Digital Commons Network^™

Antimony Release From Polyester Textiles By Artificial Sweat Solutions: A Call For A Standardized Procedure, Marc Biver, Andrew Turner, Montserrat Filella

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Early Detection Of Alzheimer's Disease With Blood Plasma Proteins Using Support Vector Machines, Chima S. Eke, Emmanuel Jammeh, Xinzhong Li, Camille Carroll, Stephen Pearson, Emmanuel Ifeachor

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Identification Of Deliberate Catheter Motion At The Left Atrial Posterior Wall During Pulmonary Vein Isolation: Validity Of Respiratory Motion Adjustment, Dr Tomlinson, K Biscombe, J True, J Hosking, Aj Streeter

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Earthworm Density Differences Among Tallgrass Prairies Over Time In The Ozark Highlands, Carlee Hensley, Kristofor R. Brye, Mary C. Savin, Edward E. Gbur, Lisa S. Wood

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

To mitigate the loss of tallgrass prairies through fragmentation and conversion to other land uses, prairie restoration efforts have been undertaken to reclaim areas that have been previously used for agricultural production. Earthworms are a key component of the soil ecology of natural, undisturbed ecosystems. However, limited research exists on earthworm populations in prairie restorations and how earthworm densities may change over time. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate earthworm densities in the upper 20 cm of soil over time (i.e., May 2007 and May 2019) in a native prairie and chronosequence of three prairie restorations (i.e., …

Human Monocyte-Derived Macrophage Responses To M. Tuberculosis Differ By The Host’S Tuberculosis, Diabetes Or Obesity Status, And Are Enhanced By Rapamycin, Blanca I. Restrepo, Arshad Khan, Vipul K. Singh, Erica De Leon, Genesis P. Aguillón-Durán, Eder Ledezma-Campos, David H. Canaday, Chinnaswamy Jagannath

School of Medicine Publications

Human macrophages play a major role in controlling tuberculosis (TB), but their anti-mycobacterial mechanisms remain unclear among individuals with metabolic alterations like obesity (TB protective) or diabetes (TB risk). To help discern this, we aimed to: i) Evaluate the impact of the host’s TB status or their comorbidities on the anti-mycobacterial responses of their monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), and ii) determine if the autophagy inducer rapamycin, can enhance these responses. We used MDMs from newly diagnosed TB patients, their close contacts and unexposed controls. The MDMs from TB patients had a reduced capacity to activate T cells (surrogate for antigen presentation) …

The Sglt2 Inhibitor Empagliflozin Attenuates Interleukin-17a-Induced Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation And Migration By Targeting Traf3ip2/Ros/Nlrp3/Caspase-1-Dependent Il-1Β And Il-18 Secretion, Sergiy Sukhanov, Yusuke Higashi, Tadashi Yoshida, Srinivas Mummidi, Annayya R. Aroor, Jacob Jeffrey Russell, Shawn B. Bender, Vincent G. Demarco, Bysani Chandrasekar

School of Medicine Publications

Chronic inflammation and persistent oxidative stress contribute to the development and progression of vascular proliferative diseases. We hypothesized that the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-17A induces oxidative stress and amplifies inflammatory signaling in human aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) via TRAF3IP2-mediated NLRP3/caspase-1-dependent mitogenic and migratory proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18. Further, we hypothesized that these maladaptive changes are prevented by empagliflozin (EMPA), an SGLT2 (Sodium/Glucose Cotransporter 2) inhibitor. Supporting our hypotheses, exposure of cultured SMC to IL-17A promoted proliferation and migration via TRAF3IP2, TRAF3IP2-dependent superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production, NLRP3 expression, caspase-1 activation, and IL-1β and IL-18 secretion. Furthermore, NLRP3 knockdown, …

Molecular And Physiological Responses Of Rice And Weedy Rice To Heat And Drought Stress, Leonard Bonilha Piveta, Nilda Roma-Burgos, Jose Alberto Noldin, Vivian Ebeling Viana, Claudia De Oliveira, Fabiane Pinto Lamego, Luis Antonio De Avila

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rice is the staple food for about half of the world population. Rice grain yield and quality are affected by climatic changes. Arguably, rice cultivars’ genetic diversity is diminished from decades of breeding using narrow germplasm, requiring introgressions from other Oryza species, weedy or wild. Weedy rice has high genetic diversity, which is an essential resource for rice crop improvement. Here, we analyzed the phenotypic, physiological, and molecular profiles of two rice cultivars (IRGA 424 and SCS119 Rubi) and five weedy rice (WR), from five different Brazilian regions, in response to heat and drought stress. Drought and heat stress affected …

