Digital Commons Network^™

Dna Methylation Signature Of A Lifestyle-Based Resilience Index For Cognitive Health, Wei Zhang, David Lukacsovich, Juan I Young, Lissette Gomez, Michael A Schmidt, Eden R Martin, Brian W Kunkle, X Steven Chen, Deirdre M O'Shea, James E Galvin, Lily Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cognitive resilience (CR) contributes to the variability in risk for developing and progressing in Alzheimer's disease (AD) among individuals. Beyond genetics, recent studies highlight the critical role of lifestyle factors in enhancing CR and delaying cognitive decline. DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic mechanism influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, including CR-related lifestyle factors, offers a promising pathway for understanding the biology of CR. We studied DNAm changes associated with the Resilience Index (RI), a composite measure of lifestyle factors, using blood samples from the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) cohort. After corrections for multiple comparisons, our analysis identified 19 CpGs …

Millennial And Gen-Z Experiences In Healthcare And Education In The Us, Zabia Evans, Anastasia Raymer, Beverly Khabo

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

In the United States, healthcare and educational institutions have a deep-rooted history of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and other demographic factors, resulting in unequal access to services and mistreatment of minority populations. This history extends to the field of speech-language pathology, with disparities in service being cited in the literature due to lack of clinician knowledge, non-diverse standardized testing measures, lack of resources and support, among other factors. Policies and legislation in recent decades have attempted to address these serious issues. This survey research investigates the childhood healthcare and educational experiences of individuals born during or after 1981, focusing …

Speech-Language Pathology And Counseling: Confronting Communication And Swallowing Disorders At The End Of Life, Samuel Parker Wooten

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted to gain a better understanding of how speech-language pathologists (SLP) prepare for and provide professional counseling to those at the end-of-life stage. Participants in this study consisted of SLPs from northeast Arkansas with at least three years of experience providing counseling in an English-speaking setting to individuals at the end-of-life stage. Interviews were conducted using Zoom software, where they were recorded and then transcribed via a speech-to-text transcription service. The data were then analyzed by the primary investigator to determine themes and attitudes regarding professional counseling at the end of life. The results of the …

Lack Of Patient-Centered Care Relative To Evidence-Based Practice In Clinical Diagnosis And Treatment Of Endometriosis In The U.S.: A Review, Piper E. Scoskie

Honors Theses

This scoping review examines the impact of combining Patient-Centered Care (PCC) and Evidence-Based Care (EBC) on clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis in the United States. In particular, the review aims to (1) examine the body of research from the United States to learn more about the connection between PCC and EBC and their collective impact on patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes in the treatment of endometriosis; (2) identify the gaps in existing research and practice, specifically regarding PCC procedures, varying patient populations, and longitudinal investigations; and (3) provide recommendation for future research and …

Implementing A Six-Week Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy Program For Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease: A Practitioner-Based Perspective, Sara Adams

Expressive Therapies Theses

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor function, emotional well-being, and social engagement. While traditional rehabilitation approaches emphasize physical therapy and medication management, emerging research highlights the potential of creative arts therapies in addressing the multidimensional challenges of PD. This thesis explores the implementation of an intermodal expressive arts therapy intervention designed to support individuals with PD through dance, music, drama, and visual arts. Conducted over six weeks within a community support group in Nova Scotia, the program included guided visualization, Brain Dance exercises, creative movement, drama-based activities, and reflective art-making. A qualitative, practitioner-based method was used, …

Utilization Of Zinc As A Supplemental Treatment To Prostate Cancer, Cony Cs Chow, Vishal Ahuja, Luis Mangiafico

Department of Nutrition Student Projects

Prostate cancer remains as a significant contributor to mortality among men worldwide, and despite advancements in treatment, there is still a need for adjunct therapies that could assist in mitigating the progression of this disease. Zinc is an essential trace element which plays a crucial role in the function of the prostate and has shown signs of influencing the development of prostate cancer. This prospective study will aim to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on the progression of prostate cancer through a controlled experimental design. Participants will include patients who are diagnosed with prostate cancer (stages 1-3) and will …

Animal-Assisted Therapy With Children In Hospitals And Schools: A Systematized Review, Tantine Kendig

