Digital Commons Network^™

The Law Of Genetic Privacy: Applications, Implications, And Limitations, Ellen Wright Clayton, Barbara J. Evans, James W. Hazel, Mark A. Rothstein

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Recent advances in technology have significantly improved the accuracy of genetic testing and analysis, and substantially reduced its cost, resulting in a dramatic increase in the amount of genetic information generated, analysed, shared, and stored by diverse individuals and entities. Given the diversity of actors and their interests, coupled with the wide variety of ways genetic data are held, it has been difficult to develop broadly applicable legal principles for genetic privacy. This article examines the current landscape of genetic privacy to identify the roles that the law does or should play, with a focus on federal statutes and regulations, …

Salary History And Pay Parity, Jennifer Safstrom

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Inquiries about a prospective applicant's salary history are controversial because of the role such inequities play in the broader gender pay equity debate. The use of prior salary to determine compensation can perpetuate pay discrimination for women, especially women of color, and lock them into cycles of underpayment when these inequities are carried over from job to job. Reliance on salary history perpetuates historical discrimination and is antithetical to the language and purpose of Title VII and the Equal Pay Act. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the legal reasoning relied upon to interpret these laws, especially …

The Virtue Of Vulnerability: Mindfulness And Well-Being In Law Schools And The Legal Profession, Nathalie Martin

Faculty Scholarship

This article examines the role of vulnerability in transforming individual relationships, particularly the attorney-client relationship. In this essay, Martin argues that broadening our expressions can improve our client relations and decrease the likelihood that when that inevitable mistake occurs, we will be sued for it. Also, based upon virtue ethics, that practicing vulnerability is also virtuous and thus worthwhile in and of itself.

This essay starts by describing the traits people look for in lawyers as well as evidence that clients often feel that their lawyers are less than human. Then examines how legal education contributes to this problem by …

Syrian Refugee Mothers In Jordan: Perceived Social Support And Postpartum Depression, Marya Rana

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Many women suffer from postpartum depression; migrant women experience postpartum depression at rates almost triple that of the general population. This study investigated the associations between perceived social support and postpartum depression among Syrian refugee mothers living in Amman, Jordan. Eleven mothers completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) - Shortened Version. Four of those mothers also participated in individual interviews, and four others were included in a focus group. Multiple recurring themes were identified from the interviews and focus group, including: perceived differences in child and social support in …

Vulnerability And Adaptability Of Mangrove Forests On Misali Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Samantha A. Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As climate change threatens to cause heightened sea levels and decreased rainfall patterns in the Indian Ocean, mangrove forests are forced to adapt or suffer. This study aims to analyze the persistence of four prominent mangrove forests on Misali Island based on vulnerability and adaptability. The study focuses on three types of forests: overwash, coastal fringing, and scrub. Forest A, an overwash forest, was the main site of study and was surveyed for species type and seedling/sapling counts using ten transects which ranged from 40 to 91.7 meters in length. Data was analyzed in order to determine biodiversity, zonation, and …

Araneae Biodiversity In The Amazonian Foothills: An Analysis Of Family And Guild Presence Across Habitat Types, Rae Lewark

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The activity of the order Araneae within ecosystems is often considered an ecological mystery. Considered top-level trophic predators, spiders act as regulators of insect populations and have influence upon the foundation of the trophic web. In the Ecuadorian Amazonian foothills, it is important to address the lack of knowledge of the biodiversity of spiders in the region. Conducting biodiversity studies across land use gradients can begin to characterize anthropogenic impacts on neotropical spider species. This study quantifies the araneae biodiversity in the transition between the Cloud and Amazon forests in Ecuador. Populations in primary forest, secondary forest, cultivated fields and …

Barriers And Opportunities To Electric Vehicle Development In Nepal, Allyson Krupa

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the global carbon dioxide level reaches its highest point in human history (407.4 parts per million), energy systems must transition from fossil fuel to renewable-powered sources. Since the transportation sector contributes nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, electric mobility offers a significant opportunity to reduce GHG emissions. Globally, there has been a rise in demand for electric vehicles. In Nepal, a clean energy transition within the context of rising urbanization and air pollution is imperative for quality of life, socio-economic development, and broadly climate change mitigation/adaptation. Furthermore, Nepal’s vast hydropower potential may increase energy independence and provide …

