Digital Commons Network^™

Acs, George, Sophia Maier Garcia

Bronx Jewish History Project

George Acs was born in Hungary and was brought, as a three year old, to the United States in 1957, after his parents fled the Hungarian Revolution in 1956. His mother’s cousin, who survived Auschwitz with her, had an apartment in the Bronx and they moved in with her upon arriving in the United States. Eventually they would live on 174th Street and Southern Boulevard, which was a Jewish area but in the process of transitioning by the time they moved there in 1957 until they left in 1964 and moved to Lydig Avenue off Pelham Parkway, which was Jewish …

Identification Of Ct-Based Non-Invasive Radiomic Biomarkers For Overall Survival Prediction In Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Xiao Ling, Gregory S. Alexander, Jason Molitoris, Jinhyuk Choi, Lisa Schumaker, Ranee Mehra, Daria A. Gaykalova, Lei Ren

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

This study addresses the limited non-invasive tools for Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) survival prediction by identifying Computed Tomography (CT)-based biomarkers to improve prognosis prediction. A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 149 OSCC patients, including CT radiomics and clinical information. An ensemble approach involving correlation analysis, score screening, and the Sparse-L1 algorithm was used to select functional features, which were then used to build Cox Proportional Hazards models (CPH). Our CPH achieved a 0.70 concordance index in testing. The model identified two CT-based radiomics features, Gradient-Neighboring-Gray-Tone-Difference-Matrix-Strength (GNS) and normalized-Wavelet-LLL-Gray-Level-Dependence-Matrix-Large-Dependence-High-Gray-Level-Emphasis (HLE), as well as stage and alcohol usage, …

A Phenotypically Robust Model Of Spinal And Bulbar Muscular Atrophy In Drosophila, Kristin Richardson, Medha Sengupta, Alyson Sujkowski, Kozeta Libohova, Autumn C. Harris, Robert Wessells, Diane E. Merry, Sokol V. Todi

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an X-linked disorder that affects males who inherit the androgen receptor (AR) gene with an abnormal CAG triplet repeat expansion. The resulting protein contains an elongated polyglutamine (polyQ) tract and causes motor neuron degeneration in an androgen-dependent manner. The precise molecular sequelae of SBMA are unclear. To assist with its investigation and the identification of therapeutic options, we report here a new model of SBMA in Drosophila melanogaster. We generated transgenic flies that express the full-length, human AR with a wild-type or pathogenic polyQ repeat. Each transgene is inserted into the same safe …

Novel Sox10 Indel Mutations Drive Schwannomas Through Impaired Transactivation Of Myelination Gene Programs, Erik A Williams, Ajay Ravindranathan, Rohit Gupta, Nicholas O Stevers, Abigail K Suwala, Chibo Hong, Somang Kim, Jimmy Bo Yuan, Jasper Wu, Jairo Barreto, Calixto-Hope G Lucas, Emily Chan, Melike Pekmezci, Philip E Leboit, Thaddeus Mully, Arie Perry, Andrew Bollen, Jessica Van Ziffle, W Patrick Devine, Alyssa T Reddy, Nalin Gupta, Kristen M Basnet, Robert J B Macaulay, Patrick Malafronte, Han Lee, William H Yong, Kevin Jon Williams, Tareq A Juratli, Douglas A Mata, Richard S P Huang, Matthew C Hiemenz, Dean C Pavlick, Garrett M Frampton, Tyler Janovitz, Jeffrey S Ross, Susan M Chang, Mitchel S Berger, Line Jacques, Jun S Song, Joseph F Costello, David A Solomon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas are common peripheral nerve sheath tumors that can cause severe morbidity given their stereotypic intracranial and paraspinal locations. Similar to many solid tumors, schwannomas and other nerve sheath tumors are primarily thought to arise due to aberrant hyperactivation of the RAS growth factor signaling pathway. Here, we sought to further define the molecular pathogenesis of schwannomas.

