Digital Commons Network^™

Acetyl-Coenzyme A Synthetase 2 Potentiates Macropinocytosis And Muscle Wasting Through Metabolic Reprogramming In Pancreatic Cancer, Zhijun Zhou, Yu Ren, Jingxuan Yang, Mingyang Liu, Xiuhui Shi, Wenyi Luo, Kar-Ming Fung, Chao Xu, Michael S Bronze, Yuqing Zhang, Courtney W Houchen, Min Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Rapid deconditioning, also called cachexia, and metabolic reprogramming are two hallmarks of pancreatic cancer. Acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase short-chain family member 2 (ACSS2) is an acetyl-enzyme A synthetase that contributes to lipid synthesis and epigenetic reprogramming. However, the role of ACSS2 on the nonselective macropinocytosis and cancer cachexia in pancreatic cancer remains elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that ACSS2 potentiates macropinocytosis and muscle wasting through metabolic reprogramming in pancreatic cancer.

METHODS: Clinical significance of ACSS2 was analyzed using samples from patients with pancreatic cancer. ACSS2-knockout cells were established using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein …

Why Post- Leaving Certificate Students In Ireland From Disadvantaged Backgrounds Are Less Likely To Proceed To Third-Level Education, Edward Hayes

Theses

Educational disadvantage continues to be a cause for concern, and addressing it remains at the forefront of education policy in Ireland (Houses of Oireachtas, 2019; Weir et al., 2017). This research extended across the academic years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 and during the period of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which imposed public health measures, and enforced an emergency online digital learning environment. A socio-economic profile of Ireland’s student body registered an attainment gap between rich and poor, finding that young people from backgrounds of disadvantage continue to be underrepresented at third-level when compared to their middle-class counterparts (HEA, 2020). The primary …

Nab-Paclitaxel, Capecitabine, And Radiation Therapy After Induction Chemotherapy In Treating Patients With Locally Advanced And Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: Phase 1 Trial And Imaging-Based Biomarker Validation, Eugene J Koay, Mohamed Zaid, Maureen Aliru, Polycarpe Bagereka, Arie Van Wieren, Maria Jovie Rodriguez, Galia Jacobson, Robert A Wolff, Michael Overman, Gauri Varadhachary, Shubham Pant, Huamin Wang, Ching-Wei Tzeng, Naruhiko Ikoma, Michael Kim, Jeffrey E Lee, Matthew Hg Katz, Eric Tamm, Priya Bhosale, Cullen M Taniguchi, Emma B Holliday, Grace L Smith, Ethan B Ludmir, Bruce D Minsky, Christopher H Crane, Albert C Koong, Prajnan Das, Xuemei Wang, Milind Javle, Sunil Krishnan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Effective consolidative chemoradiation (CRT) regimens are lacking. In this phase 1 trial, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of nab-paclitaxel, capecitabine, and radiation therapy after induction chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced and borderline-resectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC and BRPC). Also, we evaluated a computed tomography (CT)-based biomarker of response.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Eligible patients had pathologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, underwent computed tomography-imaging, received a diagnosis of LAPC or BRPC, and received induction chemotherapy. Standard 3 + 3 study design was used, with 3 escalating nab-paclitaxel dose levels (50, 75, and 100 mg/m

RESULTS: Twenty-three patients started and finished …

The Synapse: Issue 2022

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

The Hidden Sadness Of Pregnancy: Postpartum Depression And The Effects Of Preventative Medicine, Daniel Etcheberrigaray

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Diseases Hidden In Ice: Ancient Bacteria In Permafrost Could Spread Ancient Diseases, Jessica John