The Effects Of Early Technology Use On The Development Of Young Children, Kara E. Avis

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

With technology becoming a prevalent part of daily life, early childhood experts, teachers, and parents have concerns as to what is appropriate for young children to do and use. Research shows both benefits and potential risks associated with technology use. Benefits can include enhanced creativity and collaboration with peers and adults, literacy achievement gains, language and vocabulary development, and opportunities for independence. These benefits generally occur in purposeful situations with developmentally appropriate educational content alongside adult guidance and scaffolding. Risks include health factors, cognitive and behavioral challenges, displacement of traditional developmental activities, and fewer personal interactions. These risks are more …

Aneurysm Formation, Growth, And Rupture: The Biology And Physics Of Cerebral Aneurysms., Pavlos Texakalidis, Ahmad Sweid, Nikolaos Mouchtouris, Eric C. Peterson, Chrissa Sioka, Leonardo Rangel-Castilla, John Reavey-Cantwell, Pascal Jabbour

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

Cerebral aneurysms (CAs) are characterized by a pathological wall structure with internal elastic lamina and media disruption, which leads to focal weakened pouches of the arterial wall. The prevalence of unruptured CAs has been estimated to be 2%-5% in the general population. During the past few decades, the pathophysiological mechanisms behind the formation, growth, and rupture of CAs have been the focus of numerous research studies. In the present review, we have summarized the inflammatory pathways, genetics, and risk factors for the formation, growth, and rupture of CAs. In addition, we have discussed the concepts of geometric indexes, flow patterns, …

Cogs In The Machine: Two Countries Attempt To Balance Individualized Concerns In The Pursuit Of Public Health, Oliver J. Kim

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Just like an online video going viral, healthcare can now be crowdsourced, providing a new method for public health officials to follow and analyze trends in a community’s health. For example, data that might have been impossible to collect, sort, and analyze, may now be assembled and processed in large sets by actors such as Big Tech and Big Data. Doing so could help researchers, policymakers, and public health officials make better decisions on critical interventions to improve health across entire communities. But having vast amounts of information about individuals and their health status freely flowing may raise alarm if …

Linking Science, Religious And Indigenous Communities For Environmental Care, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Ursinus Magazine, Fall 2019, Brock Blomberg, Ed Moorhouse, Steve Neumann, Domenick Scudera, Geoff Gehman

Ursinus Magazine, 1995–Present

A top national liberal arts college • Path to a graduate degree • Thinking like scientists • Commons to proudly serve Starbucks • A tribute to athletics legends • Tracing our roots • CIE at 20 • Staging history: The abridged version of The Complete History of Ursinus College [Abridged] • Celebrating 150: The pioneers and philanthropists • The artist's way • The Berman at 30 • 2001: An Ursinus odyssey • 150 Fest • Homecoming and Family Weekend • Class notes • Deaths • In memoriam • Weddings • Let's get social!

The Bulletin: Sidney Kimmel Medical College At Thomas Jefferson University, Volume 68, Issue 2, Fall 2019

The Bulletin (formerly the Jefferson Medical College Alumni Bulletin)

This issue includes:

• Dean's Column - The 195th Commencement of SKMC
• Perspectives
• On Campus
• A Message from Elizabeth A. Dale - Reimagine Jefferson
• Discovery - Know Thy Self
• Seeing the Holistic Picture - Integrative medicine is taking techniques from the past to change the future of healthcare - and Jefferson is leading the charge
• Faculty Profile - David Nash, MD, MBA
• Student Profile - Carrie Walsh
• Alumni Profile - Austin Chiang, MD, MPH, GI Fellow '18
• Class Notes
• Class Agent
• In Memoriam
• By the Numbers - The Class of 2023

Well-Behaved Librarians Rarely Make History: Juliette Hampton Morgan And Alabama Librarianship In The 1950s, Jessica Hayes

