Digital Commons Network^™

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Companion Planting, Ruby Mohr, Kathy Cabe Trundle, Rita Hagevik

All Current Publications

Companion planting is an agricultural practice in which two or more plants are intentionally grown together to enhance mutual productivity. The special relationships that plants have with other organisms help create balanced ecosystems. Companion planting can be used to reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increase yields, and attract beneficial insects such as pollinators.

Spatial Patterning And Growth Of Naturally Regenerated Eastern White Pine In A Northern Hardwood Silviculture Experiment, David A. Kromholz, Christopher R. Webster, Mike Hyslop

Michigan Tech Publications

In forests dominated by deciduous tree species, coniferous species are often disproportionately important because of their contrasting functional traits. Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), once a widespread emergent canopy species, co-occurs with deciduous hardwoods in the northern Lake States, but is often uncommon in contemporary hardwood stands. To gain insights into the potential utility of hardwood management strategies for simultaneously regenerating white pine, we leveraged a northern hardwood silvicultural experiment with scattered overstory pine. Seven growing seasons post-harvest, we conducted a complete census of white pine regeneration (height ≥ 30 cm) and mapped their locations and the locations of …

Combination Of Irreversible Electroporation And Clostridium Novyi-Nt Bacterial Therapy For Colorectal Liver Metastasis, Zigeng Zhang, Guangbo Yu, Qiaoming Hou, Farideh Amirrad, Sha Webster, Surya M. Nauli, Jianhua Yu, Vahid Yaghmai, Aydin Eresen, Zhuoli Zhang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) poses a significant challenge in oncology due to its high incidence and poor prognosis in unresectable cases. Current treatments, including surgical resection, systemic chemotherapy, and liver-directed therapies, often fail to effectively target hypoxic tumor regions, which are inherently more resistant to these interventions. This review examines the potential of a novel therapeutic strategy combining irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation and Clostridium novyi-nontoxic (C. novyi-NT) bacterial therapy. IRE is a non-thermal tumor ablation technique that uses high-voltage electric pulses to create permanent nanopores in cell membranes, leading to cell death while preserving surrounding structures, and …

Transformation With Genes To Improve Lipid Production And Barcoding To Identify Unknown Algal Species, Michelle T. Rada

Theses and Dissertations

With the rising demand for alternative fuels, algal-based biofuels are a promising, sustainable source that meets commercial interest while producing lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. This thesis explored two studies, evaluating microalgae for their future potential in lipid yield for biofuel production.

The first study involved developing a cost-efficient electroporation protocol that allowed for the genetic transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using the pChlamy_4 vector, which supports future cloning of genes to enhance lipid production. Parameters affecting DNA uptake and integration into algal genomes were studied: the effect of cell density, the settings of the electroporation device, and …

Reframing Sleep Diagnostics: A Structured Clinical Guide To Polysomnography Evaluation, Elvie Zulka Kautzia Rachmawati, Mikhael Yosia

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for evaluating sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and related conditions, yet its clinical potential is often limited by overreliance on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and similar summary metrics. This narrative review offers a structured, physiology-informed approach to PSG interpretation that integrates sleep architecture, arousal burden, respiratory event morphology, oxygenation patterns, and CO₂ trends. Recognizing phenotypic patterns-such as REM-related and positional OSA-through sleep stage and positional stratification is essential for directing targeted therapy. We outline common interpretive pitfalls, including automated scoring errors, overlooked signal artifacts, and the first night effect, emphasizing the need for careful manual …

Transformative Role Of Laser Technology In Ophthalmology And Dermatology: A Mini Review Of Precision Applications In Modern Medicine, Haider Hameed, Maryam Aqeel, Hussein Rafid, Rasha Sabah, Mustafa Fadhel, Zahraa Hameed, Muqtada Khalawi, Zahraa Sarmed, Ail Ahmed, Ayat Abd Albari, Lina M. Shaker

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Laser technology has significantly transformed healthcare and biological sciences by Laser devices are offered precision, efficiency, and Multiple simple solutions in various medical fields and research domains. In ophthalmology, lasers play a pivotal role in vision correction, retinal imaging, and therapeutic applications, such as femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK and two-photon fluorescence scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. Dermatology has also benefited from CO₂, Nd:YAG, excimer, and Q-switched lasers, which are widely used for pigmentation disorders, tattoo removal, and skin rejuvenation. Moreover, Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) enhances wound healing and tissue regeneration, while intense pulsed light (IPL) and diode lasers improve hair removal …

