Digital Commons Network^™

Sars-Cov-2 Niches In Human Placenta Revealed By Spatial Transcriptomics, Enrico R Barrozo, Maxim D Seferovic, Eumenia C C Castro, Angela M Major, David N Moorshead, Michael D Jochum, Ricardo Ferral Rojas, Cynthia D Shope, Kjersti M Aagaard

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Functional placental niches are presumed to spatially separate maternal-fetal antigens and restrict the vertical transmission of pathogens. We hypothesized a high-resolution map of placental transcription could provide direct evidence for niche microenvironments with unique functions and transcription profiles.

METHODS: We utilized Visium Spatial Transcriptomics paired with H&E staining to generate 17,927 spatial transcriptomes. By integrating these spatial transcriptomes with 273,944 placental single-cell and single-nuclei transcriptomes, we generated an atlas composed of at least 22 subpopulations in the maternal decidua, fetal chorionic villi, and chorioamniotic membranes.

FINDINGS: Comparisons of placentae from uninfected healthy controls (n = 4) with COVID-19 asymptomatic …

Chitosan-Coated Lignin Nanoparticles Enhance Adsorption And Proliferation Of Alcanivorax Borkumensis At The Hexadecane-Water Interface, Amber J. Pete, Jin Gyun Lee, Michael G. Benton, Bhuvnesh Bharti

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bioremediation of oil spills occurs when indigenous microbes metabolize petroleum hydrocarbons. Rapid proliferation of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria near the oil-water interface is vital to optimizing the oil biodegradation rate. Adding nanoparticles (NPs) to microbial systems can enhance the bacterial growth rate. However, the role of NP source material and surface charge on their ability to impact bacterial growth and oil-water interface characteristics is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of NP composition and surface chemistry on the growth rate of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria and its attachment to the oil-water interface. We use Alcanivorax borkumensis as a model organism because of its …

The Mean Sum Of Squared Linking Numbers Of Random Piecewise-Linear Embeddings Of $K_N$, Yasmin Aguillon, Xingyu Cheng, Spencer Eddins, Pedro Morales

Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal

DNA and other polymer chains in confined spaces behave like closed loops. Arsuaga et al. \cite{AB} introduced the uniform random polygon model in order to better understand such loops in confined spaces using probabilistic and knot theoretical techniques, giving some classification on the mean squared linking number of such loops. Flapan and Kozai \cite{flapan2016linking} extended these techniques to find the mean sum of squared linking numbers for random linear embeddings of complete graphs $K_n$ and found it to have order $\Theta(n(n!))$. We further these ideas by inspecting random piecewise-linear embeddings of complete graphs and give introductory-level summaries of the ideas …

A Decision Aid To Help Farmers Find The Minimum Cost Fertilizer Combination, Gregory Ibendahl

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

Fertilizer recommendations are typically given as the pounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium needed per acre. Many crop budgets also list the fertilizer costs in terms of the N, P, and K. This can cause a problem for farmers as they must purchase their fertilizer in products that in some cases contain multiple nutrients. These multinutrient fertilizers make it difficult or impossible to calculate a price per unit of a nutrient. Thus, finding the minimum cost fertilizer combination by using a price per nutrient approach may not work. This paper shows how a linear programming approach will always give the …

Clustering Microbiome Data Using Mixtures Of Logistic Normal Multinomial Models, Yuan Fang, Sanjeena Subedi

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Discrete data such as counts of microbiome taxa resulting from next-generation sequencing are routinely encountered in bioinformatics. Taxa count data in microbiome studies are typically high-dimensional, over-dispersed, and can only reveal relative abundance therefore being treated as compositional. Analyzing compositional data presents many challenges because they are restricted to a simplex. In a logistic normal multinomial model, the relative abundance is mapped from a simplex to a latent variable that exists on the real Euclidean space using the additive log-ratio transformation. While a logistic normal multinomial approach brings flexibility for modeling the data, it comes with a heavy computational cost …

Spartan Daily, September 7, 2023, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2023

Volume 161, Issue 08

Faculty Newsletter Fall 2023, University Of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

Student Newsletter Fall 2023, University Of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries

Library Publications

No abstract provided.

The Indiana Statesman, September 7, 2023, Indiana State University

Student Newspaper

New form of plagiarism emerges; More books banned; A small win for LGBTQ+ rights in California

Volume 1, Issue 2, Bryant University

Bryant Bulldog Bulletin (2023-2024)

No abstract provided.

