Digital Commons Network^™

September 7, 2021 Ereporter, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

eReporter (campus newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Method Of Delivering Genes And Drugs To A Posterior Segment Of An Eye, Shyam S. Mohapatra, Subhra Mohapatra, Eleni Markousta

USF Patents

A multifunctional dendrimer nanoparticle and method of treating diseases of the posterior segment of the eye is presented. The functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer effectively delivers drugs and/or genes to the posterior eye, thereby providing for the effective, non-invasive, and topical treatment of diseased in the posterior eye. The multifunctional dendrimer nanoparticle has shRNA-encoding DNA and small molecule drug encapsulated cyclodextrin complexed to the outer surface of the dendrimer for delivery to the posterior segment of the eye.

Characterization Of Gut Microbiome And Metabolome In Helicobacter Pylori Patients In An Underprivileged Community In The United States, Brian White, John Sterrett, Zoya Grigoryan, Lauren Lally, Jared Heinze, Hyder Alikhan, Christopher Lowry, Lark Perez, Joshua Desipio, Sangita Phadtare

Division of Internal Medicine Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacterium that infects approximately half of the world's population, is associated with various gastrointestinal diseases, including peptic ulcers, non-ulcer dyspepsia, gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric lymphoma. As the burden of antibiotic resistance increases, the need for new adjunct therapies designed to facilitate H. pylori eradication and reduce negative distal outcomes associated with infection has become more pressing. Characterization of the interactions between H. pylori, the fecal microbiome, and fecal fatty acid metabolism, as well as the mechanisms underlying these interactions, may offer new therapeutic approaches.

AIM To characterize the gut microbiome and metabolome in H. …

Efficient Neuromorphic Algorithms For Gamma-Ray Spectrum Denoising And Radionuclide Identification, Merlin Phillip Carson

Dissertations and Theses

Radionuclide detection and identification are important tasks for deterring a potentially catastrophic nuclear event. Due to high levels of background radiation from both terrestrial and extraterrestrial sources, some form of noise reduction pre-processing is required for a gamma-ray spectrum prior to being analyzed by an identification algorithm so as to determine the identity of anomalous sources. This research focuses on the use of neuromorphic algorithms for the purpose of developing low power, accurate radionuclide identification devices that can filter out non-anomalous background radiation and other artifacts created by gamma-ray detector measurement equipment, along with identifying clandestine, radioactive material.

A sparse …

Clarion-Ledger: Top Spots For Birding In Mississippi, Staff Report

University of Mississippi News

No abstract provided.

Transcriptional Network Involving Erg And Ar Orchestrates Distal-Less Homeobox-1 Mediated Prostate Cancer Progression, Sakshi Goel, Vipul Bhatia, Sushmita Kundu, Tanay Biswas, Shannon Carskadon, Nilesh S. Gupta, Mohammad Asim, Colm Morrissey, Nallasivam Palanisamy, Bushra Ateeq

Urology Articles

Distal-less homeobox-1 (DLX1) is a well-established non-invasive biomarker for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis, however, its mechanistic underpinnings in disease pathobiology are not known. Here, we reveal the oncogenic role of DLX1 and show that abrogating its function leads to reduced tumorigenesis and metastases. We observed that ~60% of advanced-stage and metastatic patients display higher DLX1 levels. Moreover, ~96% of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion-positive and ~70% of androgen receptor (AR)-positive patients show elevated DLX1, associated with aggressive disease and poor survival. Mechanistically, ERG coordinates with enhancer-bound AR and FOXA1 to drive transcriptional upregulation of DLX1 in ERG-positive background. However, in ERG-negative context, AR/AR-V7 …

Associations Of Circulating Dimethylarginines With The Metabolic Syndrome In The Framingham Offspring Study, Ibrahim Musa Yola, Carlee Moser, Meredith S. Duncan, Edzard Schwedhelm, Dorothee Atzler, Renke Maas, Juliane Hannemann, Rainer H. Böger, Ramachandran S. Vasan, Vanessa Xanthakis

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Circulating levels of the endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), are positively associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in cross-sectional investigations. It is unclear if circulating ADMA and other methylarginines are associated with incident MetS prospectively.