LSU Master's Theses

It has been demonstrated that animals can offer humans significant health benefits. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a growing form of therapy used in various settings to enhance the health of children, encompassing both physical and mental wellness. The challenges of hospitalization and the school environment have been shown to pose different challenges for children, such as an increase in anxiety, stress, depression, and others that have the potential to affect their mental, physical, emotional, and social well-being. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy, specifically dog-assisted therapy, on children in hospital and school settings by conducting a …

The Association Between Visit-To-Visit Variability In Risk Factors And Incident Cvd: A Post-Hoc Analysis Of The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Abderrahim Oulhaj, Abubaker Suliman, Malak Bentaleb, Mohammed Abdulrahman, Rachid Bentoumi, Stephen J. Sharp, Harald Sourij

All Works

Our aim is to investigate the association between visit-to-visit variability of nine risk factors and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a large multi-ethnic population cohort study. We used the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. We included individuals with no previous history of CVD, with at least three repeated measurements on each risk factor including total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, non-HDL, triglyceride, Chol/HDL ratio, Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Systolic Blood Pressure (DBP), and Body mass index (BMI). Visit-to-visit variability was estimated via the variability independent of the mean (VIM). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the association between …

The Impact Of Target Geud Constraints On Target Coverage In Pancreatic Cancer Patients, Barbara Lotsoff

Masters Projects

Introduction: The pancreas is surrounded by several critical organs, making it challenging to treat with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Previous studies have shown that applying biological constraints, such as the generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD), to organs at risk (OARs) can effectively reduce the radiation dose to these structures. This study evaluated whether adding a target gEUD constraint to the planning target volume (PTV) would improve target coverage in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Methods: Three separate treatment plans were created for ten randomly selected pancreatic cancer patients. The first plan applied only physical (dose-volume) constraints to the PTV while …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald, Vol. 100, No. 3, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period February 17 - April 20, 2025.

• Wilborn, Price. You Matter & You Are Not Alone
• Smith, Kane. Peggy Crowe Reflects on Counseling Center in Face of Staff Shortages
• Stafford, Hallie. Help with Horses – New Beginnings Therapeutic Horse Riding
• Hawkins, Kaylee. How a WKU Professor Helps Improve Student Mental Health – Jay Gabbard, National Alliance on Mental Illness Recovery Support Group
• McMahon, Jake. More Than a Coach – Brent Chumbley, Track & Field
• Simpson, Libby. WKU’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Brings Mental Health Into the Light
• Hardesty, Emma. Trans …

2025 Academic Conference Program

Holy Cross Undergraduate Academic Conference

No abstract provided.

Structural Basis For Polθ-Helicase Dna Binding And Microhomology-Mediated End-Joining, Fumiaki Ito, Ziyuan Li, Leonid Minakhin, Htet A. Khant, Richard T. Pomerantz, Xiaojiang S. Chen

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) present a critical threat to genomic integrity, often precipitating genomic instability and oncogenesis. Repair of DSBs predominantly occurs through homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). In HR-deficient cells, DNA polymerase theta (Polθ) becomes critical for DSB repair via microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ), also termed theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ). Thus, Polθ is synthetically lethal with BRCA1/2 and other HR factors, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic target in HR-deficient cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms governing Polθ-mediated MMEJ remain poorly understood. Here we present a series of cryo-electron microscopy structures of the Polθ helicase domain (Polθ-hel) …

Tips For Quality Publishing; Lessons From The Neuroscience Editorial Team, Francesca Cirulli, Rachael Dangarembezi, Victor De Lafuente, Anthony J Hannan, Amanda C Kentner, Tatsuya Mima, Laurel Morris, Sarah J Spencer, Long-Jun Wu, Chen Zhang

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

In pursuit of excellence in scholarly publishing, the Neuroscience editorial team shares valuable insights that are essential for authors, reviewers, and the broader scientific community. Firstly, we emphasize that impactful research is built on rigorous study design and execution. Beyond fundamental methodological safeguards such as randomization and blinded analysis, we highlight the importance of thoughtfully selecting study models, with deliberate attention to biological variables like sex and gender, as well as appropriate nomenclature. Secondly, as technological innovations reshape research landscapes, we advocate for combining methodological rigor with suitable analytical tools to ensure robust data collection and transparent reporting. Thirdly, for …

Mandibular Condylar Cartilage In Development And Diseases: A Pthrp-Centric View, Chiaki Tsutsumi-Arai, Amy Tran, Yuki Arai, Wanida Ono, Noriaki Ono

