Digital Commons Network^™

Elucidating The Antibiofilm Characteristics Of A Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Surface And A Copper-Coated Carbon Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Surface, Lucy Christena Bowden

Theses and Dissertations

Post-surgical implant-associated infections cause considerable patient morbidity and mortality. These infections are often caused by biofilm-forming bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Bacterial biofilms are resistant to immune clearance and are a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. Implant materials that resist bacterial colonization may be able to improve patient outcomes. Carbon infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CICNT) are a potential surface modification for medical implants. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on characterizing the antibiofilm effect of the CICNT surface, better understanding its mechanism of action, and characterizing the enhanced antibiofilm effect of a copper-coated CICNT surface. S. aureus biofilms …

Chronic Viral Mimicry Induction Following P53 Loss Promotes Immune Evasion, Charles A Ishak, Sajid A Marhon, Naïri Tchrakian, Anjelica Hodgson, Helen Loo Yau, Isabela M Gonzaga, Melanie Peralta, Ilinca M Lungu, Stephanie Gomez, Sheng-Ben Liang, Shu Yi Shen, Raymond Chen, Jocelyn Chen, Biji Chatterjee, Kevin N Wanniarachchi, Junwoo Lee, Nicholas Zehrbach, Amir Hosseini, Parinaz Mehdipour, Siyu Sun, Alexander Solovyov, Ilias Ettayebi, Kyle E Francis, Aobo He, Taiyi Wu, Shengrui Feng, Tiago Da Silva Medina, Felipe Campos De Almeida, Jane Bayani, Jason Li, Spencer Macdonald, Yadong Wang, Sarah S Garcia, Elisa Arthofer, Noor Diab, Aneil Srivastava, Paul Tran Austin, Peter J B Sabatini, Benjamin D Greenbaum, Catherine A O'Brien, Trevor G Shepherd, Ming Sound Tsao, Katherine B Chiappinelli, Amit M Oza, Blaise A Clarke, Robert Rottapel, Stephanie Lheureux, Daniel D De Carvalho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Epigenetic therapies facilitate transcription of immunogenic repetitive elements that cull cancer cells through ‘viral mimicry’ responses. Paradoxically, cancer-initiating events also facilitate transcription of repetitive elements. Contributions of repetitive element transcription towards cancer initiation, and the mechanisms by which cancer cells evade lethal viral mimicry responses during tumor initiation remain poorly understood. In this report, we characterize premalignant lesions of the fallopian tube along with syngeneic epithelial ovarian cancer models to explore the earliest events of tumorigenesis following loss of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. We report that p53 loss permits transcription of immunogenic repetitive elements and chronic viral mimicry activation …

Research Day 2025 Program, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School Of Medicine

Research Day

No abstract provided.

Wrack Lines Spring-Summer 2025, Volume 25, Number 1, Megan Bard, Ronald Goldberg, Clayton Mcgoldrick, Judy Benson

Wrack Lines

Spring-Summer 2025 issue of CT Sea Grant's biannual magazine focuses on the theme of, "Finding their niche: Unique ways of serving people and the environment," with profiles of six standouts in various environmental fields.

2025- The Twenty-Ninth Annual Symposium Of Student Scholars

Symposium of Student Scholars Program Books

The full program book from the 29th Annual Symposium of Student Scholars, held on April 16-18, 2025. Includes abstracts from the presentations and posters.

Hunting For Ecosystem Health: Cursorial Spiders As Bioindicators Of Anthropogenic Disturbance In The Ecuadorian Upper Amazonía, Jacob Cummings

Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation

Cursorial spiders are members of the Araneae order that actively hunt prey instead of using primarily web-based methods. Not only is this group incredibly diverse, but they are also incredibly sensitive to habitat changes and anthropogenic disturbance as a result of their role as widespread predators to arthropods. Consequently , they are widely regarded as effective bioindicators of ecosystem health, allowing land managers to more easily monitor a spaces’ conservation status and health. Despite this, Araneae do not frequently find themselves the focus of study when compared to other taxa, necessitating further research. This study surveyed Araneae -specifically of the …

An Examination Of Ambulatory Care Code Specificity Utilization In Icd-10-Cm Compared To Icd-9-Cm: Implications For Icd-11 Implementation, Susan H Fenton, Cassandra Ciminello, Vickie M Mays, Mary H Stanfill, Valerie Watzlaf

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: The ICD-10-CM classification system contains more specificity than its predecessor ICD-9-CM. A stated reason for transitioning to ICD-10-CM was to increase the availability of detailed data. This study aims to determine whether the increased specificity contained in ICD-10-CM is utilized in the ambulatory care setting and inform an evidence-based approach to evaluate ICD-11 content for implementation planning in the United States.

