Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Epac2-Associated Junction Plakoglobin On Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection, Chaitra A Takle, Eun-Jin Choi, Eun Seok Choi, Devang Deepak, Kashish Khatkar, Jong Min Choi, Ke Zhang, Sung Yun Jung, Tian Wang, Wenzhe Wu, Xiaoyong Bao

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, young children, and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, FDA-approved monoclonal antibody therapies are limited to infants and young children with severe RSV disease. As a result, there is an urgent need for comprehensive studies of RSV pathogenesis to support the development of new therapeutic strategies. Exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP (EPAC) have recently emerged as key regulators in various viral infections. Our previous work identified EPAC isoform 2 (EPAC2) as a critical factor in RSV replication and host innate immune responses. However, …

Assess The Impact Of Prophylactic Measures And Adjunctive Medications In Preventing Covid-19 Infections And Lowering The Rates Of Affected Cases Worsening :A Comparative Study, Zainab Najim Abdul-Nabi, Nadheerah F Neamah, Noora Sgheerghaleb

Maaen Journal for Medical Sciences

Background: Repurposed medications were the only means of aiding in the prevention and initial treatment of COVID-19 infections in the lack of effective treatment, objective: The goal of this study is to determine whether preventive measures affect the rate of COVID-19 infection in the contact people and whether age, sex, and medication use correlate to prognosis.

Methods

The questionnaire responses were used as a source of data, and 829 patients have a full recovery. With the exception of 114 volunteers who interacted with COVID-19 patients, the patients served as respondents; however, their outcomes were negative.

Results

The use …

Optimization Of Reaction Conditions For Synthesizing Kasa-Targeting Drug Candidates For Tuberculosis Treatment, Megan A. Baxter

Research and Creativity Symposium

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health challenge, with increasing drug resistance pressing for the development of novel treatments. KasA, a key enzyme in mycobacterial fatty acid biosynthesis, is a promising drug target for TB treatment. This research focuses on the design and synthesis of potential KasA inhibitors, specifically optimizing reaction conditions to efficiently produce 1-methyl-6-aminoindazole. This molecule is an intermediate in the synthesis of drugs targeting TB. Characterization of synthesized compounds is performed using NMR, mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography to confirm structure and purity. The first step involved optimizing the solvent and base for the methylation of nitroindazole. We …

Structural Insights Into The Function, Dysfunction And Modulation Of Kv3 Channels, Manuel Covarrubias, Qiansheng Liang, Linh Nguyen-Phuong, Kyle J. Kennedy, Tyler D. Alexander, Ms, Andrew Sam

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

The third subfamily of voltage-gated K⁺ (Kv) channels includes four members, Kv3.1, Kv3.2, Kv3.3 and Kv3.4. Fast gating and activation at relatively depolarized membrane potentials allows Kv3 channels to be major drivers of fast action potential repolarization in the nervous system. Consequently, they help determine the fast-spiking phenotype of inhibitory interneurons and regulate fast synaptic transmission at glutamatergic synapses and the neuromuscular junction. Recent studies from our group and a team of collaborators have used cryo-EM to demonstrate the surprising gating role of the Kv3.1 cytoplasmic T1 domain, the structural basis of a developmental epileptic encephalopathy caused by the …

Metabolic Theories Of Aging, Chris Burley, Lisa K. Lashley, Charles J. Golden

Essays in Developmental Psychology

Metabolic theories of aging postulate that aging is due to energy expenditure, which ultimately results in the breakdown and eventual death of cells. Historically, within the realm of metabolic theories of aging, there have been three models: The Rate-of-Living theory, The Oxidative Damage/Free Radical theory, and the Metabolic Stability theory. All three theories maintain that aging is directly related to metabolic rate, but the theories differ in how they arrive at that conclusion.

Acute Brcaness Induction And Ar Pathway Blockage Through Cdk12/7/9 Degradation Enhances Parp Inhibitor Sensitivity In Prostate Cancer, Fu Gui, Baishan Jiang, Jie Jiang, Zhixiang He, Takuya Tsujino, Tomoaki Takai, Seiji Arai, Celine Pana, Jens Köllermann, Gary Andrew Bradshaw, Robyn Eisert, Marian Kalocsay, Anne Fassl, Steven P Balk, Adam S Kibel, Li Jia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Current treatments for advanced prostate cancer (PCa) primarily target the androgen receptor (AR) pathway. However, the emergence of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and resistance to AR pathway inhibitors (APPIs) remains ongoing challenges. Here, we present BSJ-5-63, a proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) targeting cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) CDK12, CDK7, and CDK9, offering a multipronged approach to CRPC therapy. BSJ-5-63 degrades CDK12, diminishing BRCA1 and BRCA2 expression and inducing a sustained "BRCAness" state. This sensitizes cancer cells to PARP inhibitors (PARPis) regardless of their homologous recombination repair (HRR) status. Furthermore, CDK7 and CDK9 degradation attenuates AR signaling, enhancing its therapeutic efficacy. Preclinical studies, including …

