Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Substance Use Disorder On Oxidative And Antioxidative Stress Markers: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Thiago Wendt Viola, Rodrigo Orso, Luisa Fossati Florian, Miguel Gomes Garcia, Marco Giovanni Signor Gomes, Eduarda Mascarenhas Mardini, João Paulo Ottolia Niederauer, Aline Zaparte, Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Recently, it has been suggested that central and peripheral toxicities identified in persons with substance use disorder (SUD) could be partially associated with an imbalance in reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defenses. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate whether SUD is associated with oxidative stress and to identify biomarkers possibly more affected by this condition. We have included studies that analysed oxidant and antioxidant markers in individuals with SUD caused by stimulants, alcohol, nicotine, opioids, and others (cannabis, inhalants, and polysubstance use). Our analysis showed that persons with SUD show higher oxidant markers and lower antioxidant markers …

Spatially Aware Dimension Reduction For Spatial Transcriptomics, Lulu Shang, Xiang Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spatial transcriptomics are a collection of genomic technologies that have enabled transcriptomic profiling on tissues with spatial localization information. Analyzing spatial transcriptomic data is computationally challenging, as the data collected from various spatial transcriptomic technologies are often noisy and display substantial spatial correlation across tissue locations. Here, we develop a spatially-aware dimension reduction method, SpatialPCA, that can extract a low dimensional representation of the spatial transcriptomics data with biological signal and preserved spatial correlation structure, thus unlocking many existing computational tools previously developed in single-cell RNAseq studies for tailored analysis of spatial transcriptomics. We illustrate the benefits of SpatialPCA for …

Tonsillectomy In Children With 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome, Jill M. Arganbright, Paul Bryan Hankey, Meghan Tracy, Srivats Narayanan, Janelle Noel-Macdonnell, David Ingram

Student Publications

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common procedures performed in children, however there are currently no published studies evaluating tonsillectomy in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). With this study, our goal was to investigate the indications, efficacy, and complications of tonsillectomy in a pediatric cohort of patients with 22q11DS. This is a retrospective chart review of patients in our 22q Center's repository. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of 22q11DS and a history of tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy. Data collected included: indications for tonsillectomy, preoperative and postoperative polysomnography (PSG) results, and surgical complications. In total, 33 patients were included. Most common …

The Effects Of Cross-Training On A Barrel Horse, Autumn Gallagher

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Association Between The Health Belief Model, Exercise, And Nutrition Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Keagan Kiely, Bill Mase, Andrew R. Hansen, Jessica S. Schwind

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our nation’s health further than the infection it causes. Physical activity levels and dietary intake have suffered while individuals grapple with the changes in behavior to reduce viral transmission. With unique nuances regarding the access to physical activity and nutrition during the pandemic, the constructs of Health Belief Model (HBM) may present themselves differently in nutrition and exercise behaviors compared to precautions implemented to reduce viral transmission studied in previous research. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of exercise and nutritional behavior change during the COVID-19 pandemic and explain the …

Self-Efficacy, Perceived Stress, And Individual Adjustment Among College-Attending Emerging Adults, Rebecca C. Madson, Paula B. Perrone, Sara E. Goldstein, Chih-Yuan Steven Lee

Department of Family Science and Human Development Scholarship and Creative Works

In a large, ethnically diverse sample of college-attending emerging adults (N = 693; ages 18–29), the current study examines associations between self-efficacy and individual adjustment (academic satisfaction, depressive symptoms, subjective physical health, and loneliness), directly and indirectly through perceived stress. Moderated mediation effects by sex, ethnicity, school year, and first-generation status were also explored. Using PROCESS, results show that self-efficacy was directly related to adjustment, and indirectly related through lower stress. Sex moderated the associations between self-efficacy and stress as well as stress and depressive symptoms; the relations were stronger in women. School year moderated how stress was associated with …

Pandemic Fatigue Impedes Mitigation Of Covid-19 In Hong Kong, Zhanwei Du, Lin Wang, Songwei Shan, Dickson Lam, Tim K. Tsang, Jingyi Xiao, Huizhi Gao, Bingyi Yang, Sheikh Taslim Ali, Sen Pei, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Eric H. Y. Lau, Qiuyan Liao, Peng Wu, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Gabriel M. Leung, Benjamin Cowling

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Hong Kong has implemented stringent public health and social measures (PHSMs) to curb each of the four COVID-19 epidemic waves since January 2020. The third wave between July and September 2020 was brought under control within 2 m, while the fourth wave starting from the end of October 2020 has taken longer to bring under control and lasted at least 5 mo. Here, we report the pandemic fatigue as one of the potential reasons for the reduced impact of PHSMs on transmission in the fourth wave. We contacted either 500 or 1,000 local residents through weekly random-digit dialing of landlines …

