Digital Commons Network^™

Proposed Evaluation Of Nonpharmacological Treatments And Therapies For Paclitaxel Based Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (Cipn), Mackenzie Lesczcynski

D.U.Quark

Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is a common complication in breast cancer patients receiving Paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent (1). CIPN symptoms range from numbness to extreme pain and sensitivity in bodily extremities, forcing chemotherapy to be halted (2). The mechanism of this side effect is not well understood and there is no standard pharmacological treatment available to improve effects. Nonpharmacological treatments have been attempted on small patient cohorts, but there are no conclusive findings (3). Due to this, we believe that a comprehensive murine model must be developed in order to assess nonpharmacological treatment efficacy and potential molecular targets for pharmacological …

Long-Term Bone Changes At Edentulous Sites, Teerarat Neal Phuatrakoon

Master's Theses (2009 -)

BACKGROUND: Tooth loss is a debilitating occurrence that may affect the patient’s emotional and mental well-being. Delays in necessary restorative treatment may occur dependent on the patient’s finances or other elaborate dental treatment plans. Prosthetically guided implants have become the standard of care regarding definitive treatment, however there is a lack of evidence discussing the stability of edentulous sites if deferment of treatment is required. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to measure long-term changes of the edentulous alveolar ridge (height and width) and anatomical structures (e.g. sinus floor, inferior alveolar canal). METHODS: Charts of patients with at least …

Role For Astrocytes In Complex Cognition: An Evolutionary, Behavioral And Computational Perspective, Gregory Simandl

Dissertations (1934 -)

The human brain has more computational power than modern supercomputers by utilizing only a few signaling systems, rendering it the most efficient computational device ever created. Evolution, though not prospective, has iteratively constructed neural networks of increasing complexity that have ultimately endowed humans with extraordinary cognitive abilities. Through an evolutionary lens, there is a clear correlation between organismal sophistication and network signaling complexity Astrocytes, a non-neuronal cell that makes up approximately half the cells in the human brain, show dramatic increases in morphological and signaling complexity in higher-order species. This co-evolution is likely not coincidental but rather represents the development …

Development Of Highly Sensitive & Selective Sensor, Megha Shinde

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This work presents the development of innovative electrochemical sensors for selective and sensitive dopamine (DA) detection using flexible laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes modified with advanced nanocomposites. An LIG electrode synthesized from pyralux film was functionalized with Nb₄C₃Tx MXene and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), significantly enhancing its electrochemical performance. The modified electrode exhibited a peak anodic current increase from 150 μA to 330.4 μA and demonstrated a wide linear detection range (100 nM to 10 μM) with a low detection limit of 1 nM and high sensitivity (160.96 μA/nM cm ^-2). It also displayed excellent selectivity against …

Navigating Recovery: Community College Student Journeys Through Collegiate Recovery Programs, Eric Scott Klein

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

There is an inherent regional need to support students in recovery, and often their demographics and lived experiences coincide with the student body of a community college. This is particularly salient to the segments of this population which concurrently suffer maltreatment due to other intersectional biases implicit in many health care and education-based systems inside the United States (Cole, 2009; Mance et al., 2010; Rosenthal, 2016). Community colleges are not doing enough to equitably support students in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and help buoy their recovery capital (Appiah, 2021; Ashford, Curtis, et al., 2018; Association of Recovery in …

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field And Plasma Jets For Cancer Therapy, Edwin Ayobami Oshin

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Nanosecond pulsed electric field (nsPEF) employs nanosecond-duration, high voltage pulses to induce oxidative stress, leading to temporary or permanent damage to cells or tissue (also known as reversible and irreversible electroporation), and has been considered a promising approach for cancer therapy. In parallel to this, nanosecond pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma jets (ns-APPJs) have also shown to be effective in inactivating cancer cells or increasing sensitivity of cells to electric fields. ns-APPJs are known to generate reactive chemical agents, including reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) which induces oxidative stress resulting in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and necrosis. In this dissertation, a …

Impact Of A Transplant Nurse Navigator In The Dialysis Setting, Judith D. Pozzerle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patients with kidney disease have better patient outcomes and quality of life with a kidney transplant. However, the transplant process is complicated with inherent inequalities and biases and patients frequently fail to initiate a referral for transplant evaluation. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have now placed financial incentives to improve the number of patients transplanted. The only way to increase the number of patients transplanted is to start with a referral for evaluation. Studies have been done highlighting the barriers, but there is a lack of studies implementing strategies to improve these numbers. Utilizing Kotter’s change theory and describing …

Steroid Receptors And Coregulators: Dissemination Of Sex Differences And Emerging Technologies, Sally Pauss, Evelyn A. Bates, Genesee J. Martinez, Zane T. Bates, Zachary A. Kipp, Cassandra D. Gipson, Terry D. Hinds Jr.

