Our past experiences and trauma shape multiple aspects of our lives, including our future outlooks. This paper explores representations of trauma in the film Censor, which is set during the “video nasties” controversies in England in the 1980s. Enid, the film’s protagonist, screens and suggests cuts or edits in films deemed too graphic, and in doing so memories of her sister’s disappearance are resurfaced.

We witness her attempting to process these feelings as they emerge, leading her to her feeling both emotionally numb at times and extremely emotional at others, which can be different trauma responses.

Repetition is used throughout the film to depict Enid’s trauma resurfacing from her childhood. This project focuses on the repetition of her childhood trauma and the rape scene in Censor. From a psychological perspective, I will discuss topics such as exposure therapy and how trauma affects the way people can see their life and life experiences. This all comes together through specific artistic choices made by the director, choices that make Censora powerful interrogation of the consequences of untreated trauma.

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Atrazine is a pesticide of the triazine class and is one of the most used pesticides in North America. The effects of atrazine exposure on crayfish are of interest because crayfish are keystone species. Atrazine has many negative health effects such as disrupting regular hormone function, birth defects, and DNA damage in the hepatopancreas. Furthermore, atrazine can cause metabolic changes that diminish the ability for crayfish to localize an odor source, which can lead to difficulty finding food and finding a mate. Exposure to atrazine also affects the expression and activity of the detoxification enzymes cytochrome P450 and glutathione-S-transferase. To further explore the effects of atrazine exposure, crayfish (Faxonius virilis) were exposed to atrazine for four days. The morphology of the hepatopancreas of atrazine-exposed crayfish was examined; lobules lumens were dilated, and tubule tissue was degenerated and contained an increase in vacuoles. It is of interest to compare observed behavioral and physiological effects of atrazine exposure with the concentration of atrazine to which the crayfish are exposed. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to standardize the atrazine solutions to which crayfish were exposed. We aim to quantitate the amount of atrazine and its metabolites, desethylatrazine and desisopropylatrazine, that accumulate in crayfish hepatopancreatic tissue after exposure to atrazine. We developed and validated an extraction and LC-MS analysis method for quantitation of atrazine in the hepatopancreas tissue by performing a recovery test that yielded average percent recoveries of at least of 90% for all analytes. The validated method was used to measure atrazine in the hepatopancreas; preliminary results will be presented.

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Over the past few decades the United States has experienced a growing crisis of substance abuse and addiction that has dominated headlines, taking on epidemic proportions. While opioids have played a major role in this crisis, the problem runs much deeper than narcotics and substances of abuse themselves.

Overdose related deaths have risen to hundreds of thousands of people lost each year to substances which include alcohol, over-the-counter medications, narcotics and prescription drugs.

Opioid overdoses result in loss of breathing followed by death which may be avoided if there is intervention, which could possibly save a life.

Substance use and overdose prevention programs often only focus on some of these issues. However, interventions that address multiple issues are more likely to be successful in preventing drug use.

One such intervention is early education about substances that may be abused with emphasis on socioeconomic factors, health inequalities, mental health and the stigma and criminalization which may be a deterrent in an individual seeking the help they need.

Addiction is sometimes seen as a moral failing, rather than a complex medical condition. This thought process keeps people from speaking up and asking for help when they need it. It can also cause people to hide their substance use which can be dangerous.

By addressing prevention, education, treatment, and support, we can strive toward a future where individuals find hope, healing and recovery.

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Non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NPRSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs) are specialized natural product systems that can be doctored to produce and discover new drugs and chemicals. These systems use specialized domains to build molecules. One these being docking domains (DDs), which are short regions of amino acids at the end of the N- and C-termini of modules. DDs are found as complementary pairs that control module-module interactions and maintain pathway fidelity. DDs can be used to expand PKS and NRPS assembly lines and create new chemical scaffolds through protein engineering. The vatiamide pathway from the cyanobacterium Moorena producens ASI, contains a unique three-way branchpoint situated at the VatM CP. This allows VatM to continue the pathway through VatN, Q, and S. This is possible through a docking domain duplication, resulting in three copies of Vat DDNQS.

We used the selectivity of DDs to create potential chemical scaffolds by grafting the Vat DDNQS onto different modules to assess the interaction between natural and engineered domains. We analyzed the interactions between engineered and wild-type docking domain combinations and carrier proteins of the vatiamide pathway to assess its biochemical engineering capabilities using bio-layer interferometry (BLI). Engineered combinations include miscognate and noncognate modules. Data show protein-protein interactions with high affinity that suggest promising engineerability, leading to increased chemodiversity.