Perception Of Quality Of Life, Brain Regions, And Cognitive Performance In Hispanic Adults: A Canonical Correlation Approach, Juan C. Lopez-Alvarenga, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Jesus Rivera-Sanchez, Lorena Velazquez-Alvarez, Rosa V. Pirela, John Blangero, Jose E. Cavazos, Michael C. Mahaney, Joseph D. Terwilliger, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

The quality of life (QoL) perception has been studied in neurological diseases; however, there is limited information linking brain morphological characteristics, QoL, and cognition. Human behavior and perception are associated with specific brain areas that interact through diffuse electrochemical networking. We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to analyze the brain region volume (BRV) correlation with the scores of Rand’s 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and cognitive domains (memory and dementia status). We analyzed data from 420 adult participants in the Maracaibo Aging Study (MAS). Principal component analysis with oblimin axis rotation was used to gather redundant information from brain parcels …

Electromyographic Analysis Of Lower Limb Muscles During Multi-Joint Eccentric Isokinetic Exercise Using The Eccentron Dynamometer, Brennan J. Thompson, Merrill Ward, Brayden Worley, Talin Louder

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Eccentric muscle actions are integral to human movement, rehabilitation, and performance training due to their characteristic high force output (overload) and low energy cost and perceived exertion. Despite the growing use of eccentric devices, a gap in the research exists exploring multi-muscle activation profiles during multi-joint eccentric-only, isokinetic exercise. This study aimed to quantify and compare surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of four leg muscles—vastus lateralis (VL), tibialis anterior (TA), biceps femoris (BF), and medial gastrocnemius (GM)—during a standardized (isokinetic) submaximal eccentric multi-joint exercise using the Eccentron dynamometer. Eighteen healthy adults performed eccentric exercise at 40% of their maximal eccentric strength. …

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Review Of Genomic Risk Factors, Diagnostic And Pharmacotherapeutic Strategies, Zohor Azher

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairments in social communication and delayed language development, repetitive behaviors, and sensory processing abnormalities. The genetic background of ASD remains incompletely understood due to significant genetic heterogeneity and complexity. This review aims to present current insights into the genetic landscape of ASD, focusing on both common and rare genomic variations. We describe candidate genes associated with ASD, as they are involved in synaptic function and neuronal signaling, making these findings potential therapeutic targets. This review emphasizes the importance of integrating comprehensive clinical assessments with advanced genetic investigations to enhance …

The Relationship Between Hand Grip Strength And Cognitive Function In Middle-Aged And Elderly People In China: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Based On Charls Data, Haiwei Li, Jing Zhang, Peipei Cheng, Liwei Guo, Xuemei Sui M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

This study explores the relationship between hand grip strength (HGS) and cognitive function in China’s middle-aged and elderly population. We employed a cross-sectional design using data from 4535 participants aged ≥ 45 years from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study national dataset. The relationships between HGS and various dimensions of cognitive function, as well as the association between HGS and cognitive impairment, were investigated using ordinary least squares regression models and logistic regression models. Dose–response relationships between HGS and cognitive impairment were modeled using restricted cubic spline curves. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness …

Distinct Clinicogenomic Features And Immunotherapy Associations In Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study, Lingzhi Hong, Alessandro Di Federico, Bolun Liu, Alissa J Cooper, Joao V Alessi, Phoebe Clark, Waree Rinsurongkawong, Chingyi Young, Hui Li, Kang Qin, Muhammad Aminu, Valentina Santo, Yasir Elamin, Boris Sepesi, Jeff Lewis, Don L Gibbons, Ara A Vaporciyan, J Jack Lee, Xiuning Le, Jia Wu, Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, Mark J Routbort, P Andrew Futreal, John V Heymach, Mark M Awad, Adam J Schoenfeld, Jianjun Zhang, Biagio Ricciuti, Lei Deng, Natalie I Vokes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare NSCLC subtype with poor prognosis. Outcomes to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and genomic features in PSC remain underexplored compared with other NSCLC subtypes.

Methods: Patients from three institutions and the National Cancer Database (NCDB) with metastatic NSCLC treated with ICI alone or with chemotherapy were identified. Clinicogenomics and treatment outcomes were compared across PSC, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).