An Evolutionary Pathway For Coping With Emerging Infectious Disease, Scott Lyell Gardner, Daniel R. Brooks, Walter A. Boeger, Eric P. Hoberg

Zea E-Books Collection

Emerging infectious disease (EID) represents an existential threat to humanity. EIDs are increasing in frequency and impact because of climate change and other human activities. We are losing the battle against EIDs because of improper assessment of the risk of EID. This stems from adherence to a failed paradigm of pathogen-host associations that suggests EIDs ought to be both unpredictable and rare. That, in turn, leads to policies suggesting that crisis response is the best we can do. Real-time and phylogenetic assessments show EIDs to be neither rare nor unpredictable—this is the parasite paradox that shows the failures of the …

Interrogating And Genetically Improving Drought Tolerance In The Oilseed Winter Cover Crop, Pennycress ( Thlaspi Arvense L. )., Carol S. Kiam Assato

Theses and Dissertations

Drought damage to crops is a significant threat to food security and a growing problem due to climate change. Amongst all abiotic stresses, drought is the most impactful on soil biota and crop productivity. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), in 2020, 40% of the United States was under drought, and it is predicted that this number will continue to rise in the forthcoming years due to global warming. Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is a member of the Brassicaceae family related to canola and Arabidopsis that is rapidly being developed as an oilseed-producing winter cash cover crop …

Water-Energy-Food Linkages In Community Smallholder Irrigation Schemes: Center Pivot Irrigation In Rwanda, Ankit Chandra, Derek M. Heeren, Lameck O. Odhiambo, N. Brozovic

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Water, energy, and food are linked in intricate ways in irrigated agriculture and understanding the interplay of these components is crucial for sustainable and profitable crop production, particularly in smallholder setting such as in sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluates water-energy-food linkages, engineering and economic performance, irrigation decision making, and challenges faced around water management in a community-based mechanized irrigation scheme in Rwanda. The research is the first to analyze such as scheme, which uses technology typically used by large farmers in a smallholder setting. The study investigates the variation in water requirements and the relationship and impacts of this variability …

The Public Health Impact Of Paxlovid Covid-19 Treatment In The United States, Yuan Bai, Zhanwei Du, Lin Wang, Eric H. Y. Lau, Isaac Fung, Petter Holme, Ben Cowling, Alison Galvani, Robert Krug, Lauren Ancel Meyers

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The antiviral drug Paxlovid has been shown to rapidly reduce viral load. Coupled with vaccination, timely administration of safe and effective antivirals could provide a path towards managing COVID-19 without restrictive non-pharmaceutical measures. Here, we estimate the population-level impacts of expanding treatment with Paxlovid in the US using a multi-scale mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that incorporates the within-host viral load dynamics of the Omicron variant. We find that, under a low transmission scenario (Re∼1.2) treating 20% of symptomatic cases would be life and cost saving, leading to an estimated 0.26 (95% CrI: 0.03, 0.59) million hospitalizations averted, 30.61 (95% …

The Current - Volume 34 Issue 1, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Astrocytes In Stroke-Induced Neurodegeneration: A Timeline, Eileen Collyer, Elena Blanco-Suarez

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Stroke is a condition characterized by sudden deprivation of blood flow to a brain region and defined by different post-injury phases, which involve various molecular and cellular cascades. At an early stage during the acute phase, fast initial cell death occurs, followed by inflammation and scarring. This is followed by a sub-acute or recovery phase when endogenous plasticity mechanisms may promote spontaneous recovery, depending on various factors that are yet to be completely understood. At later time points, stroke leads to greater neurodegeneration compared to healthy controls in both clinical and preclinical studies, this is evident during the chronic phase …

Grad Student Helps Lead Charge For A More Inclusive Stem Environment, Rebecca Irelan

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Physiological Heterogeneity And Pain-Associated Plasticity In Human Sensory Neurons, Jiwon Yi

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Despite the widespread prevalence of chronic pain and extensive drug development efforts, non-opioid pharmacotherapeutic options for severe and chronic pain are limited. Nociceptors in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are peripheral sensors of noxious stimuli that play an integral role in pain transmission. Neuroplasticity in the periphery, such as hyperexcitability and spontaneous activity of sensory neurons following inflammation or injury, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of both acute and chronic pain. As such, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms associated with peripheral sensitization may reveal novel therapeutic targets of pain. An increasing number of studies have shown that …

Heterogeneity Of Human Tissue-Resident Lymphocytes, Natalia Jaeger

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The immune system plays a critical role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and defending against pathogens. Recent discoveries have highlighted the significance of tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) and Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILCs) in tissue immunity. TRM exhibit memory-like properties, persist long-term in various tissues, and express markers such as CD69, CD103, and transcription factors like Hobit and Blimp-1. Similarly, ILCs, considered the innate counterparts of T cells, are abundant at barrier organs and mucosal sites, sharing similar markers and transcriptional factors with TRM, and rapidly responding to insults. Unraveling the heterogeneity and function of tissue-resident lymphocytes is crucial for understanding …

Pain Transformed: The Salutary Effects Of Suffering In Eighteenth-Century France, Anne Seul

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

At the center of Pain Transformed lies the human body and the experience of suffering, particularly in regard to the unexpectedly beneficial side-effects of pain. I examine depictions of suffering in the literature of eighteenth-century France, a period best understood as one of spirited debate and marked innovation: by way of personal letters, literary and philosophical works, coffee shops, and salons, intellectuals interacted with one another’s ideas in an attempt to redefine society. My focus is on a series of works that merge preoccupations with the body—the physiological processes of how and why people feel, both physically and emotionally—with the …

2023-September-07-Etsu Will Again Offer Fall Color Predictions, University Marketing And Communication, East Tennessee State University

ETSU News

September 7, 2023

The Appalachian Highlands, home to thriving mountain towns, as well as lakes, rivers and scores of hiking and biking trails, is an outdoor lover’s paradise.