Materials and methods: Diagnosis codes and text descriptions were extracted from a 25% random sample of the IQVIA Ambulatory EMR-US database for 2014 (ICD-9-CM, n = 14 327 155) and 2019 (ICD-10-CM, n = 13 062 900). Code …

Llm-Ie: A Python Package For Biomedical Generative Information Extraction With Large Language Models, Enshuo Hsu, Kirk Roberts

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Despite the recent adoption of large language models (LLMs) for biomedical information extraction (IE), challenges in prompt engineering and algorithms persist, with no dedicated software available. To address this, we developed LLM-IE: a Python package for building complete IE pipelines.

Materials and methods: The LLM-IE supports named entity recognition, entity attribute extraction, and relation extraction tasks. We benchmarked it on the i2b2 clinical datasets.

Results: The sentence-based prompting algorithm resulted in the best 8-shot performance of over 70% strict F1 for entity extraction and about 60% F1 for entity attribute extraction.

Discussion: We developed a Python package, LLM-IE, …

Primates From Senèze, Eric Delson

Publications and Research

Senèze has yielded two primate fossils, neither from the recent field work. A partial ulna can be identified as cf. Macaca sylvanus. A nearly complete female skull is the holotype of Dolichopithecus arvernensis Depéret, 1928, now included in Paradolichopithecus. Emended and differential diagnoses are provided for this genus and species for the first time, and the Senèze skull is described and briefly compared to those of other species of the genus. Dental and cranial measurements are provided, along with comparative data. The macaque and Paradolichopithecus are moderately to highly terrestrial, respectively, and they suggest a woodland to more open …

Host P53 Expression During C. Parvum Infection…Does The Virus Play A Role?, Jasdeep Kaur Dhanoa

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

C. parvum infection induces significant host cellular stress responses, particularly through the modulation of p53 expression underscoring its potential involvement in gastrointestinal malignancies. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic interventions. This study investigated the effects of C. parvum infection on host p53 dynamics in HCT-8 cells and assessed the impact of antiviral agents Lamivudine and Amantadine on the virus CSpV1 present within the parasite C. parvum. Further, the study focuses on whether the p53 effect changes with the presence or absence of CSpV1. The p53 assay results showed a constant increase in p53 activity after infection of …

Increasing Diversity In The Genetic Counseling Profession: Determining Effective Career Education Strategies For Underrepresented Youth, Bryel Marie Frasch

Theses and Dissertations

Genetic counseling is a professional career path that is lacking in diversity, and diversity in healthcare has been shown to improve health outcomes. Studies suggest student engagement as a way to increase diversity, as early knowledge of genetic counseling increases the likelihood of considering it as a career and is especially true for racial or ethnic minoritized students. This study focused on educating high school students underrepresented in genetic counseling about the career and exploring the effectiveness of two different types of education methods (video vs in-person) to give valuable information for future outreach efforts. Upward Bound and Federal TRIO …

Storage Batteries (Renewable Energies/Cars) - Background For Cure "Battery Discharge" Project, Alexa Miner, Clarissa Cortez, James Gonzalez, Ryan Romine

Posters - 2025

In the past, and even today, Texas is known for its oil rigs and non-renewable energy sources, but it has also become a pillar for solar and wind turbine created power. As of late, the usage of these kinds of renewable resources has become essential to keep Texas as efficient as we once were in an ever growing world, where more people need more energy. However, a caveat concerning renewable energy resources is how available they are. At first, this unfamiliar territory led to people doubting its productivity when there was a lack of wind or sunshine. The solution to …

Building Bridges Of Knowledge, Cuny Innovative Teaching Academy (Cita)

Open Educational Resources

Building Bridge of Knowledge (BBK) is a CUNY-wide faculty fellowship project, aiming to help students use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools ethically, responsibly, and effectively. Funded by Lumina Foundation in 2024-25, the project was executed by the CUNY Innovative Teaching Academy (CITA) of the Office of Faculty Affairs at CUNY Central Office, with 25 Faculty Fellows in five disciplinary areas (Education, Health, Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM) chosen from across CUNY’s senior and community colleges. Each disciplinary cohort was led by a CUNY faculty member with expertise in the use of AI. The final materials, described and linked in this …

