Digital Commons Network^™

Diverse Approaches To Predicting Drug-Induced Liver Injury Using Gene-Expression Profiles, G. Rex Sumsion, Michael S. Bradshaw Iii, Jeremy T. Beales, Emi Ford, Griffin R. G. Caryotakis, Daniel J. Garrett, Emily D. Lebaron, Ifeanyichukwu O. Nwosu, Stephen R. Piccolo

Faculty Publications

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a serious concern during drug development and the treatment of human disease. The ability to accurately predict DILI risk could yield significant improvements in drug attrition rates during drug development, in drug withdrawal rates, and in treatment outcomes. In this paper, we outline our approach to predicting DILI risk using gene-expression data from Build 02 of the Connectivity Map (CMap) as part of the 2018 Critical Assessment of Massive Data Analysis CMap Drug Safety Challenge.

Nutrition Intervention Using Behavioral Change Communication Without Additional Material Inputs Increased Expenditures On Key Food Groups In Bangladesh, Andrea M. Warren, Edward A. Frongillo, Phuong H. Nguyen, Purnima Menon

Faculty Publications

Background

Behavioral change communication (BCC) promotes skills and knowledge to improve infant and young child feeding, but without additional material inputs, recipients must develop strategies to translate knowledge into action. Using data from the Alive & Thrive initiative in Bangladesh (2010–2014), we aimed to test whether households receiving the intensive intervention (opposed to the nonintensive intervention) increased expenditures on key foods for mothers and children (e.g., foods that were promoted by the intervention and also changed in maternal and child diets).

Methods

The intensive intervention provided interpersonal counseling, community mobilization, and mass media campaigns to promote breastfeeding and complementary feeding. …

How Parents Balance Desire For Religious Continuity With Honoring Children’S Religious Agency, Betsy Hughes Barrow, David C. Dollahite, Loren D. Marks

Faculty Publications

This study considers relational meanings and processes associated with parents' desire to pass on their religious faith to their children while also honoring their children's personal religious choices. In a nonclinical sample of religious families, we explored meanings related to the significance of faith transmission and children's agency to parents in addition to processes related to religious socialization. Parental desired continuity was defined as parents' desire to have their children remain committed to the faith of their family of origin. Parental perceived agency was defined as parents' perception of their children's rights and ability to make personal religious choices. Guided …

To Move Home Or Move On? Investigating The Impact Of Recovery Aid On Migration Status As A Potential Tool For Disaster Risk Reduction In The Aftermath Of Volcanic Eruptions In Merapi, Indonesia, Jonathan A. Muir, Michael R. Cope, Leslie R. Angeningish, Jorden E. Jackson

Faculty Publications

Disasters are associated strongly with forced migration. Indeed, migration is a standard survival strategy for those facing disruptions of this kind. Such is the case with Mt. Merapi, Indonesia, where a series of eruptions occurred in 2010. Mechanisms related to forced migration in such scenarios are fairly well understood, yet it remains less clear what factors may influence return migration. Given local interest in facilitating resettlement out of hazardous areas as a means of risk reduction, our objective in this study is to explore the extent to which recovery aid may create incentives for households to move on rather than …

Using Simulation To Develop Clinical Teaching Competencies In Nurse Educators, Julie Fitzwater

Faculty Publications

This report describes a research study to measure the effect of simulation on clinical educators’ knowledge and skills about effective formative feedback for prelicensure nursing students.

Subject Population: Clinical nurse educators who teach prelicensure nursing students in clinical education were recruited.

Research Design: Pre-test and post-test design with a simulation workshop for educators as the intervention. This was a pilot study.

Theoretical Frameworks: The theoretical frameworks guiding the research study include Meleis’ Transitions theory and the NLN Jeffries Simulation theory. Transitions theory addresses the situational transition when a nurse clinician takes on the new role of nurse educator. Simulation theory …

Multi-Mode Guided Wave Detection Of Various Composite Damage Types, Hanfei Mei, Robin James, Victor Giurgiutiu

Faculty Publications

This paper presents a new methodology for detecting various types of composite damage, such as delamination and impact damage, through the application of multimode guided waves. The basic idea is that various wave modes have different interactions with various types of composite damage. Using this method, selective excitations of pure-mode guided waves were achieved using adjustable angle beam transducers (ABTs). The tuning angles of various wave modes were calculated using Snell’s law applied to the theoretical dispersion curves of composite plates. Pitch–catch experiments were conducted on a 2-mm quasi-isotropic carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite plate to validate the excitations of …