Epigenetic Regulation In Chromium-, Nickel- And Cadmium-Induced Carcinogenesis, Lei Zhao, Ranakul Islam, Yifang Wang, Xiujuan Zhang, Ling-Zhi Liu

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Environmental and occupational exposure to heavy metals, such as hexavalent chromium, nickel, and cadmium, are major health concerns worldwide. Some heavy metals are well-documented human carcinogens. Multiple mechanisms, including DNA damage, dysregulated gene expression, and aberrant cancer-related signaling, have been shown to contribute to metal-induced carcinogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms accounting for heavy metal-induced carcinogenesis and angiogenesis are still not fully understood. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have indicated that in addition to genotoxicity and genetic mutations, epigenetic mechanisms play critical roles in metal-induced cancers. Epigenetics refers to the reversible modification of genomes without changing DNA sequences; …

Exosomes Derived From Differentiated Human Admsc With The Schwann Cell Phenotype Modulate Peripheral Nerve-Related Cellular Functions, Bo Liu, Yunfan Kong, Wen Shi, Mitchell Kuss, Ke Liao, Guoku Hu, Peng Xiao, Jagadesan Sankarasubramanian, Chittibabu Guda, Xinglong Wang, Yuguo Lei, Bin Duan

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Peripheral nerve regeneration remains a significant clinical challenge due to the unsatisfactory functional recovery and public health burden. Exosomes, especially those derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), are promising as potential cell-free therapeutics and gene therapy vehicles for promoting neural regeneration. In this study, we reported the differentiation of human adipose derived MSCs (hADMSCs) towards the Schwann cell (SC) phenotype (hADMSC-SCs) and then isolated exosomes from hADMSCs with and without differentiation (i.e., dExo vs uExo). We assessed and compared the effects of uExo and dExo on antioxidative, angiogenic, antiinflammatory, and axon growth promoting properties by using various peripheral nerve-related cells. …

The Glycemic, Cholesterol, And Weight Effects Of L-Carnitine In Diabetes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Jennifer Ko, Eva Y. Wong, Huyentran N. Tran, Rebecca J.C. Tran, Diana X. Cao

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

L-carnitine possibly impacts insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. However, its therapeutic role in diabetes is poorly understood.

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from inception through June 30, 2021. Included studies evaluated the use of L-carnitine in diabetes on fasting blood glucose (FBG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), weight, or body mass index (BMI). Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model.

Results

Seventeen studies …

Every Remembrance Of You, Joseph Khabbaz

The Main Thing Devotional

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,” (Philippians 1:3, NKJV)

Although Paul was in prison, he never neglected the practice of praise.

Usage Patterns Of Open Access Institutional Repositories In Tanzania: A Case Of Selected Public Universities, Anna Shangwe Mbughuni

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usage patterns of OAIRs among university community members in Tanzania universities. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model used to guide this study. The study employed a cross-sectional research design. Systematic random and purposive sampling procedures were used to obtain a total of 292 respondents and eight key informants respectively. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed by using SPSS and qualitative data were analyzed by using content analysis. The study found that 54.5% of the respondents indicated the …

A Novel Voc Breath Tracer Method To Evaluate Indoor Respiratory Exposures In The Near- And Far-Fields; Implications For The Spread Of Respiratory Viruses, Hooman Parhizkar, Mark Fretz, Aurelie Laguerre, Jason Stenson, Richard Corsi, Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg, Elliott T. Gall

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Several studies suggest that far-field transmission (>6 ft) explains a significant number of COVID-19 superspreading outbreaks.

Objective

Therefore, quantifying the ratio of near- and far-field exposure to emissions from a source is key to better understanding human-to-human airborne infectious disease transmission and associated risks.

Methods

In this study, we used an environmentally-controlled chamber to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from a healthy participant who consumed breath mints, which contained unique tracer compounds. Tracer measurements were made at 0.76 m (2.5 ft), 1.52 m (5 ft), 2.28 m (7.5 ft) from the participant, as well as in the …

Temporal Regulation Of Notch Activation Improves Arteriovenous Fistula Maturation, Qunying Guo, Guang Chen, Hunter Cheng, Ying Qing, Luan Truong, Quan Ma, Yun Wang, Jizhong Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation is a process involving remodeling of venous arm of the AVFs. It is a challenge to balance adaptive AVF remodeling and neointima formation. In this study we temporally controlled Notch activation to promote AVF maturation while avoiding neointima formation.

Methods: Temporal Notch activation was controlled by regulating the expression of Notch transcription factor, RBP-Jκ, or dnMAML1 (dominant negative MAML2) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). AVF mouse model was created and VSMC phenotype dynamic changes during AVF remodeling were determined.