Adipocyte-Derived Cchamide-1, Eiger, Growth-Blocking Peptide 3, And Unpaired 2 Regulate Drosophila Melanogaster Oogenesis, Chad Simmons, Isaiah Williams, Tancia Bradshaw, Alissa R. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

In addition to energy storage, adipose tissue communication to other organs plays a key role in regulating organismal physiology. While the link between adipose tissue dysfunction and pathophysiology, including diabetes, chronic inflammation, and infertility, is clear, the molecular mechanisms that underlie these associations have not been fully described. We use Drosophila melanogaster as a model to better understand how adipose tissue communicates to the ovary. In this study, we utilized D. melanogaster’s robust genetic toolkit to examine the role of five adipokines known to control larval growth during development, CCHamide-1, CCHamide-2, eiger, Growth-blocking peptide 3, and unpaired 2 in regulating …

Barreras Y Facilitadores De La Atención Centrada En La Familia En Las Unidades De Neonatología Y Pediatría De Buenos Aires, Argentina, Isabel Estes

Argentina: Public Health in Urban Environments

Este informe busca explorar el concepto de la atención centrada en la familia. Es un fenómeno relativamente nuevo que tiene el objetivo de mejorar el estatus de un paciente usando la familia en el contexto de la promoción de la salud. A partir de un diseño exploratorio y cualitativo, se realizaron siete entrevistas a médicos, de las especialidades de pediatría y neonatología, en Buenos Aires en dos hospitales: El Hospital El Cruce en Florencio Varela y El Sanatorio de La Trinidad en Palermo. Este informe no funciona como una comparación entre estas dos instituciones ni los médicos que trabajan dentro …

Outreach & Dna-Based Monitoring Facilitate 3-Fold Reduction In Seafood Mislabeling In Los Angeles Over 10 Years, Demian A. Willette, Kelli Andrade, Ben Fitzpatrick, Kesterlyn Wilson

Biology Faculty Works

Awareness and intervention can reduce fraudulent labeling in seafood. Using a 10-year longitudinal study approach, DNA-based monitoring data reveals a lower sushi mislabeling in Los Angeles restaurants over time. This is in part attributed to implemented recommendations by restaurants of a local academia-industry-government outreach initiative launched in 2018, The Los Angeles Seafood Monitoring Project. We found mislabeling was 3-fold lower among project-partnering restaurants than other restaurants. This difference was statistically significant, illustrating the combination of project partnering and implementation of recommendations was most impactful on reducing mislabeling rates. Lastly, the study period includes the COVID19 global pandemic, which additional monitoring …

Kinetic Control And Trapping In The Supramolecular Polymerization Of M-Terphenyl Bis-Urea Macrocycles, Sophya V. Garashchuk, Gamage Isuri P. Wijesekera, Isabella G. Rushton, Vaibhavi A. Samant, Fahidat A. Gbadamosi, Dr. Md Faizul Islam, Sophya V. Garashchuk, Prof. Dr. Linda S. Shimizu

Faculty Publications

Herein, we examine pathway complexity in the supramolecular polymerization of a novel m-terphenyl bis-urea macrocycle. Designed to induce kinetically metastable states, the macrocycle‘s concentration-dependent aggregation was studied via 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy in THF and CHCl₃. Temperature-dependent UV-Vis spectroscopy in water/THF revealed a cooperative nucleation-growth mechanism, indicated by a shift in λmax to longer wavelengths upon cooling. Morphological studies using DLS, AFM, and SEM demonstrated fibrous aggregate formation. Thermal hysteresis observed in assembly-disassembly cycles indicated kinetically trapped species, with cooling governed by kinetic control and heating by thermodynamic processes. Deviations in ΔH values during cooling, compared to van′t …

Lingnan Gardeners Newsletter (No. 74) = 彩園通訊 (第74期), Lingnan Gardeners, Centre For Cultural Research And Development, Lingnan University

Lingnan Gardeners Newsletter 嶺南彩園通訊

No abstract provided.