METHODS: We related circulating ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), L-arginine (ARG) concentrations (measured with a validated tandem mass spectrometry assay) and the ARG/ADMA ratio to MetS and its components in 2914 (cross-sectional analysis, logistic regression; mean age 58 years, 55% women) and 1656 (prospective analysis, Cox regression; mean age 56 years, 59% women) individuals from the Framingham Offspring Study …

Triangle Journal, Volume 2, Number 3

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Editor: Rebekah Hart. Layout: Andie Espinoza. Editorial Review Board: Rusty Collins, Jamie Griffin, Herb Zeman. Contributors: Vincent Astor, Dail Chambers, Monica Engesser, Jamie Griffin, Howard Hines, Morgan Oliver, Chris Sanders, Carl Smith, Corey Taylor, Casey Williams, Felipe Zuvichaux. Staff Photographer: Herb Zeman. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity Community Church. National Advertising: Rivendell Media

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Triangle Journal, Volume 3, Number 6

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Co-Editors: James Cox and Len Piechowski. Technical Consultant: Gary D. Cook. Editorial Review Board: Will Batts, Jamie Griffin, Alan Herbers, Heidi Park. Triangle Journalists: Vincent Astor, Will Batts, Natasha Burnett-Holmes, Jonathan Cole, Andrew Cruz, Autumn Falconer, Elizabeth Flanders-Pitts, Jamie Griffin, Alan Herbers, Mark Jones, Ian Keller, A.J. Northrop, Heidi Park, Curtis Petty, W. Andrew Stricklin, Marisa Richmond, Carl Smith, Erick Vasquez, Felipe Zuvichaux. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity United Church of Christ

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Triangle Journal, Volume 3, Number 7

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Co-Editors: James Cox and Len Piechowski. Technical Consultant: Gary D. Cook. Editorial Review Board: Will Batts, Jamie Griffin, Alan Herbers. Triangle Journalists: Vincent Astor, Will Batts, Natasha Burnett-Holmes, Jonathan Cole, Andrew Cruz, Autumn Falconer, Elizabeth Flanders-Pitts, Jamie Griffin, Alan Herbers, Mark Jones, Ian Keller, A.J. Northrop, Heidi Park, Curtis Petty, W. Andrew Stricklin, Marisa Richmond, Carl Smith, Erick Vasquez, Felipe Zuvichaux. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity United Church of Christ

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Triangle Journal, Volume 2, Number 9

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Editor: Rebekah Hart. Layout: Andie Espinoza. Editorial Review Board: Will Batts, James Cox, Jamie Griffin, Alan Herbers, Herb Zeman. Contributors: Will Batts, Anthony Childress, Ron Goldner, Len Piechowski, Del Shores, Herschel Stokes, Charlie Weatherall, Felipe Zuvichaux. Staff Photographer: Herb Zeman. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity Community Church. National Advertising: Rivendell Media

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Triangle Journal, Volume 4, Number 1

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Editor: Len Piechowski. Technical Consultants: James Cox and Gary D. Cook. Editorial Consultant: Will Batts. Triangle Journalists: Vincent Astor, Will Batts, Casey, Heidi Cranford Williams, Brandon Cole, Jonathan Cole, Andrew Cruz, Darlene Fike, Meghan Geiss, Elizabeth Flanders Pitts, Carol Gothe, Jamie Griffin, Ann E. Hackermann, Ayla Heartsong, Mark Jones, Ian Keller, Mike LaBonte, Keith Mitchell, A.J. Northtrop, Curtis Petty, Susana Rodas, Christopher Sanders, Karen Shea, W. Andrew Stricklin, Marisa Richmond, Carl Smith, Erick Vasquez. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity United Church of Christ

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Triangle Journal, Volume 3, Number 09

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Co-Editors: James Cox and Len Piechowski. Technical Consultant: Gary D. Cook. Editorial Review Board: Will Batts, Jamie Griffin, James Cox, Len Piechowski. Triangle Journalists: Vincent Astor, Will Batts, Natasha Burnett-Holmes, Dustin Cann, Casey, Heidi Cranford Williams, Jonathan Cole, Andrew Cruz, Darlene Fike, Linda Holmes, Elizabeth Flanders Pitts, Jamie Griffin, Ann E. Hackermann, Mark Jones, Ian Keller, A.J. Northrop, Curtis Petty, Christopher Sanders, W. Andrew Stricklin, Marisa Richmon, Carl Smith, Erick Vasquez. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity United Church of Christ

