Lindenwood University

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe and gets worse over time. People with COPD have damaged airways with swelling and increased mucus production. Ensifentrine is a novel agent that inhibits phosphodiesterase (PDE)3 and PDE4, two enzymes that affect airway muscles, inflammation, and mucus removal from the lungs. This summary of research provides an overview of a previously published article on the results from the phase3 ENHANCE trials, which studied the effect of ensifentrine in people with moderate to severe COPD who may have already been taking standard maintenance medications. Ensifentrine improved breathing, symptoms, and quality of life. It also reduced the rate and risk of flare-ups (called exacerbations) and was well tolerated. These results support the use of ensifentrine as an effective and well-tolerated treatment for people with COPD.

Carbohydrate availability and caffeine ingestion have been shown to elicit improvements in performance independently of one another. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of a carbohydrate + caffeine beverage on performance and perceived effort in soccer players. Forty-three collegiate women’s soccer athletes were recruited to participate during a single day of simulated match play, in which each team played once. Athletes consumed either a carbohydrate + caffeine (Experimental) beverage or a control (Control) beverage (flavored water) during half-time in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized control trial design. Prior to and after each game, Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and blood glucose levels were assessed. Heart rate, training impulse (TRIMP), total distance covered, high-speed distance, and velocity were recorded. Blood glucose levels after the match simulation were positively associated with total distance (r = 0.434; p = 0.01), distance per minute (r = 0.439; p < 0.01), average velocity (r = 0.438; p = 0.01), and TRIMP (r = 0.404; p = 0.018) during the second half. There was a significant main effect for half regarding blood glucose (p < 0.001), total distance (p < 0.001), high-speed distance (p < 0.001), and TRIMP (p = 0.046). There was a significant half × condition effect for blood glucose (p = 0.05). Pairwise comparisons indicated the Experimental beverage condition resulted in a +27 mg/dL (95% CI: −3.6, 58.8) difference compared to the Control beverage following the 2nd Half. In the current study, consumption of the carbohydrate + caffeine beverage during half-time resulted in higher blood glucose levels post-game compared to placebo; however, the experimental beverage did not influence the total distance covered, average velocities, average heart rate, or TRIMP values during the second half of simulated match play.

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and relevant research initiatives have been at the focal point of sustainable industrial development initiatives. Adoption of these technologies require a maturity level to create sustainable economic, social, and environmental benefits to society. In this study, we investigated the I4.0 maturity in OECD countries. A two-phase methodology is proposed: principal component analysis (PCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The main contribution of the study to the state-of-art is a statistically reliable analytical framework which yields I4.0 maturity score from relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’ perspectives. Results indicate that the proposed two-phase method significantly reduces the potential multi-collinearity impacts on I4.0 maturity performance. Moreover, USA, Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland were found to the on the efficiency frontier in terms of I4.0 maturity whereas Turkey, Chile, Latvia, and Mexico were found to be in the lowest ranks which need substantial policy implementation to increase their digitalization efforts.