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) is a dual-function component of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), acting as both articular cartilage for jaw movement and growth cartilage for vertical growth of the mandibular condyle. Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) plays a critical role in orchestrating chondrogenesis in the long bone, and its importance is also highlighted in both MCC development and TMJ function. Here, we discuss the role of PTHrP in the development, growth and diseases of the MCC. PTHrP is a key morphogen in the MCC that regulates chondrogenesis by promoting chondrocyte proliferation and preventing premature hypertrophic differentiation. Exclusively expressed in the …

Trends In Celecoxib Prescribing: A Single Institution 16-Month Review, Ivo H Cerda, Helen Jung, Maria C Guerrero, Rodrigo Diez Tafur, Robert Jason Yong, Christopher L Robinson, Jamal J Hasoon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Celecoxib, a COX-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is widely prescribed for pain management due to its efficacy and improved gastrointestinal safety profile compared to traditional NSAIDs. Understanding prescription trends and their comparison to other NSAIDs provides valuable insight into prescribing behaviors in clinical settings.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed celecoxib prescriptions written by three pain management physicians in a single institution over a 16-month period from 1 January 2023 to 30 April 2024. Prescription data were collected and grouped into four 4-month intervals to assess temporal trends. Additionally, we compared celecoxib prescriptions to other commonly prescribed NSAIDs, including …

Partnering With Social Media Influencers To Promote Hpv Vaccination In Diverse Communities, Amy Leader, Amelia Burke-Garcia, Dasha Afanaseva, Erin Cutroneo, Preethi Selvan, Kayla Madden, Joshua Banks, Angela Sustaita-Ruiz

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: While human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent HPV-related cancers, many children and adolescents remain unvaccinated. Resistance often stems from parental vaccine hesitancy and mistrust of the health care system, both of which may be higher in communities of color. Partnering with social media influencers may be an effective method for disseminating health messages. We tested the impact of HPV social media posts developed by influencers on outcomes of knowledge, attitudes, and intentions to vaccinate.

METHODS: Ten social media influencers who identified as African American or Hispanic created posts about the HPV vaccine. …

Neural And Behavioral Changes In Consecutive Errors, Nabeel Bhimani

Research Honors

Consecutive failures in any task have been understudied in electrophysiology and neuroscience. Research identifies that single-errors tend to slow our response time to identify feedback and respond accordingly to ensure a correct response for the next task. However, evidence is limited regarding what the commission of consecutive errors does in relation to not only behavior, but also in relation to adaptations in attention or self-regulation. Electroencephalography (EEG) studies have revealed two important components of neural activity that can assess this self-regulatory activity with similar morphology and topography. The error positivity (Pe) is a positive wave that peaks due to the …

Adjuvant Radiotherapy In Pt3-4n0m0 Major Salivary Gland Cancer Without Other Adverse Features, Aman M. Patel, Afash Haleem, Praneet C. Kaki, Jake J. Lee, Russell Maxwell, Jason A. Brant, Robert M. Brody, Ryan M. Carey

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

OBJECTIVE: To investigate adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) utilization and associated differences in overall survival (OS) in pT3-4N0M0 major salivary gland cancer (MSGC) without evidence of other adverse pathologic features.

METHODS: The 2006 to 2018 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with MSGC classified as pT3-4N0M0. Patients with evidence of lymphovascular invasion or positive surgical margins were excluded. Multivariable binary logistic and Cox regression models adjusting for patient demographics, pathologic features including histology, and treatment were implemented.

RESULTS: Of 897 patients satisfying inclusion criteria, 368 (41.0 %) underwent aRT. Compared with those not undergoing aRT, patients undergoing aRT were younger (median …

The Renal Social Workers' Perspective: Attitude, Behaviors, And Barriers To Sexual Health Inclusion, Sapphira L. Blount Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Sexual health, an important factor of perceived wellness and quality of life, is adversely impacted by renal disease and treatment. The social worker is uniquely positioned on the renal clinical care team to address sexual health. There is a dearth of literature on renal care and sexual health, and no national study on whether or how sexual health is being addressed in renal care planning by the social worker. This qualitative case study was aimed at exploring the attitudes, behaviors, and perceived barriers based on the lived experiences of renal social workers in incorporating sexual health assessments into routine renal …