Results: Activated Notch was found in the nuclei of neointimal VSMCs in AVFs from uremic …

Qualitative Analysis Of A Twitter-Disseminated Survey Reveals New Patient Perspectives On The Impact Of Urinary Tract Infection, Marissa Valentine-King, Lindsey Laytner, Casey Hines-Munson, Kiara Olmeda, Barbara Trautner, Sheryl Justice, Christina Ching, Larissa Grigoryan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Few studies have harnessed social media to explore patients’ experiences with urinary tract infection (UTI); therefore, we captured UTI experiences and future research suggestions through a Twitter-disseminated survey. The survey posed three qualitative questions inquiring about the impact of UTIs, greatest UTI management hurdle, and research suggestions. We also asked participants to rate how seriously others perceive UTIs and the importance of UTIs in their life (scale: 1–100 (highest)). The study period spanned from January to June 2021. Coding was performed in duplicate, followed by thematic analysis. Of 466 participants from 22 countries, 128 considered their UTIs recurrent (n …

Cortex-Wide Response Mode Of Vip-Expressing Inhibitory Neurons By Reward And Punishment, Zoltán Szadai, Hyun-Jae Pi, Quentin Chevy, Katalin Ócsai, Dinu F Albeanu, Balázs Chiovini, Gergely Szalay, Gergely Katona, Adam Kepecs, Balázs Rózsa

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Neocortex is classically divided into distinct areas, each specializing in different function, but all could benefit from reinforcement feedback to inform and update local processing. Yet it remains elusive how global signals like reward and punishment are represented in local cortical computations. Previously, we identified a cortical neuron type, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-expressing interneurons, in auditory cortex that is recruited by behavioral reinforcers and mediates disinhibitory control by inhibiting other inhibitory neurons. As the same disinhibitory cortical circuit is present virtually throughout cortex, we wondered whether VIP neurons are likewise recruited by reinforcers throughout cortex. We monitored VIP neural activity …

What Multi-Disciplinary Delivery Models For Occupational Health Services Are Effective For Whom? An Umbrella Review, Elizabeth Shaw, M Nunns, Stuart Spicer, Hassanat Lawal, G. J. Melendez-Torres, Ruth Garside, Kristin Liabo, J Thompson-Coon

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Endnote: Conference Previews Contributions From Perspectives On The State Of Jefferson, Rebecca Batzel, Alexis Grant

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Endnote: Conference Previews Contributions from Perspectives on the State of Jefferson

Book Review: West Of Eden: Communes And Utopia In Northern California, Edited By Iain Boal, Janferie Stone, Michael Watts, And Cal Winslow, Sara Matthews

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Book Review: West Of Eden: Communes and Utopia in Northern California, edited by Iain Boal, Janferie Stone, Michael Watts, and Cal Winslow

Estimating The Quasi-Underground: Oregon’S Informal Marijuana Economy, Seth S. Crawford

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

This study estimates the size of Oregon’s informal marijuana economy, drawing upon Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) procedures and survey methods to investigate this quasi-underground activity. The results suggest that average marijuana users consume approximately 4.5 ounces per year and pay approximately $177 per ounce. Most users purchase the drug from friends and nearly one third of respondents indicate that they sell marijuana in small quantities. Growers tend to sell inauspicious quantities to friends and relatives, and rarely earn more than $10,000 annually from their sales. The composition of distribution networks suggests that the informal marijuana economy is a “robust network,” particularly …

Who Will Own The Mazama? Tribal Power And Forest Ownership In The Klamath Basin, Erin Kelly, Hannah Gosnell

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Through the case study of a 90,000-acre section of forest called the Mazama Tree Farm (Mazama), this manuscript explores several dynamics within the State of Jefferson, notably (1) the changing power of Native American tribes relative to other landowners and (2) the transition in rural land uses from productivism toward post-productivism. The Mazama was part of the Klamath Reservation until tribal termination in 1954, when it was purchased by an industrial landowner. The loss of the reservation coincided with the nadir of tribal power within the State of Jefferson, but more recent developments may return the Mazama to tribal ownership …

The Politics Of Fire And The Social Impacts Of Fire Exclusion On The Klamath1, Kari Marie Norgaard

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

The exceptional biological diversity of the mid-Klamath River region of northern California has emerged in conjunction with sophisticated Karuk land management practices, including the regulation of the forest and fisheries through ceremony and the use of fire. Over three quarters of Karuk traditional food and cultural use species are enhanced by fire. Fire is also central to cultural and spiritual practices. Land management techniques since the early 1900s have emphasized fire suppression and the “exclusion” of wildfire from the landscape. This paper uses data from interviews, surveys and other documents to describe the social impacts of fire exclusion for Karuk …

