Digital Commons Network^™

Selecting Optimal Combinations Of Transcription Factors To Promote Axon Regeneration: Why Mechanisms Matter, Ishwariya Venkatesh, Murray G. Blackmore

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recovery from injuries to the central nervous system, including spinal cord injury, is constrained in part by the intrinsically low ability of many CNS neurons to mount an effective regenerative growth response. To improve outcomes, it is essential to understand and ultimately reverse these neuron-intrinsic constraints. Genetic manipulation of key transcription factors (TFs), which act to orchestrate production of multiple regeneration-associated genes, has emerged as a promising strategy. It is likely that no single TF will be sufficient to fully restore neuron-intrinsic growth potential, and that multiple, functionally interacting factors will be needed. An extensive literature, mostly from non-neural cell …

Digital Holographic Microscopy Of Phase Separation In Multicomponent Lipid Membranes, Vahideh Farzam Rad, Ali-Reza Moradi, Ahmad Darudi, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Lateral in-homogeneities in lipid compositions cause microdomains formation and change in the physical properties of biological membranes. With the presence of cholesterol and mixed species of lipids, phospholipid membranes segregate into lateral domains of liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered phases. Coupling of two-dimensional intralayer phase separations and interlayer liquid-crystalline ordering in multicomponent membranes has been previously demonstrated. By the use of digital holographic microscopy (DHMicroscopy), we quantitatively analyzed the volumetric dynamical behavior of such membranes. The specimens are lipid mixtures composed of sphingomyelin, cholesterol, and unsaturated phospholipid, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. DHMicroscopy in a transmission mode is an effective tool for quantitative visualization of phase …

Mass Reduction Patterning Of Silicon-On-Oxide–Based Micromirrors, Harris J. Hall, Andrew Green, Sarah Dooley, Jason D. Schmidt, Lavern A. Starman, Derrick Langley, Ronald A. Coutu Jr.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

It has long been recognized in the design of micromirror-based optical systems that balancing static flatness of the mirror surface through structural design with the system’s mechanical dynamic response is challenging. Although a variety of mass reduction approaches have been presented in the literature to address this performance trade, there has been little quantifiable comparison reported. In this work, different mass reduction approaches, some unique to the work, are quantifiably compared with solid plate thinning in both curvature and mass using commercial finite element simulation of a specific square silicon-on-insulator–based micromirror geometry. Other important considerations for micromirror surfaces, including surface …

Impact Of Wisconsin Medicaid Policy Change On Dental Sealant Utilization, Christopher Okunseri, Elaye Okunseri, Raul I. Garcia, Cesar Gonzales, Alexis Vistocky, Aniko Szabo

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Background

In September 2006, Wisconsin Medicaid changed its policy to allow nondentists to become certified Medicaid providers and to bill for sealants in public health settings.

Objective

This study examined changes in patterns of dental sealant utilization in first molars of Wisconsin Medicaid enrollees associated with a policy change.

Data Source

The Electronic Data Systems of Medicaid Evaluation and Decision Support for Wisconsin from 2001 to 2009.

Study Design

Retrospective claims data analysis of Wisconsin Dental Medicaid for children aged 6-16 years.

Principal Findings

A total of 479,847 children followed up for 1,441,300 person-years with 64,546 visits were analyzed. The …

Differences In Utilization Of Dental Procedures By Children Enrolled In Wisconsin Medicaid And Delta Dental Insurance Plans, Pradeep Bhagavatula, Qun Xiang, Aniko Szabo, Fredrick Eichmiller, Christopher Okunseri

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Few studies have directly compared dental procedures provided in public and private insurance plans for enrollees living in dental health professional shortage areas (DHPSAs). We examined the rates for the different types of dental procedures received by 0–18-year-old children living in DHPSAs and non-DHPSAs who were enrolled in Medicaid and those enrolled under Delta Dental of Wisconsin (DDW) for years 2002 to 2008.

Methods

Medicaid and DDW dental claims data for 2002 to 2008 was analyzed. Enrollees were divided into DDW-DHPSA and non-DHPSA and Medicaid-DHPSA and non-DHPSA groups. Descriptive and multivariable analyses using over-dispersed Poisson regression were performed to …

Multimodal Imaging Of Photoreceptor Structure In Choroideremia, Lynn W. Sun, Ryan D. Johnson, Vesper Williams, Phyllis Summerfelt, Alfredo Dubra, David V. Weinberg, Kimberly E. Stepien, Gerald A. Fishman, Joseph Carroll

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

Choroideremia is a progressive X-linked recessive dystrophy, characterized by degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choroid, choriocapillaris, and photoreceptors. We examined photoreceptor structure in a series of subjects with choroideremia with particular attention to areas bordering atrophic lesions.

