Digital Commons Network^™

Moving The Needle, Jillienne Haglund, Courtney Hillebrecht

Political Science Faculty Publications

International human rights institutions impose obligations on their member states that extend long past the ratification stage. Each year, states receive tens, or even hundreds, of recommendations from international human rights bodies. These recommendations demand that states change their human rights policies and practices. While recent scholarship has emphasized the important role of domestic institutions and civil society actors in facilitating compliance with these recommendations, comparatively little research examines how the quality of the recommendations themselves affects compliance outcomes. Using two novel datasets, this paper sets out to understand the nexus between recommendation quality and compliance. Our research suggests that …

A Comparative Study Of Electronic And Paper Ballot Systems In Modern U.S. Elections, Gianna M. Wadowski, Nicholas D. Bernardo, Bridgett A. King, Gretchen A. Macht

Political Science Faculty Publications

In-person voting processes that rely on paper ballots have long dominated voting processes in the United States. However, following the implementation of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, states rapidly adopted new voting technologies that dramatically changed the in-person voting experience. Since then, states have continued to adopt new voting technologies as new challenges and opportunities have emerged. Although scholarship has demonstrated that new voting technologies can offer benefits, reported improvements to the in-person voting experience are inconsistent. Despite changes in voting equipment and voting methods, voters continue to wait in long lines, affecting turnout and voter confidence. Using …

Data Reporting Quality And Semantic Interoperability Increase With Community-Based Data Elements (Codes). Analysis Of The Open Data Commons For Spinal Cord Injury (Odc-Sci), Anushka Sheoran, Kenneth A. Fond, Lex Maliga Davis, J. R. Huie, Romana Vavrek, P. J. Axtman, Vance P. Lemmon, John L. Bixby, Ubbo Visser, John C. Gensel, Karim Fouad, Adam R. Ferguson, Jeffrey S. Grethe, Anita Bandrowski, Maryann E. Martone, Abel Torres-Espin

Neurology Faculty Publications

Data interoperability is crucial for effectively combining data for scientific inquiry. To facilitate interoperability, data standards such as a common definition of variables are often developed. The Open Data Commons for Spinal Cord Injury (odc-sci.org) has established an initial set of community-based data elements (CoDEs)—a minimal set of variables for sharing—to promote data interoperability in SCI research, aligning with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. We sought to understand the use of CoDEs by the SCI community to inform current standards adherence and future standards development. We systematically analyzed 39 public datasets in relation to 17 required CoDEs …

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Prenatal Care Utilization In Arkansas, United States., Pearl A Mcelfish, Aaron Caldwell, Donya Watson, Jonathan Langner, Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Austin Porter, Don E Willis, Jennifer A Andersen, Nicola L Hawley, James P Selig, Amir Forati, Maria R Alcala, Lanita White, Enrique Gomez-Pomar, Clare C Brown

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: This study examines prenatal care utilization differences in Arkansas.

METHODS: Birth records data from the National Center for Health Statistics were used. The study population consisted of singleton live births in Arkansas from 2014 to 2022. Primary outcomes included number of prenatal visits, fewer than the recommended number of prenatal visits, late prenatal care, and no prenatal care. Summary statistics were computed, and adjusted rates ratios were calculated adjusting for maternal age, maternal education, and parity for payer, race/ethnicity, and rural/urban residence.

RESULTS: Mothers with a Medicaid-covered birth had 0.90 times fewer prenatal care visits and were 1.26 times …

Sociodemographic Factors Associated With Prenatal Care Utilization In Arkansas, United States., Pearl A Mcelfish, Aaron Caldwell, Donya Watson, Jonathan Langner, Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Austin Porter, Don E Willis, Jennifer A Andersen, Nicola L Hawley, James P Selig, Amir Forati, Maria R Alcala, Lanita White, Enrique Gomez-Pomar, Clare C Brown

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: This study examines prenatal care utilization differences in Arkansas.

METHODS: Birth records data from the National Center for Health Statistics were used. The study population consisted of singleton live births in Arkansas from 2014 to 2022. Primary outcomes included number of prenatal visits, fewer than the recommended number of prenatal visits, late prenatal care, and no prenatal care. Summary statistics were computed, and adjusted rates ratios were calculated adjusting for maternal age, maternal education, and parity for payer, race/ethnicity, and rural/urban residence.