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Triangle Journal, Volume 3, Number 9

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Co-Editors: James Cox and Len Piechowski. Technical Consultant: Gary D. Cook. Editorial Review Board: Will Batts, Jamie Griffin, James Cox, Len Piechowski. Triangle Journalists: Vincent Astor, Will Batts, Natasha Burnett-Holmes, Dustin Cann, Casey, Heidi Cranford Williams, Jonathan Cole, Andrew Cruz, Darlene Fike, Elizabeth Flanders Pitts, Jamie Griffin, Ann E. Hackermann, Mark Jones, Ian Keller, A.J. Northrop, Curtis Petty, Christopher Sanders, W. Andrew Stricklin, Marisa Richmon, Carl Smith, Erick Vasquez. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity United Church of Christ

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Brief Musculoskeletal Screen And Patient Education For Down Syndrome-Associated Arthritis., Jordan T. Jones, Chelsey Smith, Nasreen Talib

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Metaplasia Of Respiratory And Digestive Tissues In The Eastern Oyster Crassostrea Virginica Associated With The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Deanne Roopnarine, Peter D. Roopnarine, Laurie C. Anderson, Ji Hae Hwang, Swati Patel

Biology Faculty Articles

Metaplasia is a well documented and deleterious effect of crude oil components on bivalved molluscs, including oysters. This reversible transformation of one cell type to another, is a common response to petroleum-product exposure in molluscs. It has been shown experimentally in previous work that eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) exposed to petroleum products will exhibit metaplasia of digestive tissues. Here we document for the first time that wild adult oysters inhabiting coastal waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico during and in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010) exhibited metaplasia in both ctenidia and digestive epithelia …

Mechanisms Of Reducing Joint Stiffness By Blocking Collagen Fibrillogenesis In A Rabbit Model Of Posttraumatic Arthrofibrosis, Andrzej Steplewski, Jolanta Fertala, Ryan Tomlinson, Mark L. Wang, Allison Donahue, William V Arnold, Michael Rivlin, Pedro K Beredjiklian, Joseph A Abboud, Surena Namdari, Andrzej Fertala

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

Posttraumatic fibrotic scarring is a significant medical problem that alters the proper functioning of injured tissues. Current methods to reduce posttraumatic fibrosis rely on antiinflammatory and anti-proliferative agents with broad intracellular targets. As a result, their use is not fully effective and may cause unwanted side effects. Our group previously demonstrated that extracellular collagen fibrillogenesis is a valid and specific target to reduce collagen- rich scar buildup. Our previous studies showed that a rationally designed antibody that binds the C-terminal telopeptide of the α2(I) chain involved in the aggregation of collagen molecules limits fibril assembly in vitro and reduces scar …

Triangle Journal, Volume 4, Number 4

Triangle Journal, 2006-2009

Editor: Len Piechowski. Technical and Layout Consultant: Tommy Sheppard. Editorial Consultants: Will Batts, Jamie Griffin, Kenan Gillmore and Caleb Simmons. Triangle Journalists: Vincent Astor, Marc Brown, Natasha Burnett-Holmes, Jared Burrow, Brandon Cole, Jonathan Cole, Andrew Cruz, Len Finch, Christopher Peterson, Elizabeth Flanders Pitts, Jamies Griffin, Ann E. Hackermann, Mark Jones, W. Andrew Stricklin, Marisa Richmond, Carl Smith, Rohbi Yow. Q-Syndicate Journalists: Chris Azzopardi and Camper English. Office Facilities: Holy Trinity United Church of Christ

Special thanks to Rhodes College and the Paul Barret Jr. Library for providing initial scanning of this collection.

