Roosevelt University

Post-baccalaureate (post-bac) programs can be instrumental in strengthening science training and expanding STEM career opportunities for junior trainees. Many of these sponsored programs are designed to increase research exposure for underrepresented minorities, including African American, Hispanic, Native American, and first-generation college students, among others. Recruiting trainees to post-bac programs can be challenging for reasons including a lack of awareness about available programs. To address this gap, an Open House event was created with the goal of raising awareness and generating interest among potential students for future post-bac programs. Students were recruited from partnering Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to attend a 2-day event at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI) and a Research-Intensive (R1) institution. During the visit, students toured both campuses, learned about various post-bac programs and research opportunities, and interacted with faculty, current graduate students, and a former post-bac scholar. Transportation, lodging, and meals were provided. Participants completed voluntary pre- and post-surveys. Results indicated that attendees, the majority of whom were underrepresented minorities in STEM, left with a stronger understanding of post-bac programs and how these experiences could support their future careers in STEM and that students' attendance at the event made it more likely they would apply to available post-bac programs. Mentor and MSI faculty survey responses highlighted their strong support for participating in future recruitment events. These findings demonstrate that in-person Open House events, built on collaborative partnerships across institutions, are an effective strategy for increasing awareness and encouraging participation in post-bac training programs-particularly among underrepresented student populations.

This research amplifies the voices of 77 tenured and nearly tenured women in STEM academia who responded to a series of open-ended questions regarding perceived barriers and supports on the path toward tenure. The current study compared these responses to those collected five years earlier, when participants were untenured, to analyze changes over time (Gregor et al., 2022). Consensual qualitative research-modified (CQR-M; Spangler et al., 2011) was utilized to analyze the data. Findings reveal a trend of increasing administrative, institutional, and systemic barriers to tenure between 2018 and 2023, which included the impacts of COVID-19, and disproportionately impacted women with children and women of color. Supports to combat these barriers and advice and wisdom from tenured women in STEM are also provided. Insight from this population, implications for working women post-pandemic, and strengths and limitations of the study will be discussed.

BackgroundUlcerative colitis (UC) is one of the two major types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), characterized by inflammation of the colon and rectum. The colorectal epithelium, which covers the mucosal surface, maintains homeostasis by supporting commensal microorganisms in the outer mucus layer. Most colorectal epithelial cells (CECs) are absorptive colonocytes distributed primarily in the upper portion of the crypts. These CECs constitute the front-line barrier that modulates mucosal immunity and facilitates the transfer of immune molecules into the lumen. In patients with UC, CECs undergo both apoptosis and pyroptosis. Apoptosis is a physiological, programmed, caspase-dependent, and tightly regulated form of cell death that eliminates aged and damaged cells. In contrast, pyroptosis is an inflammatory, caspase-dependent form of lytic cell death that occurs in response to harmful stressors and toxins. Pyroptosis in CECs involves a broad array of signaling and effector molecules, many of which serve as measurable biomarkers with diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential.ConclusionsDysregulated colorectal microflora significantly contributes to activating the pyroptotic pathway, initiating an inflammasome- and gasdermin-dependent inflammatory cell death process in UC patients. This review discusses the triggers and pathways of pyroptosis in CECs, evaluates recently identified biomarkers, highlights their potential roles in pyroptosis and as therapeutic targets in managing UC, and candidate compounds that have been shown effective UC therapeutics.

Travel planning often involves multiple platforms for booking rental cars and flights, leading to inefficiencies and security concerns. This paper introduces a decentralized application that integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain to enhance the travel booking experience. The proposed system enables users to enter a source and destination, after which AI analyzes past preferences to recommend nearby rental cars. If the destination is far, it retrieves relevant flight options, ensuring a seamless transition between different modes of transport. Blockchain technology ensures data security, transparency, and immutability, preventing unauthorized alterations while enabling a trustless environment. Unlike centralized platforms, where user data is stored on third-party servers, this system employs smart contracts to manage transactions securely. The AI component personalizes recommendations based on user behavior, improving decision-making, and optimizing travel efficiency. This study evaluates the system's accuracy, security, and usability through real-world simulations, demonstrating its ability to streamline travel planning. The combination of AI-driven recommendations and blockchain-based security enhances user experience by reducing dependency on intermediaries. By leveraging these technologies, the application provides a personalized, decentralized, and secure solution for travelers, paving the way for a more efficient and privacy-preserving future in travel services.

Abstract This article provides examples of how anti-Black racism manifests in police engagement with three Black populations: female survivors of sexual assault, families of homicide victims, and youth involved in the juvenile legal system. The experiences had with the police by each are contextualized in historical and present-day practices as examples of the experiences of those in the larger Black community. The article ends with recommendations regarding how to advance anti-racist and transformative policing practices.

The author imagines a 2025 speech by Neil Postman on artificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on education. Drawing on Postman’s critical view of technology, the speech portrays AI as a ‘metaphor-defining machine’ that redefines fundamental human activities like writing and thinking. Postman, through the author, argues that education’s purpose is not efficient information transfer but the cultivation of judgement, values and a moral compass – something machines cannot teach. Postman cautions teachers against AI’s promised efficiency, emphasizing that education’s true goal is forming a whole person capable of critical thought and empathy. Teachers are urged to preserve their ‘presence’ and foster curiosity. For students, the speech highlights the danger of outsourcing thought, stressing that true understanding comes from intellectual struggle. It challenges them to prioritize wisdom over accuracy and meaning-making over mere output. He concludes by asserting that humanity must not be defined by its machines and education’s essential task is to teach individuals how to remain human in an AI-driven world.

Ferrous ions in four-coordinate environments are common in protein structures, synthetic catalysts, and molecular magnets. The 3d6 configuration of high-spin Fe(II) imparts an S = 2 ground state, whose analysis using conventional spectroscopic methods is often hindered by substantial zero-field splitting (ZFS). Herein, we provide detailed electronic-structure descriptions for [FeIIX(TptBu,Me)] (1-X; X = F, Cl, Br, I), where (TptBu,Me)- is hydrotris(3-tert-butyl-5-methyl-pyrazol-1-yl)borate. The three pyrazolyl N-donors of the "scorpionate" ligand facially coordinate to Fe(II), giving idealized C3v symmetry with the halide occupying the axial position. Although originally reported by Theopold and co-workers, this series is revisited herein using advanced experimental and theoretical tools. Ground-state transitions were probed by high-frequency and -field electron paramagnetic resonance (HFEPR) and far-infrared magnetic spectroscopy (FIRMS). Variable-temperature/-field (VTVH) 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, paramagnetic susceptibility, and VTVH reduced magnetization were also utilized. This combined approach provided complete sets of spin-Hamiltonian parameters. Interpretation using ab initio multiconfigurational calculations enabled quantification of halide-dependent magnetoelectronic effects. Jahn-Teller distortions induce a descent in symmetry from C3v to Cs in both solution and solid state. Finally, we demonstrate that the 1-X series is ionic, with the ZFS arising from combined Jahn-Teller and ligand field effects, rather than intrinsic spin-orbit coupling from the halides.