English As A Second Language Nurse Experiences With Collaborative Learning During Pre-Licensure, Baccalaureate Nursing Education: A Phenomenological Study, Candice Tart Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand how ESL nurses experienced collaborative learning with their native English-speaking peers in traditional baccalaureate-accredited nursing programs across the United States. The theories guiding this study were the Social Learning Theory (SLT) of Academic Self-Efficacy (ASE) by Albert Bandura and the Sociocultural Theory of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) by Lev Vygotsky. The central investigative research question was: What are the lived experiences of novice ESL nurses who participated in collaborative learning with their native English-speaking peers during baccalaureate nursing education? Sampling methods used included a purposive and a snowball sample …

Examining The Effects Of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorder Pain On Healthcare And Allied Health Professionals' Quality Of Life, Nicole Simone Richmond

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the effects work-related musculoskeletal disorder pain has on the quality of life of high body mass indexed healthcare and allied health professional women. This qualitative research incorporated virtual semi-structured interviews, via zoom, of 10 clinically obese female healthcare and allied health workers employed at a hospital, clinic, or private health practice; and have been diagnosed by a medical doctor with a case of chronic work-related musculoskeletal disorder pain within the past six months. The study utilized a virtual setting of participants who reside and work within the United States. Data collection …

Mechanism Of Dna Replication Fork Breakage And Parp1 Hyperactivation During Replication Catastrophe, Pedro Ortega, Elodie Bournique, Junyi Li, Ambrocio Sanchez, Gisselle Santiago, Brooke R Harris, Josefine Striepen, John Maciejowski, Abby M Green, Rémi Buisson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) inhibition triggers a surge in origin firing, resulting in increased levels of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that rapidly deplete all available RPA. This leaves ssDNA unprotected and susceptible to breakage, a phenomenon known as replication catastrophe. However, the mechanism by which unprotected ssDNA breaks remains unclear. Here, we reveal that APOBEC3B is the key enzyme targeting unprotected ssDNA at replication forks, initiating a reaction cascade that induces fork collapse and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) hyperactivation. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that uracils generated by APOBEC3B at replication forks are removed by UNG2, resulting in abasic sites that are …

The Effectiveness Of A Race-Based Stress Reduction Intervention On Improving Stress-Related Symptoms And Inflammation In African American Women At Risk For Cardiometabolic Disease: Protocol For Recruitment And Intervention For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Karen L. Saban, Cara Joyce, Alexandria Nyembwe, Linda Janusek, Dina Tell, Paula De La Pena, Darnell Motley, Lamise Shawahin, Laura Prescott, Stephanie Potts-Thompson, Jacquelyn Y. Taylor

Biostatistics Collaborative Core: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background: In recent years, the prevalence of cardiometabolic disease (CMD) in African American women has risen; the risk also increases with age, in comparison to men. Evidence demonstrates that stressful life events, including experiences of racism and perceived discrimination, contribute substantially to inflammatory diseases, such as CMD. Despite this evidence, few evidence-based interventions are available to assist individuals from minoritized communities in coping with the chronic stress related to their racial or ethnic identity.

Objective: Our proposed randomized controlled trial will test a novel, race-based intervention tailored to African American women, called Resilience, Stress, and Ethnicity (RiSE).

Methods: In this …

The Ability Of Algebra Final Grades And Teas Scores To Predict Undergraduate Nursing Student Grade Point Averages: A Quantitative, Non-Experimental, Predictive Correlational Study, Jeanna L. Kerchner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A major concern for many nursing programs is student completion rates. This is due in large part to the demands and rigor of curriculum in accredited nursing programs. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, predictive correlational study was to determine if final nursing program GPA can be predicted by the linear combination of college algebra final grades and TEAS scores in an undergraduate nursing program at a private university. A quantitative, non-experimental research design was used to address the proposed study’s purpose. The study’s sample of participants was purposive and convenient in nature, and was accessed using an existing, archival …

Rnase1-Driven Alk-Activation Is An Oncogenic Driver And Therapeutic Target In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Zhengyu Zha, Chunxiao Liu, Meisi Yan, Cong Chen, Cheng Yu, Yaohui Chen, Chenhao Zhou, Lu Li, Yi-Chuan Li, Hiro Yamaguchi, Leiguang Ye, Tong Liu, Ying-Nai Wang, Heng-Huan Lee, Wen-Hao Yang, Li-Chuan Chan, Baozhen Ke, Jennifer L Hsu, Lieming Ding, Dong Ji, Peng Pan, Yiran Meng, Yue Pu, Lunxu Liu, Mien-Chie Hung