The Synapse: Intercollegiate science magazine

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Murine Host Sex As A Biological Variable In Epithelial Barrier Function And Muscle Contractility In Human Intestinal Organoids, Brooke T Beanland, Eoin P Mcneill, David J Sequeira, Hasen Xue, Noah F Shroyer, Allison L Speer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Intestinal failure (IF) occurs when intestinal surface area or function is not sufficient to support digestion and nutrient absorption. Human intestinal organoid (HIO)-derived tissue-engineered intestine is a potential cure for IF. Research to date has demonstrated successful HIO transplantation (tHIO) into mice with significant in vivo maturation. An area lacking in the literature is exploration of murine host sex as a biological variable (SABV) in tHIO function. In this study, we investigate murine host SABV in tHIO epithelial barrier function and muscle contractility. HIOs were generated in vitro and transplanted into nonobese diabetic, severe combined immunodeficiency gamma chain deficient male …

“Racing-Stripe” Modification Of Radial Forearm Free Flap: Technique And Experience (704 Consecutive Cases), Emmanuel G Melissinos, Erik S Marques

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap (RFFF) has proven to be a versatile and reliable tool for the reconstructive microsurgeon when addressing soft-tissue defects. A significant drawback of the traditional RFFF is related to donor site morbidity and wound healing complications, especially when coverage of sizable defects is planned. The authors describe the "racing-stripe" modification of the RFFF (RS-RFFF) that involves harvesting a large segment of the deep forearm fascia with a narrow strip of skin overlying the radial vessels, thus allowing primary closure of the donor site.

METHODS: Retrospective chart review was conducted of a single surgeon's (E.G.M.) experience …

Striving To Be Resilient: The Role Of Crop-Poultry Integrated System As A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy In Semiarid Eastern Kenya, Kelvin Mulungu, Daniel Kangogo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Climate change continues to pose significant challenges to food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers specifically in semi-arid regions. One approach that holds prospects for climate risk management is climate-smart agriculture (CSA). CSA has concentrated on crop practices with little attention to livestock especially indigenous (village) chickens as a potential practice that can be combined with crop agriculture. This study considers the adoption of three CSA practices: improved maize seeds (IS), soil management (SM), indigenous chicken (IC) enterprise and their various combinations. Using survey data collected from 300 farming households in semiarid Kenya, we estimate the impact of integrated crop-poultry …

Brief Of Amici Curiae In Support Of Applicant' Application To Vacate The Injunction In Biden V. Nebraska, Jeffrey Lubbers

Amicus Briefs & Court Filings

Amici curiae are law professors at law schools around the nation. They respectfully move for leave to file the enclosed brief in support of Applicants' application to vacate the injunction entered by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit pending appeal of the preliminary injunction issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, including leave to file without ten days' notice to the parties, as ordinarily required by this Court's Rule 37.2(a), and leave to file in 8½-by-11-inch format, as provided in Rule 33.2.

Using Behavior Skills Training To Promote Self-Advocating Behaviors: A Single Subject Research Design To Examine The Effectiveness Of Behavior Interventions Among Teachers, Clarence Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

Using Behavioral Skills Training to Promote Self-Advocating Behaviors: A Single-Subject Research Design to Examine the Effectiveness of Behavior Interventions Among Teachers. Clarence Cooper, 2022: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: applied behavior analysis, behavioral skills training, inclusion, individual education plan, operant conditioning, prompting, reinforcer, self-advocacy, accommodation

This applied dissertation utilized the behavioral skills training to train teachers on how to prompt, identify, and reinforce self-advocacy behaviors among students with learning disabilities. In applying behavioral analytic interventions to strengthen desired outcomes, a one- day intervention that was grounded in a …

Nh 4-H Animal Requirements And Deadlines, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Evolution Of Immune Function In Response To Dietary Macronutrients In Male And Female Decorated Crickets, Corinne Letendre, Alejandro Rios-Villamil, Alexandria Williams, James Rapkin, Scott K. Sakaluk, Clarissa M. House, John Hunt