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                Since the first colonization of Black folks, the battleground for racial healing is a dynamic task filled with various discourse. In literary spaces, the re-appropriation of the literary canon forBlack subject formation shifts the interpretation of texts toward the interests of Black identity. No ideological apparatus has been as pervasive in generating Black subjectivity as the National Pan-Hellenic Council. For NPHC, a probate is a public display of the neophytes ‘comprehension of the Legacy and values of their greek organization.“ “Invictus” (1888) by William Ernest Henely is one of the poems often performed for a probate. In mind and body, this performance becomes a site for interpreting Black subjectivity in white systems. Analyzing the consequences of this act forms a debate between Afro-Pessimism, anti-afro-pessimism, and post-structuralism. My analysis of “Invictus” is informed by Louis Althusser’s “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses,” Kevin Quashie’s Black Aliveness, and Frank Wilderson’s accounts of Afro-Pessimism. I will analyze “Invictus” as a microcosm of Black subject formation in white systems and examine how Black post-structuralism works against current institutional dynamics of racialization and colonialism. “Invictus” and the circumstances for its performance highlights the unique relationship between a Black person’s “subjectivity” and their ownership of themselves.

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This proposal is for a fiction reading by writers Asha George, Giulia Vitale, and Devin Mangru, focused on writing as a form of self-expression. The authors will each read work from their Creative Writing classes with Professor Stacy Gnall entitled: “Trauma Ties,” “Louise Francoise,” and “The Hobbyist.” Each piece highlights a different purpose of fiction, from entertainment to thoughtful societal commentary. The presenters are experimenting with their writing in order to better understand how to create compelling fiction for their target audiences. Through sharing these short stories, these authors present various methods by which they navigate storytelling within the confines of their experiences.

This presentation centers around proving that fiction can both be used as a tool to entertain as well as a tool to facilitate societal change and reflection. “Trauma Ties” by Asha George explores the societal stigmas associated with survivors of sexual assault, and how to overcome them. “Louise Francoise” by Giulia Vitale shows the human tendency to idealize places or concepts and then demonstrates what happens when people actually face the reality behind them. “The Hobbyist” by Devin Mangru explores how the promise of money can lead people into horrific circumstances.

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Secondary and Vicarious trauma is a phenomenon that practitioners who work within the mental health field have a potential to experience. (Leung et. al., 2023) While secondary trauma is the trauma that clinicians experience suddenly due to immediate exposure to a client’s traumatic encounters; vicarious trauma happens in response to prolonged exposure and can potentially have effects on clinicians that not only impact their quality of life but the efficacy of their professional lives and treatments as well. (Bell et. al., 2003) This presentation will examine evidence based interventions for Secondary and Vicarious Trauma in an effort to enhance practicing clinicians’ quality of life and their patient’s quality of care.

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Early Childhood Caries (ECC), in which primary teeth are affected by caries, is a significant public health problem. ECC is highly correlated with the presence of the cariogenic bacterium, Streptococcus mutans. Bacteriophage therapy to prevent or reduce disease associated with S. mutans has drawn recent interest. However, increasing evidence of widespread resistance to bacteriophage within S. mutans complicates its potential utilization. Therefore, we aimed to identify bacteriophage resistance mechanisms employed by S. mutans using bacterial strains isolated from saliva and the S. mutans bacteriophage, ΦAPCM01. As one potential resistance mechanism, we tested ΦAPCM01-resistant S. mutans strains for growth arrest signatures that may indicate the presence of abortive infection (Abi) systems. For this, early-log phase S. mutans were mixed with ΦAPCM01 at various multiplicities of infection and growth was observed for 18 hours. If an Abi system was activated in resistant strains, growth curves would abruptly plateau while in the presence of phage. We observed that phage-resistant strains maintained normal growth in the presence and absence of phage, indicating these strains of S. mutans do not employ an Abi system. While our work did not identify signatures of Abi systems in phage-resistant strains, these techniques do not fully eliminate their possible presence. For example, alternate phage resistance mechanisms may be triggered prior to Abi systems, as they are generally considered the last lines of defense. Therefore, our next steps will focus on discovering other if other phage-resistant mechanisms play a role in resisting phage infection and the point at which the phage replication cycle becomes blocked.