What Do We Know About Insect Responses To Global Change? A Review Of Meta-Analyses On Global Change Drivers, Mayra C. Vidal, Mariana Abarca, Kristi Backe, Anne E. Curé, Deborah L. Finke, Amanda M. Koltz, Alycia C.R. Lackey, J. Christina Mitchell, Rebecca M. Prather, Ellen A.R. Welti, Gina M. Wimp, Shannon M. Murphy

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

1. Global change is causing major declines in biodiversity, especially of insects. Scientific interest in global change impacts on insects has increased in recent years, resulting in many different meta-analyses examining questions within this topic.

2. We performed a comprehensive review of meta-analyses examining the effects of global change stressors on insects to identify well-studied questions and gaps in our knowledge and synthesise the responses of insects to those stressors. We identified 75 meta-analyses that fit our scope, accounting for 905 meta-results and spanning 18 global change stressors.

3. Our synthesis identified several global change stressors that are relatively well-studied …

Offering Alternatives To Biblical Literalism May Be The Key To Increasing The Public’S Acceptance Of Evolution, Jamie Jensen, Dalton Bourne, Kenneth Harrington, Grant Rousseau, Jessica Abele, Daniel Ferguson

ScholarsArchive Data

These are data from two cohorts: a nationwide dataset, and a BYU-specific student dataset. We gathered information on evolution acceptance (using the I-SEA), biblical literalism (using the EALS) and religiosity (using the Sethi and Seligman instrument).

Obstacles And Opportunities In Marine Mammals Care And Welfare: Insights From Trainers, Alicia Virthe, Heather Manitzas Hill, Sabrina Brando

Posters - 2025

This poster was created for the 5th annual Research Showcase. From the poster:

The aims of the study included:

Identifying obstacles faced by caregivers

Exploring beliefs hindering the promotion of animal care and welfare

Highlighting the opportunities that caregivers perceive to maintain and enhance animal welfare and care

Quality-Of-Care Measures For Cardio-Oncology: An Ic-Os And Acc Cardio-Oncology Leadership Council Perspective, Vijay U Rao, Anita Deswal, Daniel Lenihan, Susan Dent, Teresa Lopez-Fernandez, Alexander R Lyon, Ana Barac, Nicolas Palaskas, Ming Hui Chen, Hector R Villarraga, Diego Sadler, Courtney M Campbell, Kerry Skurka, Matt J Wagner, Matthias Totzeck, Kathryn J Ruddy, Paul Heidenreich, Randal Thomas, Daniel Addison, Sarju Ganatra, Richard Cheng, David Reeves, Arjun K Ghosh, Joerg Herrmann

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

This document serves as a perspective on quality assessments in the discipline of cardio-oncology. We aim to define the current landscape, identify needs for quality and outcome improvements, and propose a roadmap for establishing viable metrics to improve patient care. Specifically, this document: 1) addresses the current lack of measurable high-quality metrics in cardio-oncology and their implications; 2) highlights needs and topic-specific barriers; 3) illustrates the process and application of a measurable quality metric; and 4) provides a framework to demonstrate measurable value for the growing population of patients with cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Demographic Clinical Trial Diversity Assessment Methods: Use Of Real-World Data, Hua Chen, Nnadozie Emechebe, Sudeep Karve, Leon Raskin, Jailene Leal, Ning Cheng, Wendy Sebby, Kim Ribeiro, Samuel Crawford

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Diversity in clinical trials is defined by the inclusion of clinical trial participants from various demographic groups that are representative of the broader population impacted by a disease state. Diversity in clinical trials is critical in identifying potential differences in safety and efficacy of treatments across races, ethnicities, ages, sexes, or other variables. In the United States, clinical trial diversity is often benchmarked against US Census data, which may limit the representativeness of patient demographics in clinical trials. Disease-specific, demographic estimates from real-world data (RWD) can facilitate benchmarking of clinical trials, support trial enrollment and the development of trial diversity …

The Effects Of Acute Nutrient Intake On Raw Segmental Bioelectrical Impedance Values And Fluid Shifts In Premenopausal Women, Callie Unrein

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Raw bioimpedance measures—impedance (Z), resistance (R), reactance (Xc), and phase angle (PhA)—are emerging tools to assess hydration, cellular integrity, and muscle quality. While multifrequency bioimpedance analysis (MF-BIA) can detect acute physiological shifts, its sensitivity to nutrient intake, especially across hormonal phases in women, remains underexplored. Purpose: This study investigated how essential amino acids (EAA), carbohydrates (CHO), and water (CON) influence postprandial segmental bioimpedance and fluid distribution in healthy women, and whether these responses vary by menstrual hormone phase. Methods: Twenty-two recreationally active women (18–40 years) underwent serial MF-BIA (InBody 970) assessments during high- and low-hormone phases, randomized to one …