Methods

Twelve males with clinically-diagnosed choroideremia and confirmed hemizygous mutations in the CHM gene were examined. High-resolution images of the retina were obtained using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and both confocal and non-confocal split-detector adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) techniques.

Results

Eleven CHM gene mutations (3 novel) were identified; three subjects had the same mutation and one …

The Effect Of Mo Doping On The Charge Separation Dynamics And Photocurrent Performance Of Bivo4 Photoanodes, Brian Pattengale, Jier Huang

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Doping with electron-rich elements in BiVO₄ photoanodes has been demonstrated as a desirable approach for improving their carrier mobility and charge separation efficiency. However, the effect of doping and dopant concentration on the carrier dynamics and photoelectrochemical performance remains unclear. In this work, we examined the effects of Mo doping on the charge separation dynamics and photocurrent performance in BiVO₄photoanodes. We show that the photocurrent of BiVO₄ photoanodes increases with increasing concentration of the Mo dopant, which can be attributed to both the improved carrier mobility resulting from increased electron density and charge separation efficiency due …

Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Impact Several Toxicological Endpoints And Cause Neurodegeneration In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Michael Joseph Mashock, Tyler Zanon, Anthony D. Kappell, Lisa N. Petrella, Erik C. Andersen, Krassimira R. Hristova

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Engineered nanoparticles are becoming increasingly incorporated into technology and consumer products. In 2014, over 300 tons of copper oxide nanoparticles were manufactured in the United States. The increased production of nanoparticles raises concerns regarding the potential introduction into the environment or human exposure. Copper oxide nanoparticles commonly release copper ions into solutions, which contribute to their toxicity. We quantified the inhibitory effects of both copper oxide nanoparticles and copper sulfate on C. elegans toxicological endpoints to elucidate their biological effects. Several toxicological endpoints were analyzed in C. elegans, including nematode reproduction, feeding behavior, and average body length. We examined three …

Investigation Of Polymer–Plasticizer Blends As Sh-Saw Sensor Coatings For Detection Of Benzene In Water With High Sensitivity And Long-Term Stability, Pintu Adhikari, Laura Jeanne Alderson, Florian Bender, Antonio J. Ricco, Fabien Josse

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

We report the first-ever direct detection of benzene in water at concentrations below 100 ppb (parts per billion) using acoustic wave (specifically, shear-horizontal surface acoustic wave, SH-SAW) sensors with plasticized polymer coatings. Two polymers and two plasticizers were studied as materials for sensor coatings. For each polymer–plasticizer combination, the influence of the mixing ratio of the blend on the sensitivity to benzene was measured and compared to commercially available polymers that were used for BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) detection in previous work. After optimizing the coating parameters, the highest sensitivity and lowest detection limit for benzene were found …

A Case Of Fixed Asset Accounting: Initial And Subsequent Measurement, Jodi L. Gissel

Accounting Faculty Research and Publications

This instructional case integrates multiple accounting concepts relating to fixed asset acquisition and subsequent measurement. You must apply accounting knowledge, professional judgment, and critical thinking skills to evaluate fixed assets and make recommendations. You must also analyze differences between fixed asset accounting under US generally accepted accounting principles and IFRS. As a student, you generally understand basic application of asset cost computation that simply recognizes the amount of cash paid for acquiring the asset. However, determining asset cost becomes challenging when you encounter more complex situations. You must consider initial measurement issues relating to a land purchase (demolition of existing …

The Decay Of Disease Association With Declining Linkage Disequilibrium: A Fine Mapping Theorem, Mehdi Maadooliat, Naveen K. Bansal, Jibal Upadhya, Manzur R. Farazi, Xiang Li, Max M. He, Scott J. Hebbring, Zhan Ye, Steven J. Schrodi

Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

Several important and fundamental aspects of disease genetics models have yet to be described. One such property is the relationship of disease association statistics at a marker site closely linked to a disease causing site. A complete description of this two-locus system is of particular importance to experimental efforts to fine map association signals for complex diseases. Here, we present a simple relationship between disease association statistics and the decline of linkage disequilibrium from a causal site. Specifically, the ratio of Chi-square disease association statistics at a marker site and causal site is equivalent to the standard measure of pairwise …

