Digital Commons Network^™

Gut Dysbiosis In Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Is Characterized By Shifts In Relative Abundances Of Specific Bacterial Taxa And Decreased Diversity In More Advanced Disease, Madeline J. Hooper, T.M. Lewitt, Y. Pang, F.L. Veon, G.E Chlipala, L. Feferman, S.J. Green, D. Sweeney, K.T. Bagnowski, Michael B. Burns, P.C. Seed, J. Choi, J. Guitart, X.A. Zhou

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) patients often suffer from recurrent skin infections and profound immune dysregulation in advanced disease. The gut microbiome has been recognized to influence cancers and cutaneous conditions; however, it has not yet been studied in CTCL.ObjectivesTo investigate the gut microbiome in patients with CTCL and in healthy controls.MethodsA case-control study was conducted between January 2019 and November 2020 at Northwestern’s busy multidisciplinary CTCL clinic (Chicago, Illinois, USA) utilizing 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing and bioinformatics analyses to characterize the microbiota present in fecal samples of CTCL patients (n = 38) and age-matched healthy controls (n …

Runoff And Discharge Pathways Of Microplastics Into Freshwater Ecosystems: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, J. Wang, K. Bucci, P. A. Helm, T. Hoellein, M. J. Hoffman, R. Rooney, C. M. Rochman

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Although many studies have focused on the importance of littering and (or) illegal dumping as a source of plastic pollution to freshwater, other relevant pathways should be considered, including wastewater, stormwater runoff, industrial effluent/runoff, and agricultural runoff. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis focused on these four pathways. We quantified the number of studies, amount and characteristics of microplastics reported, and the methods used to sample and measure microplastics from each pathway. Overall, we found 121 studies relevant to our criteria, published from 2014 to 2020. Of these, 54 (45%) quantified and characterized microplastics in discharge pathways. Although most focused on …

Microplastic Accumulation In Riverbed Sediment Via Hyporheic Exchange From Headwaters To Mainstems, Jennifer D. Drummond, Uwe Schneidewind, Angang Li, Timothy J. Hoellein, Stefan Krause, Aaron I. Packman

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In rivers, small and lightweight microplastics are transported downstream, but they are also found frequently in riverbed sediment, demonstrating long-term retention. To better understand microplastic dynamics in global rivers from headwaters to mainstems, we developed a model that includes hyporheic exchange processes, i.e., transport between surface water and riverbed sediment, where microplastic retention is facilitated. Our simulations indicate that the longest microplastic residence times occur in headwaters, the most abundant stream classification. In headwaters, residence times averaged 5 hours/km but increased to 7 years/km during low-flow conditions. Long-term accumulation for all stream classifications averaged ~5% of microplastic inputs per river …

Feminist Academic Organizations: Challenging Sexism Through Collective Mobilizing Across Research, Support, And Advocacy, Lauren Gurrieri, Andrea Prothero, Shona Bettany, Susan Dobscha, Jenna M. Drenten, Shelagh Ferguson, Stacey Finkelstein, Laura Mcvey, Nacima Ourahmoune, Laurel Steinfield, Linda Tuncay Zayer

School of Business: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This paper examines the establishment of a feminist academic organization, GENMAC (Gender, Markets, and Consumers; genmac.co), serving gender scholars in business schools and related fields. In so doing, it builds on the emerging literature of feminist academic organizations, as situated within feminist organizational studies (FOS). Through a feminist case study and by assessing the reflections of GENMAC's board members, we tell the story of the emergence of GENMAC and detail the tensions the organization encountered as it formally established itself as a feminist organization within the confines of a business school setting, a patriarchal system, and a neoliberal university paradigm. …

Biocatalytic Intramolecular C−H Aminations Via Engineered Heme Proteins: Full Reaction Pathways And Axial Ligand Effects, Yang Wei, Melissa Conklin, Yong Zhang

Chemistry: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Engineered heme protein biocatalysts provide an efficient and sustainable approach to develop amine-containing compounds through C−H amination. A quantum chemical study to reveal the complete heme catalyzed intramolecular C−H amination pathway and protein axial ligand effect was reported, using reactions of an experimentally used arylsulfonylazide with hemes containing L=none, SH−, MeO−, and MeOH to simulate no axial ligand, negatively charged Cys and Ser ligands, and a neutral ligand for comparison. Nitrene formation was found as the overall rate-determining step (RDS) and the catalyst with Ser ligand has the best reactivity, consistent with experimental reports. Both RDS and non-RDS (nitrene transfer) …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Oxidative Stress-Induced Corneal Damage And The Use Of Antioxidants And Therapeutics, Anita Kirti Ghosh