Competitive Advantage Of Geosmithia Morbida In Low-Moisture Wood May Explain Historical Outbreaks Of Thousand Cankers Disease And Predict The Future Fate Of Juglans Nigra Within Its Native Range, Geoffrey M. Williams, Matthew D. Ginzel

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Bark beetles vector symbiotic fungi and the success of these mutualisms may be limited by competition from other microbes. The outcome of fungal competition is strongly influenced by the physical and chemical conditions of the wood they inhabit. These conditions are in turn subject to climatic variation. In particular, wood moisture content (MC) influences fungal competition and, therefore, could help determine environmental suitability for thousand cankers disease (TCD) caused by Geosmithia morbida and its vector Pityophthorus juglandis. We conducted competition experiments in Juglans nigra wood that was naturally or artificially colonized by G. morbida and other fungi over a range …

Use Of Soapweed Yucca (Yucca Glauca) By Rodents And Other Vertebrates In Western Nebraska, Michael L. Rohde, Keith Geluso, Carter Kruse, Mary J. Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca) is a conspicuous and common shrub in the Great Plains of North America, characterized by tall woody flower stalks, large flowers and seed pods, and dense masses of ground-level evergreen leaves. These plant structures can provide a variety of resources or functions to animals. In general, studies focus on single species associated with Y. glauca. We examined three groups of vertebrates that interacted with Y. glauca and the functions this plant provided for organisms in western Nebraska. We experimentally examined small mammals in areas with and without Y. glauca, and we descriptively …

The Role Of Education On Cancer Amenable Mortality Among Non-Hispanic Blacks &Amp; Non-Hispanic Whites In The United States (1989–2018), Alberto Barcelo, Linda Duffett-Leger, Maria Pastor-Valero, Juliana Pereira, Fernando A.B. Colugnati, Edward Trapido

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer mortality in the U.S. has fallen in recent decades; however, individuals with lower levels of education experienced a smaller decline than more highly educated individuals. This analysis aimed to measure the influence of education lower than a high school diploma, on cancer amenable mortality among Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) in the U.S. from 1989 to 2018. Methods: We analyzed data from 8.2 million death certificates of men and women who died from cancer between 1989 and 2018. We examined 5-year and calendar period intervals, as well as annual percent changes (APC). APC was adjusted for …

Therapeutic Potential Of Garlic Chive-Derived Vesicle-Like Nanoparticles In Nlrp3 Inflammasome-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases, Baolong Liu, Xingzhi Li, Han Yu, Xuan Shi, You Zhou, Sophie Alvarez, Michael J. Naldrett, Stephen D. Kachman, Seung-Hyun Ro, Xinghui Sun, Soonkyu Chung, Lili Jing, Jiujiu Yu

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Aberrant activation of the nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat related (NLR) family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome drives the development of many complex inflammatory diseases, such as obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, and atherosclerosis. However, no medications specifically targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome have become clinically available. Therefore, we aim to identify new inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome in this study. Methods: Vesicle-like nanoparticles (VLNs) were extracted from garlic chives and other Allium vegetables and their effects on the NLRP3 inflammasome were evaluated in primary macrophages. After garlic chive-derived VLNs (GC-VLNs) were found to exhibit potent anti-NLRP3 inflammasome activity in cell culture, …

Emergence Of Non-Hexagonal Crystal Packing Of Deswollen And Deformed Ultra-Soft Microgels Under Osmotic Pressure Control, Molla R. Islam, Rachel Nguyen, L. Andrew Lyon

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Highly solvent swollen poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels are synthesized without exogenous crosslinker, making them extremely soft and deformable. These ultralow crosslinked microgels (ULC) are incubated under controlled osmotic pressure to provide a slow (and presumably thermodynamically controlled) approach to higher packing densities. It is found that ULC microgels show stable colloidal packing over a very wide range of osmotic pressures and thus packing densities. Surprising observation of co-existence between hexagonal and square lattices is also made over the lower range of studied osmotic pressures, with microgels apparently changing shape from spheres to cubes in defects or grain boundaries. It is proposed …

Brain White Matter Structure And Amyloid Deposition In Black And White Older Adults: The Aric-Pet Study, Keenan A Walker, Noah Silverstein, Yun Zhou, Timothy M Hughes, Clifford R Jack, David S Knopman, A Richey Sharrett, Dean F Wong, Thomas H Mosley, Rebecca F Gottesman

Open Access Publications

Background White matter abnormalities are a common feature of aging and Alzheimer disease, and tend to be more severe among Black individuals. However, the extent to which white matter abnormalities relate to amyloid deposition, a marker of Alzheimer pathology, remains unclear. This cross-sectional study examined the association of white matter abnormalities with cortical amyloid in a community sample of older adults without dementia and examined the moderating effect of race. Methods and Results Participants from the ARIC-PET (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities-Positron Emission Tomography) study underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging, which quantified white matter hyperintensity volume and microstructural integrity using diffusion …