The Southeastern Librarian

Juliette Hampton Morgan was the first white Alabama librarian to publicly support racial equality and desegregation initiatives, yet she remains largely unknown amongst library professionals, including those in her home state of Alabama. Outside of Montgomery, Alabama, where the central library in which she worked was renamed in her memory, little is known of her. This is evidenced by the scant information about her in the Alabama Library Association’s archives at the University of Alabama, the lack of recognition by the Alabama Library Association, and the slight understanding of Alabama librarians regarding her role in Alabama library history. (Knowledge gained …

Sela/General News, Library News, And Personnel News

The Southeastern Librarian

Recent activities from the Southeastern Library Association, developments from SELA member institutions, and personnel news.

Seacoast Plants Of The Carolinas: A New Guide For Plant Identification And Use In The Coastal Landscape, Melinda F. Matthews

The Southeastern Librarian

Seacoast Plants of the Carolinas: A New Guide for Plant Identification and Use in the Coastal Landscape. Paul E. Hosier. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2018. ISBN 978-1-4696-4143-0 (pbk: alk. paper). 504 p. $28.00

A Wall Runs Through It: Comparing Mexican And Californian Legal Regimes In The California Floristic Province, Joseph E. Farewell

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

Habitats are often divided by international borders, leaving ecosystems in varying states of protection, development, and danger. The California Floristic Province, which traverses the United States-Mexico border, is one such example. This border, which divides a once-continuous ecological region, not only represents an international crossing, but also a shift in legal, land, and conservation regimes. These differences reveal particular vulnerabilities for California Floristic Province habitat on the Mexican side of the border region, showing that the ecosystem is in danger because of rapid real estate development pressures and unfavorable environmental laws. Accordingly, this note recommends three main changes to Mexican …

Is The Cosmos Fine-Tuned For Life, Or For The Possibility Of Life? (And Why Patristic And Medieval Demonology Might Hold Part Of The Answer), Travis Dumsday

Faith and Philosophy: Journal of the Society of Christian Philosophers

No abstract provided.

Dormant Pathogenic Cd4(+) T Cells Are Prevalent In The Peripheral Repertoire Of Healthy Mice, Anna Cebula, Michal Kuczma, Edyta Szurek, Maciej Pietrzak, Natasha Savage, Wessam R. Elhefnawy, Grzegorz Rempala, Piotr Kraj, Leszek Ignatowicz

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Thymic central tolerance eliminates most immature T cells with autoreactive T cell receptors (TCR) that recognize self MHC/peptide complexes. Regardless, an unknown number of autoreactive CD4+Foxp3⁻ T cells escape negative selection and in the periphery require continuous suppression by CD4+Foxp3⁺ regulatory cells (Tregs). Here, we compare immune repertoires of Treg-deficient and Treg-sufficient mice to find Tregs continuously constraining one-third of mature CD4⁺Foxp3⁻ cells from converting to pathogenic effectors in healthy mice. These dormant pathogenic clones frequently express TCRs activatable by ubiquitous autoantigens presented by class II MHCs on conventional dendritic cells, including selfpeptides that select …

Fall 2019

Scientia

Education Taking Flight; The Vincentian Question and the Chemistry Teacher; Science Goes Global; Minister of Hope: Neurosurgeon and cancer researcher Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, MD, believes hope is more powerful than fear; What's New: The college introduced four new programs and tracks in its offerings for the 2019-20 academic year; Lab Notes; A Teacher Who Really Counts: Golden Apple Recipient Candice Cortese (CSH MA '10) Reflects on her Love of Teaching Math; One Smart Cookie: Chemistry Student Lucienna Wolf Says, "If You Really Apply Yourself, the Teachers Are More Than Happy to Help You."