Results: We analyzed 4841 patients including 165 PSC cases treated with ICI-based therapy from three institutions and 201 PSC from NCDB. In MDACC, 65 (4.3%) were PSC, 1138 (75.1%) …

Human Ipsc-Based Breast Cancer Model Identifies S100p-Dependent Cancer Stemness Induced By Brca1 Mutation, Jingxin Liu, Cai Zhao, Jiahao Chen, Pengguihang Zeng, Qingjian Li, Ranran Dai, Xingqiang Lai, Wenqian Song, Jianing Chen, Xixi Zhu, Xinyi Liu, Jun Sun, Jia Wang, Peihang Fang, Tengfei Wang, Wenjie Chen, Diana Guallar, Nan Cao, Jianli Zhao, Shicheng Su, Andy Peng Xiang, Yi Arial Zeng, Jie Li, Junchao Cai, Dung-Fang Lee, Jinxin Bei, Yongliang Huo, Hai Hu, Shengbao Suo, Dong-Feng Huang, Jin Bai, Junjun Ding

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in females and remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for women worldwide. The cellular and molecular basis of breast tumorigenesis is not completely understood partly due to the lack of human research models which simulate the development of breast cancer. Here, we developed a method for generating functional mammary-like cells (MCs) from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The iPSC-MCs closely resemble human primary MCs at cellular, transcriptional, and functional levels. Using this method, a breast cancer model was generated using patient-derived iPSCs harboring germline

Adaptive Bayesian Clinical Trials: The Past, Present, And Future Of Clinical Research, Donald A Berry

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Decision-analytic Bayesian approaches are ideally suited for designing clinical trials. They have been used increasingly over the last 30 years in developing medical devices and drugs. A prototype trial is a bandit problem in which treating participants is as important as treating patients in clinical practice after the trial.

Methods: This article chronicles the use of the Bayesian approach in clinical trials motivated by bandit problems. It provides a comprehensive historical and practical review of Bayesian adaptive trials, with a focus on bandit-inspired designs.

Results: The 20th century saw advances in Bayesian methodology involving computer simulation. In the …

Il-6 Predicts Cdk4/6 Inhibitor Resistance, Identifying Stat3 As A Target In Hr + /Her2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer, Nicole M Kettner, Tuyen N Bui, Juliana Navarro-Yepes, Sanaz Ghotbaldini, Bethanie Quintela, Catherine K Luo, Nghi Lam, Xiayu Rao, Akshara Singareeka Raghavendra, Yan Wang, Nancy Azizian, T Kris Eckols, Moses Makokha Kasembeli, Kurt Evans, Min Yi, Hannah Wingate, Jing Wang, Aysegul A Sahin, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Kelly K Hunt, Senthil Damodaran, David J Tweardy, Debu Tripathy, Khandan Keyomarsi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) is a major challenge in treating hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. This study aimed to identify a biomarker predictive of resistance that could also serve as a therapeutic target. Circulating IL-6 levels in 166 patients significantly increased at progression, making IL-6 a non-invasive biomarker to predict CDK4/6i resistance. Knockdown of IL-6 re-sensitized resistant cells to palbociclib and endocrine therapy, underscoring IL-6's critical role in maintaining resistance. Patient-derived xenograft models from patients who progressed within 3 months versus ≥6 months of palbociclib therapy revealed distinct transcriptomic profiles, with later progressors exhibiting IL-6/STAT3 activation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, …

Adhd In Youth With Major Depressive Disorder In The Texas Youth Depression And Suicide Research Network (Tx-Ydsrn): Clinical Correlates And Moderators, Blake M Upshaw, Samuel D Spencer, Caitlin M Pinciotti, Vadym Zhyrov, Abu Minhajuddin, Ace A Castillo, Allyssa Abacan, Holli Slater, Rachel A Walker, Joseph C Blader, Sarah L Martin, Jeffrey D Shahidullah, Jair C Soares, Robert Andrew Harper, Madelyn Guerra, Lynnel C Goodman, Wayne K Goodman, Sarah M Wakefield, Madhukar H Trivedi, Eric A Storch

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: Depression is a major public health concern with a 19% lifetime prevalence in youth, often precipitating other concerns, including suicidal behavior, poor school performance, and worsened peer relationships. ADHD is also common among youth and frequently presents alongside major depressive disorder (MDD), with this comorbidity associated with increased impairment. More research is needed to elucidate the clinical characteristics of this comorbidity (MDD + ADHD), especially as it relates to youth with MDD and no ADHD (MDD - ADHD). The present study examined the clinical correlates of MDD + ADHD in youth and the presence of an ADHD diagnosis as …