Dissertations

Dry eye disease represents an urgent unmet clinical need. This dissertation explores the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of ocular surface disease in small and large animal models and provides feasibility for the development of antioxidants as novel therapeutics for dry eye disease. Dry eye disease affects 50 million Americans every year, and costs about $55 billion annually in the USA. The disease manifests as ocular irritation, burning, foreign body sensation, and blurry/cloudy vision. While it is widely accepted that oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of the disease, little is understood about the underlying molecular mechanisms. The purpose …

Abl2 Promotes Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Via Ppar Gamma Regulation, Gregory Malnassy

Dissertations

Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD) is an umbrella term for a spectrum of diseases resulting from chronic alcohol (e.g. ethanol) abuse ranging in severity from reversible conditions such as alcohol-induced steatosis to advanced and largely irreversible liver pathologies including alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH), alcoholic hepatitis (AH), fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). AALD is one of the primary causes of chronic liver disease worldwide and accounts for 44% of liver disease deaths in the United States. Drinking rates, both in the United States and globally, have increased year over year for the past three decades, a trend which has resulted in significantly …

Las Chingonas: An Ecological Approach To Latina Student Mothers’ Journey Through College, Emely Elizabeth Medina-Rodriguez

Dissertations

Women with children are one of the growing student sub-populations in higher education. However, the support student mothers receive in colleges and universities has been historically unreliable and their experiences in college have not been studied in depth. This is especially true for student mothers from minoritized backgrounds with differing racial, ethnic, sexual, gender, and ability identities. This research aims to understand the experiences Latina graduate student mothers from an ecological and critical perspective. Guided by Critical Human Ecology and Black Feminist Thought, eight open-ended interviews were conducted and analyzed. Themes and categories came out of the patterns in the …

Elucidating The Role Of Kmt2d In Her2+ Breast Cancer, Emily Ma

Dissertations

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the US. Histone modifications are common epigenetic changes that have been implicated in several breast cancers, including HER2+ breast cancers. Current therapies, such as trastuzumab, block the HER2 receptor to reduce tumor growth. Unfortunately, HER2+ breast cancers have found ways to overcome these therapies, leading to tumor resistance, metastases, and poor survival outcomes. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms contributing to HER2+ breast cancer resistance may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes.One prognostic marker for poor survival in women with …

Determination Of The Ecological Water Quality In The Orienco Stream Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates In The Northern Ecuadorian Amazon, Federico Sinche, Manuel Cabrera, Lenin Vaca, Edin Segura, Pablo Carrera

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In recent years, pollution of watercourses in nearby protected ecosystems has increased due to urbanization. Standard physiochemical methods and probes are one way to monitor watercourses for quality. However, they often do not provide the full ecological status of the body of water. In this work, we set out to assess the ecological water quality of an urban stream by using benthic macroinvertebrates as bioindicators. We conducted the work on the Orienco stream in Lago Agrio in the province of Sucumbíos in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon (NEA). The stream has become a sink of raw domestic sanitary wastewater from rural …

“An Umbrella For All Things”: Black Daughter's Sexual Decisions And Paternal Engagement, Marquitta S. Dorsey

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Objective: The purpose of this article is to highlight the value of Black fathers to the sexual decision-making processes among Black adolescent and young adult daughters. Background: Various contextual factors, such as fewer sexual health resources in poorer communities and federal funding cuts to family planning service agencies, ultimately contribute to the sexual health decision-making of adolescent young women and may be linked to sexual health disparities among Black adolescent women. Recent studies have reported the protective nature of a Black father’s engagement to be beneficial to the behavioral outcomes of adolescent daughters. Method: Findings from 17 semistructured interviews conducted …

Fairness And Inclusion For Users Of Surface Transport—An Exploratory Thematic Study For Irish Users, Ajeni Ari, Maria Chiara Leva, Lorraine D'Arcy, Mary Kinahan

Articles

This paper explores the conditions of public transport with respect to user accessibility, design of infrastructure, and safety from a gendered perspective. Our investigation aims to understand the factors that direct a citizen’s choice of whether or not to use public transport. Our discussion is focused on gender disparities among user experiences, so we confine our focus to that of women’s perspectives and their experiences with public transport use. A framework for our discussion was formed with consideration of the theoretical aspects of fairness, justice, and gender in transport, as well as user statistics. We identified several spaces where public …

