Digital Commons Network^™

Vol. 36. Iss. 2 [Full Issue], _ _

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

No abstract provided.

Ndls Communicator: Week Of 12.16.24, Notre Dame Law School

NDLS Communicator

The Latest News

• ND Law Global Visiting Professors Bring International Expertise to the Classroom and Notre Dame Community
• Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Clinic defends religious freedom through asylum
• Notre Dame Religious Liberty Clinic files amicus brief to support Indigenous efforts to protect sacred site in Texas
• Dean Cole offered a prayer for students as they began final exams.

Faculty News and Briefs

• On November 18, Jeff Pojanowski spoke at an event by the American Enterprise Institute and Catholic University on Professor Stephen Smith's book, Law's Quandary.
• Carter Snead's book, What it Means to be Human, was included in …

Whispers In The Wind: Face Mask Sampling For Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Detection In Children With Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Lennard Meiwes, Irina Kontsevaya, Dumitru Chesov, Stela Kulciţkaia, Viola Dreyer, Doris Hillemann, Qiniso Dlamini, Caroline Williams, Michael Barer, Folke Brinkmann, Renate Krüger, Stephanie Thee, Alexander Kay, Anna Maria Mandalakas, Christoph Lange

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Recently, face mask sampling (FMS) confirmed detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA from exhaled breath in adults with tuberculosis. To date, no study has evaluated the use of FMS to detect pulmonary tuberculosis in children. We developed a method for FMS of M. tuberculosis-specific DNA in children and performed a clinical exploration to assess feasibility in children.

Methods: Face masks were spiked, analyzed on GeneXpert-Ultra, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and targeted next-generation sequencing. Children with pulmonary tuberculosis were asked to wear 3 modified FFP2 masks for 30 minutes as part of an exploratory clinical study.

Results: Experiments with H37Ra M. …

Correlation Of Genogroup I, Genotype 1 (Gi.1) Norovirus Neutralizing Antibody Levels With Gi.1 Histo-Blood Group Antigen-Blocking Antibody Levels, Robert L Atmar, Khalil Ettayebi, Frederick H Neill, Ralph P Braun, James Sherwood, Sasirekha Ramani, Mary K Estes

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The in vitro cultivation of human noroviruses allows a comparison of antibody levels measured in neutralization and histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)-blocking assays.

Methods: Serum samples collected during the evaluation of an investigational norovirus vaccine (HIL-214 [formerly TAK-214]) were assayed for neutralizing antibody levels against the vaccine's prototype Norwalk virus/genogroup I, genotype 1 (GI.1) (P1) virus strain. Results were compared with those previously determined using HBGA-blocking assays.

Results: Neutralizing antibody seroresponses were observed in 83% of 24 vaccinated adults, and antibody levels were highly correlated (r = 0.81; P < .001) with those measured by HBGA blocking.

Conclusions: Genogroup I, genotype 1 (GI.1)-specific HBGA-blocking antibodies are a surrogate …

Community, Service, And Growth: A Winant Fellow's Summer Of Impact, Bailey Schott

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Unilateral Hemicraniectomy With Titanium Cranioplasty For The Treatment Of High Intracranial Pressure In A Pediatric Patient With Camurati-Engelmann Disease: Illustrative Case, Roboan Guillen-Arguello, Nicholas Sader, J. Gordon Mccomb

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND Camurati-Engelmann disease (CED) is an extremely rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder that can cause increased intracranial pressure (ICP) secondary to cranial hyperostosis, which decreases intracranial volume. Surgical procedures to reduce ICP in medically refractory cases include intracranial volume expansion and ventriculoperitoneal shunting. OBSERVATIONS The authors present the case of a pediatric patient with CED and medically refractory increased ICP who underwent unilateral hemicraniectomy with titanium cranioplasty, resulting in a complete long-term resolution of symptoms. LESSONS Unilateral hemicraniectomy with titanium cranioplasty is a feasible surgical treatment for CED in pediatric patients with medically refractory increased ICP and papilledema.