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Steroid receptors are ligand-induced transcription factors that have broad functions among all living animal species, ranging from control of sex differences, body weight, stress responses, and many others. Their binding to coregulator proteins is regulated by corepressors and coactivators that interchange upon stimulation with a ligand. Coregulator proteins are an imperative and understudied aspect of steroid receptor signaling. Here, we discuss steroid receptor basics from protein domain structures that allow them to interact with coregulators and other proteins, their essential functions as transcription factors, and other elemental protein–protein interactions. We deliberate about the mechanisms that coregulators control in steroid receptor …

Lysyl Hydroxylase 2 Glucosylates Collagen Vi To Drive Lung Cancer Progression, Shike Wang, Houfu Guo, Reo Fukushima, Masahiko Terajima, Min Liu, Guan-Yu Xiao, Lenka Koudelková, Chao Wu, Xin Liu, Jiang Yu, Emma Burris, Jun Xu, Alvise Schiavinato, William K. Russell, Mitsuo Yamauchi, Xiaochao Tan

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2) is highly expressed in multiple tumor types and accelerates disease progression by hydroxylating lysine residues on fibrillar collagen telopeptides to generate stable collagen cross links in tumor stroma. Here, we show that a galactosylhydroxylysyl glucosyltransferase (GGT) domain on LH2 modified type-VI collagen (Col6) to promote lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) growth and metastasis. In tumors generated by LUAD cells lacking LH2 GGT domain activity, stroma was less stiff, and stable types of collagen cross links were reduced. Mass spectrometric analysis of total and glycosylated peptides in parental and GGT-inactive tumor samples identified Col6 chain α3 (Col6a3), a component …

From Pregnancy To Postpartum: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Maternal Depressive Symptoms And Hemoglobin Concentration In Uttar Pradesh, India, Abdullah Nurus Salam Khan

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Perinatal depression and maternal anemia impact maternal health, pregnancy outcomes, and infant growth in low- and middle-income countries. This study examines the prevalence and risk factors of these conditions during pregnancy and postpartum in rural Uttar Pradesh, India. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted among 475 pregnant women recruited during early pregnancy (≤20 weeks gestation) and followed through late pregnancy (≥27 weeks) and postpartum (< 42 days of childbirth). The outcome variables were, i) depressive symptoms, assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and ii) hemoglobin concentrations, measured using HemoCue Hb 301 analyzer from capillary blood. Multivariable linear regression examined associations of the outcome variables with sociodemographic, obstetric, nutritional, interpersonal, and perinatal factors. Path analysis evaluated direct and indirect paths influencing postpartum hemoglobin. Results: Prevalence of probable depression (EPDS score≥13) peaked in early pregnancy (24%) and declined in late pregnancy (17%) and postpartum (4%). Mean hemoglobin declined from early (10.5 g/dL) to late pregnancy (9.7 g/dL), and partially recovering in postpartum (10.4 g/dL). Household food insecurity was associated with higher depressive symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum (early pregnancy:β=2.61, p=0.011; late pregnancy:β=2.84, p< 0.001; postpartum:β=1.40, p=0.023). Psychological intimate partner violence was associated with greater depressive symptoms in early pregnancy (β=3.19, p=0.001). Receiving more antenatal visits was associated with decrease in depressive symptoms in late pregnancy (β=-0.46, p=0.001) and hemoglobin at postpartum (β=-0.11, p=0.070). Consumption of more food groups was associated with increase in depressive symptoms (β=0.63, p=0.004) and hemoglobin in late pregnancy (β=0.10, p=0.026). Iron folic acid (IFA) consumption was associated with increase in hemoglobin in late pregnancy (β=0.01, p< 0.001) and postpartum (β=0.004, p=0.031). Experiencing postpartum health complications was associated with increase in depressive symptoms (β=0.41, p=0.013) and decrease in hemoglobin concentrations (β=-0.18, p=0.036). Antenatal hemoglobin concentrations mediated the associations of IFA supplementation and dietary diversity with postpartum concentrations. Conclusion: Perinatal depression was associated with socioeconomic vulnerabilities, food insecurity, and intimate partner violence, while hemoglobin concentrations were associated with maternal nutrition and perinatal care. Integrating mental health services and comprehensive nutrition interventions into antenatal and postpartum care can improve psychological and physical well-being of mothers during and after pregnancy.