Genetic Control Of Sweetness And Acidity In Blackberry, Carly Godwin, T. Mason Chizk, Carmen John, Lacy Nelson, Renee Threlfall, John R. Clark, Margaret L. Worthington

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction The global blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) industry has experienced rapid growth during the past 20 years. Even so, many industry stakeholders report complaints from consumers and grocers stating that blackberries are often too tart or not sweet enough for their palate. Studies have shown that most consumers prefer sweet blackberries with relatively low acidity, but little research has been conducted to understand the genetic control of these traits in Rubus.Methods The objective of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to sweetness and acidity in autotetraploid blackberry using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A panel consisting …

Food Literacy Program Among Adults In A Primary Care Setting, Marie K. Williams

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice problem: The increase in preventable chronic diseases is associated with food illiteracy, which arises from a lack of understanding of nutritional value and dietary guidelines (Silva et al., 2023).

PICOT: (P) In adult primary care patients aged 30-75 years, (I) does the implementation of evidence-based food literacy program (C) compared to standard practice (O) improve food literacy (T) in eight weeks?

Evidence: Using a validated food literacy questionnaire effectively measures improvements in food literacy. Customized programs that fill knowledge gaps are essential for enhancing overall food literacy. Intervention: Customized educational tools were provided to participants based on their knowledge …

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Black Female Swimmers' Experiences Of Belonging, Felicity E. Passon

Master's Theses

Although swimming participation has grown in the United States, the experiences of Black female swimmers remain significantly underrepresented in academic literature. This study addresses that gap by exploring the lived experiences of Black women participating in Division 1 (D1) college swimming. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Black feminist thought, the research explored how Black female D1 swimmers experienced belonging in this underrepresented sport. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine D1 Black female swimmers, and six major themes illustrate the varied factors that shaped their experiences of belonging. Even with racially gendered barriers to inclusion, they identified strategies to foster …

Evaluation Of Physical, Mental, And Mechanical Aspects Of An Extreme Military Training Event: A Continuous Monitoring Approach, Tirthankar Chatterjee, Debojyoti Bhattacharyya, Roshani Meena

Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments

Soldiers receive extensive training at extremes of environments and simulated terrains to improve their battle efficiency. A study was designed to evaluate the actual cost of a military physical efficiency test consisting of several physically engaging activities to quantify physiological, mechanical, and subjective demands. Sixteen Indian soldiers participated in a military training session consisting of events such as a 5-km run, 4-m vertical rope climbing, a 2.75-m jump, a 60-m dash, and a 9-m horizontal rope climbing with 6.5 kg of equipment in a hot dry environment. Their physiological status was monitored continuously. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load …

Two Origins Of The Winter Subsidence In And Around The Arabian Peninsula, Muhammad Usman, Kosuke Heki

All Works

Hydrological surface loads, such as snowpack and soil moisture, are the main drivers of seasonal crustal movements as seen by space geodetic techniques. In addition to that, seawater sometimes exerts additional forces for coastal stations, and the atmosphere often plays an important role for stations within continents. Here we report a case in and around the Arabian Peninsula. Despite little seasonal hydrological changes there, stations show fairly uniform seasonal vertical crustal movements, characterized by ~ 1 cm winter subsidence, over the entire region. We found that they are mainly driven by the atmospheric loading. Differences in their amplitudes are compensated …

Efficient Packaging Of Hiv-1 Genomes Via Recognition Of Its Adenosine-Rich Content By A Heterologous Rna-Binding Domain, Hung Ryan Vuong

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

RNA-protein interactions underlie many key processes in viral replication and antiviral immune responses. In this thesis, I reported our investigations on the roles of two RNA-binding proteins, Gag and IFIT1, in mediating HIV-1 genome packaging and regulating innate immune gene expression, respectively. The HIV-1 genome comprises a dimer of unspliced, positive sense mRNA (gRNA) that is packaged with high efficiency, with more than 90% of viral particles containing two copies of gRNA. Gag is the major HIV-1 structural protein that coordinates all steps of virion assembly and possesses a nucleocapsid domain (NC) required for gRNA binding and genome packaging. In …

Cancer Screening Uptake And Usual Source Of Care Among Hispanic Survivors Of Adolescent And Young Adult Cancer, Eunju Choi, Amy M Berkman, Clark R Andersen, John M Salsman, Andrea C Betts, Joel Milam, Kimberly A Miller, Susan K Peterson, Qian Lu, Christabel K Cheung, Lauren V Ghazal, J A Livingston, Michelle A T Hildebrandt, Susan K Parsons, David R Freyer, Michael E Roth

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: This study examines cancer screening rates and the usual source of care among Hispanic survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA, aged 15-39) cancer, a group at increased risk for poor health outcomes, including secondary cancers.

