Digital Commons Network^™

Multi-Omics: Differential Expression Of Ifn-Γ Results In Distinctive Mechanistic Features Linking Chronic Inflammation, Gut Dysbiosis, And Autoimmune Diseases, Heekyong R. Bae, Patrick S. C. Leung, Deborah L. Hodge, John M. Fenimore, Seon Min Jeon, Vishal Thovarai, Amiran Dzutsev, Andrew A. Welcher, Michael Boedigheimer, Michael A. Damore, Myung Sook Choi, Richard A. Fravell, Giorgio Trinchieri, M. Eric Gershwin, Howard A. Young

United States Public Health Resources

Low grade, chronic inflammation is a critical risk factor for immunologic dysfunction including autoimmune diseases. However, the multiplicity of complex mechanisms and lack of relevant murine models limit our understanding of the precise role of chronic inflammation. To address these hurdles, we took advantage of multi-omics data and a unique murine model with a low but chronic expression of IFN-γ, generated by replacement of the AU-rich element (ARE) in the 3’ UTR region of IFN-γ mRNA with random nucleotides. Herein, we demonstrate that low but differential expression of IFN-γ in mice by homozygous or heterozygous ARE replacement triggers distinctive gut …

Gold & Blue, Spring/Summer 2020, St. Mary's University- San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Spring/Summer 2020 edition of Gold & Blue which is St. Mary's University's official school publication.

Defining A Research Agenda For Layperson Prehospital Hemorrhage Control: A Consensus Statement, Eric Goralnic, Chibuike Ezeib, Muhammad Ali Chaudhary, Justin Mccarty, Juan P. Herrera-Escobar, Tomas Andriotti, Elzerie De Jager, Daniel Ospina-Delgado, Craig Goolsby, Adil H. Haider

Section of General Surgery

Importance: Trauma is the leading cause of death for US individuals younger than 45 years, and uncontrolled hemorrhage is a major cause of trauma mortality. The US military's medical advancements in the field of prehospital hemorrhage control have reduced battlefield mortality by 44%. However, despite support from many national health care organizations, no integrated approach to research has been made regarding implementation, epidemiology, education, and logistics of prehospital hemorrhage control by layperson immediate responders in the civilian sector.
Objective: To create a national research agenda to help guide future work for prehospital hemorrhage control by laypersons.
Evidence review: The 2-day, …

Intersectionality Between Sex/Gender And Race/Ethnicity On Cognitive Trajectories And Development Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Justina Frances Avila-Rieger

Psychology ETDs

The current study examined the interactive effects of race/ethnicity and sex/gender on cognitive trajectories of older adults. Participants were a total of 5258 non-Hispanic White (NHW), Black, and Hispanic men and women in the Washington/Hamilton Heights/Inwood Columbia Aging Project. Multiple-group latent growth curve modeling was used to examine trajectories across sex/gender by racial/ethnic groups and to determine the relationship between specific socio-cultural/health indicators and cognitive decline, including childhood socioeconomic position, years of education, adult income and occupation, cardiovascular risk factors, and marital status. Sex/gender differences in baseline cognitive test performance varied as a function of race/ethnicity and racial/ethnic differences in …

Dna Barcoding Of Fish Eggs Collected Off Northwestern Cuba And Across The Florida Straits Demonstrates Egg Transport By Mesoscale Eddies, Makenzie Kerr, Jeremy Browning, Eva‐Maria Bønnelycke, Yingjun Zhang, Chuanmin Hu, Maickel Armenteros, Steven Murawski, Ernst B. Peebles, Mya Breitbart

Marine Science Faculty Publications

Identifying spawning sites for broadcast spawning fish species is a key element of delineating critical habitat for managing and regulating marine fisheries. Genetic barcoding has enabled accurate taxonomic identification of individual fish eggs, overcoming limitations of morphological classification techniques. In this study, planktonic fish eggs were collected at 23 stations along the northwestern coast of Cuba and across the Florida Straits to United States waters. A total of 564 fish eggs were successfully identified to 89 taxa within 30 families, with the majority of taxa being resolved to species. We provide new spawning information for Luvarus imperialis (Louvar), Bothus lunatus …