METHODS: We performed comprehensive genomic profiling on a cohort of 96 human schwannomas, as well as DNA methylation profiling on a subset. Functional studies including RNA sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation-DNA sequencing, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and luciferase reporter assays were performed in a …

Benzodioxane-Benzamides As Ftsz Inhibitors: Effects Of Linker's Functionalization On Gram-Positive Antimicrobial Activity, Lorenzo Suigo, William Margolin, Eugenia Ulzurrun, Martina Hrast Rambaher, Carlo Zanotto, Victor Sebastián-Pérez, Nuria E Campillo, Valentina Straniero, Ermanno Valoti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

FtsZ is an essential bacterial protein abundantly studied as a novel and promising target for antimicrobials. FtsZ is highly conserved among bacteria and mycobacteria, and it is crucial for the correct outcome of the cell division process, as it is responsible for the division of the parent bacterial cell into two daughter cells. In recent years, the benzodioxane-benzamide class has emerged as very promising and capable of targeting both Gram-positive and Gram-negative FtsZs. In this study, we explored the effect of including a substituent on the ethylenic linker between the two main moieties on the antimicrobial activity and pharmacokinetic properties. …

Rad54l2-Mediated Dna Damage Avoidance Pathway Specifically Preserves Genome Integrity In Response To Topoisomerase 2 Poisons, Huimin Zhang, Yun Xiong, Yilun Sun, Jeong-Min Park, Dan Su, Xu Feng, Sarah Keast, Mengfan Tang, Min Huang, Chao Wang, Mrinal Srivastava, Chang Yang, Dandan Zhu, Zhen Chen, Siting Li, Ling Yin, Yves Pommier, Junjie Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Type II topoisomerases (TOP2) form transient TOP2 cleavage complexes (TOP2ccs) during their catalytic cycle to relieve topological stress. TOP2ccs are covalently linked TOP2-DNA intermediates that are reversible but can be trapped by TOP2 poisons. Trapped TOP2ccs block transactions on DNA and generate genotoxic stress, which are the mechanisms of action of TOP2 poisons. How cells avoid TOP2cc accumulation remains largely unknown. In this study, we uncovered RAD54 like 2 (RAD54L2) as a key factor that mediates a TOP2-specific DNA damage avoidance pathway. RAD54L2 deficiency conferred unique sensitivity to treatment with TOP2 poisons. RAD54L2 interacted with TOP2A/TOP2B and ZATT/ZNF451 and promoted …

Phenotyping Emt And Met Cellular States In Lung Cancer Patient Liquid Biopsies At A Personalized Level Using Mass Cytometry, Loukia G Karacosta, Danny Pancirer, Jordan S Preiss, Jalen A Benson, Winston Trope, Joseph B Shrager, Arthur Wai Sung, Joel W Neal, Sean C Bendall, Heather Wakelee, Sylvia K Plevritis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) can be utilized as liquid biopsy for phenotyping malignant cells and for precision immunotherapy, yet MPEs are inadequately studied at the single-cell proteomic level. Here we leverage mass cytometry to interrogate immune and epithelial cellular profiles of primary tumors and pleural effusions (PEs) from early and late-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, with the goal of assessing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) states in patient specimens. By using the EMT-MET reference map PHENOSTAMP, we observe a variety of EMT states in cytokeratin positive (CK+) cells, and report for the first time MET-enriched CK+ …

Ewsr1::Atf1 Orchestrates The Clear Cell Sarcoma Transcriptome In Human Tumors And A Mouse Genetic Model, Benjamin B Ozenberger, Li Li, Emily R Wilson, Alexander J Lazar, Jared J Barrott, Kevin B Jones

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) is a rare, aggressive malignancy that most frequently arises in the soft tissues of the extremities. It is defined and driven by expression of one member of a family of related translocation-generated fusion oncogenes, the most common of which is EWSR1::ATF1. The EWSR1::ATF1 fusion oncoprotein reprograms transcription. However, the binding distribution of EWSR1::ATF1 across the genome and its target genes remain unclear. Here, we interrogated the genomic distribution of V5-tagged EWSR1::ATF1 in tumors it had induced upon expression in mice that also recapitulated the transcriptome of human CCS. ChIP-sequencing of V5-EWSR1::ATF1 identified previously unreported motifs …

Designing An Artificial Immune Inspired Intrusion Detection System, William Hosier Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The domain of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) has witnessed growing interest in recent years due to the escalating threats posed by cyberattacks. As Internet of Things (IoT) becomes increasingly integrated into our every day lives, we widen our attack surface and expose more of our personal lives to risk. In the same way the Human Immune System (HIS) safeguards our physical self, a similar solution is needed to safeguard our digital self. This thesis presents the Artificial Immune inspired Intrusion Detection System (AIS-IDS), an IDS modeled after the HIS. This thesis proposes an architecture for AIS-IDS, instantiates an AIS-IDS model …