And in a matter of weeks, the vibrant shades of autumn will dot the regional landscape.

As you plan your fall excursions, searching for orange and yellow hues hugging meandering roads and mountaintops alive with red and purple, East Tennessee State University plans to make the process easier. 

For the second straight year, ETSU will offer a weekly prediction about fall color.

“We live in a stunning area, with beautiful …

What Is Microbial Dormancy?, Mark D. Mcdonald, Carlos Owusu-Ansah, Jared B. Ellenbogen, Zachary D. Malone, Michael P. Ricketts, Steve E. Frolking, Jessica Gilman Ernakovich, Michael Ibba, Sarah C. Bagby, J. L. Weissman

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Life can be stressful. One way to deal with stress is to simply wait it out. Microbes do this by entering a state of reduced activity and increased resistance commonly called ‘dormancy’. But what is dormancy? Different scientific disciplines emphasize distinct traits and phenotypic ranges in defining dormancy for their microbial species and system-specific questions of interest. Here, we propose a unified definition of microbial dormancy, using a broad framework to place earlier discipline-specific definitions in a new context. We then discuss how this new definition and framework may improve our ability to investigate dormancy using multi-omics tools. Finally, we …

Pre-Health Resource Center Guides Students From All Majors To Health Profession Careers, Dave Larsen

College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

UD students interested in attending a health professional school after graduation can get help the Pre-Health Resource Center.

Fall/Winter 2023: Ulta Beauty Exec And Snc Alum Explains How Cosmetics Become Personal And Cultural Expressions, St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College Magazine 2019-2023

Elizabeth (Knox) Oates ’04 serves as vice president of consumer insights at Ulta Beauty, where she aims “to make beauty a force for good” by creating a more inclusive and empowering experience for all customers. With a background in international business from St. Norbert College and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Oates previously worked at General Mills and Kohl’s in consumer insights. At Ulta, she helps the company understand evolving customer needs, especially as beauty shifted during the pandemic to emphasize self-care and self-expression.

Fall/Winter 2023: A Family’S Search For A Missing Medicinal Root Sends Biology Student Into The Lab, St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College Magazine 2019-2023

Isabelle Arnold ’25, a biology student at St. Norbert College, is researching her family’s ancestral topical medicine, made from a root called “blackroot,” which was lost after several moves.

Fall/Winter 2023: Meet The Class Of 2027, St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College Magazine 2019-2023

The annual snapshot of the incoming freshmen class.

Fall/Winter 2023: Snc Prof Meets Unfilled Need For Mental Health Testing In Northeast Wisconsin, St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College Magazine 2019-2023

Michelle Schoenleber (Psychology) is a professor, researcher and clinical therapist. She is one a few clinical psychologists in the area testing patients for psychological and neuropsychological disorders.

Fall/Winter 2023: Convocation Welcomes The Newest Green Knights, St. Norbert College

St. Norbert College Magazine 2019-2023

Convocation speaks to the importance of a grand entrance: Students were invited to make their presence known on campus and ring the college’s 100-plus-year-old bell.The ceremony was the formal launch of their lives as forever Green Knights. Later that weekend, they attended Mass of the Holy Spirit, enjoyed games and a full picnic spread, and stayed for a concert and fireworks show before classes kicked off the next day.

Braf V600e/Ras Mutations And Lynch Syndrome In Patients With Msi-H/Dmmr Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Raphael Colle, Sara Lonardi, Marine Cachanado, Michael J Overman, Elena Elez, Marwan Fakih, Francesca Corti, Priya Jayachandran, Magali Svrcek, Antoine Dardenne, Baptiste Cervantes, Alex Duval, Romain Cohen, Filippo Pietrantonio, Thierry André

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: We pooled data from 2 cohorts of immune checkpoint inhibitors-treated microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair-deficient (MSI/dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer patients to evaluate the prognostic value of RAS/BRAFV600E mutations and Lynch syndrome (LS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were defined as LS-linked if germline mutation was detected and as sporadic if loss of MLH1/PMS2 expression with BRAFV600E mutation and/or MLH1 promoter hypermethylation, or biallelic somatic MMR genes mutations were found. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were adjusted on prognostic modifiers selected on unadjusted analysis (P < .2) if limited number of events.

RESULTS: Of 466 included patients, 305 (65.4%) and 161 (34.5%) received, respectively, anti-PD1 alone and anti-PD1+anti-CTLA4 …

The Montclarion, September 7, 2023, The Montclarion

The Montclarion

Student Newspaper of Montclair State University