Synthesis, In Silico And Pharmacological Evaluation Of New Thiazolidine-4-Carboxylic Acid Derivatives Against Ethanol-Induced Neurodegeneration And Memory Impairment, Shagufta Naz, Lina Tariq Al Kury, Humaira Nadeem, Fawad Ali Shah, Rehan Zafar Paracha, Muhammad Imran, Shupeng Li, Aman Ullah

All Works

Introduction: Several studies revealed that alcohol utilization impairs memory in adults; however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. The production of inflammatory markers and reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a major role in neurodegeneration, which leads to memory impairment. Therefore, targeting neuroinflammation and oxidative distress could be a useful strategy for abrogating the hallmarks of ethanol-induced neurodegeneration. Moreover, several studies have demonstrated multiple biological activities of thiazolidine derivatives including neuroprotection. Methods: In the current study, we synthesized ten (10) new thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid derivatives (P1-P10), characterized their synthetic properties using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H-NMR) and carbon-13 NMR, and further …

Upregulation Of Irisin And Vitamin D-Binding Protein Concentrations By Increasing Maternal 25-Hydrovitamin D Concentrations In Combination With Specific Genotypes Of Vitamin D-Binding Protein Polymorphisms, Spyridon N. Karras, Erdinç Dursun, Merve Alaylıoglu, Duygu Gezen-Ak, Fatme Al Anouti, Stefan Pilz, Pawel Pludowski, Edward Jude, Kalliopi Kotsa

All Works

Dyshomeostasis of vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) has been implicated in the patho-genesis of various pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, gestational di-abetes, and adverse metabolic profiles in the offspring. VDBP polymorphisms have been consistently reported to contribute to this intriguing interplay. Until recently, the effects of VDBP poly-morphism heterogeneity on maternal and neonatal adipomyokine profiles have not been investi-gated, specifically after incorporating the different maternal and neonatal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration cut-offs at birth. We aimed to investigate the potential effects of maternal and neonatal VDBP polymorphisms on adiponectin, irisin, and VDBP concentrations at birth, according to different cut-offs of vitamin …

Towards An Active Foveated Approach To Computer Vision, Dario Dematties, Silvio Rizzi, George K. Thiruvathukal, Alejandro Javier Wainselboim

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

In this paper, a series of experimental methods are presented explaining a new approach towards active foveated Computer Vision (CV). This is a collaborative effort between researchers at CONICET Mendoza Technological Scientific Center from Argentina, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), and Loyola University Chicago from the US. The aim is to advance new CV approaches more in line with those found in biological agents in order to bring novel solutions to the main problems faced by current CV applications. Basically this work enhance Self-supervised (SS) learning, incorporating foveated vision plus saccadic behavior in order to improve training and computational efficiency without …

Comparison Of Schedules, Stress, Sleep Problems, Fatigue, Mental Health And Well-Being Of Low Cost And Network Carrier Pilots, Marion Venus

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Objective

This research investigates and compares working-conditions, duty rosters, stress, sleep problems, fatigue levels, mental health, and well-being of pilots working for network (NWCs), and low-cost carriers (LCCs). This study extends previous research by investigating working conditions, pilots’ actual rosters, fatigue and mental health of two groups of pilots flying for LCC or NWC.

Method

A comprehensive cross-sectional online survey was completed by N=338 pilots (185 NWC, 153 LCC pilots). All pilots reported their roster data of the last 2 months during peak flight season, psychosocial and work-related stress (e.g., high job insecurity, less total flight-experience, lower income, more time …

3d Printing Technology In Aerospace Industry – A Review, Mohammad Suhel Karkun, Sathish Dharmalingam

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

In the modern era, several new technologies are being developed for the most convenient and easy usage of materials. Due to its effortless and quick usage properties, 3D printing technology has a vast application range nowadays in different fields. The application of 3D printing technology in the aerospace industry has been developed in the past few decades, but now it has been enhanced to a new level. 3D printing technology now has several applications in the aeronautical and space sectors. Soon, 3D printing technology will be used for building habitations on other planets and for the printing of spacecraft and …

Highlights From International Conference On Cancer Health Disparities 2021, Murali M. Yallapu, Jorge L. Teniente, Andrew Tsin, Subhash C. Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications

The first International Conference on Cancer Health Disparities (ICCHD) was held on August 13-14, 2021, in Harlingen, TX, USA. This two-day ICCHD-2021 was organized by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Medicine (UTRGV-SOM). About 200 national and international delegates from 10 countries attended this hybrid meeting in person and through online digital platforms. The event delegates were representatives from National Institutes of Health (NIH), Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), and the City of Harlingen, in addition to clinicians, faculty, researchers, scientists, bioinformaticians, geneticists, bioethicists, and others. Under the theme of Cancer Health Disparities, this …