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Although dietary macronutrients are known to regulate insect immunity, few studies have examined their evolutionary effects. Here, we evaluate this relationship in the cricket Gryllodes sigillatus by maintaining replicate populations on four diets differing in protein (P) to carbohydrate (C) ratio (P‐ or C‐biased) and nutritional content (low‐ or high‐nutrition) for >37 generations. We split each population into two; one maintained on their evolution diet and the other switched to their ancestral diet. We also maintained populations exclusively on the ancestral diet (baseline). After three generations, we measured three immune parameters in males and females from each population. Immunity was …

School Of Music Faculty/Staff Newsletter, November 2022, School Of Music

School of Music Faculty/Staff Newsletter

Accomplishments and news from the faculty and staff of the School of Music at Illinois State University.

Prevention Of Child Sexual Abuse In South Africa: Assessing The Role Of Parents, Community Leaders, Educators, And Social Workers, Nosisa Mabetshe, Emeka E. Obioha, Ishmael Mugari, Elphina N. Cishe

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Child sexual abuse is a global problem and is prevalent in South Africa. Child sexual abuse significantly harms the victims. This study looked at child sexual abuse prevention, focusing on the community, school system, and social workers. A mixed methods research method was used. Data were collected from 115 questionnaire respondents, of which 15 in-depth interview participants were selected. The sample was selected using purposive sampling and stratified random sampling techniques. Low reporting of incidents is hindering the effective response to child sexual abuse. The study revealed the significant role parents and community members could play in preventing child sexual …

A Subpopulation Of Oxytocin Neurons Initiate Expression Of Crf Receptor 1 (Crfr1) In Females Post Parturition, Lierni Ugartemendia, Rose M De Guzman, Jing Cai, Shivakumar Rajamanickam, Zhiying Jiang, Jonathan Tao, Damian G Zuloaga, Nicholas J Justice

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Oxytocin (OT) is essential for successful reproduction, particularly during parturition and lactation. During the postpartum period, OT also influences maternal behavior to promote bonding between mothers and their newborns, and increases stress resilience. However, the mechanism by which stress influences OT neuron activity and OT release has remained unclear. Here, we provide evidence that a subpopulation of OT neurons initiate expression of the receptor for the stress neuropeptide Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF), CRFR1, in reproductive females. OT neuron expression of CRFR1 begins at the first parturition and increases during the postpartum period until weaning. The percentage of OT neurons that …

Ten-Year Review Of Antihypertensive Prescribing Practices After Stroke And The Associated Disparities From The Florida Stroke Registry, Amanda J Taylor, Jung Hwan Kim, David Ress

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The hemodynamic response function (HRF) measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging is generated by vascular and metabolic responses evoked by brief (<4 s) stimuli. It is known that the human HRF varies across cortex, between subjects, with stimulus paradigms, and even between different measurements in the same cortical location. However, our results demonstrate that strong HRFs are remarkably repeatable across sessions separated by time intervals up to 3 months. In this study, a multisensory stimulus was used to activate and measure the HRF across the majority of cortex (>70%, with lesser reliability observed in some areas of prefrontal cortex). HRFs were measured with high spatial resolution (2‐mm voxels) in central gray matter to minimize variations caused by partial‐volume effects. HRF amplitudes and temporal dynamics were highly repeatable across four sessions in 20 subjects. Positive and negative HRFs were consistently observed across sessions and subjects. Negative HRFs were generally weaker and, thus, more variable than positive HRFs. Statistical measurements showed that across‐session variability is highly correlated to …

Dexterity Of The Less Affected Hand In Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy, Matthew B Burn, Gloria R Gogola

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: To determine if the "unaffected" hand in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) is truly unaffected.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of manual dexterity as measured by the Functional Dexterity Test (FDT) in 66 children (39 boys, 27 girls, mean age: 11 years 4 months) with hemiplegic CP. Data were stratified by Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) level, birth weight, and gestational age at birth, and compared with previously published normative values.