Epigenetic Profiling Reveals A Developmental Decrease In Promoter Accessibility During Cortical Maturation In Vivo, Ishwariya Venkatesh, Matthew T. Simpson, Denise M. Coley, Murray G. Blackmore

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Axon regeneration in adult central nervous system (CNS) is limited in part by a developmental decline in the ability of injured neurons to re-express needed regeneration associated genes (RAGs). Adult CNS neurons may lack appropriate pro-regenerative transcription factors, or may display chromatin structure that restricts transcriptional access to RAGs. Here we performed epigenetic profiling around the promoter regions of key RAGs, and found progressive restriction across a time course of cortical maturation. These data identify a potential intrinsic constraint to axon growth in adult CNS neurons. Neurite outgrowth from cultured postnatal cortical neurons, however, proved insensitive to treatments that improve …

Development Of Plga-Coated Β-Tcp Scaffolds Containing Vegf For Bone Tissue Engineering, Arash Khojasteh, Farahnaz Fahimipour, Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad, Mohammad Jafarian, Shahrbanoo Jahangir, Farshid Bastami, Mohammadreza Tahriri, Akbar Karkhaneh, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Bone tissue engineering is sought to apply strategies for bone defects healing without limitations and short-comings of using either bone autografts or allografts and xenografts. The aim of this study was to fabricate a thin layer poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) coated beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) scaffold with sustained release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). PLGA coating increased compressive strength of the β-TCP scaffolds significantly. For in vitro evaluations, canine mesenchymal stem cells (cMSCs) and canine endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs) were isolated and characterized. Cell proliferation and attachment were demonstrated and the rate of cells proliferation on the VEGF released scaffold was …

Impact Of Myh6 Variants In Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Aoy Tomita-Mitchell, Karl D. Stamm, Donna K. Mahnke, Min-Su Kim, Pip M. Hidestrand, Huan-Ling Liang, Mary Goetsch, Pippa Simpson, Andrew N. Pelech, James S. Tweddell, D. Woodrow Benson, John Lough, Michael E. Mitchell

Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a clinically and anatomically severe form of congenital heart disease (CHD). Although prior studies suggest that HLHS has a complex genetic inheritance, its etiology remains largely unknown. The goal of this study was to characterize a risk gene in HLHS and its effect on HLHS etiology and outcome. We performed next-generation sequencing on a multigenerational family with a high prevalence of CHD/HLHS, identifying a rare variant in the α-myosin heavy chain (MYH6) gene. A case-control study of 190 unrelated HLHS subjects was then performed and compared with the 1000 Genomes Project. Damaging …

Navigating Institutional Complexity In The Health Sector: Lessons From Tobacco Control In Kenya, Raphael Lencucha, Peter Magati, Jeffrey Drope

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction  This research examines the institutional dynamics of tobacco control following the establishment of Kenya’s 2007 landmark tobacco control legislation. Our analysis focuses specifically on coordination challenges within the health sector.

Methods  We conducted semi-structured interviews with key informants ( n  = 17) involved in tobacco regulation and control in Kenya. We recruited participants from different offices and sectors of government and non-governmental organizations.

Results  We find that the main challenges toward successful implementation of tobacco control are a lack of coordination and clarity of mandate of the principal institutions involved in tobacco control efforts. In a related development, the …

Obey, Consume, Gerry Canavan

English Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

No Girls Allowed: Television Boys’ Clubs As Resistance To Feminism, Pamela Hill Nettleton Phd

College of Communication Faculty Research and Publications

This article analyzes the male-only spaces present in four television series, FX’s The Shield, Nip/Tuck , Rescue Me, and ABC’s Boston Legal, which each include a gendered territory as a recurring feature. I argue that these homosocially segregated environments enforce boundaries against women and shelter intense bromance relationships that foreclose romantic relationships of any kind, acting as physical incarnations of troubling retrograde sexual politics and ideologies. I also assert that the “boys’ clubs” in which these narratives take place, enabled and empowered by the aesthetic dimensions of architecture and design, help establish workplace patriarchy as commonplace, reasonable, and …

Short Implants Had Lower Survival Rates In Posterior Jaws Compared To Standard Implants, Gary L. Stafford

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Data sources

PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases supplemented by searches of the journals; Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, Clinical Oral Implants Research, International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants, International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Journal of Dentistry, Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Journal of Oral Implantology, Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, Journal of Periodontology, Periodontology 2000.