A Role For Oncostatin M In The Impairment Of Glucose Homeostasis In Obesity, Irene Piquer-Garcia, Laura Campderros, Siri D. Taxerås, Aleix Gavaldà-Navarro, Rosario Pardo, María Vila, Silvia Pellitero, Eva Martínez, Jordi Tarascó, Pau Moreno, Joan Villarroya, Rubén Cereijo, Lorena González, Marjorie Reyes, Silvia Rodriguez-Fernández, Marta Vives-Pi, Carles Lerin, Carrie M. Elks, Jacqueline M. Stephens, Manel Puig-Domingo, Francesc Villarroya, Josep A. Villena, David Sánchez-Infantes

Faculty Publications

© 2019 Endocrine Society 2019. Context: Oncostatin M (OSM) plays a key role in inflammation, but its regulation and function during obesity is not fully understood. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of OSM with the inflammatory state that leads to impaired glucose homeostasis in obesity. We also assessed whether OSM immunoneutralization could revert metabolic disturbances caused by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. Design: 28 patients with severe obesity were included and stratified into two groups: (1) glucose levels /dL and (2) glucose levels >100 mg/dL. White adipose tissue was obtained to examine OSM …

Granulins Modulate Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation And Aggregation Of Prion-Like C-Terminal Domain Of The Neurodegeneration-Associated Protein Tdp-43, Anukool A. Bhopatkar, Vladimir N. Uversky, Vijay Rangachari

Faculty Publications

Tar DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) has emerged as a key player in many neurodegenerative pathologies including frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Hallmarks of both FTLD and ALS are the toxic cytoplasmic inclusions of the prion-like C-terminal fragments of TDP-43 (TDP-43 CTD), formed upon proteolytic cleavage of full-length TDP-43 in the nucleus and subsequent transport to the cytoplasm. Both full-length TDP-43 and its CTD are also known to form stress granules (SGs) by coacervating with RNA in the cytoplasm during stress and may be involved in these pathologies. Furthermore, mutations in PGRN gene, leading to haploinsufficiency …

Implementing Routine Communication About Costs Of Cancer Treatment: Perspectives Of Providers, Patients, And Caregivers, Marie Haverfield, A. E. Singer, C. Gray, A. Shelley, A. Nash, K. A. Lorenz

Faculty Publications

Objectives Rising costs in oncology care often impact patients and families directly, making communication about costs and financial impacts of treatment crucial. Cost expenditures could offer opportunities for estimation and prediction, affording personalized conversations about financial impact. We sought to explore providers’, patients’, and caregivers’ preferences towards implementing communication about cost, including when, how, and by whom such information might be provided.

Methods We conducted semi-structured phone interviews with a diverse population including 12 oncology providers, 12 patients, and 8 patient caregivers (N = 32). The constant comparative method was used to identify mutually agreed upon themes.

Results Participant groups …

Effects Of The Affordable Care Act On The Receipt Of Colonoscopies Among The Insured Elderly, Minjee Lee, M Mahmud Khan, Heather M. Brandt, Ramzi G. Salloum, Brian Chen

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) waived deductibles and eliminated coinsurance for colonoscopies for Medicare beneficiaries beginning in January 1, 2011. This study investigated the effect of the ACA's directive to remove the financial barriers on the receipt of colonoscopies among the elderly insured, who are predominantly covered by Medicare. METHODS: Data from the 2008-2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to examine the receipt of colonoscopies in two years prior to the implementation of the ACA (2008 and 2010) and three years after the change (2012, 2014, and 2016). Multivariate logistic regressions were estimated to examine the …

Thermal Degradation Of Azobenzene Dyes, Thao L. Nguyen, Mahmoud A. Saleh

Faculty Publications

Ten azobenzene dyes were tested for their thermal degradation products from ambient temperature to 800 °C using a thermogravimetric technique. Degradation products were analyzed at each 100 °C increment using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Products were identified based on their mass spectral data and their retention times. Thermal degradation from all dyes resulted in loss of the azo group as nitrogen gas and aromatic free radicals. Electron withdrawing groups enhance the dissociation of the phenyl nitrogen bond at the benzene moiety carrying the electron withdrawing group. On the other hand, electron donating groups inhibited the dissociation of the phenyl-N bond of …