RESULTS: The FDT speed of the less affected hand is significantly lower than typically developing (TD) children (

CONCLUSIONS: Both dexterity and rate of fine motor …

Learning By Design: The Transformative Pedagogical Experience Of College Students In Extending Monomodal Texts Into Multimodal, Najah Asaad Al Mohammedi

Dissertations

The architectonic shift in the semiotic, technology, and social environment paves the way to new perspectives of transformative pedagogies in multiliteracies and multimodal literacy for meaning-making through the configuration of gesture, space, image, sound, action, and various modes. Through a mixed-method explanatory sequential design, this study explores college students’ critical reading comprehension by changing a monomodal text into a multimodal one. In the redesigning process, a group of college students (n=4) were oriented to change a provided monomodal text into a multimodal text for the sake of understanding how the enactment of two different modes of a reading text contributes …

Investigations Of The Potential Use Of Macrophages In Gastric Stem Cell Activation/Differentiation And Ulcer Healing, Subi Sugathan

Dissertations

Stomach erosions and ulcerations are common health problems, and their therapy requires tissue regeneration. While current therapy for these disorders focuses on targeting parietal cells to inhibit acid secretion, the role of stem cells in the regeneration process is neglected. In this study, the aim is to investigate the potential use of macrophages to activate gastric stem cells in co-culture experiments and in a mouse model of gastric ulcer. Bone marrow-derived macrophages were prepared and cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccharides and interleukin-4 to, respectively, induce their differentiation into pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages. Polarization of these phenotypes was …

Hip Osteoarthritis: A Novel Network Analysis Of Subchondral Trabecular Bone Structures, Mohsen Dorraki, Dzenita Muratovic, Anahita Fouladzadeh, Johan W Verjans, Andrew Allison, David M Findlay, Derek Abbott

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Hip osteoarthritis (HOA) is a degenerative joint disease that leads to the progressive destruction of subchondral bone and cartilage at the hip joint. Development of effective treatments for HOA remains an open problem, primarily due to the lack of knowledge of its pathogenesis and a typically late-stage diagnosis. We describe a novel network analysis methodology for microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) images of human trabecular bone. We explored differences between the trabecular bone microstructure of femoral heads with and without HOA. Large-scale automated extraction of the network formed by trabecular bone revealed significant network properties not previously reported for bone. Profound differences …

Mucins Muc5ac And Muc5b Are Variably Packaged In The Same And In Separate Secretory Granules, Oanh N Hoang, Anna Ermund, Ana M Jaramillo, Dalia Fakih, Cory B French, Jose R Flores, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Jesper M Magnusson, Giorgio Fois, Michael Fauler, Manfred Frick, Peter Braubach, Joshua B Hales, Richard C Kurten, Reynold Panettieri, Leoncio Vergara, Camille Ehre, Roberto Adachi, Michael J Tuvim, Gunnar C Hansson, Burton F Dickey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Associations Between Prenatal Exposure To Phthalates And Features Of The Metabolic Syndrome In Males From Childhood Into Adulthood, Ye’Elah E. Berman, Dorota A. Doherty, Trevor A. Mori, Lawrence J. Beilin, Oyekoya T. Ayonrinde, Leon A. Adams, Rae-Chi Huang, John K. Olynyk, Jeffrey A. Keelan, John P. Newnham, Roger J. Hart

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Phthalate metabolites are detectable within the majority of the population. Evidence suggests that a prenatal exposure to phthalates may be associated with the subsequent risks of obesity and elevated blood pressure. We hypothesised that a prenatal exposure to phthalates would lead to an increase in adverse cardiometabolic parameters through childhood and adulthood. The maternal serum phthalate measurements from the stored samples taken from Gen1 mothers at 18 and 34 weeks gestation were examined in relation to the cardiometabolic measures in 387 male offspring from the Raine Study. Data from the Gen2 follow-ups between 3 and 27 years were used. The …