Natural Geochemical Markers Reveal Environmental History And Population Connectivity Of Common Cuttlefish In The Atlantic Ocean And Mediterranean Sea, Jay R. Rooker, R. J.David Wells, Piero Addis, Haritz Arrizabalaga, Miguel Baptista, Giovanni Bearzi, Michael A. Dance, Igaratza Fraile, Thomas Lacoue-Labarthe, Jessica M. Lee, Persefoni Megalofonou, Rui Rosa, Ignacio Sobrino, António V. Sykes, Roger Villanueva

Faculty Publications

Natural markers (δ 13 C and δ 18 O stable isotopes) in the cuttlebones of the European common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) were determined for individuals collected across a substantial portion of their range in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean (NEAO) and Mediterranean Sea. Cuttlebone δ 13 C and δ 18 O were quantified for core and edge material to characterize geochemical signatures associated with early (juvenile) and recent (sub-adult/adult) life-history periods, respectively. Regional shifts in cuttlebone δ 13 C and δ 18 O values were detected across the 12 sites investigated. Individuals collected from sites in the NEAO displayed more enriched …

2019-2020 Annual Report, Southern Illinois University Board Of Trustees

Annual Report Archive

No abstract provided.

A Novel Indication For Oocyte Cryopreservation Prior To Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation For Refractory Multiple Sclerosis, Neal R. Trulock, Luke Ying, Edward Zbella, Mark Sanchez

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2020

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune mediated inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system characterized by focal ovoid like lesions of demyelination seen on MRI(1,2). The etiology of MS is unknown, however inflammation followed by CNS demyelination and axonal degeneration are known to be part of the pathologic processes that lead to the disease (1). The mean age of onset of MS is 28-31 years old and tends to affect women more often then men with a ratio of 2.3:1 (3,4) . Other risk factors associated with MS include vitamin D deficiency, smoking, and certain viruses (5). The pattern of …

Uis Commission On Volcanic Caves Newsletter, No. 76, July 2020, Ed Waters

Union Internationale de Spéléologie (UIS) Commission on Volcanic Caves

Contents: Editorial -- Message from the Chairman -- Hawai'i Lava Caving - 2020 -- Announcement - Postponement of ISV19 -- ISV19 - A Letter from Carmelo Bucolo -- ISV19-A Letter from Roberto Conti -- ISV19 - A Letter from Giuseppe Priolo -- Offer to host ISV 20- Vietnam -- Stop Press!

Humanism In The Americas, Carol W. White

Faculty Contributions to Books

This chapter provides an overview of select trends, ideas, themes, and figures associated with humanism in the Americas, which comprises a diversified set of peoples, cultural traditions, religious orientations, and socio-economic groups. In acknowledging this rich tapestry of human life, the chapter emphasizes the impressive variety of developments in philosophy, the natural sciences, literature, religion, art, social science, and political thought that have contributed to the development of humanism in the Americas. The chapter also features modern usages of humanism that originated in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth century. In this context, humanism is best viewed as a contested …

Vesicular And Uncoated Rab1-Dependent Cargo Carriers Facilitate Er To Golgi Transport, Laura M. Westrate, Melissa J. Hoyer, Michael J. Nash, Gia K. Voeltz

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Secretory cargo is recognized, concentrated and trafficked from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites (ERES) to the Golgi. Cargo export from the ER begins when a series of highly conserved COPII coat proteins accumulate at the ER and regulate the formation of cargo-loaded COPII vesicles. In animal cells, capturing live de novo cargo trafficking past this point is challenging; it has been difficult to discriminate whether cargo is trafficked to the Golgi in a COPII-coated vesicle. Here, we describe a recently developed live-cell cargo export system that can be synchronously released from ERES to illustrate de novo trafficking in animal cells. …

Abstract Book (Pdf), School Of Medicine

Summer Research Internship Program

Abstract Book for the 2020 Summer Research Internship Program.
Participants are listed alphabetically by last name.