Innovations In Genicular Outcomes Registry (Igor): Protocol For A Real-World Registry Study Of Treatments For Knee Osteoarthritis, Vinod Dasa, William Mihalko, Adam Rivadeneyra, Joshua Urban, Andrew Wickline, David Rogenmoser, Andrew Concoff, Andrew Spitzer, Michael A. Mont

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability among US adults and most commonly affects the knee. Guidelines for knee OA treatment include behavioral, nonpharmacological, pharmacological, and surgical interventions. While emerging knee OA treatments show promise for pain control, data gaps remain regarding the efficacy, safety, comparative effectiveness, and real-world value of treatments. OBJECTIVES: The Innovations in Genicular Outcomes Registry (IGOR) is prospectively collecting real-world data to assess clinical effectiveness, safety, health-related quality of life, and healthcare resource utilization of knee OA treatments. DESIGN: The IGOR is a prospective, observational, longitudinal, multicenter registry (NCT05495334) examining knee OA pain treatment …

After-Hours, Severity, And Distance Are Associated With Non-Vha Emergency Department Use For Older Veterans: Insights From A Regional Health Information Exchange, Elina Kurkurina, Kimberly M. Judon, Ula Hwang, Kenneth S. Boockvar, Juan Wisnivesky, Matthew R. Augustine

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

Background: Older adults treated in emergency departments (EDs) are at higher risk for adverse outcomes. Using multiple facilities can worsen this issue through service duplication and poor care transitions. Veterans with dual insurance coverage can access both Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA EDs. This study aimed to identify factors associated with non-VHA ED use among veterans.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients aged ≥ 65 who had primary care at the James J Peters VA Medical Center and at least one VHA or non-VHA ED visit between October 2017 and February 2020. Data were collected from …

Letter From The President, Suzanne Keep

Michigan Journal of Public Health

No abstract provided.

Reducing Detroit’S Heart Disease Risk: The Role Of Social Determinants Of Health And Health Behaviors, Caress A. Dean, Rebecca Milan, Maidah Raja, Swathi Radhakrishnan

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: The age-adjusted death rates related to heart disease have been increasing in Detroit, Michigan. Recognizing public health professionals' role in promoting and protecting community health, this study examined the relationship between cardiovascular health and health beliefs, behavior tracking, and social determinants of health among Detroit residents.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was guided by the World Health Organization's conceptual framework of social determinants of health, which classifies social determinants into structural (e.g., socioeconomic factors) and intermediary (e.g., behavioral factors) categories. From May 2019 to August 2021, 394 residents of Detroit were recruited to complete a survey about their …

Predictors Of Low Birthweight Using Data From Electronic Medical Records In Flint, Michigan, 2013 To 2016, Rie Suzuki, Neida Monroy-Sechague

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Introduction: Infant mortality continues to be a major health problem in Michigan, with low birthweight (LBW) being a leading cause. Between 2020 and 2022, Black infants were nearly twice as likely to be LBW compared to White infants. The purpose of this study was to use electronic medical records (EMR) data to assess predictors of LBW and determine whether race influenced this relationship using a unique data source of EMR in Flint, Michigan (MI).

Methods: A retrospective study from 2013 to 2016 was conducted at the Health Resources and Services Administration local health center in Flint, MI. Demographics, birth …

The Health Profile Of Students And Teachers In Madrasah Al Ihsan, Kecamatan Ciparay, Kabupaten Bandung, Ellin Febrina, Irma E. Herawati, Indah S. Wahyuni, Aziiz M. Rusdianto, Rini Hendriani, Irma M. Puspitasari, Mutakin Mutakin, Eli Halimah, Sri A. Sumiwi, Jutti Levita

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension in Indonesia is increasing both in low- and high-income communities. Therefore, health awareness should be started from a younger age for the prospective future generation. This study, included in a community engagement activity, aims to assess the health profile, in terms of blood pressure (BP) and total cholesterol, of the students (by cross-sectional method) and teachers (by cohort method) of a private madrasah in the rural area of Kecamatan Ciparay, Kabupaten Bandung, West Java. 54 students and 10 teachers participated in this study. Results revealed that the students' average systolic and diastolic BP …

Blinatumomab Maintenance After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation For B-Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Yuanxin Wang, Merve Dede, Vakul Mohanty, Jinzhuang Dou, Ziyi Li, Ken Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Decoding cellular state transitions is crucial for understanding complex biological processes in development and disease. While recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) offer insights into cellular trajectories, existing tools primarily study expressional rather than regulatory state shifts. We present CellTran, a statistical approach utilizing paired-gene expression correlations to detect transition cells from scRNA-seq data without explicitly resolving gene regulatory networks. Applying our approach to various contexts, including tissue regeneration, embryonic development, preinvasive lesions, and humoral responses post-vaccination, reveals transition cells and their distinct gene expression profiles. Our study sheds light on the underlying molecular mechanisms driving cellular state transitions, …

Detection Of Kmt2a Partial Tandem Duplication By Optical Genome Mapping In Myeloid Neoplasms: Associated Cytogenetics, Gene Mutations, Treatment Responses, And Patient Outcomes, Qing Wei, Shimin Hu, Jie Xu, Sanam Loghavi, Naval Daver, Gokce A Toruner, Wei Wang, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Guilin Tang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