RESULTS: Mothers with a Medicaid-covered birth had 0.90 times fewer prenatal care visits and were 1.26 times …

Hdl-Associated Vitamin D Binding Protein Levels Are Inversely Associated With Necrotic Plaque Burden In Psoriasis, M. P. Playford, H. Li, A. K. Dey, E. M. Florida, H. L. Teague, S. M. Gordon, N. N. Mehta

Physiology Faculty Publications

Background and aims: Vitamin D binding protein (DBP) serves a dual function as a vitamin D carrier and actin scavenger. Free DBP is present in high concentrations in serum, while a smaller pool is bound to lipoproteins like HDL and VLDL. The role of DBP's interaction with lipoproteins remains unclear. Given that HDL has been proposed to have both atheroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, we sought to compare whether HDL-associated DBP and/or total serum DBP could serve as useful biomarkers for assessing disease severity in psoriasis and cardiovascular disease. Methods: Psoriasis (PSO) patients (N = 83), which were part of a …

Responses Of Skeletal Muscle To Mechanical Stimuli In Female Rats Following And During Muscle Disuse Atrophy, Alexander B. Sklivas, Zachary R. Hettinger, Sarah Rose, Alessandra Mantuano, Amy L. Confides, Sandra Rigsby, Frederick F. Peelor, Benjamin F. Miller, Timothy A. Butterfield, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden

Physiology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of mechanotherapy to enhance recovery or prevent loss of muscle size with disuse in female rats. Female F344/BN rats were assigned to weight bearing (WB), hindlimb suspended (HS) for 14 days with reambulation for 7 days without mechanotherapy or reambulation (RA) with mechanotherapy (RAM) (study 1), or to WB, HS for 7 days, with HS mechanotherapy (HSM) or without mechanotherapy (study 2) to gastrocnemius muscle. Muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) and fiber type, collagen, satellite cell number, and protein synthesis (k_syn) and degradation (k_deg) were assessed. …

Circadian Influences On Sudden Cardiac Death And Cardiac Electrophysiology, Brian P. Delisle, Abhilash Prabhat, Don E. Burgess, Isabel G. Stumpf, John J. Mccarthy, Spencer B. Procopio, Xiping Zhang, Karyn A. Esser, Elizabeth A. Schroder

Physiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Utility Of The Social Skills Improvement System–Rating Scales For Capturing Dynamic Social Constructs, Katherine E. Frye, Christopher J. Anthony, Pui Wa Lei, Kyle D. Husmann, James C. Diperna

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Social skills are dynamic developmental constructs typically measured using assessments developed via cross-sectional methods. The measurement model of derivatives (MMOD), a factor analytic approach targeting individual growth trajectories, was used to evaluate the longitudinal factor structure of the Social Skills Improvement System—Rating Scales (SSIS-RS) teacher form with a sample of 1320 first and second grade students (51.6% female, 54.8% white, 20.6% Black, 14.4% Hispanic). Although results provided support for three of the original SSIS-RS factors (Assertion, Empathy, Self-Control), there was some evidence that the other four original domains (Cooperation, Responsibility, Engagement, Communication) could be explained by two factors in this …

Insulin Receptor Responsiveness Governs Tgfβ-Induced Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation: Insulin Resistance Instigates Liver Fibrosis, Wang-Hsin Lee, Evelyn A. Bates, Zachary A. Kipp, Sally Pauss, Genesee J. Martinez, Cheavar A. Blair, Terry D. Hinds Jr.

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The insulin receptor (INSR) has been shown to be hyperactive in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in humans and rodents with liver fibrosis. To explore HSC cellular mechanisms that INSR regulates during pro-fibrotic stimulation, we used CRISPR-Cas9 technology. We knocked out a portion of the INSR gene in human LX2 HSC cells (INSRe5- 8 KO) that regulates insulin responsiveness but not the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) or transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling. The INSRe5- 8 KO HSCs had significantly higher cell growth, BrdU incorporation, and lower TP53 expression that suppresses growth, and they also exhibited increased migration compared to the Scramble …

Lc-Ms Analysis Of Serum Lipidomic And Metabolomic Signatures In Pediatric Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Feiyu Yan, Shengnan Wang, Yilin Wang, Yan Sun, Jing Yang, Lirong Sun, Yekaterina Y. Zaytseva, Pan Deng, Lingzhen Wang

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a prevalent hematologic malignancy that primarily affects children. The diagnosis and treatment of pediatric ALL remain challenging. This study aimed to identify differential lipids and metabolites that may hold potential for improving ALL treatment.