Study selection

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and prospective studies with at least ten patients, published in the last ten years that compared short and standard implants and published in English were considered.

Data extraction and …

Advances In Research With Lgbtq Youth In Schools, Nicholas C. Heck, Paul V. Poteat, Carol S. Goodenow

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in scholarship devoted to the topic of sexual and gender minority youth in schools (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; LGBTQ). In this special section, we highlight this group of LGBTQ youth, a group that needs as many allies as possible, a group that lacks the social standing, the financial capital necessary, and the rights afforded to adults to directly influence the political climate in ways that affect their lives. Collectively, these seven data-driven articles are reflective of the innovation that is occurring in our field as we continue …

Predicting Aggression In Late Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Short-Term Longitudinal Study, Christina Caiozzo, Jessica Houston, John H. Grych

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

This study sought to prospectively predict aggression in the romantic relationships of 1180 college students from the United States (807 females; 373 males) over the course of two months with a set of intrapersonal risk and protective factors, including personality characteristics that rarely have been examined in this population. After accounting for prior dating aggression, perpetration of verbal aggression was predicted uniquely by aggressive attitudes, emotion regulation, and for females, narcissism. Perpetration of physical aggression was predicted by aggressive attitudes, but only at low levels of emotion regulation, and the interaction of callous-unemotional traits, emotion regulation, and gender: males with …

A Replication And Extension Of The Peers® For Young Adults Social Skills Intervention: Examining Effects On Social Skills And Social Anxiety In Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alana J. Mcvey, Bridget Dolan, Kirsten S. Willar, Sheryl Pleiss, Jeffrey S. Karst, Christina L. Casnar, Christina Caiozzo, Elisabeth M. Vogt, Nakia Gordon, Amy V. Van Hecke

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Young adults with ASD experience difficulties with social skills, empathy, loneliness, and social anxiety. One intervention, PEERS® for Young Adults, shows promise in addressing these challenges. The present study replicated and extended the original study by recruiting a larger sample (N = 56), employing a gold standard ASD assessment tool, and examining changes in social anxiety utilizing a randomized controlled trial design. Results indicated improvements in social responsiveness (SSIS-RS SS, p = .006 and CPB, p = .005; SRS, p = .004), PEERS® knowledge (TYASSK, p = .001), empathy (EQ, p = .044), direct interactions (QSQ-YA, p = …

Sleeve Gastrectomy Leads To Weight Loss In The Magel2 Knockout Mouse, Deanna M. Arble, Joshua W. Pressler, Joyce Sorrell, Rachel Wevrick, Darleen A. Sandoval

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by hyperphagia, obesity, cardiopulmonary diseases, and increased mortality. Although successful weight loss improves health in PWS, few treatments cause sustained weight loss in obese patients let alone obese individuals with PWS.

Objectives

The present study uses the Magel2 knockout (KO) mouse, an animal model of PWS, to conduct a preclinical study on the efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy(SG) in PWS.

Setting

Academic research laboratory, United States.

Methods

We performed sham or SG surgeries in 24- to 28-week-old male Magel2 KO and wild-type littermate control mice (WT) who had been …

Contribution Of Lianas To Plant Area Index And Canopy Structure In A Panamanian Forest, M. Elizabeth Rodríguez-Ronderos, Gil Bohrer, Arturo Sanchez-Azofeifa, Jennifer S. Powers, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas are an important component of tropical forests, where they reduce tree growth, fecundity, and survival. Competition for light from lianas may be intense; however, the amount of light that lianas intercept is poorly understood. We used a large-scale liana-removal experiment to quantify light interception by lianas in a Panamanian secondary forest. We measured the change in plant area index (PAI) and forest structure before and after cutting lianas (for 4 yr) in eight 80 m × 80 m plots and eight control plots (16 plots total). We used ground-based LiDAR to measure the 3-dimensional canopy structure before cutting lianas, …

Recent Advancements In Regenerative Dentistry: A Review, Pouya Amrollahi, Brinda Shah, Amir Seifi, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Although human mouth benefits from remarkable mechanical properties, it is very susceptible to traumatic damages, exposure to microbial attacks, and congenital maladies. Since the human dentition plays a crucial role in mastication, phonation and esthetics, finding promising and more efficient strategies to reestablish its functionality in the event of disruption has been important. Dating back to antiquity, conventional dentistry has been offering evacuation, restoration, and replacement of the diseased dental tissue. However, due to the limited ability and short lifespan of traditional restorative solutions, scientists have taken advantage of current advancements in medicine to create better solutions for the oral …