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Rates of eating disorders have sharply risen since the COVID-19 pandemic (Daly & Costigan, 2022), and the majority of those with eating disorder symptoms don't seek treatment (Hart et al., 2011). Eating disorders have the second highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses (Arcelus et al., 2011). The study of eating disorders is especially relevant for university campuses, as fewer than 1 in 5 college students who screen positive for an eating disorder actually receive treatment (Fitzsimmons‐Craft et al., 2019). This research presentation provides an overview of both the internal and external psychosocial barriers and facilitators for seeking eating disorder treatment that have emerged from recent literature, offering implications for future research and mental health professionals who work with young adults at risk for eating disorders. 

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Juvenile literature has a long history of troping adoption and orphanhood. The use of adverse childhood experiences as a primary device in establishing the psychological predicament of characters within fictional narratives has desensitized audiences to the rather relevant issues of child welfare today. Rather than look at these literary depictions as grounded in the current realities of displaced children, we as an audience are trained to look through it; regarding this element of identity as merely a vessel to move the story further. The pattern of exploiting the identity of individuals within the realm of the adoption triad at the cost of inducing otherization, fails to take into account the impact of simplifying representation, particularly in the category of juvenile literature. This project analyzes the innumerable adoption narratives in literature that continue to serve as a reminder of the historical ambivalence towards the “unnatural” family, and the negative impact that harmful literary tropes have on the current cultural perception of the adoption triad. Only by actually looking at the representations of adoptee narratives, both real and fictional, can we begin to acknowledge the constellation of perspectives and stories that are sidelined or dramatized for the sake of entertainment. In looking at adoption narratives and their influence, we can pursue an understanding of what adoption literature is or what it can be.

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This presentation is an examination of Layli Long Soldier’s poetry collection WHEREAS (specifically the “Whereas Statements” section) as it relates to the Congressional document that inspired it. Issued as a rider in 2009, the “Apology to Native Peoples of the United States” (officially “111th Congress 1st Session S. J. RES. 14”) garnered press for its inconspicuous placement in an unrelated defense spending bill. Long Soldier, a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, was one of many Indigenous Americans who saw the “Apology” — both its wording and its rider-status — as insincere and insufficient. WHEREAS is Long Soldier’s response, and in “Whereas Statements,” she mimics the resolution’s legalistic format to emphasize how the “Apology” expresses a meaning but not a sentiment. I argue that Long Soldier also uses the word “whereas” and its manifold definitions to simultaneously personify her complicated feelings about language, citizenship, the “Apology,” and the government that passed it. After a brief introduction to the history of the “Apology” and WHEREAS, my presentation will demonstrate how Long Soldier’s choices regarding wording and structure prove effective and affective both poetically and rhetorically.

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Cisplatin and other platinum drugs are an essential part of combination chemotherapy to treat cancer. The compounds bind to and crosslink DNA, thus initiating apoptotic pathways in cancer cells. While many patients exhibit high initial responsiveness to treatment, numerous side effects lessen the therapeutic value of these metallodrugs.

When cancer cells grow at a high rate, they have an increased energy demand compared to non-cancerous cells; with that they need to facilitate an increased cellular uptake of energy sources, mainly glucose and fructose. Accordingly, many cancer cells overexpress hexose transporters, integral membrane proteins responsible for the transport of hexoses across cellular membranes. To focus the uptake of platinum drugs on fast-growing cells and by that to reduce deleterious side effects due to the interaction of the drugs with biomolecules other than DNA in cancer cells, hexose platinum conjugates that are potential substrates of hexose transporters are being synthesized. The conjugates consist of three domains, namely a transporter substrate, a spacer, and a pharmacophore. A convergent synthetic approach allows to independently vary these domains and to systematically study substrate-transporter and drug-DNA interactions.

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This research will explore Exhaled Breath Analysis in Collegiate Athletes to determine the optimal exhaled breath profile for peak performance. Collaborating with Cannabix Technologies, the study employs advanced breath monitoring technology to analyze key Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in athletes' breath, aiming to understand the composition's impact on performance. The study's objectives include identifying and quantifying Methane, Hydrogen, Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC), CO2, and Acetone in athletes' breath, analyzing VOC variations among different sports disciplines, and establishing a baseline breath profile for optimal performance. The methodology involves recruiting a diverse group of male and female student-athletes from various sports, obtaining informed consent for breath analysis, and using exhaled breath sensors for VOC analysis. Through statistical analysis of the data, the study seeks to identify correlations between VOC levels and athletic performance, ultimately aiming to enhance understanding of how exhaled breath composition influences athletic excellence. This innovative approach paves the way for new strategies in optimizing training and performance in collegiate athletes.