Methanol Leaf Extract Of Momordica Charantia Protects Alloxan-Induced Hepatopathy Through Modulation Of Caspase-9 And Interleukin-1Β Signaling Pathways In Rats, Sunday Oluwaseun Ofuegbe, Ademola Adetokunbo Oyagbemi, Temidayo Olutayo Omobowale, Aduragbenro Deborah Adedapo, Abiodun Emmanuel Ayodele, Momoh Audu Yakubu, Oluwafemi O. Oguntibeju, Adeolu Alex Adedapo

Faculty Publications

Background and Aim: Momordica charantia is a highly valued plant, widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions. The plant is reported to have a wide range of medicinal uses. This study was designed to explore the ameliorative potential of M. charantia methanol leaf extract in alloxan-induced diabetic animal model with a particular focus on the liver. Materials and Methods: Hepatoprotective effect of methanol leaf extract of M. charantia was assessed in alloxan-induced toxicity in 50 rats divided into five groups (A-E) (n=10). Group A normal control, Group B was toxicant group, and Group C animals received glibenclamide treatment while …

Improving Bus Transit Services For Disabled Individuals: Demand Clustering, Bus Assignment, And Route Optimization, Jianbang Du, Fengxiang Qiao, Lei Yu

Faculty Publications

Bus transit provides shorter-distance public transportation services, which are subject to various disability discrimination acts with various dedicated features. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that disabled individuals shall have equal rights to receive fare bus transit services, including fixed-route and door-to-door bus services. Most previous studies were mainly focused on policy aspects as part of the efforts of disability rights. The proper planning of demand requests from disabled individuals has been a critical issue but has gained insufficient attention. The existing methodologies in planning route for special transit buses for disabled individuals normally do not consider passengers' waiting …

Effect Of Cocoa Powder On Hypertension And Antioxidant Status In Uninephrectomized Hypertensive Rats, Olayinka Christianah Jayeola, Ademola Adetokunbo Oyagbemi, Omolara Ibiwunmi Okunlola, Olayiwola Olubamiwa, Temidayo Olutayo Omobowale, Temitayo Olabisi Ajibade, Foluso Bolawaye Bolaji-Alabi, Blessing Seun Ogunpolu, Olufunke Olubunmi Falayi, Adebowale Benard Saba, Adeolu Alex Adedapo, Momoh Audu Yakubu, Afolabi Oluwadun, Oluwafemi Omoniyi Oguntibeju

Faculty Publications

Background and Aim: High salt diet and uninephrectomy are associated with high blood pressure with attendant cardiovascular disease conditions such as hypertension, renal damage, myocardial infarction, and stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of consumption of cocoa and cocoa-containing products in the management of high blood pressure in uninephrectomized hypertensive rats. Materials and Methods: The effect of cocoa powder on blood pressure, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and histopathology were investigated in uninephrectomized animals fed with cocoa feed alone or in combination with a high salt diet. Male rats were randomly divided into five …

Knock Down Of Fas-Associated Protein With Death Domain (Fadd) Sensitizes Osteosarcoma To Tnfα-Induced Cell Death, Mario G. Hollomon, La Nisha Patterson, Janice Santiago-O’Farrill, Eugenie S. Kleinerman, Nancy Gordon

Faculty Publications

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was first identified for its role in linking death receptors to the apoptotic signaling pathway with subsequent cell death. Later studies reported non-apoptotic functions for FADD in normal cells and cancer cells. Non-apoptotic functions for FADD in osteosarcoma (OS) have not been reported. In this study, FADD protein expression was knocked down in human CCHOSD, LM7, and SaOS2 OS cell lines followed by assessment of sensitivity to TNFα- or TRAIL-induced cell death. Knock down of FADD significantly increased TNFα-induced cell death in LM7 and SaOS2 cell lines. The mode of TNFα-induced cell death was …

Current Trends In The Pharmacotherapy Of Cataracts, Segewkal H. Heruye, Leonce N.Maffofou Nkenyi, Neetu U. Singh, Dariush Yalzadeh, Kalu K. Ngele, Ya Fatou Njie-Mbye, Sunny E. Ohia, Catherine A. Opere

Faculty Publications

Cataracts, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide, refers to lens degradation that is characterized by clouding, with consequent blurry vision. As life expectancies improve, the number of people affected with cataracts is predicted to increase worldwide, especially in low-income nations with limited access to surgery. Although cataract surgery is considered safe, it is associated with some complications such as retinal detachment, warranting a search for cheap, pharmacological alternatives to the management of this ocular disease. The lens is richly endowed with a complex system of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants which scavenge reactive oxygen species to preserve lens …

Media Technology And The Dissemination Of Hate, Fordham University

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Activist 101 Activities For Pre-Service Teachers, Heather K. Olson Beal, Lauren Burrow, Chrissy Cross, Amber Wagnon

Faculty Publications

This Teaching Note briefly describes three activities that can easily be integrated into any teacher education course.