Relation Of Persistent Organic Pollutant Exposure With Autism, Gender, Age, And Body Mass Index, Tekle Mitiku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately one third (37%) of children in the United States are impaired with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) resulting in intellectual disability, and about 1 in 6 children in the United States has one or more developmental disabilities. The economic burden of ASD is estimated to be over $40 billion lost per year. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of polybrominated diphenyl ether derivatives (PBDEs) with ASD, age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). The conceptual framework of the study was based on the physiologically based pharmacokinetic theory that the body burden of PBDEs’ free radicals may …

Distinct Adipose Progenitor Cells Emerging With Age Drive Active Adipogenesis, Guan Wang, Gaoyan Li, Anying Song, Yutian Zhao, Jiayu Yu, Yifan Wang, Wenting Dai, Martha Salas, Hanjun Qin, Leonard Medrano, Joan Dow, Aimin Li, Brian Armstrong, Patrick T Fueger, Hua Yu, Yi Zhu, Mengle Shao, Xiwei Wu, Lei Jiang, Judith Campisi, Xia Yang, Qiong A Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Starting at middle age, adults often suffer from visceral adiposity and associated adverse metabolic disorders. Lineage tracing in mice revealed that adipose progenitor cells (APCs) in visceral fat undergo extensive adipogenesis during middle age. Thus, despite the low turnover rate of adipocytes in young adults, adipogenesis is unlocked during middle age. Transplantations quantitatively showed that APCs in middle-aged mice exhibited high adipogenic capacity cell-autonomously. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified a distinct APC population, the committed preadipocyte, age-enriched (CP-A), emerging at this age. CP-As demonstrated elevated proliferation and adipogenesis activity. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations indicated that leukemia inhibitory factor receptor signaling was …

Adipose-Derived Leptin And Complement Factor D Mediate Osteoarthritis Severity And Pain, Kelsey H Collins, Kristin L Lenz, Hope D Welhaven, Erica Ely, Luke E Springer, Sophie Paradi, Ruhang Tang, Lauryn Braxton, Antonina Akk, Huimin Yan, Bo Zhang, Xiaobo Wu, John P Atkinson, Arin K Oestreich, Ron K June, Christine T N Pham, Farshid Guilak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis (OA), and leptin is among the adipokines implicated in obesity-induced OA. However, the specific role of leptin in OA severity and pain is not known. Using lipodystrophic (LD) mice, we show that fat-secreted factors are required for knee OA development, implicating a fat-cartilage cross-talk. Fat pad implantation or systemic leptin restoration in LD mice reintroduced structural OA and pain, whereas implantation of leptin-deficient fat pad did not change OA susceptibility. Isochronic parabiosis and spatial transcriptomics confirmed that a fat-joint cross-talk likely occurred via soluble mediators. Global unsupervised multiomics of conditioned media from fat …

Moomoo Care Program, Shelby Knoble

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Set on a family farm, the Moo-Moo Care Program is a hands-on, multi-day recreational program designed to teach youth about dairy cattle care. As part of my RTTR 203 final project, I created a daily schedule, goals and objectives, a Gantt chart for task organization, marketing materials, and an evaluation form.

Within this program, participants will engage in at least six hours of structured farm activities each day. Through interactive lessons and hands-on demonstrations, participants will learn key aspects of dairy cattle care, including feeding, milking, and how to maintain a clean environment. Participants will practice proper calf grooming skills …

A Jewel In The Crown Is Better Than Money In The Pocket": Historical Data On The Role Of Midwives In Caring For Families In Southern Appalachia, Kristen Montgomery

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Background: Midwives have provided care to women since the beginning of time. Early midwives had little training but learned their craft from experienced women. Later, formal training became available. Midwives have a rich history in Appalachia.

Purpose: to explore the rich history of all types of midwives in Appalachia.

Methods: Materials from the Archives of Appalachia were reviewed. Both written and oral materials were evaluated. This included a review of the document, identification of themes, and then comparing those themes with previously identified themes. Documents were reviewed in a random order by two researchers who met to discuss results.