Disentangling The Independent Contributions Of Visual And Conceptual Features To The Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Scene Categorization, Michelle R. Greene, Bruce C. Hansen

All Faculty Scholarship

Human scene categorization is characterized by its remarkable speed. While many visual and conceptual features have been linked to this ability, significant correlations exist between feature spaces, impeding our ability to determine their relative contributions to scene categorization. Here, we used a whitening transformation to decorrelate a variety of visual and conceptual features and assess the time course of their unique contributions to scene categorization. Participants (both sexes) viewed 2250 full-color scene images drawn from 30 different scene categories while having their brain activity measured through 256-channel EEG. We examined the variance explained at each electrode and time point of …

Introducing An Indigenous Non-Toxigenic Aspergillus Flavus Strain Isolated From Iraqi Corn Grains As A Bio-Control Agent To Reduce Aflatoxin Contamination In Corn Grains, Ali Almatakeez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mycotoxin contamination of cereal crops, such as maize and sorghum, is a global concern because of the potential health effects on humans and animals. Although substantial research has been conducting regarding mycotoxin prevention and mitigation, little information is available about the association of mycotoxin-producing fungi with corn and sorghum grain in Iraq. Identifying and refining indigenous atoxigenic strains to reduce mycotoxin contamination of maize and sorghum has the potential to enhance the nutritional value of these grains while reducing economic losses. However, to our knowledge, this tactic has not yet been adopted by agricultural authorities and farmers in Iraq. To …

Structural Analysis Of The Multifunctional Spoiie Regulatory Protein Of Clostridioides Difficile., Blythe Emily Bunkers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Clostridioides (formally Clostridium) difficile is a medically relevant pathogen pertinent to infectious disease research. C. difficile is distinctly known for its ability to produce two toxins, enterotoxin A and cytotoxin B, and the propensity to colonize the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. It is known that metabolism is tightly correlated with sporulation in endospore producers such as C. difficile, but an interesting and novel regulatory relationship found by the Ivey lab has yet to be understood. The relationship explored in this study is observed between the sporulation factor, SpoIIE, which represses expression of an ABC peptide transporter, app. In this study, two …

Genetic Architecture Of Salt And Drought Tolerance In Cowpea, Waltram Second Ravelombola

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a diploid and nutrient-dense legume species. It provides affordable source of protein to human. Cowpea cultivation is prevalent in Africa, Asia, the western and southern U.S., and Central and South America. However, earlier reports have shown that drought and salt stress can be devastating to cowpea production. The objectives of this study were to screen for salt and drought tolerance in cowpea and to identify molecular markers associated with these traits. Simple methodologies to screen for drought (Chapter 2) and salt tolerance were developed (Chapter 3). Results suggested that: 1) a total of 14, …

The Kinetic Study Of Dpt Using Mathematica As An Efficient Optimization Tool, Marwa Eldewaik, Mamdouh A. Gadalla Prof., M A. Radwan, M.A Sadek, Hany A. Elazab

Basic Science Engineering

Mathematica is an efficient and optimized tool for computing numeric and algebraic calculations as well as graphing two and three dimensional curves and surfaces. It is used in several aspects of science including physics, engineering, chemistry and even biology due to the impact of mathematics with almost the fields of science nowadays. Synthesis of Cyclotetramethylene Tetramine through the action of nitrating mixture formed of ammonium nitrate and fuming nitric acid on hexamine in presence of acetic acid, acetic anhydride and p-formaldehyde has been proven. DPT was prepared at different temperatures. The variation of some factors like: temperature and time has …