Newborn Screening For X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy: Experiences, Perspectives, And Future Directions For Genetic Counseling, Sophia Salvatore

Theses and Dissertations

There is a notable lack of research regarding genetic counseling practices for infants with screen-positive results for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) via newborn screening (NBS). The exploratory study aimed to understand the experiences of genetic counselors providing follow-up care for these infants, assess the complexities associated with NBS for X-ALD, identify potential gaps in genetic counseling practices, and describe the subsequent impact on patient care. A mixed-methods approach was utilized, incorporating an initial survey and optional semi-structured interviews with practicing genetic counselors who had seen a minimum of five cases of infants with screen-positive results for X-ALD in the last two …

Genetics Education Booklets Designed For Individuals With Intellectual Disability: Perspectives From Adults With Intellectual Disability And Genetic Counselors, Audrey Hyun Sook Parrott

Theses and Dissertations

Visual aid tools have been consistently suggested across literature aimed at identifying methods of improving health and genetics services for individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Aids written in plain language are suggested most often. The study intends to gain perspectives from adults with ID (AWID) and genetic counselors (GCs) on Easy Read genetics educational booklets designed for individuals with mild ID. We anticipate that GCs will find the booklets to be useful and accurate, and that AWID will find the booklets to be helpful to their understanding and comprehensible. The AWID were assessed via a self-reported survey, cognitively adapted for …

An Exploratory Study Of Disclosure Of X-Linked Conditions Between Mothers And Daughters, Madge Isabella Stuhlreyer

Theses and Dissertations

Carriers of X-linked conditions, both asymptomatic and symptomatic, face unique challenges regarding their experiences navigating the healthcare system and understanding implications of their carrier status. Studies show that mothers are known to be the main communicators of genetic information within their families, but in families affected with X-linked conditions, communication between mothers and daughters are hindered by factors such as lack of knowledge about the condition and reproductive implications, lack of emotional support, anxiety, and uncertainty about how to initiate these conversations. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations behind mothers' decisions to initiate conversations with their …

Investigation Of The Hdl Molecular Architecture Before And After Exercise Training., Prasun Kumar Dev

Theses and Dissertations

The functional characteristics of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles are influenced by their structure, including their molecular composition (e.g. HDL lipidome and proteome). However, the effects of exercise training on HDL molecular composition and its relationship with HDL-related traits are largely unknown. In this ancillary study, we investigated the HDL lipidome and proteome of 154 adults before and after 20 weeks of exercise training in the HERITAGE Family Study. The HDL-sized plasma fraction was isolated utilizing FPLC-SEC, followed by untargeted lipidomic and proteomic analysis using LC/MS. We identified 341 known lipid species while 409 HDL associated proteins. Clinical and functional related …

Barriers In Receiving A Diagnosis Of Sanfilippo Syndrome: Perceptions From Healthcare Providers And Caregivers, Cassidy Lena

Theses and Dissertations

Sanfilippo syndrome (MPS III) is a rare, degenerative condition characterized by symptoms impacting neurological functioning, behavior, and quality of life. Diagnosis is often not made until three to six years of age, but comprehensive and effective symptom management have been reported to optimize patient longevity. The aim of this study was to identify barriers to diagnosis and the corresponding impact on patients. This study surveyed healthcare providers and caregivers of individuals with Sanfilippo syndrome. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to assess provider knowledge and comfortability in managing Sanfilippo syndrome. Additionally, it explored caregiver perspectives on healthcare system navigation, …

The Association Between Parent’S Mobile Device Use And Physical Activity, Sydney Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Background. The rapid increase in mobile technology has allowed smartphones to be used almost anywhere, but a potential disadvantage of these mobile devices is the displacement of physical activity. Parents of young children are already struggling to reach higher intensities of physical activity and mobile devices might make this worse. However, most existing research on similar topics look at adults without children or uses subjective measures only. Therefore, this study aims to (1) quantify objective mobile device use from a sample of parents with preschool age children; (2) describe the duration and intensity of parents’ physical activity and inactive behavior; …