Results: …

Hepatic Manifestations Following Gene Therapy, Akash Roy, Shalini Bansal, Anand Kulkarni, K. Rajender Reddy

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Gene therapy involves the introduction of genetic materials, most commonly using viral vectors, to alter gene expression to ameliorate or cure disease symptoms with minimal adverse events. While interest in gene therapy has been on the increase, concerns have arisen about the potential for hepatotoxicity, which arises from diverse mechanisms. While viral vectors can produce dose-dependent hepatotoxicity secondary to integration, immune responses appear to be the primary driving mechanism. A mild increase in aminotransferases is the most common hepatic manifestation, occurring variably in 20%-80%, while there has been rare progress to acute liver failure. The occurrence of hepatotoxicity is unpredictable …

A Hybrid Deep Learning-Based Approach For Visual Field Test Forecasting, Ashkan Abbasi, Sowjanya Gowrisankaran, Wei-Chun Lin, Xubo Song, Bhavna Josephine Antony, Gadi Wollstein, Joel Schuman, Hiroshi Ishikawa

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal assessment of visual field (VF) testing is essential in glaucoma management. Conventional VF forecasting methods require numerous prior tests, while deep learning techniques have shown promising results with fewer tests. This study introduces a hybrid deep learning framework to enhance flexibility and accuracy in VF test forecasting.

DESIGN: A retrospective longitudinal study using deep learning-based VF forecasting models.

SUBJECTS AND CONTROLS: A total of 1750 subjects (healthy and glaucoma patients) with 19 437 Humphrey VF (24-2 Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm) tests collected from longitudinal glaucoma cohorts at the University of Pittsburgh and New York University.

METHODS: Three deep …

Idh Status Dictates Ohsv Mediated Metabolic Reprogramming Affecting Anti-Tumor Immunity, Upasana Sahu, Matthew P Mullarkey, Sara A Murphy, Joshua C Anderson, Vasanta Putluri, Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, Jun Hyoung Park, Tae Jin Lee, Alexander L Ling, Benny A Kaipparettu, Ashok Sharma, Nagireddy Putluri, Pamela L Wenzel, Christopher D Willey, E Antonio Chiocca, James M Markert, Balveen Kaur

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Identification of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations has uncovered the crucial role of metabolism in gliomagenesis. Oncolytic herpes virus (oHSV) initiates direct tumor debulking by tumor lysis and activates anti-tumor immunity, however, little is known about the role of glioma metabolism in determining oHSV efficacy. Here we identify that oHSV rewires central carbon metabolism increasing glucose utilization towards oxidative phosphorylation and shuttling glutamine towards reductive carboxylation in IDH wildtype glioma. The switch in metabolism results in increased lipid synthesis and cellular ROS. PKC induces ACSL4 in oHSV treated cells leading to lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis. Ferroptosis is critical to launch an …

Difference In Clinical Presentation And Surgical Outcomes In Pediatric And Adult Patients With Chiari Malformation Type 1: A Single Center Retrospective Study, Erik Öhlén, Victor Gabriel El-Hajj, Victor E. Staartjes, Pascal Jabbour, Erik Edström, Adrian Elmi-Terander

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1) is a common congenital disorder affecting both children and adults. Although pediatric and adult CM1 patients share many characteristics, the differences between the groups are not fully described.

METHOD: A comparative analysis was made of two previously defined cohorts of adult and pediatric non-syndromic CM1, surgically treated at the study center. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Chicago Chiari outcome scale (CCOS) and radiological outcomes were measured as change in cerebellar tonsil and syringomyelia status.

RESULTS: A total of 209 patients (73 pediatric, 136 adults) were included, with median ages of 11 and 33 …

Induction Of Cardiac Fibulin-4 Protects Against Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy And Heart Failure, E D Van Deel, C M Halabi, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The prevailing view of fibulin-4 deficient mice is that the cardiac phenotype is the result of aortic and/or valvular disease. In the present study, we have tested whether the cardiac phenotype is, at least in part, the consequence of primary cardiac effects of fibulin-4. We have found fibulin-4 expression to be activated throughout the myocardium in wildtype (fibulin-4

Proteomic Comparison Of Canine Gallbladder Versus Hepatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms, Nadia Richmond

LSU Master's Theses

Hepatobiliary neuroendocrine neoplasms (HBNENs) are uncommon tumors in people and dogs, and the limited understanding of their biologic behavior often poses a diagnostic and prognostic challenge in the clinical setting. Though only a low number of cases have been described in dogs, there is evidence to indicate that primary gallbladder NENs may carry a more favorable prognosis compared to primary hepatic NENs. The emergence of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in proteomic analysis has permitted large-scale analysis of neoplastic proteomes, allowing for better understanding of tumor pathophysiology while simultaneously enabling the rapid identification of protein biomarkers. Previous work in our laboratory …