Perceptions And Understanding Of Research Situations As A Function Of Consent Form Characteristics And Experimenter Instructions, Jeremy D. Heider, Jessica L. Hartnett, Emmanuel J. Perez, John E. Edlund

Faculty Publications

Two studies examined how research methodology affected participant behaviors. Study 1 tested (a) consent form perspective (1st, 2nd, or 3rd person) and (b) information on participants’ right to sue upon perceptions of coercion, ability to recall consent information, and performance on experimental tasks. Unexpectedly, participants who received instructions without the right to sue information had significantly better recall of their research rights. Study 2 manipulated (a) consent form complexity (presence or absence of jargon) and (b) the detail of verbal instructions (simple, elaborate); participants who received a consent form with simpler language spent more time on a difficult task, and …

Simulating Medical Isolation: Communicatively Managing Patient And Medical Team Safety, Elizabeth Spradley, R. Tyler Spradley

Faculty Publications

Reducing hospital acquired or associated infections (HAIs) is a national public health priority. HAIs pose risks to patients, visitors, and medical personnel. To better understand how to communicatively manage safety in medical isolation, data was collected with nursing students simulating medical isolation in a high-fidelity simulation with a medical mannequin with C. difficile. Observations of nursing students and faculty revealed four distinct communication practices: social support, patient education, humor, and storytelling. Conclusions include recommendations to intentionally design these communication practices into high-fidelity medial isolation simulations and scale up these communication practices in routines of safety.

Constituting Safety In Hunter’S Education: An Analysis Of Safety Messages In Texas Hunter’S Training Discourse, R. Tyler Spradley

Faculty Publications

Risk communication includes safety messages to reduce the likelihood of hazard and increase the likelihood of reliability. Hunter’s education in the state of Texas uses safety messages to reduce fatal or injurious incidents and to promote a positive image of hunting as a safe, leisure sport. Analysis of Texas’ hunters education training materials and messages related to safety reveals that safety messages construct an image of hunters as practicing safety first, conservationists, ethical, law abiding, and other-oriented. Given Texas safety record, much is to be learned about safety messaging that adopts a positive or ideal image that the trainee identifies.

Can Athletes Be Tough Yet Compassionate To Themselves? Practical Implications For Ncaa Mental Health Best Practice No. 4, Andreas Stamatis, Paul J. Deal, Grant B. Morgan, Jeffrey S. Forsse, Zacharias Papadakis, Sarah Mckinley-Barnard, Eric M. Scudamore, Panagiotis Koutakis

Faculty Publications

Recent tragic events and data from official NCAA reports suggest student-athletes’ wellbeing is compromised by symptoms of mental health (MH) disorders. Self-compassion (SC) and mental toughness (MT) are two psychological constructs that have been shown effective against stressors associated with sports. The purpose of this study was to investigate SC, MT, and MH in a NCAA environment for the first time and provide practical suggestions for MH best practice No.4. In total, 542 student-athletes participated across Divisions (Mage = 19.84, SD = 1.7). Data were collected through Mental Toughness Index, Self-Compassion Scale, and Mental Health Continuum–Short Form. MT, SC (including …

Ground Contact Time Imbalances Strongly Related To Impaired Running Economy, Dustin P. Joubert, Nicholas A. Guerra, Eric J. Jones, Erica G. Knowles, Aaron D. Piper

Faculty Publications

Running economy (RE) is defined as the oxygen consumption (VO2) or caloric unit cost required to move at a specific velocity and is an important performance marker. Ground contact time (GCT) has been associated with RE; however, it has not been established how GCT imbalances between feet impact RE. Purpose: Determine the relationship between cadence, GCT, and GCT imbalances and RE. Methods: 11 NCAA Division I distance runners (7 male) completed a graded exercise test on a treadmill to determine lactate threshold (LT) and VO2max. Body composition was also assessed via DEXA. Subjects ran with a heart rate monitor capable …

Comparison Of Post-Activation Potentiating Stimuli On Jump And Sprint Performance, Aaron D. Piper, Dustin P. Joubert, Eric J. Jones, Malcom T. Whitehead