Methods In this retrospective case-control study, serum samples obtained from children with ALL and healthy controls were analyzed. Serum lipidome and metabolome alterations of ALL were analyzed by comparing pediatric patients with ALL with healthy controls based on liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of serum lipidomic and metabolomic signatures.

Results We identified 2,298 lipid features in the serum. Among …

Exploring Oxylipins In Host–Microbe Interactions And Their Impact On Infection And Immunity, Robert J. Neff, Christopher D. Radka

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Plasma lipids are essential components of biological systems, transported through interactions with proteins to maintain cellular functions. These lipids exist in various forms, such as fatty acids, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, sterols, and prenol lipids, derived from dietary intake, adipose tissue, and biosynthesis. While the association between certain fatty acids and cardiovascular diseases has been widely recognized, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) exhibit cardioprotective effects, reducing risks of arrhythmias and heart-related mortality. This is due to their role in the production of eicosanoids, which modulate inflammation. Chronic inflammation, particularly in obesity, is significantly influenced by fatty acids, with saturated fatty acids promoting …

Predicting The Pathway Involvement Of Compounds Annotated In The Reactome Knowledgebase, Erik D. Huckvale, Hunter N. B. Moseley

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Pathway annotations of non-macromolecular (relatively small) biomolecules facilitate biological and biomedical interpretation of metabolomics datasets. However, low pathway annotation levels of detected biomolecules hinder this type of interpretation. Thus, predicting the pathway involvement of detected but unannotated biomolecules has a high potential to improve metabolomics data analysis and omics integration. Past publications have only made use of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes-derived datasets to develop machine learning models to predict pathway involvement. However, to our knowledge, the Reactome knowledgebase has not been utilized to develop these types of predictive models.

Methods: We created a dataset ready for …

Characterization, Performance, And Toxicological Assessment Of Polysulfone-Sulfonated Polyether Ether Ketone Membranes For Water Separation Applications, Muhammad Usman Yousaf, Lucca Madeo Cortarelli, Nerissa I. Jebet, Jason M. Unrine, Nirupam Aich, Olga V. Tsyusko, Isabel C. Escobar

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

The removal of small molecular weight charged compounds from aqueous solutions using membrane remains a challenge. In this study, polysulfone (PSf)- and sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK)-based membranes were fabricated via non- solvent induced phase separation process (NIPS) using N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent and water as non-solvent. Membranes were characterized structurally and morphologically, followed by toxicity assessment conducted before and after filtration, both with and without annealing at various pH values to evaluate potential leaching of trapped solvent from the membrane pores. Additionally, membrane performance was characterized using binary mixtures of cationic and anionic dyes. The results demonstrated selective filtration …

Computational Design And In Vitro And In Vivo Characterization Of An Apoe-Based Synthetic High-Density Lipoprotein For Sepsis Therapy, Ling Guo, Yaxia Yuan, Fang Zhang, Chang-Guo Zhan, Xiangan Li

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: Septic patients have low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), which is a risk factor. Replenishing HDLs with synthetic HDLs (sHDLs) has shown promise as a therapy for sepsis. This study aimed to develop a computational approach to design and test new types of sHDLs for sepsis treatment. Methods: We used a three-step computational approach to design sHDL nanoparticles based on the structure of HDLs and their binding to endotoxins. We tested the efficacy of these sHDLs in two sepsis mouse models—cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced and P. aeruginosa-induced sepsis models—and assessed their impact on inflammatory signaling in cells. Results: …

Artesunate Enhances The Efficacy Of Enzalutamide In Advanced Prostate Cancer, Xinyi Wang, Jinghui Liu, Fengyi Mao, Yifan Kong, Qiongsi Zhang, Chaohao Li, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Yanquan Zhang, Ruixin Wang, Sally R. Ellingson, Qiou Wei, Zhiguo Li, Xiaoqi Liu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of death among men worldwide. Treatments targeting the androgen receptor pathway remain the standard therapy for PCa patients. Enzalutamide (ENZ), a second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor, was developed to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, while patients initially respond to ENZ, drug resistance typically develops within a few months. Artesunate (ART), a semisynthetic derivative of the Artemisinin plant, is approved for antimalaria treatment. In this study, we conducted an FDA-approved drug screening and identified ART as a potential candidate for overcoming ENZ resistance in PCa. Mechanistically, ART induces the degradation of c-Myc, enhancing …

