVR were demonstrated after GnRHa in a region-specific manner. These appear largely attributable to a change in systemic hemodynamic control of MAP, indicated by the elevated reactivity observed in CVRCBF being abolished after accounting for MAP responses using CVRCVC. However, the elevation in temporal lobe CVRCVC provides evidence for a local enhancement in dilatory responsiveness, but these effects are not explained by an increase in COX signaling. Future studies are required to understand the clinical relevance and mechanistic underpinning of these region-specific elevations in CVR
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AP CALCULUS AB AND MATH 231 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MILWAUKEE
No full textThis study looks at how well the AP Calculus AB curriculum prepares students for college mathematics at the level of Calculus I or higher. It focuses on two main questions: (1) How the goals of AP Calculus AB compare to those of a college Calculus I course; (2) How closely AP Calculus AB matches with MATH 231 at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Recent changes to the AP Calculus AB exam, influenced by broader calculus reform efforts, aim to shift the focus from procedural steps to fostering deeper conceptual understanding among students. This study explores whether these changes have meaningfully aligned the AP curriculum with the rigor and expectations of college calculus