Faculty Publications

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a phenomenon characterized by improved muscle performance based on the previous contractile activity of the muscle. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different potentiating stimuli on jump and sprint performance in 13 resistance trained, college-aged men and women. After determining back squat 1 repetition max, subjects returned for testing on separate days to complete one of four interventions (dynamic resistance, weighted plyometric, isometric, or control) in a randomized order. A standardized warmup was performed, followed by a baseline countermovement jump (CMJ) and 20m sprint. Following warm-up and baseline measurements, subjects performed …

U.S. Fdi And Shareholder Rights Protection In Developed And Developing Economies, Vishaal Baulkaran, Nathaniel C. Lupton

Faculty Publications

We examine the impact of shareholder rights protection on U.S multinational firms’ Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). We hypothesize that the expropriation of wealth is less likely to occur in countries with strong shareholder rights and hence, these countries will attract more FDI relative to countries with weaker shareholder rights protection. We also hypothesize that this relationship will be more important for developing countries compared to developed countries. Based on an analysis of US FDI data over the period 1997-2016, we find support for our predictions. These findings emphasize the importance of institutional development for economic development, via the attraction of …

The Effect Of Sodium Chloride On Hybrid Taxodium Selections, Anna Koonce, Edward Bush, David Creech

Faculty Publications

Saltwater intrusion is a major cause of coastal erosion. New hybrid bald cypress species have been shown to exhibit salinity tolerance compared to native bald cypress species. Planting these hybrids, or Nanjing Bot Garden genotype (NBG), trees where their roots can stabilize soil and preserve land may reduce coastal erosion in areas subjected to saltwater intrusion. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether or not selected bald cypress NBG genotype tree species survive better than native bald cypress trees in areas inundated with saline water. Leaves were harvested, dried and analyzed for their elemental concentration. NBG genotype trees …

It's Complicated: The Impact Of Marriage Legalization Among Sexual Minority Women And Gender Diverse Individuals In The United States, Laurie Drabble, Angie Wootton, Cindy Veldhuis, Ellen Perry, Ellen Riggle, Karen Trocki, Tonda Hughes

Faculty Publications

This mixed-methods study explored perceptions of the impact of marriage legalization in all U.S.states among sexual minority women and gender diverse individuals. Survey data were collectedfrom a nonprobability sample of individuals 18 years or older who identified as lesbian, bisexual,queer, same-sex attracted or something other than exclusively heterosexual—as well asindividuals who identified as transgender or gender nonbinary (for example, genderqueer, transwoman, trans man, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming). The analytic sample included 418participants in an online survey who responded to open-ended questions about the perceivedimpact of marriage legalization. Qualitative analyses revealed perceptions of marriagelegalization that situated individual meanings in the context …

Alternative Venture Capital: The New Unicorn Investors, Anat Alon-Beck

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Spectroscopic Study On Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm In The Presence Of The Aptamer-Dna Scaffolded Silver Nanoclusters, Bidisha Sengupta, Prakash Adhikari, Esther Mallet, Ronald Havner, Prabhakar Pradhan

Faculty Publications

We report the effectiveness of silver nanocluster (Ag-NC) against the biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). Two DNA aptamers specific for PA and part of their sequences were chosen as templates for growing the Ag-NC. While circular dichroism (CD) studies determined the presence of secondary structures, UV/Vis absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopic studies confirmed the formation of the fluorescent Ag-NC on the DNA templates. Furthermore, mesoscopic physics-based partial wave spectroscopy (PWS) was used to analyze the backscattered light signal that can detect the degree of nanoscale mass density/refractive index fluctuations to identify the biofilm formation, comparatively among the different aptamers with respect …

Bias And Misrepresentation Of Science Undermines Productive Discourse On Animal Welfare Policy: A Case Study, Kelly Jaakkola, Jason N. Bruck, Richard C. Connor, Stephen H. Montgomery, Stephanie L. King

Faculty Publications

Reliable scientific knowledge is crucial for informing legislative, regulatory, and policy decisions in a variety of areas. To that end, scientific reviews of topical issues can be invaluable tools for informing productive discourse and decision-making, assuming these reviews represent the target body of scientific knowledge as completely, accurately, and objectively as possible. Unfortunately, not all reviews live up to this standard. As a case in point, Marino et al.’s review regarding the welfare of killer whales in captivity contains methodological flaws and misrepresentations of the scientific literature, including problematic referencing, overinterpretation of the data, misleading word choice, and biased argumentation. …