Assessment Of The Relationship Between Particulate Matter Level And Respiratory Diseases In Dogs And Cats In Bangkok, Thailand, Nattawan Tangmahakul, Janenisa Klomklao, Damisa Thanyapornsombat, Tuangphon Lertsubkhajohn, Wiphawa Piboonlapudom, Satraporn Mettaviparee, Sirilak Disatian Surachetpong

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Particulate matter (PM) 2.5 has become a serious pollution concern in many countries, including Thailand. Due to its small particle size, PM2.5 can penetrate deep into pulmonary tissues, posing health risks to humans. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that PM2.5 may also cause respiratory diseases in dogs and cats. This study aimed to evaluate a relationship between PM2.5 levels and the number of dogs and cats visiting due to respiratory problems in Bangkok, Thailand, and to investigate potential environmental factors that may contribute to these health outcomes. A total of 184 dogs and 73 cats were included in the study. Medical …

Impact Of Colostrum Lactose Concentration In Relation To Metabolomic Profiles On Kid Growth Performance Of Black Bengal Goats, Tien Thi Phuong Vo, Chollada Buranakarl, Sumonwan Chamsuwan, Sumpun Thammacharoen, Morakot Nuntapaitoon, Sarn Settachaimongkon

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Colostrum composition, including lactose concentration in relation to metabolomic profiles on kids’ growth performance of Black Bengal goats, has not yet been elucidated. Macronutrients, including lactose and metabolomic profiles, were determined in 37 colostrum samples using MilkoScan and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance technique, respectively. Kids’ growth performance, including birth weight, average daily gain at 0–4 weeks (ADG0-4W), 4–8 weeks (ADG4-8W), and wean weight were determined. A total of 51 metabolites were detected in the colostrum. From the general linear model for univariate analysis, kids born from multiple litter sizes showed lower ADG during the first month postpartum (P = 0.004). …

Environmental Exposures And Familial Background Alter The Induction Of Neuropathology And Inflammation After Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Debotri Chatterjee, Drishya Kurup, Richard Jay Smeyne

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Post-infection sequela of several viruses have been linked with Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we investigated whether mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 alone or in combination with two putative Parkinsonian toxins, MPTP and paraquat, increased the susceptibility to develop Parkinsonian pathology. We also examined if G2019S LRRK2 mice had any change in sensitivity to SARS-CoV-2 as well as if vaccination against this virus altered any neuropathology. Infection with WA-1/2020 or Omicron B1.1.529 strains sensitized both WT and G2019S LRRK2 mice to the neuropathological effects of a subtoxic exposure to MPTP, but not paraquat. These neuropathologies were rescued in WT mice vaccinated with …

Effects Of Hyperglycemia In Cognition And Sex, Erin E. Mcdonald

Senior Honors Theses

An empirical study tested the effects of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) on cognitive function in a hyperglycemic mouse model. Strong correlations between mental illnesses, such as major depressive disorder, neuropathologies like Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes suggest comorbid pathology. Considering the prevalence of both T1D and cognitive decline within the general population, the findings were relevant and aimed to identify early signs of cognitive decline in diabetic patients. Behavioral tests and immunohistochemical staining were utilized to determine the cognitive function of the mice, revealing decline or deterioration caused by hyperglycemia. Data gathered from the hyperglycemic or control mice were analyzed based …

Diabetic Retinopathy: A Pathophysiological Discussion, Nathanael C. Nicholls

Senior Honors Theses

Diabetic retinopathy is a severe complication of diabetes that is capable of causing vision loss or blindness. As a result of hyperglycemia, the disease increases oxidative stress and activates biochemical processes such as the Hippo pathway and the complement system to cause significant damage to the retina. Overexpression of BTG1 and microRNA-183 enables activation of biochemical pathways that lead to negative effects on the retinal vascular endothelium including angiogenesis and inflammation. Conventional methods of diagnosis for diabetic retinopathy include fundus examination, nucleoside detection, and optical coherence tomography angiography. Photocoagulation and hormonal intravitreal injection are the most popular current treatments, while …

Data From: The Dynamic Responses Of The Mouse Gut Microbiome To Dietary Supplementation With Various Anthocyanin-Rich Foods In The Context Of A Western Diet, Abby D. Benninghoff

Browse all Datasets

Background/Objectives: Anthocyanin (ACN)-rich foods may support gut health by modulating the microbiome and reducing inflammation, potentially lowering the risk of colitis-associated colorectal cancer. However, the dynamic response of the gut microbiome to ACN-rich diets is not well characterized, including in the context of structural and compositional differences among ACN-containing foods. This study examined the temporal response of the mouse gut microbiome to dietary ACNs, focusing on the impact of structural variation. We hypothesized that microbiome shifts would occur rapidly but require sustained dietary ACN intake to persist. Methods: C57BL/6J mice were fed the total Western diet (TWD) supplemented with freeze-dried …