Stub1 Suppresseses Tumorigenesis And Chemoresistance Through Antagonizing Yap1 Signaling, Dong-E Tang, Yong Dai, Lie-Wen Lin, Yong Xu, Dong-Zhou Liu, Xiao-Ping Hong, Hao-Wu Jiang, Song-Hui Xu

Open Access Publications

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a component of the canonical Hippo signaling pathway that is known to play essential roles in modulating organ size, development, and tumorigenesis. Activation or upregulation of YAP1, which contributes to cancer cell survival and chemoresistance, has been verified in different types of human cancers. However, the molecular mechanism of YAP1 upregulation in cancer is still unclear. Here we report that the E3 ubiquitin ligase STUB1 ubiquitinates and destabilizes YAP1, thereby inhibiting cancer cell survival. Low levels of STUB1 expression were correlated with increased protein levels of YAP1 in human gastric cancer cell lines and patient samples. …

Association Of Circulating Ceramides With Cardiac Structure And Function In The Community: The Framingham Heart Study, Chike C Nwabuo, Meredith Duncan, Vanessa Xanthakis, Linda R Peterson, Gary F Mitchell, David Mcmanus, Susan Cheng, Ramachandran S. Vasan

Open Access Publications

Background A higher circulating plasma ceramide ratio (C16:0/C24:0) is associated with an increased risk of heart failure, even after accounting for standard risk factors including lipid markers. However, the pathobiological mechanisms that underlie this association are incompletely understood. We tested the hypothesis that plasma ceramide ratio (C16:0/C24:0) is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in the community. Methods and Results We evaluated 2652 Framingham Offspring Study participants (mean age, 66±9 years; 55% women) who attended their eighth examination cycle and underwent routine echocardiography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based assays for circulating ceramide concentrations. We used multivariable linear regression models to relate …

Astrovirus Replication In Human Intestinal Enteroids Reveals Multi-Cellular Tropism And An Intricate Host Innate Immune Landscape, Abimbola O. Kolawole, Andrew B Janowski, David Wang, Christiane E. Wobus, Et Al.

Open Access Publications

Human astroviruses (HAstV) are understudied positive-strand RNA viruses that cause gastroenteritis mostly in children and the elderly. Three clades of astroviruses, classic, MLB-type and VA-type have been reported in humans. One limitation towards a better understanding of these viruses has been the lack of a physiologically relevant cell culture model that supports growth of all clades of HAstV. Herein, we demonstrate infection of HAstV strains belonging to all three clades in epithelium-only human intestinal enteroids (HIE) isolated from biopsy-derived intestinal crypts. A detailed investigation of infection of VA1, a member of the non-canonical HAstV-VA/HMO clade, showed robust replication in HIE …

Intermediate-High Risk Pulmonary Embolism, Rosa Mirambeaux, Francisco León, Behnood Bikdeli, Raquel Morillo, Deisy Barrios, Edwin Mercedes, Lisa Moores, Victor Tapson, Roger D. Yusen, David Jiménez

Open Access Publications

Limited information exists about the prevalence, management, and outcomes of intermediate-high risk patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). In a prospective cohort study, we evaluated consecutive patients with intermediate-high risk PE at a large, tertiary, academic medical center between January 1, 2015 and March 31, 2019. Adjudicated outcomes included PE-related mortality and a complicated course through 30 days after initiation of PE treatment. Repeat systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate (HR), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) measurements, and echocardiography were performed within 48 hours after diagnosis. Among 1,015 normotensive patients with acute PE, 97 (9.6%) had …

Sequence Specificity Despite Intrinsic Disorder: How A Disease-Associated Val/Met Polymorphism Rearranges Tertiary Interactions In A Long Disordered Protein, Ruchi Lohia, Reza Salari, Grace Brannigan

Open Access Publications

The role of electrostatic interactions and mutations that change charge states in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is well-established, but many disease-associated mutations in IDPs are charge-neutral. The Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the earliest SNPs to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, and the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. Here we report on over 250 μs of fully-atomistic, explicit solvent, temperature replica-exchange molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the 91 residue BDNF prodomain, for both the V66 and M66 sequence. The simulations were able to correctly reproduce the location of both local and …

Open-Sourced Civic Annotation Pipeline To Identify And Annotate Clinically Relevant Variants Using Single-Molecule Molecular Inversion Probes, Erica K Barnell, Adam Waalkes, Matt C Mosior, Kelsi Penewit, Kelsy C Cotto, Arpad M Danos, Lana M Sheta, Katie M Campbell, Kilannin Krysiak, Damian Rieke, Nicholas C Spies, Zachary L Skidmore, Colin C Pritchard, Todd A Fehniger, Ravindra Uppaluri, Ramaswamy Govindan, Malachi Griffith, Stephen J Salipante, Obi L Griffith