H2s Donor Gyy4137 Ameliorates Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathic Pain In Mice, Bedoor Qabazard, Willias Masocha, Maitham Khajah, Philip Adebayo

Faculty of Health Sciences, East Africa

Paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain (PINP) is a dose-limiting side effect that largely affects the patient’s quality of life and may limit the use of the drug as a chemotherapeutic agent for treating metastatic breast cancer and other solid tumors. Recently, a putative role for the gaseous mediator hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in nociception modulation has been suggested. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential efficacy of the slow release H2S donor GYY4137 to alleviate and prevent PINP. Female BALB/c mice that were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with paclitaxel (2 mg/kg) for 5 consecutive days developed thermal hyperalgesia, cold and …

Behavioral Science/Health Education

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Presentations Included:

Addressing Oral Health, Safety, Under-Immunization, and Nutrition in the Local Refugee and Immigrant Communities (OSHUN)
Dakota Buhrman, Miranda E. Gerrard, Meredith Rahman, Vaishnavi Sridhar, and Vydia Permashwar

Maternal Body Mass Index and Breastfeeding Outcomes: A Systematic Review
M. M. Achike

Priyadarshini Pattath

Examining the Association Between Race and Mental Health on Lifetime Frequency of E-Nicotine Use in U.S. Adults
Trenece L. Wilson, James S. Clifford, Courtney T. Blondino, and Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley

Assessing and Evaluating the Health Status of the Hispanic Population in Laurel, Maryland
A. A. Ojo, M. Starkey, and R. Lane

Maternal and Child Health Assessment …

Novel Oral Drug Delivery Systems For Steroids: Overview And Recent Updates, Manikanta Sai Ganapa, Saurabh Shekhar Mhatre, Sushil Yadaorao Raut, Abhijeet Pandey

Open Access archive

This review summarises the oral route of drug delivery of steroids. Oral drug delivery is widespread owing to its non-invasive nature which complements high patient compliance. This article summarises the problems associated with oral delivery of steroids including bioavailability. In this review, a brief description of the novel types of drug delivery systems of steroids such as microspheres, nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, multi-matrix tablets, pellet technology, liposomes are presented. The review also presents the latest innovations and advances that have been achieved in recent years.

Schwannoma: An Uncommon Dweller In The Adrenal Gland, Chaithra Venkataramana, Saraswathy Sreeram, P. Santosh Rai, G. Laxman Prabhu

Open Access archive

An elderly adult woman presented with upper abdominal pain to the urology department. Imaging studies revealed a right adrenal lesion with central necrosis, abutting the large vessels and suggestive of malignancy. Histopathology showed an encapsulated spindle cell tumor with marked nuclear atypia, cystic change, and hemorrhage. S100 immunomarker was strongly and diffusely positive. Final diagnosis was ancient schwannoma with secondary change. Schwannomas are rare in the adrenal gland, with <50 cases reported in the literature. These incidentally detected nonfunctional adrenal tumors need confirmation with histopathology and ancillary studies.

Experimental Investigation And Anfis-Based Modelling During Machining Of En31 Alloy Steel, Ishwer Shivakoti, Lewlyn L.R. Rodrigues, Robert Cep, Premendra Mani Pradhan

Open Access archive

This research presents the parametric effect of machining control variables while turning EN31 alloy steel with a Chemical Vapor deposited (CVD) Ti(C, N) + Al2O3 + TiN coated carbide tool insert. Three machining parameters with four levels considered in this research are feed, revolutions per minute (RPM), and depth of cut (ap). The influences of those three factors on material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness (Ra), and cutting force (Fc) were of specific interest in this research. The results showed that turning control variables has a substantial influence on the process responses. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates an adaptive neuro fuzzy …

Innovative Undergraduate Degrees At Uab Offer Students Hands-On Experiences, Alicia Rohan

