Chicago State University

ABSTRACT As higher education becomes increasingly globalized, institutions face growing pressure to serve diverse student populations, including those from refugee, ethnic minority, and first-generation backgrounds. Among these, Somali Bantu students—a historically marginalized ethnic group from Somalia—encounter layered barriers in higher education, shaped by institutional invisibility and racialized refugee status. Despite being part of broader discourses on refugee student experiences, their unique positionality remains largely overlooked. Drawing on data from a larger qualitative study, this study offers a focused phenomenological analysis of seven Somali Bantu students attending predominantly white institutions in the U.S. Guided by Anzaldúa’s Borderlands Theory and using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), it explores how they navigate intersecting identities—ethnic, racial, religious, refugee, and first-generation—within academic environments. Findings reveal a pervasive theme of ethnic invisibility, unfolding across three dimensions: the homogenization of Somali identity, institutional unawareness of Somali Bantu presence, and the overshadowing of ethnic identity by religious identity. These layers of invisibility produced deep feelings of isolation and marginalization, impacting their sense of belonging and persistence. By centering their lived realities, this study contributes to decolonial, diasporic, and refugee-centered discourses in higher education, calling for more nuanced institutional responses that affirm African refugee identities and foster academic inclusion.

Abstract Urban forest inventories are vital for understanding the ecological and social functions of neighborhood-scale arboreal systems, especially in communities experiencing climate-related stress. This study integrates field sampling, community questionnaires, and high-resolution (1m x 1m) LiDAR data to establish a comprehensive urban tree inventory for the Chatham neighborhood in Chicago, a community historically burdened by flooding, noise pollution, heat vulnerability, and limited green space. Findings demonstrate that trees in Chatham are predominantly tall, with an average height of 19 meters, and that canopy coverage constitutes approximately 17% of the neighborhood, higher than previous city estimates but still considerably below the recommended 40% urban canopy benchmark. Field assessments further indicate that crown vigor, as well as the health of leaves, trunks, twigs, and other woody components (including bark and branches), are adversely affected, suggesting substantial biotic and abiotic stress factors, which underscores the need for proactive urban forest management like regular tree inspections, inventories, removal or pruning of dead branches, and effective storm preparedness and emergency response. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of targeted planting initiatives in areas with sparse tree cover and of implementing neighborhood-specific greening strategies to enhance climate resilience.

Big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and deep learning are converting supply chain management into an intelligent data-driven system. This review discusses the role of these technologies in increasing visibility, predictive and prescriptive decision-making and efficiency in operations feasible at the strategic, tactical and operational levels. Big data offers all the available information in different forms, whereas AI and deep learning generate insights in a complex dataset to make demand forecasting, inventory management, logistics, and risk mitigation optimally. The recent trends, such as IoT, automation, and explainable AI, also contribute to real-time, adaptive, and sustainable supply chains. The paper presents prospects, threats and future of smart supply chain analytics.

ABSTRACTThis study evaluated the antioxidant and neuropharmacological potentials of methanol extract of Oroxylum indicum bark (MOIB) to advocate the scientific basis of its traditional use in medical folklore. The preliminary phytochemical screening and GC–MS analysis identified twenty phytochemicals in MOIB. Besides, in EPM, MOIB exhibited an increase in time spent and the number of entries in open arms while an enhancement in head dipping was demonstrated by MOIB in HBT compared to control, indicating anxiolytic activities. Furthermore, a dose‐dependent reduction in locomotor activities together with immobility time was revealed by MOIB in the hole cross test, open field test, and tail suspension test, forced swimming test, respectively in comparison to that of control suggesting sedative and antidepressant activities. Again, the molecular docking analysis revealed two compounds CID 550198 and CID 10393 with a good binding affinity to all the targeted receptors together with promising pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles evident from ADME/T analysis. Consequently, the respective molecular dynamic simulation study confirmed the stability of the protein‐ligand complexes. Moreover, two compounds with CID 550198 and CID 10393 might be used as natural lead compounds for the treatment of anxiety, sleep disorders, and depression. Yet, advanced studies are required to reveal the fundamental mechanism of these activities.

Background: Literature is replete with the adverse outcomes of the cold impacts of climate change. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of pre-orthostatic cold water ingestions on the electroencephalogram in male individuals. Methods: 35 apparently healthy young males averaging 19.5years satisfied the inclusion criteria and were selected for the study. Participants ingested 500militers of portable commercial water at 250c and 100c five minutes prior to sitting or orthostasis. Orthostasis lasted for minutes. Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded using PowerLab 26T with eye opened. On assumption of erect position, EEG recording was started and continued for 20 minutes during which the standing lasted. Results: Ingestion of 250c or 100c water prior to orthostasis has no significant effect on alpha wave frequency when compared to baseline. Beta wave frequency and alpha/beta ratio were significantly higher and lower in participants who ingested 250c prior to orthostasis when compared to those who ingested 250c prior to sitting respectively. Beta wave frequency and alpha/beta ratio also increased and decreased respectively in participants who ingested 100c prior to orthostasis when compared to those who ingested 100c prior to sitting. Ingestion of 250c prior to orthostasis caused higher beta wave frequency and lower alpha/beta ratio when compared to participants who ingested 100c prior to orthostasis. Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrated that ingestion of 250c water prior to orthostasis was associated with relatively greater cortical activation.

Abstract Description We surveyed instructors to consider their future and assess their likelihood of looking for a new job this school year at the College of Health Sciences and Pharmacy at Chicago State University, Chicago, Illinois. About three in ten instructors (30%) say it’s at least somewhat likely they’ll do so, with 11% saying it is extremely or very likely. About seven in ten instructors (70%) say it’s not too likely they’ll look for a new job this year. (2%} who say they will likely retire or stop working in the next year are not included.) Among instructors who say they may look for a new job, 50% say they’re most likely to seek a job outside education. Roughly three-in-ten (32%) say they’ll look for a non-teaching job in education, 28% say they’ll look for a teaching job at another professional school, and 8% say they’ll look for a teaching job in a private school. An additional 20% say it’s most likely they will take some other path. Instructors are about evenly split on whether they would advise a young person starting today to become a teacher—39% say they would, and 61% say they would not. Health sciences instructors are more likely than other teachers to say they’d advise a young person to become a teacher (77% vs. 23% and 22%, respectively). Instructors newer to the job have a different view than those teaching for over a decade. Among those who’ve been teaching for less than five years, 37% say they’d recommend teaching as a career. Funding Sources CTRE Chicago State University Topic Categories Immunology Education and Communication (EDU)