Exploring The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Adolescent Development: A Study Of Students Attending Schools In Poverty And Non-Poverty Areas, Clifton B. Thames

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has indicated a relationship between poverty, participation in extracurricular activities, and developmental outcomes. The current study aimed to investigate and develop a deeper understanding of extracurricular activities (ECAs) and their impacts on adolescent development using two self-report tools, the YES 2.0 and the Delinquent Attitude Scale (DAS). The researcher surveyed 174 high school seniors from students attending schools in poverty areas and students attending schools not located in poverty areas in Mississippi, examining disparities in ECA opportunities, barriers to participation, and the positive and negative impacts of ECAs on development. Additional data were collected from school administrators, allowing …

Final 2023 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Whitehall Borrow Submittal, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Hazards And Perceptions Of Cigarette And E-Cigarette Waste, Jossalyn Rogalski

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Physiological Quality Of Seed On Yield Of Yellow And Black Soybean Treated With Biological Seed Coating, Muhamad Kadapi, Priscilla Olga Salim, Sumadi

Jurnal Kultivasi

The demand for soybeans as one of cereal commodities increases every year, however, to meet the production and demand level is still challenging in Indonesia. One of the causes of low soybean production is stress during cultivation, lack of nutrients, or poor quality of soybean seeds. One solution is to increase seed protection by coating the seeds with an environmentally friendly biological seed coating. This study aims to obtain the best biological seed coating for increasing soybean seed viability, vigor, and yield. The research was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture Experimental Station of Universitas Padjadjaran, Jatinangor from August to …

Determining The Potential Of Sonic Bloom In Inducing Rice Resistance (Oryza Sativa) Against The Attack Of Bacterial Leaf Blight Disease Caused By Xanthomonas Oryzae, Azka Algina, Syifaa Yunita Yulianti, Rohimatus Syamsyiah, Veadora Yasminingrum, Bergas Frenli Nur Vendi, Vira Kusuma Dewi

Jurnal Kultivasi

Xanthomonas oryzae which causes bacterial leaf blight disease is one of the main pathogens that attack rice crops. The threat of losing rice yields due to X. oryzae needs to be avoided by implementing appropriate control strategies. Sonic bloom has the potential to induce plant immunity against diseases. Hence, this study aimed to examine the potential of sonic bloom in inducing rice resistance to bacterial leaf blight. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with five treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of several frequencies, namely PR (0.5 - 1 kHz and inoculated with X. oryzae), …

The Application Of Florpyrauxifen-Benzyl 25 G/L, A New Auxin Synthetic Herbicide, To Control And Inhibit The Growth Of Water Hyacinth Weed (Eichhornia Crassipes (Mart). Solms), Nita Nur Rezkia, Denny Kurniadie, Dedi Widayat

Jurnal Kultivasi

Water hyacinth is an invasive species that spreads rapidly and causes several issues in aquatic habitats; therefore, efforts are required to eradicate weeds in aquatic ecosystems. Aquatic weed control in Indonesia using herbicide is very limited, so it can be an alternative for aquatic weed control management. This research goal was to examine the effectiveness of the herbicide with active agent Florpyrauxifen-benzyl 25 g/L in controlling and inhibiting the rapid growth of (E. crassipes). This research was carried out at the Ciparanje Greenhouse and Weed Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java, Indonesia, from August to October 2022. …

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Signaling Maintains Epithelial Barrier Integrity, Nadja S Katheder, Kristen C Browder, Diana Chang, Ann De Maziere, Pekka Kujala, Suzanne Van Dijk, Judith Klumperman, Tzu-Chiao Lu, Hongjie Li, Zijuan Lai, Dewakar Sangaraju, Heinrich Jasper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Disruption of epithelial barriers is a common disease manifestation in chronic degenerative diseases of the airways, lung, and intestine. Extensive human genetic studies have identified risk loci in such diseases, including in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and inflammatory bowel diseases. The genes associated with these loci have not fully been determined, and functional characterization of such genes requires extensive studies in model organisms. Here, we report the results of a screen in

A Thematic Analysis Of Religious Identity And Volunteer Motivation Among Emerging Adult Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints, Jennifer R. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought insight into the religious and cultural identity of emerging adults belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints(LDS) and the impact such identity had in relation to volunteering motivation. Participants included 24 emerging adult college students belonging to the Church. Thematic analysis was used to determine influencing factors that led to Church membership and how Church membership shaped self-perception. Participants shared volunteer experiences and motivation to volunteer in relation to Deci and Ryan’s (2000) self-determination theory (SDT) was examined. The motivation of relatedness was identified among 100% of participants as compared to competence (37.5%) and …