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Targeted therapy has achieved significant success in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly in patients harboring common oncogenic driver mutations such as EGFR, KRAS, and ALK rearrangement. However, ~35-50% of NSCLC patients without tyrosine kinase mutation or rearrangement (non-mutated) cannot benefit from these targeted treatments, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies for this patient population. In this study, we report a non-canonical role of human secretory ribonuclease 1 (RNase1), which binds to and activates wild-type ALK in lung cancer cells, thereby triggering its downstream signaling pathway. RNase1-driven ALK-activation (RDAA) cells exhibit enhanced cell proliferation, migration, …

Short Report: The Variants In Chek2 In Metastatic Uveal Melanoma, Mizue Terai, Rino S. Seedor, Usman Ashraf, Gretchen Hubbard, Sergei A. Koshkin, Marlana Orloff, Takami Sato

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Effectiveness Of Implicit Bias Teaching Using High-Fidelity Simulation, Eva Wangia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nursing education lacks explicit, effective teaching methods for recognizing and managing student biases, which could potentially impact patient outcomes and perpetuate health disparities. This study may influence changes in the associate degree nursing program curricula to include implicit bias teaching, which in turn helps nurses understand the concepts associated with health equity, such as health disparities. This quasi-quantitative experimental study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of implicit bias teaching using high-fidelity simulation to nursing students at a community college in the Pacific Northwest. A convenience sample of first-year nursing students was utilized in the study. Participants completed demographic surveys and …

Association Between B-Cell Marker Expression And Runx1 Lesions In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Beyond Runx1::Runx1t1 Fusion: Diagnostic Pitfalls With Mixed-Phenotype Acute Leukemia—B/Myeloid, Giby V George, Malgorzata Kajstura, Audrey N Jajosky, Hong Fang, Fatima Zahra Jelloul, Andrew G Evans, W Richard Burack, John M Bennett, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Wei Wang, Siba El Hussein

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with RUNX1::RUNX1T1 fusion is well known to often demonstrate aberrant upregulation of CD19 expression. We studied the clinicopathologic and genetic features of 16 cases of AML with various RUNX1 lesions, including mutations, copy number gains, and translocations other than fusions with RUNX1T1. Most of these cases were classified as AML-myelodysplasia-related or AML-post-cytotoxic therapy based on the cytogenetic and molecular work-up. These neoplasms showed partial expression of one or more B-cell antigens by flow cytometry and/or immunohistochemistry, fulfilling the criteria for mixed-phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL)-B/myeloid (i.e., ≥20% blasts expressing B and myeloid lineage antigens) …

Progesterone Signaling In Oviductal Epithelial Cells Modulates The Immune Response To Support Preimplantation Embryonic Development, Emily A Mcglade, Jiude Mao, Kalli K Stephens, Ryan M Marquardt, Feyza Nur Arguc, Peter F Lais, San-Pin Wu, Sarayut Winuthayanon, Haval Shirwan, Esma S Yolcu, Mark I Hunter, James K Pru, John P Lydon, Francesco J Demayo, Wipawee Winuthayanon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

More than 60% of pregnancy losses occur during the first trimester, highlighting the need to understand the role of the oviduct in early pregnancy. In this study, we conditionally ablated the classical progesterone receptor (Pgr) in oviductal epithelial cells, called the Pgrd/d mouse model. We found that 40% of embryos collected from Pgrd/d females were nonviable or developmentally delayed, indicating that epithelial PGR expression is crucial for embryonic development. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed up-regulation of proinflammatory genes, including interleukin-22 (IL-22), in the epithelial cells of Pgrd/d females. Pharmacological inhibition of inflammation using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs …

Application For Prediction Of Heart Failure; The Next Step In Machine Learning For Healthcare, Amy Adyanthaya, Dawn Bowerman, Rachel Liercke, Robert Slater

SMU Data Science Review

Heart failure (HF) is a serious medical condition affecting approximately 6.7 million U.S. adults and is expected to impact 8.5 million Americans by 2030 [1]. Heart failure is a complicated clinical ailment and characterizes the final course of numerous heart diseases [2]. This paper introduces a machine-learning-based application that utilizes Support Vector Machine (SVM), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and XGBoost models, implemented through the Python Flask framework, to predict HF risk using clinical data. The results indicate high model performance, with precision and recall metrics underscoring the application’s reliability in identifying at-risk patients. By providing real-time, accessible insights, this tool aims …