Involvement Of Tgfβ Signaling Pathway In Oxidative Stress And Diabetic Retinopathy, Reanna Rodriguez, Kristine L. Lowe, Megan Keniry, Andrew Tsin

School of Medicine Publications

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of blindness in the U.S. However, not much is known of underlying molecular mechanism and how oxidative stress contributes to its development. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of TGFβ signaling pathway on the effect of oxidative stress on VEGF secretion and viability of retinal cells. VEGF is the hallmark that exacerbates DR progression in prolonged diabetes. Some major concerns that have arisen are the underlying effects of antioxidants in elevating VEGF secretion in diabetes. In this study, we evaluated how hypoxia (or low oxygen) impacts viability and VEGF secretion using …

Wastewater-Recovered Struvite Effects On Total Extractable Phosphorus Compared With Other Phosphorus Sources, Ryder Anderson, Kristofor R. Brye, Lauren Greenlee, Trenton L. Roberts, Edward Gbur

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Intentional precipitation of the phosphorus (P)-containing mineral struvite (MgNH₄PO₄ · 6H₂O) is an attractive option in sustainable water management due to the ability to recover P from various waste sources. Limited research has assessed struvite's potential as a fertilizer P source in agronomic soils compared with other conventional fertilizer P sources under flooded soil conditions, common for lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.). The objective of this study was to evaluate total extractable soil P over time from a wastewater-recovered struvite (ST) material in a plant-less soil incubation with two silt-loam (SiL) and a silty …

Electrochemically Precipitated Struvite Effects On Extractable Nutrients Compared With Other Fertilizer-Phosphorus Sources, Ryder Anderson, Kristofor R. Brye, Laszlo Kekedy-Nagy, Lauren Greenlee, Edward Gbur, Trenton Roberts

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recovery of struvite, or magnesium ammonium phosphate (MgNH₄PO₄ · 6H₂O), from wastewater streams may provide an alternative to traditional P fertilizers. Little research has assessed the behavior of struvite relative to other commercially available, fertilizer-P sources in historically row-cropped soils in the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate total extractable P and other nutrients from electrochemically (ECST) and chemically precipitated struvite (CPST) compared with triple superphosphate (TSP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), and rock phosphate (RP) in a moist-soil incubation without plants using varying soil textures (loam, silt loam, and …

Characterizing Expansiveness And Iron Reducibility Of Red-Clay Soils For The Purpose Of On-Site Wastewater System Placement In Arkansas, Bailey Darnell, Kristofor R. Brye, Larry T. West, Lisa S. Wood, David M. Miller

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The lack of iron-reducing capability in some red soils poses an issue for determining the suitability for on-site wastewater treatment systems (OSWWTS). The Arkansas Department of Health allows for placement of OSWWTS in certain red-clay soils that have the potential for iron reduction and do not show expansiveness upon wetting, but only in the Ozark Highlands (Major Land Resource Area [MLRA] 116A), which is referred to as the red-soil exception. The objectives of this study were (a) to confirm the nonexpansiveness and iron reducibility of select soils in the Ozark Highlands that meet the criteria for the red-soil exception, and …

Race-Conscious Jury Selection, Anna Offit

Faculty Publications

Among the central issues in scholarship on the American jury is the effect of Batson v. Kentucky (1986) on discriminatory empanelment. Empirical legal research has confirmed that despite the promise of the Batson doctrine, both peremptory strikes and challenges for cause remain tools of racial exclusion. But these studies, based on post facto interviews, transcript analysis, and quantitative methods offer little insight into Batson’s critical impact on real-time decision-making and strategy in voir dire. If we increasingly know what kinds of juries are produced in the post-Batson world, we know very little about how they are produced.

This …

Corporate Commitment To International Law, Jay Butler

Faculty Publications

Corporations are increasingly important actors in international law. But vital questions underlying this development have long gone unanswered: How and why do corporations commit to international law?

This article constructs a general account of business interaction with international legal obligation and suggests that a gateway to demystifying this persistent puzzle lies in corporate opinio juris.