Hypothalamic Manipulation Of The Anuran Hpg Axis: Alternative Hormones And A Non-Invasive Administration Route For Amphibian Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Art), Erin Michelle Saylor

Theses and Dissertations

Amidst the amphibian extinction crisis, in situ and ex situ amphibian species conservation initiatives utilize assisted reproductive technologies for optimal genetic management of captive and wild populations. Development of effective, simple, low-cost methods for obtaining gametes for artificial fertilization, sperm biobanking, or natural breeding alleviates obstacles for institutions or programs to apply reproductive technologies. Objectives herein include investigating the efficacy of alternative hormones for inducing spermiation, an alternative hormone administration route for inducing ovulation, exploring the physiological effects of hormone therapy, and utilizing sperm from deceased animals for biobanking.

Sign-Symmetry And Frustration Index In Signed Graphs, Abdulaziz Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

A graph in which every edge is labeled positive or negative is called a signed graph. We determine the number of ways to sign the edges of the McGee graph with exactly two negative edges up to switching isomorphism. We characterize signed graphs that are both sign-symmetric and have a frustration index of 1. We prove some results about which signed graphs on complete multipartite graphs have frustration indices 2 and 3. In the final part, we derive the relationship between the frustration index and the number of parts in a sign-symmetric signed graph on complete multipartite graphs.

Evaluation Of Cultivar Susceptibility And In-Furrow Fungicide Efficacy For Management Of Southern Blight Of Soybean, Adam Joseph Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Southern Blight (SB), caused by the fungus Athelia rolfsii, has increasingly impacted Mississippi soybean production with estimated economic losses in recent years rising from $181,616 in 2016 to $9,508,412 in 2021. Currently, there are no recommended fungicides and no known commercially available cultivar resistance. Eleven cultivars were evaluated for their response to the presence of Athelia rolfsii in the 2021 field trial. An in vitro fungicide assay was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of five fungicides to determine the respective EC50. These fungicides were then evaluated in combination with three cultivars, one mild, one moderate, and one severe in the …

The Impact Of Prior Pandemic Planning On Health Outcomes During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Study Of Local Government Pandemic Planning In The United States, Karissa D. Bergene

Theses and Dissertations

In late 2019, scientists discovered a novel strain of coronavirus originating out of Wuhan, China. By January 2020, the United States (U.S.) saw its first positive case of coronavirus and the public was still unsure how serious of an epidemic this would be. By the time the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic a “global pandemic” on March 11, 2020, world leaders, public health experts, scientists, and public administrators kicked into high gear to start serious pandemic response efforts. The public sector is typically the responsible authority for the preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery of such …

Stream Water Quality Under Baseflow Conditions In A Livestock Production Area, Maryi Lorena Chavarro Chaux

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates the spatial and temporal impacts of implemented Best Management Practices (BMP) on stream water quality under baseflow conditions in a stream segment affected by livestock production. The BMPs includes 10-m fenced riparian zone and crossing paths along the reach segment. Grab water samples and water quality monitoring were collected biweekly from July 2019 to March 2022. Water quality parameters included temperature, dissolved oxygen, electric conductance, total dissolved solids, turbidity, and pH. Water samples were lab analyzed for sediments and nutrients. Results evidenced poor water quality before BMPs implementation, with nutrient concentrations exceeding the nation's and state's criteria. …

Advancing Salamander Conservation Efforts In Zoos And Aquaria Through Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Art), Devin Marie Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Salamanders are one of the most at-risk taxa in the world due to habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, invasive diseases, and more. This has led to a need for conservation breeding programs that are often associated with zoos and aquaria. Salamanders can be difficult to breed in captivity, though, due to their dependence on specific environmental cues and other unknown factors that stimulate sperm and egg production. To overcome these challenges, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as exogenous hormone administration, sperm cryopreservation, and in-vitro fertilization have been developed to increase offspring propagation and maintain genetic diversity. If genetically robust populations …

A Conceptual Decentralized Identity Solution For State Government, Martin Duclos

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, state governments, exemplified by Mississippi, have significantly expanded their online service offerings to reduce costs and improve efficiency. However, this shift has led to challenges in managing digital identities effectively, with multiple fragmented solutions in use. This paper proposes a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework based on distributed ledger technology. SSI grants individuals control over their digital identities, enhancing privacy and security without relying on a centralized authority. The contributions of this research include increased efficiency, improved privacy and security, enhanced user satisfaction, and reduced costs in state government digital identity management. The paper provides background on digital …