Adolescent Sleep Health, Mental Health, And Cardiovascular Disease Risk In Adulthood, Prince Nii Ossah Addo

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality are major public health issues among adolescents in the United States (U.S.). Mental health and substance use challenges are also common among adolescents, particularly those with sleep problems. Although exposures in adolescence have been evidenced to significantly impact future health, little is known about how adolescent sleep health, mental health, and substance use influence future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We, therefore, examined the association between sleep health in adolescence and CVD risk in adulthood and assessed whether the association is mediated by depressive symptoms and substance use in adolescents. Further, we explored the …

Associations Between Cardiovascular Disease And Utilization Of Dental Preventive And Periodontic Services, Amirhossein Fakhre Yaseri

Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary artery disease, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke, remains a leading cause of global mortality, with approximately 20.5 million deaths in 2021. Despite advancements in medical science, CVD prevalence continues to rise, underscoring the need for preventive approaches and increased awareness. CVD is closely associated with oral diseases, and poor oral health is linked to worse cardiovascular outcomes. This study investigates the association between CVD and the utilization of dental preventive and periodontal services using data from the Dental Experience and Research Exchange (DERE) database, which aggregates clinical data from dental practices across the U.S. …

Activation Of Basal Forebrain Afferents Following Systemic Inflammation, Alexis Morgan Blas

Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis is a large-scale immune response typically due to an imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory responses due to some type of infection or insult. Around 1.7 million adults in the United States will develop it each year, making it the leading cause of increased morbidity and mortality in hospitals. Sepsis can lead to many different symptoms, one of which is delirium. Delirium is a mental state of confusion and disorientation and involves delusions, hallucinations, memory issues, and most commonly inattention. Delirium is more prevalent in older individuals which leads to further complications and a higher likelihood of development of long-term …

Phytochemicals And Human Health, Erin Kelley Richards

Theses and Dissertations

This review explores the intricate relationship between phytochemical intake and human health. It first highlights the contrast between the phytochemical-poor Standard American Diet (SAD) and ancestral diets rich in diverse plant and animal foods. The classification, sources, and health benefits of various phytochemicals, including polyphenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenes are described and discussed. The bioavailability of these compounds and their interactions with the gut microbiome are elucidated, emphasizing on their potential in modulating multiple pathways associated with aging and chronic diseases. The 12 hallmarks of aging and how phytochemicals may influence these hallmarks are reviewed. While exploring the potential benefits …

The Role Of B Cells In Promoting Lipid Absorption By Promoting Lacteal Development, Kenny Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The absorption of dietary lipids in the gut is necessary to maintain the metabolic tone of tissues. Inflammation in the gut can cause defects in lipid absorption, which can result in tissue wasting, otherwise known as cachexia. Cachexia is commonly observed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and cancer patients. The underlying cause of cachexia is unknown, and there are currently no effective therapeutic options available to treat it. Lymphatic drainage in the small intestine (SI) is specialized to promote the transport of dietary lipids into circulation. Lacteals are blunt-ended lymphatic vessels localized to the central axes of villi in …

The Bulletin: Sidney Kimmel Medical College At Thomas Jefferson University, Volume 103, Issue 1, Spring 2025

The Bulletin (formerly the Jefferson Medical College Alumni Bulletin)

No abstract provided.

Rhythm Is Essential: Unraveling The Relation Between The Circadian Clock And Cancer, Olajumoke Ogunlusi, Abantika Ghosh, Mrinmoy Sarkar, Kayla Carter, Harshini Davuluri, Mahul Chakraborty, Kristin Eckel-Mahan, Alex Keene, Jerome S Menet, Deborah Bell-Pedersen, Tapasree Roy Sarkar

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Physiological processes such as the sleep-wake cycle, metabolism, hormone secretion, neurotransmitter release, sensory capabilities, and a variety of behaviors, including sleep, are controlled by a circadian rhythm adapted to 24-hour day-night periodicity. Disruption of circadian rhythm may lead to the risks of numerous diseases, including cancers. Several epidemiological and clinical data reveal a connection between the disruption of circadian rhythms and cancer. On the contrary, oncogenic processes may suppress the homeostatic balance imposed by the circadian clock. The integration of circadian biology into cancer research offers new options for making cancer treatment more effective, and the pharmacological modulation of core …

Epigenome-Wide Association Study Of Incident Type 2 Diabetes In Black And White Participants From The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Sowmya Venkataraghavan, James S Pankow, Eric Boerwinkle, Myriam Fornage, Elizabeth Selvin, Debashree Ray

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Aims/hypothesis: DNA methylation studies of incident type 2 diabetes in US populations are limited and to our knowledge none include individuals of African descent. We aimed to fill this gap by identifying methylation sites (CpG sites) and regions likely influencing the development of type 2 diabetes using data from Black and White individuals from the USA.