Buntanetap is an orally bioavailable small molecule that has been shown to improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and holds promise for use in other neurodegenerative conditions. Until now, a crystalline anhydrate (Form A) has been used in preclinical and clinical studies. However, a novel dihydrate crystal (Form B) was recently discovered, offering improved solid-state stability without compromising its absorption, systemic exposure, and metabolism. We sought to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of Form B and compare it to the well-characterized PK profile of Form A in a series of studies conducted in mice, dogs, and humans. Our data revealed that although the two forms are distinct and do not interconvert, they exhibit comparable PK profiles both within and across species. Consistent with previous reports, Form A and Form B alike reached fast peak plasma concentrations (<2 h), demonstrated efficient partitioning into brain tissue, and were fully cleared by 12 h post-dose. Furthermore, metabolic profiling showed that both forms produced identical PK profiles for the primary metabolites, N1- and N8-norbuntanetap, confirming that Form B retains the established metabolic characteristics of Form A. These findings support the continued development of Form B for future clinical use, as it combines enhanced solid-state stability with a preserved PK profile essential for buntanetap’s therapeutic efficacy.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains resistant to many conventional treatments, underscoring the need for integrative approaches that harness neuroplasticity. Art therapy, with its capacity to facilitate nonverbal trauma processing and multisensory engagement, has shown distinctive advantages over verbal and pharmacological interventions. Recent innovations, including virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), and biofeedback have amplified the therapeutic efficacy of art-based interventions by enabling adaptive, real-time modulation of emotional and physiological states. This review synthesizes current research on technologically enhanced art therapy, comparing it to established treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Findings indicate that multimodal interventions leveraging VR and biofeedback foster improved emotional regulation, memory reconsolidation, and resilience, particularly when integrated with conventional methods. The novelty of this work lies in identifying how art therapy, augmented by emerging technologies, activates neuroplastic mechanisms through personalization, multisensory immersion, and closed-loop feedback. The study concludes that future PTSD care will benefit from interdisciplinary collaboration, rigorous empirical validation, and the development of personalized, technology-supported therapeutic ecosystems designed to optimize long-term recovery.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the art history classroom offers transformative opportunities for students through accessibility, engagement, and skill development. This paper explores how AI can democratize access to art history education by providing cost-effective tools that eliminate traditional barriers, such as expensive textbooks, inaccessible archives, or costly field trips. AI-powered platforms like visual recognition software and adaptive learning tools enable students to engage with material more deeply, allowing for personalized learning pathways and interactive explorations of art and its contexts. Beyond content delivery, incorporating AI fosters critical digital literacy, equipping students with the skills to navigate and critique emerging technologies responsibly. Students learn to analyze biases in AI algorithms and develop ethical frameworks for using AI in academic and professional contexts. These capabilities are vital in an era increasingly defined by digital scholarship. This presentation will include case studies of successful AI implementations in art history courses, such as AI-assisted analysis of visual motifs, the use of generative AI for creative reinterpretations of historical works, and digital field trips using Google Arts and Culture. It will conclude with best practices for educators seeking to integrate AI tools effectively, ensuring that technological innovation enhances rather than overshadows the discipline’s rich humanistic core. A link to a video of Analisa Sovern-Reed's presentation can be found below in the Additional Files section.

In the context of contemporary art and design education, the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence has introduced profound shifts in both creative practice and pedagogical responsibility. Art and design professors now encounter students who approach AIdriven tools with a mixture of skepticism and curiosity, often perceiving such technologies as antithetical to authentic artistic development or as expedient alternatives to disciplined practice. This article articulates an instructional approach that leverages Adobe Photoshop’s generative capabilities—specifically neural filters, generative fill, and the manipulation of alpha channels— to position artificial intelligence as a collaborative, rather than substitutive, element within digital art-making. The 2025 statements issued by the United States Copyright Office serve as a critical backdrop, clarifying that only works demonstrating substantial human authorship are eligible for copyright protection and underscoring the necessity for students to develop both technical mastery and ethical discernment in the era of algorithmic co-creation. Through detailed demonstrations and iterative, non-destructive workflows, this pedagogical model cultivates students’ ability to move fluently between automated processes and manual refinement, fostering both creative confidence and critical awareness. The research asserts that, when integrated intentionally, generative AI enhances rather than diminishes conceptual rigor, enabling students to assume the roles of editors, curators, and responsible co-authors of digital imagery. By foregrounding the interplay of human agency and computational assistance, art and design education not only responds to the legal and ethical imperatives of the present moment but also prepares practitioners to navigate the evolving landscape of contemporary creative industries. A link to a video of Erica Blum's presentation can be found below in the Additional Files section.

Coaching strategies reflect the belief that volleyball is a momentum-driven sport. This study investigated whether timeouts are associated with success for the subsequent play (i.e., a “sideout”) using archival data from Women’s Division I Volleyball in the United States. Sideout rates following 2529 timeouts from 234 matches were compared to the sideout rates of typical play from 3867 plays taken from 25 randomly selected matches. Results showed that the sideout rate for points following a timeout was similar to the sideout rate of typical play, suggesting that timeouts could be employed to reset performance. Additionally, the sideout rate was higher after timeouts when they were taken early in a scoring run as opposed to later in a run, and when the score difference is within 3 points, indicating that timeouts could thwart the buildup of momentum. These results have implications for the understanding of psychological momentum and coaching.

Abstract This chapter describes a master's student with a disability who prioritized location and campus familiarity when deciding on a graduate school. Katy encountered limitations on graduate assistantship options due to her disability and a lack of support from the graduate faculty coordinator. Disability disclosure and the challenges associated with receiving accommodations requests are discussed. Specifically, disclosure in the job search is discussed from Katy's perspective. Volunteerism and advocacy for disability, both within higher education and the broader community are also addressed.