Investigating ‘Active Citizenship’: A Journey Toward The Political Heart Of Education In The Company Of Hannah Arendt., Kevin Richard Walker

Plymouth Institute of Education Theses

The formation of ‘active citizens’ has become a desirable educational outcome in mainstream secondary and adult education in the UK. However, there is a wide range of interpretations regarding what being ‘active’ as a citizen actually involves and a lack of consensus on the role of education in this process. Drawing on Arendt’s conception of action as the basis of political activity where “to be free and to act are the same” (Arendt 1968a: 153), I propose an understanding of ‘active citizenship’ which involves the appearance of an individual citizen in relationship with the shared public world. It is argued …

A Riverine Ecosystem Service Cascade Model (Rescam) Framework For Assessing Ecosystem Service Provision As Applied To English Geomorphic River Types, Claire Bithell

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Riverine ecosystems are considered the lifeblood of the Earth and because of this, have been exploited for centuries for social, agricultural and industrial development, resulting in their environmental degradation and simplification. This has led to a shift in the natural processes and functions and thus their ability to provide a full range and overall high levels of regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services, which humans rely on. An ecosystem service and nature-based approach is being increasingly recognised as a useful tool to help evaluate, protect and restore river ecosystems for maximising the delivery of ecosystem services sustainably. Riverine ecosystem services …

Adaptive Capacity And The Responses Of Local Governance Actors To Evolutionary Political-Economic Change: Lessons From The Heart Of The South West Local Enterprise Partnership, Tim Sydenham

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

This thesis critically examines how micro-level adaptive processes and capacities operate and unfold in local/regional economic development governance in the context of cumulative and often disruptive political-economic change. It argues that states often seek to promote the adaptability and growth of local/regional economies by reconfiguring subnational governance arrangements but the evolutionary consequences of centrally driven state transformation processes for local/regional adaptation remain unclear. Evolutionary economic geography (EEG) provides concepts, mechanisms and models of adaptation but has tended to focus on firms and macro-structural economic change and pay limited attention to how the critical micro-level adaptive processes at work are influenced …

An Investigation Of The Impacts Of A Dairy Industry Waste On River Water Quality And The Appropriateness Of Current Monitoring Approaches And Regulation, Rupert Goddard

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Rupert Goddard AN INVESTIGATION OF THE IMPACTS OF A DAIRY INDUSTRY WASTE ON RIVER WATER QUALITY AND THE APPROPRIATENESS OF CURRENT MONITORING APPROACHES AND REGULATION. The modern dairy industry is a key contributor to global food security, with diverse production practices reflecting different geographic, economic and cultural contexts. Across the globe, the dairy industry has a significant contribution to global employment and wealth, health and land use. However, untreated or partially treated dairy waste entering a river system can be detrimental, increasing eutrophication, changing community structure or in the worst case scenario, causing death to organisms. Dairies are located near …

Developing A Virtual Approach To Determine If Ecosystem Service Provision Differs Between Scottish River Corridors With And Without Nature Designations, Victoria Keele

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Humanity survives because we are graced with nature, or ‘ecosystem services’. In a time of turbulence caused by climate change and increasing population, there is debate surrounding the extent to which areas protected for biodiversity can deliver ecosystem services. Subsequently, the overarching aim of this PhD thesis is to determine if ecosystem service provision differs between Scottish river corridors with and without nature designations. To achieve the primary research aim, this thesis has a secondary aim of developing a methodology which can capture multiple riverine ecosystem services at the reach scale. Following an extensive review of the methods used to …

The Efficacy Of A Newly Developed Method Of Controlled Calcium Carbonate Introductions For Anthropogenic Acidification Mitigation In A Naturally Acidic Riverine Environment, Lauren Dawson

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Theses

Historical anthropogenic acidification in the West Dart River, southwest England, represents a significant threat to surface water quality and aquatic ecology through flushing induced pH troughs and elevated bioavailable Aluminium (Al) levels. The West Dart River is failing to meet good ecological status established under the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) (WFD) for pH (Upper West Dart, Cycle 2 classifications 2013-2019 = Moderate, physico-chemical quality elements 2013-2019 pH = Moderate). The aim of this study was to develop and test a method of controlled calcium carbonate (CaCO3) introductions, in order to preserve the naturally acidic riverine state and the biological communities …