Corporate opinio juris describes a company's subscription to a rule of international law, even though the company is not technically bound by that rule. This subscription functions as a kind of pledge that, once made, has sway over the company and its peers and symbiotically …

Civil Disobedience In Latter-Day Saint Thought, Nathan B. Oman

Faculty Publications

The twelfth article of faith declares, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law” (A of F 1:12). On its face, this statement seems to be an unqualified acceptance of legal authority, one that would suggest that Latter-day Saints ought to shun civil disobedience. However, a closer look at Restoration scripture, teachings, and experience reveals a more complicated picture. To be sure, law-abidingness has long been central to the Saints’ identity, particularly in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and like the New Testament, Restoration scripture generally accepts the need to …

Cellular And Molecular Mechanisms Of Neuronal Degeneration In Early Stage Diabetic Retinopathy, Sonal V. Jha, Laura Valdez, Andrew T C Tsin

School of Medicine Publications

DR is a common complication of diabetes in which every cell type in the retina is affected or damaged, resulting in irreversible vision loss. Although DR was classically considered a vascular disease, evidence now supports DR as a neurovascular disease, in which neuronal damage is present much earlier than vascular pathology or clinically observable abnormalities. The mechanisms by which neurons are damaged in early DR are linked to the effects of reactive oxygen species, apoptotic signaling by capase-dependent, caspase-independent, and Fas/FasL pathways and glial cell reactivity resulting in excitotoxicity, neurotrophin imbalance, and breakdown of neurovascular coupling. Although some features of …

Safety And Efficacy Of Balloon-Mounted Stent In The Treatment Of Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease: A Multicenter Experience, Mahmoud H. Mohammaden, Raul G. Nogueira, Wondwossen G. Tekle, Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez, Mudassir Farooqui, Cynthia B. Zevallos, Ricardo Hanel, Gustavo M. Cortez, Amin Aghaebrahim, Ameer E. Hassan

School of Medicine Publications

Background Randomized clinical trials have failed to prove that the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) is better than that of medical management. A recent study using a self-expandable stent showed acceptable lower rates of periprocedural complications.

Objective To study the safety and efficacy of a balloon-mounted stent (BMS) in the treatment of symptomatic ICAD.

Methods Prospectively maintained databases from 15 neuroendovascular centers between 2010 and 2020 were reviewed. Patients were included if they had severe symptomatic intracranial stenosis in the target artery, medical management had failed, and they underwent intracranial stenting with BMS …

Iat-Times: Intra-Arterial Thrombectomy Transfer Metric Study In Texas, Tzu-Ching Wu, Christy Ankrom, Michele Joseph, Alyssa Trevino, Liang Zhu, Steven Warach, Roberta R. Novakovic, Mark P. Goldberg, Lee A. Birnbaum, Ameer E. Hassan

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: We aim to report intra-arterial thrombectomy transfer metrics for ischemic stroke patients that were transferred to hub hospitals for possible intra-arterial thrombectomy in multiple geographic regions throughout the state of Texas and to identify potential barriers and delays in the intra-arterial thrombectomy transfer process.

Method: We prospectively collected data from 8 participating Texas comprehensive stroke/thrombectomy capable centers from 7 major regions in the State of Texas. We collected baseline clinical and imaging data related to the pre-transfer evaluation, transfer metrics, and post-transfer clinical and imaging data.

Results: A total of 103 acute ischemic stroke patients suspected/confirmed to have …

Evaluating Foundational Components Of Research Consultations In An Academic Library Research Center, Ryan F. Buller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As our society continues to evolve at an ever-increasing rate, our higher education institutions, and the services they provide, must keep pace with societal changes in order to ensure that those services stay current and relevant. This program evaluation examines one such service, the research consultation model in University Libraries at the University of Denver. This evaluation was situated within the Human Ecological Theory Framework, to help understand how different environments can impact the recognition and value placed upon the foundational components of the service. An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach was used to determine what the foundational components of …

“It Sucks, But I’M Grateful”: Understanding The Experience Of Autistic Students Living In The Residence Halls, Mary F. Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As populations of Autistic students at institutions of higher education increases, it is becoming more important for institutions to evaluate their programs with these students in mind. While the Autistic population has grown, policies and services on campuses have not become more inclusive or supportive of this population as a response. This evaluation examines the Residential Learning Model, the guide through which the residential life program at one institution of higher education is delivered to the students living in the residence halls. Through the lens of the Autistic students and the student staff who live and work in the residence …

Improper Use Of Temporary Epicardial Pacing Wires, Emre Kubat, Isil Tasoz, Kubilay Karabacak, Suat Doganci

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

No abstract provided.