The Role Of Blue Carbon In Climate Change Mitigation And Carbon Stock Conservation, Nathalie Hilmi, Ralph Chami, Michael D. Sutherland, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Lara Lebleu, Maria Belen Benitez, Lisa A. Levin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The potential for Blue Carbon ecosystems to combat climate change and provide co-benefits was discussed in the recent and influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. In terms of Blue Carbon, the report mainly focused on coastal wetlands and did not address the socio-economic considerations of using natural ocean systems to reduce the risks of climate disruption. In this paper, we discuss Blue Carbon resources in coastal, open-ocean and deep-sea ecosystems and highlight the benefits of measures such as restoration and creation as well as conservation and protection in helping …

Becoming A Place Of Unrest : Environmental Crisis And Ecophenomenological Praxis, Robert Booth

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

The key to mitigating the environmental crisis isn’t just based on science; it depends upon a profound philosophical revision of how we think about and behave in relation to the world.

Our ongoing failure to interrupt the environmental crisis in a meaningful way stems, in part, from how we perceive the environment—what Robert Booth calls the "more-than-human world.” Anthropocentric presumptions of this world, inherited from natural science, have led us to better scientific knowledge about environmental problems and more science-based—yet inadequate—practical “solutions.” That’s not enough, Booth argues. Rather, he asserts that we must critically and self-reflexively revise how we perceive …

Machine Learning Guided Postnatal Gestational Age Assessment Using New-Born Screening Metabolomic Data In South Asia And Sub-Saharan Africa, Sunil Sazawal, Kelli K. Ryckman, Sayan Das, Muhammad Imran Nisar, Usma Mehmood, Amina Barkat, Farah Khalid, Muhammad Ilyas Muhammad Ilyas, Ambreen Nizar, Fyezah Jehan

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Babies born early and/or small for gestational age in Low and Middle-income countries (LMICs) contribute substantially to global neonatal and infant mortality. Tracking this metric is critical at a population level for informed policy, advocacy, resources allocation and program evaluation and at an individual level for targeted care. Early prenatal ultrasound examination is not available in these settings, gestational age (GA) is estimated using new-born assessment, last menstrual period (LMP) recalls and birth weight, which are unreliable. Algorithms in developed settings, using metabolic screen data, provided GA estimates within 1-2 weeks of ultrasonography-based GA. We sought to leverage machine …

Sycamore Scale (Stomacoccus Platani), Marion Murray, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

Sycamore scale feeds on foliage of London planetree and California sycamore in urbanized areas throughout Utah. The insect is difficult to see with the naked eye, so we rely on the primary symptom of yellow-to-brown leaf spots. If needed, the timing of treatment is at bud break and involves oil application and/or a soil-applied systemic insecticide.

Redo Surgical Mitral Valve Replacement Versus Transcatheter Mitral Valve In Valve From The National Inpatient Sample, Muhammad Zia Khan, Salman Zahid, Muhammad U Khan, Asim Kichloo, Shakeel Jamal, Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas, Waqas Ullah, Yasar Sattar, Sudarshan Balla

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Background

Redo mitral valve surgery is required in up to one-third of patients and is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Valve-in-valve transcatheter mitral valve replacement (ViV TMVR) is less invasive and could be considered in those at prohibitive surgical risk. Studies on comparative outcomes of ViV TMVR and redo surgical mitral valve replacement (SMVR) remain limited. Our study aimed to investigate the real-world outcomes of the above procedures using the National Inpatient Sample database.

Methods and Results

We analyzed National Inpatient Sample data using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐10‐CM) from September 2015 …

Chimes: September 7, 2021, Calvin University

Chimes

Wave of administration departures continues, new leaders step up by Abigail Ham

Full slate of intramurals return after pause of COVID by Grace Toma

COVID policies draw support, objections by Katherine Benedict

Where the lines are drawn: New redistricting committee may upend political landscape by Katherine Benedict

Summer sessions set up Student Senate for success by Jocelyn Nunez-Colon

Testing plan spots COVID cases early by Michaela Giovannelli

Season previews: Calvin sports kick off for the fall by Jamison Van Andel