The Developing Maternal-Infant Relationship: A Qualitative Longitudinal Study, Jane Peters

School of Nursing and Midwifery Theses

Aim The study aimed to explore maternal perceptions and the use of knowledge relating to their infant’s mental health over time using qualitative longitudinal research. Background There has been a growing interest in infant mental health over recent years. Much of this interest is directed through the lens of infant determinism, through knowledge regarding neurological development resulting in biological determinism. Research and policy in this field are directed toward individual parenting behaviours, usually focused on the mother. Despite this, there is little attention given to maternal perspectives of infant mental health, indicating that a more innovative approach to methodology is …

Association Between Motor Planning And The Frontoparietal Network In Children: An Exploratory Multimodal Study, Ranila Bhoyroo, Beth Hands, Karen Caeyenberghs, Alberto De Luca, Alexander Leemans, Adam Wigley, Christian Hyde

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Objective: Evidence from adult literature shows the involvement of cortical grey matter areas of the frontoparietal lobe and the white matter bundle, the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) in motor planning. This is yet to be confirmed in children.

Method: A multimodal study was designed to probe the neurostructural basis of childhood motor planning. Behavioural (motor planning), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) data were acquired from 19 boys aged 8–11 years. Motor planning was assessed using the one and two colour sequences of the octagon task. The MRI data were preprocessed and analysed using FreeSurfer 6.0. Cortical …

Endogenous Retroviral Proteins As Potential Drug Targets For Merlin-Deficient Tumours, Bora Agit

Peninsula Medical School Theses

Merlin is a tumour suppressor, and its loss is the major cause of a hereditary disease Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) characterised by the development of multiple tumours of the nervous system such as schwannomas, meningiomas and ependymomas. Current surgical treatments and radiotherapy for this group of tumours are not fully effective and there is an urgent need for new therapeutic options. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are retroviruses that have been incorporated into the human genome during evolution, now comprising 5% of it. The majority of HERVs are defective except for a few groups, including type K (HERV-K) which kept full-intact …

Functional Studies Of Genetic Variants Associated With Human Diseases In Notch Signaling-Related Genes Using Drosophila, Sheng-An Yang, Jose L Salazar, David Li-Kroeger, Shinya Yamamoto

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Rare variants in the many genes related to Notch signaling cause diverse Mendelian diseases that affect myriad organ systems. In addition, genome- and exome-wide association studies have linked common and rare variants in Notch-related genes to common diseases and phenotypic traits. Moreover, somatic mutations in these genes have been observed in many types of cancer, some of which are classified as oncogenic and others as tumor suppressive. While functional characterization of some of these variants has been performed through experimental studies, the number of ‘variants of unknown significance’ identified in patients with diverse conditions keeps increasing as high-throughput sequencing technologies …

Epithelial Morphogenesis In The Drosophila Egg Chamber Requires Parvin And Ilk, Athina Keramidioti, Evgenia Golegou, Eleni Psarra, Nikolaos Paschalidis, Konstantina Kalodimou, Shinya Yamamoto, Christos Delidakis, Katerina M Vakaloglou, Christos G Zervas

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Integrins are the major family of transmembrane proteins that mediate cell-matrix adhesion and have a critical role in epithelial morphogenesis. Integrin function largely depends on the indirect connection of the integrin cytoplasmic tail to the actin cytoskeleton through an intracellular protein network, the integrin adhesome. What is currently unknown is the role of individual integrin adhesome components in epithelia dynamic reorganization. Drosophila egg chamber consists of the oocyte encircled by a monolayer of somatic follicle epithelial cells that undergo specific cell shape changes. Egg chamber morphogenesis depends on a developmental array of cell-cell and cell-matrix signalling events. Recent elegant work …

Emerging Roles Of Alternative Cleavage And Polyadenylation (Apa) In Human Disease, Prakash Dharmalingam, Rajasekaran Mahalingam, Hari Krishna Yalamanchili, Tingting Weng, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Ashrith Guha, Rajarajan A Thandavarayan

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

In the messenger RNA (mRNA) maturation process, the 3'-end of pre-mRNA is cleaved and a poly(A) sequence is added, this is an important determinant of mRNA stability and its cellular functions. More than 60%-70% of human genes have three or more polyadenylation (APA) sites and can be cleaved at different sites, generating mRNA transcripts of varying lengths. This phenomenon is termed as alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) and it plays role in key biological processes like gene regulation, cell proliferation, senescence, and also in various human diseases. Loss of regulatory microRNA binding sites and interactions with RNA-binding proteins leading to …