Methods: We prospectively followed 2091 Black and 1029 White individuals without type 2 diabetes from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study over a median follow-up period of 17 years, and performed an epigenome-wide association analysis of blood-based methylation levels with incident type 2 diabetes …

From Relapse To Restoration: Insights Into The Immunopathology Of Bacterial Vaginosis (Bv) In Women Of Reproductive Age, Nhi To, Ms

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been a subject of study for decades, yet its complex pathogenesis remains poorly understood. BV affects most women of reproductive age, with significant associations to gynecological and obstetric complications. A deeper understanding of the complicated host-microbiota dynamic is crucial for advancing treatment options, as BV continues to pose challenges in effective management. This review aims to explore the current research on vaginal microbiota as well as potential mechanisms of BV-associated bacteria (BVAB) and their interaction with the host immune system, altogether sheds light on the complex interplay within the human reproductive tract. While Lactobacillus-dominant communities support …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2025), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 2 Keeping South Dakota's food supply safe
[Page] 6 Controlling environmental listeria
[Page] 8 Inaugural 2+2 vet program class graduates
[Page] 10 Faculty honored for excellence
[Page] 12 New leader for agronomy, horticulture, plant science
[Page] 14 Students spend spring break in South Africa
[Page] 16 Hadacek offers advice to fellow graduates
[Page] 17 Park Interpretation and Management Club starts
[Page] 18 On the front lines with invasive species
[Page] 22 Director Karla Trautman retires
[Page] 24 Helping navigate precision ag
[Page] 26 Growing bigger, better beef
[Page] 28 Jackrabbits Then and Now

Ccr7 Regulated Mechanisms That Limit The Adaptive Immune Response, Jaisel Amilcar Cervantes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) is critical in guiding T cell migration within the thymus and peripheral lymphoid tissues, shaping the adaptive immune response by promoting central tolerance and regulating immune homeostasis. Although its role in lymphocyte trafficking is well established, the molecular mechanisms by which CCR7 influences thymocyte development and T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire formation remain less understood. This study examines how CCR7 deficiency impacts thymic selection, TCR diversity, and the signaling events that shape repertoire restriction. Using a homozygously deleted CCR7 murine model, we found that the absence of CCR7 results in a less restricted TCR repertoire …

Estimating Proximity To Failure Using Repetitions In Reserve In Adults Treated For Cancer, Kylah Elizabeth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: There is a consensus from governing bodies that more evidence is needed in understanding how to properly prescribe, monitor and progress resistance training (RT) in oncology populations. Repetitions in reserve (RIR) has been demonstrated as a quick/easy tool to monitor proximity to failure and interventions using RIR have shown promise in improving muscle strength and mass in older adults and apparently healthy populations. However, the validity of RIR in RT in oncology has yet to be examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of RIR predications in individuals treated for cancer in a pragmatic …

Use Of Electrical Household Appliances And Risk Of All Types Of Tumours: A Case-Control Study, Shabana Noori, Abdul Aleem, Imrana Niaz Sultan, Afrasiab Khan Tareen, Hayat Ullah, Muhammad Waseem Khan

Biological Engineering Student Research

Introduction: The use of electrical appliances using extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) has increased in the past few years. These ELF MF are reported to be linked to several adverse health effects. However, only a couple of studies have been conducted on the association between risk of tumours and use of electronic devices using low frequency (LF) EMF. Methods: We studied the use of common household electrical appliances and suspected risk of tumours in a multi-hospital-based case-control study. In total, 316 patients were included in the final analysis. Results: The study results showed a below unity risk for …

The Contribution Of Individual Movements To The Learning Of A Movement Sequence, Hannah K. Ammons

Senior Theses

This thesis explores how the overall learning of a motor sequence through repeated practice is impacted by the individual movement’s components. Changes seen in the response time, peak velocity, and the hand path distance were examined whilst considering the Fitts’s ID and inertial demands of the individual movements. During data collection, twenty-four right-handed participants completed a series of repeated and random reaching movements that varied in direction and distance in a 3D virtual environment. When considering only the repeated sequences, the results indicated significant improvement in both the hand path distance and response time across all target combos, specifically Target …