Methods: National Health Interview Survey data were analyzed to identify Hispanic survivors of AYA cancer and Hispanic age- and sex-matched non-cancer controls. Breast, cervical, and colorectal screening (ever screened and up-to-date according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations) as well as reporting a usual source of care were compared among survivors and controls eligible for screening using multivariable logistic regressions.

Results: …

Imaging Efficacy And Safety Of Low Dose Intraventricular Tissue Plasminogen Activator In Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Case Series, Collin Liu, William W Wroe, Hussein A Zeineddine, Bryden Dawes, Michael Giordano, Aaron Mccabe, Ching-Jen Chen, Devin W Mcbride, Aaron M Gusdon, Huimahn A Choi, Spiros L Blackburn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Free hemoglobin's release into CSF from blood breakdown is a primary instigator of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Early clearance of subarachnoid blood with intrathecal (IT) fibrinolytics has shown potential to decrease incidence of DCI. However, the dosage of fibrinolytic needed is not known. We investigated the ability of low dose tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to rapidly remove subarachnoid clot.

Material and methods: We performed a single center retrospective review of aSAH patients who received IT tPA. Dosing consistent with the CLEAR III trial for IVH was utilized-tPA (1 mg) administered every 8 h via …

Survival-Inferred Fragility Of Statistical Significance In Phase Iii Oncology Trials, Alexander D Sherry, Yufei Liu, Pavlos Msaouel, Timothy A Lin, Alex Koong, Christine Lin, Joseph Abi Jaoude, Roshal R Patel, Ramez Kouzy, Molly B El-Alam, Avital M Miller, Mohannad Owiwi, Jonathan Ofer, David Bomze, Zachary R Mccaw, Tomer Meirson, Ethan B Ludmir

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In phase III oncology trials, superiority is defined by statistical significance using P thresholds. However, this approach has been criticized because P is continuous. Here, we reconstruct patient-level data for 230 phase III oncology trials to model the robustness of statistical significance by estimating the survival-inferred fragility index (SIFI), defined as the smallest number of patients changing arms that alters the statistical significance interpretation. The median SIFI was 8 patients (IQR 4-19), representing 1.4% of enrollments (IQR 0.7%-3%). As a continuous statistic, P-but not the significance interpretation-was correlated with SIFI. Moreover, overall survival endpoints were more fragile than surrogate endpoints. …

Minimal Ablative Margin Quantification Using Hepatic Arterial Versus Portal Venous Phase Ct For Colorectal Metastases Segmentation: A Dual-Center, Retrospective Analysis, Noreen S Siddiqi, Yuan-Mao Lin, Jessica Albuquerque Marques Silva, Gregor Laimer, Peter Schullian, Yannick Scharll, Alexandra M Dunker, Caleb S O'Connor, Kyle A Jones, Kristy K Brock, Reto Bale, Bruno C Odisio, Iwan Paolucci

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To compare the predictive value of minimal ablative margin (MAM) quantification using tumor segmentation on intraprocedural contrast-enhanced hepatic arterial (HAP) versus portal venous phase (PVP) CT on local outcomes following percutaneous thermal ablation of colorectal liver metastases (CRLM).

Methods: This dual-center retrospective study included patients undergoing thermal ablation of CRLM with intraprocedural preablation and postablation contrast-enhanced CT imaging between 2009 and 2021. Tumors were segmented in both HAP and PVP CT phases using an artificial intelligence-based auto-segmentation model and reviewed by a trained radiologist. The MAM was quantified using a biomechanical deformable image registration process. The area under the …