A Grounded Theory Of Overcommitment In Undergraduate College Students, Molly Adam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This qualitative grounded theory study created a theory, including a definition, of overcommitment in undergraduate students at a four-year public institution. Although overcommitment has been studied for decades, the concept of overcommitment in undergraduate students has not been thoroughly explored. Undergraduate students can overcommit in a variety of domains, including academics and co-curricular activities. The central research question for this study is, how do full-time undergraduate students define overcommitment? Overcommitment has been tied to several mental and physical health issues. With student mental health issues on the rise on college campuses, it is imperative that overcommitment in undergraduate students be …

A Phenomenological Study: Lived Experiences Of Black Parents Through The Autism Spectrum Disorder Identification Process, Maryellen Quinn-Lunny

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This study is an informative, phenomenological inquiry, investigating the lived experiences of Black parents and guardians through the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identification process. Through semi-structured oral interviews, parent questionnaires, and parent journaling, the researcher identified participants’ lived experiences. Data were collected, participant interview responses, parent questionnaires, and parent journal entries were analyzed, a list of significant statements was categorized and grouped into meaning units, and textural, structural, and composite descriptions of the phenomena were identified (Moustakas, 1994). Categories and themes, as well as perceived facilitators and barriers were identified. Review of the literature indicates little research has been conducted …

Visa Fraud In The Commercial Sex Market In The United States: An Overview, Youngbee Dale

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This paper describes various fraudulent visas used by criminals operating in the U.S. sex market. Studies show that many foreign women exploited through commercial sex rely on visa brokers to enter the U.S. However, scholars have not investigated various visa brokers and the techniques they use to bring foreign women into U.S. prostitution as a whole. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an overview of the different types of fraudulent visas and criminal techniques used in the U.S. sex market. In doing so, this paper relies on both primary and secondary sources, such as interviews with both survivors and U.S. …

A Page-Turner With A Social Conscience: Requiem For A Female Serial Killer By Phyllis Chesler, Paula J. Caplan

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Acid Attacks In India: A Socio-Legal Report, Vidhik Kumar

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

India has the highest number of acid attacks globally every year, and despite the actions taken by the Indian Government and the Supreme Court of India, the crime is on the rise. This increase can be attributed to the patriarchal ideology that is prevalent in India and to India’s inadequate legal system, which does not deliver efficient remedies to the victims. This article will discuss the prevalence of acid attacks in India, motives behind the attacks, consequences on victims, and shortcomings in measures adopted to prevent the crime and provide justice to victims.

Andrea Revised: Andrea Dworkin: The Feminist As Revolutionary By Martin Duberman, Phyllis Chesler

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Systematic And Other Reviews: Criteria And Complexities, Robert T. Sataloff, Matthew L. Bush, Rakesh Chandra, Douglas Chepeha, Brian Rotenberg, Edward W. Fisher, David Goldenberg, Ehab Y. Hanna, Joseph E. Kerschner, John H. Krouse

School of Medicine Publications

Review articles can be extremely valuable. They synthesize information for readers, often provide clarity and valuable insights into a topic; and good review articles tend to be cited frequently. Review articles do not require Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval if the data reviewed are public (including private and government databases) and if the articles reviewed have received IRB approval previously. However, some institutions require IRB review and exemption for review articles. So, authors should be familiar with their institution's policy. In assessing and interpreting review articles, it is important to understand the article's methodology, scholarly purpose and credibility. Many readers, …

Changing The Portrayal Of Black Female Bodies In Western Art: An Anthropological Perspective, Ashley Briana Lundy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This thesis analyzes the creative strategies of African American female artists used to recreate the visual narrative of black female bodies in Western Art. Four artists are examined: Emma Amos, Adrian Piper, Alison Saar, and Simone Leigh. Emma Amos uses acrylics and textiles to address the strategies used by white male artists in the portrayal of black female bodies. Adrian Piper centers her performance piece on stereotypes to question racial stereotypes directed at black women. Alison Saar examines Topsy, a character from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, who regains agency from slavery tropes. Simone Leigh interprets Harriet Jacobs …

Constructing Critical Historical Analyses To Cultivate Critical Historical Literacy: College Students’ Perceptions, Jeffrey S. Dockswell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

To address learning needs and learning interests among college level history students, a curriculum reliant on critical pedagogical and critical thinking and historical thinking exercises was explored. These exercises combined to form critical historical analyses. Critical historical analyses are reports on current and relevant sociological problems influenced from historical factors. Such reports reflect developed historical literacy. In this research, six critical historical analyses exercises were combined into a curriculum and instructional toolbox that was utilized to strengthen the historical literacy of two groups of college students enrolled in separate sections of an American history course. Once students engaged with critical …

Effects Of A Professional Development Training Package On Nature-Based Teaching Strategies For Early Childhood Educators Of Children With Developmental Disabilities, Sylvia Collazo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Research suggests spending time outdoors and with natural materials can benefit all young children across different areas of development. However, children with developmental disabilities often have fewer opportunities to engage with nature as a result of the limited understanding and negative views about nature expressed by their caregivers and educators. This study examined the effects of a professional development training package on the knowledge, perception, and application of nature-based teaching strategies of early childhood educators who teach young children with developmental disabilities. It also explored how teachers’ implementation of nature-based activities support children’s developmental outcomes. Results showed the professional development …