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

What's Left Of The Affordable Care Act?, Helen Levy, Andrew Ying, Nicholas Bagley

Articles

We assess the progress of the Affordable Care Act a decade after it became law. Although most of it remains intact, some parts have been repealed and others have not been implemented as expected. We review how and why the law has aged. Legal challenges have done less damage than is commonly appreciated, with the exception of the Supreme Court case that thwarted full expansion of Medicaid. Most of the important changes have other sources. Some parts were born to fail. Others were dismantled in response to interest-group pressure. Still others have failed to thrive for any number of reasons. …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Christian School Special Needs Student Test Scores Based On Teacher Degree, Daniel Lee Riley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Special education is a field that is expanding at a rapid pace. A second field of education that has been in existence for only a few decades is the modern Christian K-12 day school. The merging of the two of these phenomena in education creates a research platform that few have studied in unison. There is little research when pairing these two fields, but the need to study them is great. This study will focus on the academic achievement of students with special needs, based upon standardized math and reading test scores, using the Stanford 10 (SAT 10) standardized assessment …

Tying Wellness Into Action: A Phenomenological Study Of Graduate Counseling Fieldwork Students At A Christian University, Daniel E. Reyes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mental health professionals take more days off for illness than other health-care professionals do, and many practicing counselors perceive their colleagues as stressed, distressed, and even impaired. Hence, counselor-education programs should focus on equipping future practitioners to practice better self-care when dealing with work-related stress. There appear to be numerous gaps in the literature on encouraging wellness in counselors-in-training (CITs), and no rigorous empirical study has been conducted on CITs’ wellness at a faith-based institution. This phenomenological study focused on investigating the lived wellness experiences of seven graduate counseling students at a Christian university, in a program accredited by the …

A Field Theory Guided Quantitative Study Into Environmental Forces Impacting Christian Leadership And Instrument Development, Leonard Scott Momeny

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study was to determine and then evaluate perceptions of Christian seminary students with recent ministry related leadership experience on the environmental factors and forces, both internal and external, that either enable or constrain the efforts of the modern Christian leader. Christian leadership study, much like general leadership study tends to focus directly upon the leader, thus ignoring the potential impact of environmental variables upon resultant leadership. For this knowledge gap to be properly investigated a new instrument, based upon work by Dr. David Dockery, was developed, refined, and utilized to investigate the perception of …

Pastoral Stress: The Urgent Need For Self-Care, Remiel Lockwood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastors are called to the ministry of helps while also needing help. The care and counseling they offer others can also be beneficial to them. Unfortunately, they are often so busy helping others they may neglect themselves and their families. Consequently, what is meant to be a blessing becomes a curse. Pastors often suffer with the silent frustrations of their call, personal temptations, family pressures and career desires while struggling to hold it together. The pastor may be limited in who can be entrusted with the deep concerns of their hearts. Everybody needs someone they can talk with and the …

The Difference In The Sense Of Community Between Male And Female Students In An International School In Saudi Arabia, Leon Mcauthur Lee Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study sought to examine and determine the difference in sense of community in female and male students in an international school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The independent variable in this study was the biological sex (male and female), and the dependent variable was their sense of community score. This quantitative research used sense of community theory developed by McMillan and Chavis as the foundation of the study. The researcher used a casual-comparative design to analyze the effects of the variables in the study. The students completed a Sense of Community Index (SCI-2) survey to provide the data for this …

Making Meaning Of Mindfulness In The Lives Of Law School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Lisa Benjamin Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study phenomenological study was to understand how law school students make meaning of mindfulness as it relates to stress during law school. The Monitoring and Acceptance Theory guided this research study to understand the meaning of mindfulness and stress associated with law school. The Self-determination Theory tenet of autonomy also increased the ability to understand a mindfulness approach to managing stress. The central question of the study is: What are the lived experiences of law students and their mindfulness practice? The phenomenological study was grounded in constructivist methodology and viewed the truth as relative, and values …