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The AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) sets forth an innovative framework for incorporating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into the curriculum marking a pivotal advancement in educational technology integration. Recognizing the transformative potential of GenAI, the AIAS categorizes five levels of GenAI engagement, from none to full collaboration, empowering educators to tailor GenAI use to specific educational outcomes. This structured approach not only aligns with academic goals but also navigates the complexities of academic integrity, skill development, and student engagement with GenAI.

A key aspiration of the AIAS is to strike a delicate balance between the pedagogical benefits of GenAI and the ethical standards essential to educational fairness and transparency. By establishing clear guidelines for GenAI utilization in assessments, the AIAS aims to provide a coherent, equitable framework that accommodates the dynamic nature of GenAI technology while safeguarding educational values.

This research has been duly approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB), ensuring adherence to ethical research standards and the protection of participant welfare. Additionally, it has garnered support through a Faculty Research Award, underscoring the project's significance and the academic community's recognition of its potential to shape future educational assessment practices. Funded and ethically sanctioned, the AIAS research promises to offer insights into optimizing GenAI's role in education, fostering an environment that prepares students for a technologically advanced future while upholding the integrity of the learning process.

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Alienation is an intensely horrifying and uniquely human experience. It challenges the very notion of existence and transforms it into the inspiration of a terrible dread. The post-WWII Japanese novel (1948) No Longer Human, by Osamu Dazai, articulates the experience of alienation, through the narrator’s interrogation of what it means to be human being. There is remarkably little English-Language scholarship on the novel itself. This paper addresses the gap in scholarship, examining how the novel defines the category of the “human” through its participation in the socio-cultural sphere. No Longer Human explores this definition by highlighting the experiences of an individual who is unable to identify or participate in the social realm. I will analyze the novel through comparison with other contemporaneous works which focus on alienation, and by borrowing from works of existentialist philosophy, as well as theory on social dynamics and human inter-relatedness. If the human is indeed a “social animal” as Marx wrote, Yozo’s total alienation from self and others invites us to interrogate what happens to the category of the human in the face of total social disintegration.

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This abstract explores the intricate relationship between the emotion of fear and the consumption of film, particularly through the lens of the horror genre. Drawing upon Prano Bailey-Bond's film "Censor," the essay delves into the multifaceted nature of fear as both an emotion and a motivator. Through an analysis of protagonist Enid's immersion in the world of horror films as a censor, the essay examines how fear influences her actions and perceptions. Enid's obsession with the genre is revealed to stem from a deeper fear rooted in personal trauma, notably the disappearance of her sister. As the narrative unfolds, Enid's desperate attempts to confront her fears lead to a poignant exploration of self-censorship and the blurred lines between reality and fiction. Through compelling visual storytelling and thematic depth, "Censor" ultimately serves as a provocative exploration of fear's power to both propel individuals forward and compel them to confront uncomfortable truths.

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In many societies today, disabilities are often viewed as non-normative. Consequently, disabilities are seen as exceptions that must be compensated for with “reasonable” accommodations that “fix” the “problems” disabled people have with interacting in society. How to accommodate students and to what extent, however, continues to be highly debated within educational institutions. Through an analysis of Adam Gianelli’s poems “How to Hear a Stutter,” “Stutterfied,” and “Stutter,” this paper critiques the view of disability as non-normative. The paper draws from a wide range of theory both within and beyond disability studies, such as Saussurean semiotics, Toni Morrison’s “Unspeakable Things Unspoken,” and Margaret Price’s Mad at School. Together, these works will help me articulate the ways disability underscores flaws within how schooling systems operate that should not remain normalized. By voiding the “one size fits all” approach used with many standardized exams, schools can provide students the opportunity to truly strive for academic excellence and a bright future by allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge without unrealistic expectations and restrictions that hinder their ability to do so. The paper concludes with recommendations for reconsidering the structure of standardized tests and other modes of educational standardization.

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Bank customer churn refers to the termination of all business with the bank by the customer, leading to account closure. However, in actual operations, for specific business departments, bank customer churn can be defined as the termination of specific business activities.

Commercial banks’ churn is serious, The churn rate is 20%. The cost of acquiring customers is 5 times the cost of maintaining customers. So we can mine customer transaction data for information that affects churn, it is particularly important to establish an efficient customer churn early warning system. The main goals of this project are as follows:

- Identify and visualize factors that lead to customer churn.

- Establish a prediction model to predict whether classified customers will churn, and select an optimal model based on the performance of the model.

Predict the loss of current customers based on the identified reasons and historical data of customer loss, making it easier for the relevant departments of the bank to solve problems, provide different maintenance methods for different customers, and reduce the customer churn rate.

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