Crystal Structure And Hirshfeld-Surface Analysis Of The Pesticide Etoxazole, Chaluvarangaiah Sowbhagya, Thaluru M.Mohan Kumar, Hemmige S. Yathirajan, Sean Parkin

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Etoxazole (C21H23F2NO2), systematic name 4-(4-tert-butyl-2-ethoxyphenyl)-2- (2,6-difluorophenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,3-oxazole, is a fluorinated insecticide and acaricide that inhibits chitin biosynthesis, disrupting insect development by preventing proper exoskeleton formation. Widely used in agriculture since 1998, it is readily absorbed by plant tissues and translocates within leaves. Metabolic studies have identified several oxidative degradation products, while toxicological assessments have examined potential effects, including oxidative stress. This study presents a detailed crystallographic and Hirshfeld surface analysis of etoxazole. The molecule consists of a central dihydro-oxazole ring flanked by 2,6-difluorophenyl and 4-tert-butyl-2-ethoxyphenyl groups, each twisted relative to the oxazole core. The dihydro-oxazole ring is nearly planar, with the …

Comparison Of Incisional Hernia Rates Between General And Gynecological Surgery Procedures, Krista Spear, Daniel L. Davenport, Lance Butler, Margaret Plymale, John Scott Roth

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Incisional hernias are a common and costly complication of surgery, occurring in up to 20% of midline incisions within 3 years of initial operation. Risk factors for incisional hernia include incision site, fascial closure technique, body mass index (BMI), surgical site infections, and gastrointestinal surgery. Limited studies have compared procedural type as a risk factor for hernia formation. The goal of this study was to examine incisional hernia rates among general surgical and gynecologic procedures. Materials and Methods: We queried our Research Data Warehouse for inpatients who had undergone common open abdominal surgeries between January 2012 and …

The Catheter Fell Out, Peyton Mashni, Clare Savage, Michael Jax, Anna Maria Reiter, Gordon Butler, Joseph B. Zwischenberger

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: Accidental catheter removal or drain dislodgment, including tube thoracostomy, is a common, high-risk complication in hospitalized and ambulatory patients that often necessitates an additional procedure, increased length of stay, and increased cost. Methods: The aim of this study was to compare the tensile strength of pigtail catheter fixation using a simple interrupted suture, a U-stitch suture, or 2 simple interrupted skin sutures in a standardized skin model. Catheters were sutured to the skin, penetrating the collagen layer, with 1 of the 3 suture techniques and varying suture combinations. Results: For each trial, breakage occurred at the suture or knot. …

Behavioral Or Nutritional Drive, B. N. Gaskill, H. Davis, R. P. Gosselin, J. P. Garner, J. S. Radcliffe, L. A. Robbins, K. R. Pritchett-Corning

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Wire mouse feeders used in laboratory mouse cages typically hold enough food to feed 5 mice for two weeks. However, some mice gnaw the food provided into powder, which they do not ingest. The ground-up food fills the cage, resulting in miscalculations of food consumption, welfare issues with blocked water valves and frequent cage handling, more frequent cage changes, and economic issues of food wastage. There is a dearth of studies attempting to understand the causes behind food grinding behavior. This study, following on from previous work, sought to determine if the motivations behind food grinding were related to a …

Modulating Effects Of Mycotoxin And Oxidized Oil On Intestinal Microbiota In Broiler Chickens, Kouassi R. Kpodo, Daniel J. Milliken, Philip M. Campos, Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz, Merlin D. Lindemann, Sunday A. Adedokun

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Climatic change and increased use of alternative sources of feed ingredients could influence poultry production. Mycotoxin and oxidized oil are two contaminations that may occur in chicken feed as a result of climate change and use of alternative feed ingredients, and these factors may have differential and potentially additive effects on birds’ intestinal microbiota. The study objective was to determine the main effects of corn, oil quality, and their interaction on ileal content, ileal scrapings, cecal content, and whole cecum (content and tissue) microbiota in broiler chickens. Broiler chickens were raised for 21 days post-hatch and fed diet made with …