The Effect Of Grape Seed Extract Against The Formation Of S.Aureus Biofilms In A Clinical Setting, Srestha Samaddar

Senior Theses

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus aureus, poses a serious threat to public health and clinical care. A major contributor to the persistence of these infections is the formation of bacterial biofilms, structured communities that protect S. aureus from antibiotics and immune responses, especially on surgical sites and medical devices. As conventional treatments become less effective, interest in alternative, natural antimicrobial agents has increased, due to public dissatisfaction with conventional medicine and a growing trust in complementary and alternative medicine. Grape seed extract (GSE), a polyphenol-rich byproduct of winemaking, has emerged as a promising candidate …

Traumatic Brain Injury And Substance Use Disorder: A Clinic Based Exploratory Study, Steven Daniel Wheeler, Amanda Acord-Vira, Cecelia Simons, Kaleigh Papez, Jeremy Dixon, Cortland Nesley

Graduate Student Scholarship

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and substance use disorders (SUD) are common co-occurring conditions that have been investigated in isolation over the past several decades. Research regarding the conditions in unison have yielded conflicting results; however, there is a clear correlation linking negative implications of one condition on the other.

Objectives: To explore factors contributing to SUD among persons screening positive for a history of TBI and to validate the importance of screening for TBI as part of the SUD treatment program intake process.

Setting: Outpatient SUD treatment programs across West Virginia.

Design: Exploratory Study.

Methods: Those who screened positive …

Evaluating The Human Abuse Potential Of Concurrent Use Of Electronic Cigarettes And Low Nicotine Cigarettes Among Adults Who Smoke, Jason D Robinson, Yong Cui, George Kypriotakis, Jeffrey M Engelmann, Maher Karam-Hage, Jennifer A Minnix, Charles E Green, Sanjay Shete, Dorothy K Hatsukami, Eric C Donny, Sharon E Murphy, Stephen S Hecht, Thomas Eissenberg, David W Wetter, Paul M Cinciripini

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated its intention to reduce the nicotine content of combustible cigarettes to render them less addictive. This study evaluated the impact of providing adults who smoke with both very low nicotine content cigarettes (VLNCCs) and electronic cigarettes (ECs) of varying nicotine content on measures of human abuse potential. Participants (

Harnessing Knowledge And Data For Clinical Information Extraction In The Era Of Large Language Models, Yan Hu

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

The rapid digitization of healthcare records has led to the widespread adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which contain rich, unstructured clinical notes. These notes hold valuable information for patient care and clinical research, but their complexity and unstructured nature pose significant challenges for effective utilization. Clinical Information Extraction (IE) aims to bridge this gap by transforming unstructured text into structured data, enabling automated analysis. Traditional Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, such as Named Entity Recognition (NER), have been widely used for clinical IE, but recent advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and LLaMA have opened new …

Leveraging And Advancing The Foundation Models For Clinical Trajectory Analysis Based On Electronic Health Record Data, Jianping He

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Enhancements in foundation models have provided significant potentials for clinical applications. This dissertation leverages and advances foundation models for a range of clinical tasks using electronic health record (EHR) data, demonstrating their applicability in Clinical Temporal Relation Extraction (CTRE), disease prediction, and patients trajectory analysis.

Aim 1 is to efficiently adapt large language models (LLMs) for CTRE in both full data and few-shot settings. This study leveraged four LLMs: GatorTron-Base, GatorTron-Large, LLaMA3.1, and MeLLaMA. The proposed fine-tuning strategies include: (a) standard fine-tuning; (b) hard-prompting; (c) soft-prompting; (d) Low-Rank Adaptation (LoRA). We found that nearly all proposed fine-tuning strategies outperformed existing …

The Impact Of Discretion On Human Service Workers Supporting The Health Of Unaccompanied Minors In Foster Care, Diana M. Clark

Senior Theses

Unaccompanied children (UCs) are a vulnerable population that enters government custody and accesses healthcare via the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)'s system of care. While prior research has focused on generating policy recommendations to improve healthcare services available to UCs both in ORR custody and following release from custody, this thesis will instead expand upon the experiences of staff members working at ORR-contracted agencies. These workers make decisions that have short- and long-term implications on the health and wellbeing of UCs. Drawing from 65 in-depth interviews with human service workers in ORR-contracted voluntary agencies, this thesis uses street-level bureaucracy framework …