Long-Term Management Of Generalised Anxiety Disorder With Low-Dose Continuous Infusions Of Flumazenil: A Case Series, Alexander T. Gallo, Stephen Addis, Vlad Martyn, Hishani Ramanathan, Grace K. Wilkerson, Sean D. Hood, Hans Stampfer, Gary K. Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common anxiety disorder associated with social and occupational impairment. Recently, a theory was postulated that dysfunctional gamma aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAA) are implicated in anxiety symptomology, which could be corrected by flumazenil, an antagonist at the benzodiazepine binding site on the GABAA receptor. Method: Participants had a primary diagnosis of GAD and were treated initially with an eight-day continuous low-dose flumazenil infusion (total 32 mg at a rate of 4 mg/24 h). Some participants were re-treated with a further four- or eight-day infusion. Treatment response was measured as a 50 % …

Resistant Starch As A Dietary Intervention To Limit The Progression Of Diabetic Kidney Disease, Anna M. Drake, Melinda T. Coughlan, Claus T. Christophersen, Matthew Snelson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, and as the number of individuals with diabetes increases there is a concomitant increase in the prevalence of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Diabetes contributes to the development of DKD through a number of pathways, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and the gut-kidney axis, which may be amenable to dietary therapy. Resistant starch (RS) is a dietary fibre that alters the gut microbial consortium, leading to an increase in the microbial production of short chain fatty acids. Evidence from animal and human studies indicate that short chain fatty acids are able to attenuate inflammatory …

Advocate, Fall 2022, Office Of Development And Alumni Affairs, University Of San Diego School Of Law

Advocate

No abstract provided.

Ai-Based Pedestrian Detection And Avoidance At Night Using An Ir Camera, Radar, And A Video Camera, Hovannes Kulhandjian

Mineta Transportation Institute

In 2019, the United States experienced more than 6,500 pedestrian fatalities involving motor vehicles which resulted in a 67% rise in nighttime pedestrian fatalities and only a 10% rise in daytime pedestrian fatalities. In an effort to reduce fatalities, this research developed a pedestrian detection and alert system through the application of a visual camera, infrared camera, and radar sensors combined with machine learning. The research team designed the system concept to achieve a high level of accuracy in pedestrian detection and avoidance during both the day and at night to avoid potentially fatal accidents involving pedestrians crossing a street. …

2022 November, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for November of 2022.

Deliberate Errors Promote Meaningful Learning, Sarah Shi Hui Wong, Stephen Wee Hun Lim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Our civilization recognizes that errors can be valuable learning opportunities, but for decades, they have widely been avoided or, at best, allowed to occur as serendipitous accidents. The present research tested whether greater learning success could paradoxically be achieved through making errors by intentional design, relative to traditional errorless learning methods. We show that deliberately committing and correcting errors even when one knows the correct answers enhances learning—a counterintuitive phenomenon that we termed the derring effect. Across two experiments (N = 160), learners engaged in open-book study of scientific expository texts and were then tested on their retention and higher-order …

Inhibition Of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 4/6 Overcomes Primary Resistance To Programmed Cell Death 1 Blockade In Malignant Mesothelioma, Hee-Jin Jang, Cynthia Y Truong, Eric M Lo, Hudson M Holmes, Daniela Ramos, Maheshwari Ramineni, Ju-Seog Lee, Daniel Y Wang, Massimo Pietropaolo, R Taylor Ripley, Bryan M Burt, Hyun-Sung Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Despite the profound number of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients now treated with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) blockade, insight into the underpinnings of rational therapeutic strategies to treat resistance to checkpoint immunotherapy remains unrealized. Our objective was to develop a novel therapeutic approach to overcome primary resistance to PD-1 blockade in MPM.

METHODS: We generated a transcriptome signature of resistance to PD-1 blockade in MPM patients treated with nivolumab (4 responders and 4 nonresponders). We used The Cancer Genome Atlas MPM cohort (n = 73) to determine what genomic alterations were associated with the resistance signature. We tested …