Open Access Publications

PURPOSE: Clinical targeted sequencing panels are important for identifying actionable variants for patients with cancer; however, existing approaches do not provide transparent and rationally designed clinical panels to accommodate the rapidly growing knowledge within oncology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Clinical Interpretations of Variants in Cancer (CIViC) database to develop an Open-Sourced CIViC Annotation Pipeline (OpenCAP). OpenCAP provides methods to identify variants within the CIViC database, build probes for variant capture, use probes on prospective samples, and link somatic variants to CIViC clinical relevance statements. OpenCAP was tested using a single-molecule molecular inversion probe (smMIP) capture design on 27 …

Optimizing Postprandial Glucose Management In Adults With Insulin-Requiring Diabetes: Report And Recommendations, John (Jack) L. Leahy, Grazia Aleppo, Vivian A. Fonseca, Satish K. Garg, Irl B. Hirsch, Anthony L. Mccall, Janet B. Mcgill, William H. Polonsky

Open Access Publications

Faster-acting insulins, new noninsulin drug classes, more flexible insulin-delivery systems, and improved continuous glucose monitoring devices offer unprecedented opportunities to improve postprandial glucose (PPG) management and overall care for adults with insulin-treated diabetes. These developments led the Endocrine Society to convene a working panel of diabetes experts in December 2018 to assess the current state of PPG management, identify innovative ways to improve self-management and quality of life, and align best practices to current and emerging treatment and monitoring options. Drawing on current research and collective clinical experience, we considered the following issues for the ∼200 million adults worldwide with …

A Human Stat1 Gain-Of-Function Mutation Impairs Cd8 + T Cell Responses Against Gammaherpesvirus 68, Wei Qian, Cathrine A Miner, Harshad Ingle, Derek J Platt, Megan T Baldridge, Jonathan J Miner

Open Access Publications

Autosomal dominant STAT1 mutations in humans have been associated with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC), as well as with increased susceptibility to herpesvirus infections. Prior studies have focused on mucosal and Th17-mediated immunity against

Phase I, Open-Label, Dose-Escalation Study Of The Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, And Efficacy Of Gsk2879552 In Relapsed/Refractory Sclc, Todd M Bauer, Benjamin Besse, Alex Martinez-Marti, Jose Manuel Trigo, Victor Moreno, Pilar Garrido, Geraldine Ferron-Brady, Yuehui Wu, Jennifer Park, Therese Collingwood, Ryan G Kruger, Helai P Mohammad, Marc S Ballas, Arindam Dhar, Ramaswamy Govindan

Open Access Publications

INTRODUCTION: This first-time-in-humans study assessed the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and clinical activity of GSK2879552 in patients with relapsed or refractory SCLC.

METHODS: This phase I, multicenter, open-label study (NCT02034123) enrolled patients (≥18 years old) with relapsed or refractory SCLC (after ≥1 platinum-containing chemotherapy or refusal of standard therapy). Part 1 was a dose-escalation study; Part 2 was a dose-expansion study. Dose escalations were based on safety, PK, and PD. The primary end point (Part 1) was to determine the safety, tolerability, and recommended dose and regimen of GSK2879552. Secondary end points were to characterize PK and PD parameters …

Exploration Of Dairy Calf Management Practices And Educational Needs In Vermont, Mia Cosentino, Julia M. Smith

Journal of Extension

Proper calf care is important on dairy farms as management practices affect animal well-being and productivity as well as farm profitability. This article highlights areas of calf management needing improvement according to the results of a mixed-mode survey intended to provide a snapshot of calf management practices in Vermont. Areas for which improvement is needed aligned with farmers' identification of topics of interest and included calving management, nutrition (particularly neonatal feeding practices), and biosecurity (including vaccination). Extension professionals can draw on information about practices needing improvement and topics of interest to farmers to better position themselves to provide outreach tailored …