Got Land? Thank An Indian: Settler Colonialism And The White Settler In The Karuk Ancestral Territory, Laura Hurwitz

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

From the time of European invasion of what now constitutes the United States, the settler colonial system has aimed to exterminate Indigenous Peoples and replace them with settlers on the land. While settler colonialism benefits the settler at the cost of the Indigenous, all life on Earth suffers from the continuation of this system. This research examines how white settlers living in the Karuk Ancestral Territory, located in Humboldt County, California, understand our role in the settler colonial system. The goal of this study is to begin a collective pursuit of a white settler ethic of accountability, which is a …

Sawdust Empire, Sawdust Mountain, And Beyond: The Challenges For The State Of Jefferson, As Seen Through The Photographs Of Eirik Johnson’S Sawdust Mountain, Gordon H. Stillman, Peter G. Stillman

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Eirik Johnson’s Sawdust Mountain portfolio of photographs explores the past, present, and possible futures of the rural Pacific Northwest including the State of Jefferson. Jefferson has been dependent on and shaped culturally and economically by logging and fishing, but these extractive industries have been transformed by technology and are declining in importance. Johnson’s photographs portray specific instances of these shifts and the uncertainties and ambiguities of the present. His photographs suggest three possible directions for Jefferson’s future. One is continued resource extraction, modified to suit contemporary attitudes and values; a second is suburbanization; and a third involves a relative retreat, …

All We Ask Is To Be Left Alone, Peter Laufer

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

Since the mid-19th century, disaffected citizens of California’s far northern counties have conspired with their fellows in southern Oregon to break free from distant state governments and remedy by themselves the social and economic ills they blame, in part, on the relative unimportance the rest of their states attaches to them and their territory. Impoverished relative to the urban centers of Oregon and California, the Jeffersonians’ sense of economic and political marginalization strengthens their connection to a regional identity. Jefferson’s population today is at most just over half a million, a tiny fraction of California and Oregon. But the frustrations …

The State Of Jefferson: Beyond Myth And Mindset, Toward Enhanced Conceptualization Of A Region, Matthew A. Derrick

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

The State of Jefferson, a ruggedly beautiful region consisting of swaths of southern Oregon and northern California, is often described as “mythical” or a “state of mind.” Introducing this issue of HJSR, this article lays out the basic regional features of Jefferson—its topography, rurality, traditional reliance on resource-extractive industries, and associations with secessionism—and poses the question: How might we conceptualize the Jefferson as more than just “mythical” or a “state of mind”? In discussing how the region as an object of study has been approached by geographers, the author highlights the importance of enhancing the manner in which Jefferson is …

Full Journal

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

The theme of issue 36 of the Humboldt Journal of Social Relations is Perspectives on the State of Jefferson.

Student And Faculty Preferences Regarding Instructional Modalities At An Hbcu Business School As A Result Of Covid-19 – A Change Management Approach And Mindset, Donald R. Andrews, Sung No, Kimberly K. Powell, Melanie Powell Rey, Ghrimay Ghebreyesus

Southwestern Business Administration Journal

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the higher education community, especially the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). At a micro-level, the HBCU business schools have felt the effects as well, particularly in critical areas such as instructional modalities and the overall classroom experience. Since COVID-19 has changed the educational game, what do key stakeholder groups now prefer regarding instructional modalities in the HBCU business school? This study will answer this question and more while incorporating a change management approach and mindset for leadership and decision-making.

An Assessment Of 50 State Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Websites: Is Needed Information Being Provided For Parent Decision Making?, Nichole Westin, Donna Sorkin

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Growth of the Internet as an information resource has provided expanded opportunities for families to easily gather information on a range of topics, including health related topics. State Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) websites and other electronic data sources are an important opportunity to support families seeking information on options for their children who have been identified as deaf or hard of hearing. A review was undertaken between August and September 2021 of the 51 US EHDI (state and DC) websites and related information (such as links to others’ sites) to determine if information that is specifcally discussed in …

“It’S About Walking Alongside A Family”: Practitioner Perspectives On Caregiver Coaching With Families Of Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing, Dorie Noll, Sheila Moodie, Ian D. Graham, Beth Potter, Elizabeth M. Fitzpatrick

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Practitioners utilize caregiver coaching in early intervention services, but coaching principles and practices are not well understood in the context of listening and spoken language (LSL) services with families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The purpose of this study was to examine practitioners’ experiences with coaching, including definitions, training, and practices they utilize in their work with families. Using semi-structured, qualitative interviews and video observation discussions, this study examined the perspectives of 14 practitioners providing LSL services to families at three intervention sites in the US and Canada. Results indicate that practitioners’ underlying beliefs about their …