Machine-Learning Driven Strategies For Adapting Immunotherapy In Metastatic Nsclc, Maliazurina B Saad, Qasem Al-Tashi, Lingzhi Hong, Vivek Verma, Wentao Li, Daniel Boiarsky, Shenduo Li, Milena Petranovic, Carol C Wu, Brett W Carter, Girish S Shroff, Tina Cascone, Xiuning Le, Yasir Y Elamin, Mehmet Altan, Simon Heeke, Ajay Sheshadri, Joe Y Chang, Percy P Lee, Zhongxing Liao, Don L Gibbons, Ara A Vaporciyan, J Jack Lee, Ignacio I Wistuba, Cara Haymaker, Seyedali Mirjalili, David Jaffray, Justin F Gainor, Yanyan Lou, Alessandro Di Federico, Federica Pecci, Mark Awad, Biagio Ricciuti, John V Heymach, Natalie I Vokes, Jianjun Zhang, Jia Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), either as monotherapy (ICI-Mono) or combined with chemotherapy (ICI-Chemo), improves survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, prospective guidance for choosing between these options remains limited, and single-feature biomarkers like PD-L1 prove inadequate. We develop a machine learning model using clinicogenomic data from four cohorts (MD Anderson n = 750; Mayo Clinic n = 80; Dana-Farber n = 1077; Stand Up To Cancer n = 393) to predict individual benefit from adding chemotherapy. Benefit scores are calculated using five distinct functions derived from 28 genomic and 6 clinical features. Our integrated model, A-STEP (Attention-based …

Feasibility Of Manufacturing And Antitumor Activity Of Til For Advanced Endometrial Cancers, Yongliang Zhang, Kathleen N Moore, Amir A Jazaeri, Judy Fang, Ilabahen Patel, Andrew Yuhas, Patrick Innamarato, Nathan Gilbert, Joseph W Dean, Behzad Damirchi, Joe Yglesias, Rongsu Qi, Michelle R Simpson-Abelson, Erwin Cammaart, Sean R R Hall, Hequn Yin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lifileucel, a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy approved for advanced melanoma, demonstrates promise for treating other solid tumors, including endometrial cancer (EC). The current study evaluates the feasibility of manufacturing TILs from EC tumors using Iovance’s proprietary 22-day Gen2 manufacturing process. Key parameters, including TIL yield, viability, immune phenotype, T-cell receptor clonality, and cytotoxic activity, were assessed. Of the 11 EC tumor samples processed at research scale, 10 (91%) successfully generated >1 × 109 viable TIL cells, with a median yield of 1.1 × 1010 cells and a median viability of 82.8%. Of the four EC tumor samples processed at …

Antibacterial Potential Of Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo Tapanuliensis) Food In Batang Toru Forest Against Escherichia Coli And Salmonella Typhi, Herna Febrianty Sianipar, Wahyu Widoretno, Luchman Hakim, Rezi Rahmi Amolia, Fatchiyah Fatchiyah

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Diarrhea is a common disease affecting orangutans, primarily caused by Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi bacteria. To treat this disease, antibacterial food sources are essential as therapeutic agents for orangutans. The fruits consumed by Tapanuli orangutans include Campnosperma auriculatum, Agathis borneensis, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Castanopsis argantea, and Aglaia tomentosa. This study aims to examine the amino acid and phytochemical components with potential antibacterial properties in these five fruit species and their inhibitory effects on E. coli and S. typhi growth through cell lysis, observed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The samples were tested for amino acids, phytochemicals, vitamin C content, …

Longitudinal Associations Between Waking Movement Behaviors And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Adults: A Compositional Data Analysis Approach, Jaclyn P. Maher, Alexander Jochim, Yeongjun Seo, Brynn L. Hudgins, Iman F. Khan, Peyton A. Greco, Emily M. Postlehwait, Om L. Patel, Krista S. Leonard, Chih-Hsiang Yang, Denver M. Y. Brown

Faculty Publications

Objectives

Movement behaviors, such as sedentary behavior (SB), light intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) are mutually exclusive, in that time spent in one behavior inevitably displaces time spent in another. Yet, few studies have simultaneously considered these health behaviors and their association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), an important indicator of health and well-being in aging populations. This study aimed to explore the role of waking movement behaviors (i.e., SB, LPA, MVPA) in prospectively predicting HRQoL in older adults. The study further aimed to cross-validate associations between movement behaviors and HRQoL using …

New Paradigms In E. Coli Hemolysin Function And Pathogenesis, Hunter Winston Kuhn

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial pore-forming toxins are potent secreted protein effectors that disrupt cellular ion homeostasis by integrating into the plasma membrane. Among them, the RTX toxin alphahemolysin (HlyA) from uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) has been extensively studied for its hemolytic activity, broad cell tropism, and role in virulence. HlyA was identified as the first type 1 secreted substrate, with β2 integrin CD18/LFA-1 proposed as its receptor. However, its diverse mechanisms of cellular toxicity and impact on outcomes of urinary tract infection (UTI) have remained incompletely defined. During pyelonephritis, renal epithelial cells are at the front line of infection, directly contacting ascending UPEC …