Inside The Mad Mind: Medical Ethics In 19th Century Fiction, Danielle Dentremont

College Honors Program

The professionalization of medicine in mid-to-late 19th century America and Britain corresponded with heightened critical scrutiny of the ethics of doctor-patient relationships in contemporary fiction. With ethics frameworks of the century focused primarily on good fellowship between practitioners, it was difficult to charge practitioners with bad ethics. Yet, the broader debates of vivisection and women’s rights brought to light power imbalances between men and women that novelists began to suggest were present in medicine as well. Wilkie Collins’ Heart and Science weighs in on the danger of the doctor-scientist encroaching on women’s rights with the suggestion that women will be …

Impact Of Antidiabetic Medication Type On A New Episode Of Depression: A Retrospective Cohort Study In Texas, Usa, Lin-Na Chou, Mukaila A Raji, Holly M Holmes, Yong-Fang Kuo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: To examine the associations between antidiabetic medication type and a new episode of depression using 100% Texas Medicare database during 2009 and 2018.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A population-based study using the Texas Medicare data.

Interventions: 11 common antihyperglycaemic medication types, alone and in combinations: metformin-only, five non-metformin-containing regimens (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i) only, sulfonylureas (SU) only, thiazolidinediones (TZD) only, SU/DPP4i and SU/TZD) and five metformin-containing combination treatments (metformin/DPP4i, metformin/SU, metformin/TZD, metformin/SU/DPP4i and metformin/SU/TZD).

Participants: This study included 59 057 type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients from a cohort of Texas Medicare beneficiaries who were aged ≥66 years, …

Retrospective Analysis Of Cement Extravasation Rates In Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty, And Bone Tumor Radiofrequency Ablation, Soun Sheen, Prit Hasan, Xiaowen Sun, Jian Wang, Claudio Tatsui, Kent Nouri, Saba Javed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Percutaneous vertebral augmentation techniques, including vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and bone tumor radiofrequency ablation (BT-RFA), are commonly used to treat painful vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). While generally safe and effective, they carry risks, including cement extravasation, which can lead to pulmonary embolism or spinal cord compression. This study aims to compare the rate of cement extravasation across different vertebral augmentation techniques and identify potential risk factors.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a comprehensive cancer center on 1002 procedure encounters in 888 patients who underwent vertebral augmentation for painful VCFs. Data were collected on patient demographics, fracture pathology, procedure …

Inhibition Of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Confers Neuroprotection And Restores Microglial Homeostasis In A Tauopathy Mouse Model, Shuo Wang, Chuangye Qi, Chetan Rajpurohit, Baijayanti Ghosh, Wen Xiong, Baiping Wang, Yanyan Qi, Sung Hee Hwang, Bruce D Hammock, Hongjie Li, Li Gan, Hui Zheng

Center on Aging Staff Publications

Background: The epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) are derivatives of the arachidonic acid metabolism with anti-inflammatory activities. However, their efficacy is limited due to the rapid hydrolysis by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Inhibition of sEH has been shown to stabilize the EETs and reduce neuroinflammation in Aβ mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the role of the sEH-EET signaling pathway in other CNS cell types and neurodegenerative conditions are less understood.

Methods: Here we investigated the mechanisms and functional role of the sEH-EET axis in tauopathy by treating PS19 mice with a small molecule sEH inhibitor TPPU and by crossing the …

Crossword: Test Your Biology!, Sukie Weinger

Osmosis Magazine

Biology themed Crossword Puzzle.

Intelligence Without An 'I': "I Think, Therefore I Am", Darshan Shah

Osmosis Magazine

From Billie Eilish hits to corny Pinterest tattoos, Rene Descartes’ famous dictum is embedded in modern Western consciousness. But, like all philosophy, it operates within a paradigm of assumptions about the world that remain open to challenge. Over centuries of Cartesian influence, these assumptions have become invisible in our philosophies and sciences, informing the very questions we ask about intelligence and where we search for it in the world.

Uta Datathon 2025 Challenges (Archive), Rubab Shahzad, Srinivasa Sai Abhijit Challapalli, Ghanbarian Behzad, Mei Yang, Clivin Geju, Zecil Yogeshkumar Jain, Jay Mahavirkumar Shah, Sai Nikhitha Chandana

2025 Datathon Challenges-Archive

Timed and Model Challenges from the UTA Datathon 2025