The Influence Of At-Planting Insecticide Treatments On Tobacco Thrips, (Thysanoptera:Thripidae), And Reniform Nematode, (Tylenchida:Hoplolaimidae), In Conventional And Thryvon Cotton Systems, Walker Brett Farmer

Theses and Dissertations

One of the objectives of this research was to evaluate the need for an additional imidacloprid seed treatment on ThryvOn^® (Bayer Crop Science^®, St. Louis, MO) cotton to effectively manage tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds). While evaluating thrips densities and damage ratings, ThryvOn cotton continued to display reduced damage and thrips populations than non-ThryvOn. Thrips populations and damage ratings were consistently reduced when incorporating a higher rate of imidacloprid, but they were not reduced enough to justify the higher rates of imidacloprid. Another objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of aldicarb (AgLogic Chemical^{® …}

Does Mississippi School Principals’ Age, Race, Gender, Educational Attainment, Work Experience In Education, Or Evaluation Scores Influence Accountability Points?, Braxton Dywayne Stowe

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional research agrees that only effective school principals can fully influence student achievement, and school leaders are pivotal to the success of schools in America. Researchers have linked positive student outcomes to further illustrate the point, including student achievement, to high-quality school leadership. The purpose of this study is to assist state and district education leaders in Mississippi in having a more profound knowledge of which principal demographics and characteristics are more directly correlated with the improvement of accountability scores or student achievement. The results of the correlational and regression analysis to determine the relationship between principal variables and the …

The Migration Ecology Of North American Turkey Vultures Wintering In The Neotropics: Spatial And Population Dynamics, Adrián José Naveda-Rodríguez

Theses and Dissertations

The spatial and population dynamics of avian scavengers are poorly understood. This information is key for management and conservation interventions that guarantee long-term species conservation. My goal in this dissertation is to fill information gaps on the movement ecology of New World vultures using the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) as a model species. I used a continental-wide satellite telemetry dataset to study the migration ecology, space-use, and demography of the three North American breeding populations of Turkey Vultures wintering in the Neotropics during a 17-year period. I found that primary productivity, but not weather, triggered Turkey Vulture migratory …

Habitat Utilization Of Marsh And Adjacent Submerged Landscape By Fish And Macroinvertebrates In A Gulf Of Mexico Tidal Oligohaline Environment, Tia Offner

Theses and Dissertations

Estuarine habitats are considered nursery habitats for fishes and invertebrates, but oligohaline environments are critically understudied. Using a seine net and fyke nets, we sampled Back Bay, Mississippi (USA), a low salinity estuary, once a month for a year to explore the temporal use of the marsh and adjacent submerged landscape by nekton species. We also looked at whether there is evidence of habitat preference in the most numerous nekton species. We used a novel habitat usage index (HUI) to compare seine and fyke net catches of our top 10 species, and evaluated catch size in relation to maturation size. …

Assessing The Relationship Between Soil Health/Quality And Water Quality In The Mississippi Delta, Laura Andrea Sarmiento Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

Several studies have reported agronomic benefits by improving soil health/quality, but uncertain knowledge remains when determining specific impacts on water quality off-field. This study investigated the links between runoff water quality and soil health/quality in agricultural fields of the Mississippi delta under three land management scenarios: Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), vegetative buffer (VB), and row crops (RC). Using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF), a Soil Quality Index (SQI) was obtained based on ten soil health/quality indicators from 2008 and 2012 datasets. The SMAF identified significant differences in soil health/quality improvements among scenarios over a four-year period. Varied relationships between …

Current And Future Perceived Needs And Concerns For Older Adults Aging In Place In Mississippi: Intergenerational Perspectives, Muhammad Riaz

Theses and Dissertations

The study's purpose was to identify the perceived needs and concerns of three generations in a family with an older adult aging in place in Mississippi. This mixed-methods study used snowball sampling in addition to recruitment by community leaders such as Extension agents to collect data through semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires that asked about current and future problems among aging adults in rural communities in Mississippi. Three generations of Mississippians participated in the study, including older adults (G1; n = 22), adult children (G2; n = 23), and young adult grandchildren (G3; n = 19). Quantitative data were analyzed …