Implementation Of A Scoring Tool And Treatment Algorithm For Necrotising Enterocolitis In The Chd Population, Jamie M. Furlong-Dillard, Heron Baumgarten, Samantha L. Stone, Yana Feygin, Shannon Gabbard, David Foley, Deanna R. Todd Tzanetos

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Patients with CHD have an increased risk of necrotising enterocolitis, leading to higher mortality compared to infants without necrotising enterocolitis. Current definitions and treatment recommendations are based on premature infants and accepted criteria for diagnosing or treating necrotising enterocolitis in infants with CHD are lacking. We performed a quality improvement project to develop and implement a diagnostic scoring tool and treatment algorithm for necrotising enterocolitis in infants with CHD, aiming to enhance early diagnosis, categorise disease severity, and expedite safe return to enteral feeding. The scoring tool and algorithm were implemented in children with CHD under six months of age …

Atp-Sensitive Potassium Channels Alter Glycolytic Flux To Modulate Cortical Activity And Sleep, Nicholas J. Constantino, Caitlin M. Carroll, Holden C. Williams, Hemendra J. Vekaria, Carla M. Yuede, Kai Saito, Patrick W. Sheehan, J. Andy Snipes, Marcus E. Raichle, Erik S. Musiek, Patrick G. Sullivan, Josh M. Morganti, Lance A. Johnson, Shannon L. Macauley

Physiology Faculty Publications

Metabolism plays a key role in the maintenance of sleep/wake states. Brain lactate fluctuations are a biomarker of sleep/wake transitions, where increased interstitial fluid (ISF) lactate levels are associated with wakefulness and decreased ISF lactate is required for sleep. ATP-sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channels couple glucose-lactate metabolism with excitability. Using mice lacking K_ATP channel activity (e.g., Kir6.2^−/− mice), we explored how changes in glucose utilization affect cortical electroencephalography (EEG) activity and sleep/wake homeostasis. In the brain, Kir6.2^−/− mice shunt glucose toward glycolysis, reducing neurotransmitter biosynthesis and dampening cortical EEG activity. Kir6.2^−/− mice spent more time …

Panchromatic Absorption Of Unsymmetrical Donor-Acceptor Dyes Based On A Meta-Conjugated 1,3,5-Heteroaryltriazine Core, Jacob G. Rothera, Hi Taing, Menandro Cruz, Anton Dmitrienko, V. Nicholas Vukotic, Sean M. Ryno, Chad Risko, A. Mohan Raj, William G. Skene, S. Holger Eichhorn

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Attachment of three different heterocycles with electron donor or acceptor character to a central 1,3,5-triazine core generates readily soluble side-chain free dyes with two displaying soft crystalline mesomorphism and one displaying a nematic liquid crystal phase as confirmed by polarized optical microscopy, calorimetry, gravimetric analysis, and powder X-ray diffraction. Equally intriguing is the dyes’ relatively strong electronic communication between donor and acceptor subchromophores that are meta-conjugated to one another, which is experimentally observed as a broad intramolecular charge-transfer absorption that can extend over 100 nm past the most intense absorption event and is computationally confirmed through density functional theory (DFT) …

Media Through The Lens Of Scientific Reductionism: The Gene-Ius Of Genetic Determinism In Gattaca, Asmita Lehther

Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities

This essay examines the construct of scientific reductionism within the framework established by Andrew Niccol’s film Gattaca, illustrating how genetic determinism shapes social hierarchies and opportunities. By analyzing Vincent's struggle as an "in-valid" in a society that equates genetic superiority with worth, the essay critiques the reduction of individual potential to biological labels, revealing the oppressive nature of such systems.

Sowing The Seeds Of Confusion To Reap Content Mastery, Rebecca Mcgrail

Greater Faculties: A Review of Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Engaged Pedagogy And The Three C'S: Incorporating Student Emotions Within Institutions Of Higher Education, Kathryn Mattingly Flynn

Greater Faculties: A Review of Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Getting Students Excited About Chemistry, Jovita Daraezinwa

Greater Faculties: A Review of Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Section Two - Graddegree+ Pedagogy Development Track Reflections, Ashley Sorrell

Greater Faculties: A Review of Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.

Overcoming Students' Resistance To The Flipped Classroom, Koji Tanno

Greater Faculties: A Review of Teaching and Learning

No abstract provided.