Efficacy Of The Biomaterials 3 Wt%-Nanostrontium-Hydroxyapatite-Enhanced Calcium Phosphate Cement (Nanosr-Cpc) And Nanosr-Cpc-Incorporated Simvastatin-Loaded Poly(Lactic-Co-Glycolic-Acid) Microspheres In Osteogenesis Improvement, Reza Masaeli, Tahereh S. Jafarzadeh Kashi, Rassoul Dinarvand, Vahid Rakhshan, Hossein Shahoon, Behzad Hooshmand, Fatemeh Mashhadi Abbas, Majid Raz, Alireza Rajabnejad, Hossein Eslami, Kimia Khoshroo, Mohammadreza Tahriri, Lobat Tayebi

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Aims

The purpose of this multi-phase explorative in vivo animal/surgical and in vitro multi-test experimental study was to (1) create a 3 wt%-nanostrontium hydroxyapatite-enhanced calcium phosphate cement (Sr-HA/CPC) for increasing bone formation and (2) creating a simvastatin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (SIM-loaded PLGA) microspheres plus CPC composite (SIM-loaded PLGA + nanostrontium-CPC). The third goal was the extensive assessment of multiple in vitro and in vivo characteristics of the above experimental explorative products in vitro and in vivo (animal and surgical studies).

Methods and results pertaining to Sr-HA/CPC

Physical and chemical properties of the prepared Sr-HA/CPC were evaluated. MTT assay and …

Convict Criminology And The Struggle For Inclusion, Jeffery Rose, Richard S. Jones, Michael Lenza, Stephen C. Richards

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Convict Criminology (CC) began in the early 1990s as a reaction to the then current state of academic criminology that did not adequately reflect the voices of convicted felons. Since its beginnings, CC has attempted to draw attention to a range of problems created by the criminal justice apparatus and defenders of the status quo. Dr. Joanne Belknap’s 2014 ASC presidential address and subsequent article presented an argument that stressed the importance of activism to be considered as part of criminological research. In the process, she reviewed her career and then criticized the field of Critical Criminology, in particular Convict …

A Deeper Look Into The Complex Relationship Between Social Media Use And Academic Outcomes And Attitudes, Martin Hassell, Mary Sukalich

Management Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Being Together Subversively, Outside In The University Of Hegemonic Affirmation And Repressive Violence, As Things Heat Up (Again), Jodi Melamed

English Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Repeat Exposure To Leg Swing Perturbations During Treadmill Training Induces Long-Term Retention Of Increased Step Length In Human Sci: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study, Ming Wu, Jill M. Landry, Janis Kim, Brian D. Schmit, Sheng-Che Yen, Jillian Mcdonald, Yunhui Zhang

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To determine whether repeat exposure to force perturbations during treadmill training can induce long-term retention of improved step length and overall improvements in locomotor function in persons with spinal cord injury.

Design: Fourteen patients with spinal cord injury were recruited and randomly assigned to swing resistance or swing assistance training groups. A controlled swing resistance or assistance force, for resistance or assistance training groups, respectively, was applied to both legs through a cable-driven robotic system during treadmill training. Each participant trained 3 times per week for 6 weeks. Step length, walking speed, 6-minute walking distance, and other clinical assessments …

Transient Local Bone Remodeling Effects Of Rhbmp-2 In An Ovine Interbody Spine Fusion Model, Hyun W. Bae, Vikas V. Patel, Zeeshan M. Sardar, Jeffrey Badura, Ben B. Pradhan, Howard Seim, Anthony S. Turner, Jeffrey M. Toth

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is a powerful osteoinductive morphogen capable of stimulating the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to the site of implantation and inducing the proliferation and differentiation of these MSCs into osteoblasts. Vertebral end-plate and vertebral body resorption has been reported after interbody fusion with high doses of rhBMP-2. In this study, we investigated the effects of 2 rhBMP-2 doses on peri-implant bone resorption and bone remodeling at 7 time points in an end-plate-sparing ovine interbody fusion model. Methods: Twenty-one female sheep underwent an end-plate-sparing discectomy followed by interbody fusion at L2-L3 and L4-L5 …