KMT2A partial tandem duplication (PTD) involves intragenic KMT2A duplications and has been associated with poorer prognosis. In this study, we evaluated KMT2A PTD in 1277 patients with hematological malignancies using optical genome mapping (OGM). KMT2A PTD was detected in 35 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (7%), 5 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (2.2%), and 5 patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) (7.1%). The PTDs varied in size, region, and copy number. An Archer RNA fusion assay confirmed KMT2A PTD in all 25 patients tested: 15 spanning exons 2 to 8 and 10 spanning exons 2 to 10. Most patients …

How Might One Practice? Producing Possibilities Through Co-Research As A Daily Practice Of A Minor Science, Mark Mullkoff

The Qualitative Report

Narrative practice is a broad field which includes therapy, community work, and research methods, all of which are less rigidly defined as they are connected through resonant ethics. In this paper I explore a practice I have developed in my early years as a narrative therapist asking the question, “If coming to talk to me were part of a Project— although not necessarily the first part, nor the most important part—what would that Project be called?” Through a reflexive process of aspiring towards narrative research principles of co-research, committing to relational ethics (which is grounded and contextual, rather than codified), …

A Review Of The Edited Collection, Narrative Research Now: Critical Perspectives On The Promise Of Stories, Kristina Lainson

The Qualitative Report

Narrative Research Now: Critical Perspectives on the Promise of Stories, edited by Ashley Barnwell and Signe Ravn (2024), is a compelling and engagingly written collection of research projects, or stories, that showcase use of narrative in research. This review, written through the lens of a narrative therapy and community work practitioner-researcher, asks what resonances and points of interest the collection may hold for the narrative therapy and practice research field. Congruent themes highlighted include nuanced ethical caretaking, concern for matters of social justice, bringing forth subordinated knowledge, centering lived experience, paying attention to the politics of representation, and researcher transparency …

A Statistical Approach For Systematic Identification Of Transition Cells From Scrna-Seq Data, Yuanxin Wang, Merve Dede, Vakul Mohanty, Jinzhuang Dou, Ziyi Li, Ken Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Decoding cellular state transitions is crucial for understanding complex biological processes in development and disease. While recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) offer insights into cellular trajectories, existing tools primarily study expressional rather than regulatory state shifts. We present CellTran, a statistical approach utilizing paired-gene expression correlations to detect transition cells from scRNA-seq data without explicitly resolving gene regulatory networks. Applying our approach to various contexts, including tissue regeneration, embryonic development, preinvasive lesions, and humoral responses post-vaccination, reveals transition cells and their distinct gene expression profiles. Our study sheds light on the underlying molecular mechanisms driving cellular state transitions, …

Coding With Those Who Show Up: Two Methodologies On Technical Committee Work, Mark E. Eaton

Publications and Research

This paper considers our library’s attempt at applying a “laissez-faire leadership” model to technical committee work. Since its introduction in the 1990s, scholarship on laissez-faire leadership has historically viewed the concept very negatively. However, we argue here that many of these perspectives are straw man arguments that do not adequately consider the possibilities of a laissez-faire model. Following some dissenting voices in the literature, we would like to reclaim the laissez-faire model as a way to facilitate library technical work under certain very specific circumstances. This paper will describe the organizational context where these laissez-faire methods worked for us. Our …

Siu Law Journal Vol 49 Fall 24 Table Of Contents

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

How Can Faith Based Nonprofits Acquire And Retain New Donors From Generation Z?, Mariana Combariza

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Faith-based nonprofits, such as World Vision or Compassion International, are aware that their primary donor demographic is aging. As such, they face pressure to engage younger generations who will likely become their future financial supporters in order for their nonprofit work to be sustained. Although multiple qualitative studies have demonstrated the interest and desire that Generation Z has to donate to causes they believe in, further research is needed to understand their donation behavior and how it correlates to nonprofits’ marketing strategies. In this study, we use quantitative and qualitative data from over 243 randomly selected Gen Z college students …

Feasibility Of A Low-Intensity Intervention To Influence Antibiotic Prescribing Rates Use In Outpatient Settings: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial, Brigid M. Wilson, Sunah Song, Robin L.P. Jump, Federico Perez

Faculty Scholarship

Background. Primary care providers (PCPs) may modify their antibiotic prescription practices if aware of their potentially damaging impact. Methods. We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial at 12 Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinics. PCPs at clinics randomized to the intervention group received quarterly antibiotic use reports with feedback about antibiotics prescribed for acute respiratory infections and adverse event letters alerting about Clostridioides difficile infection or antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria among their patients. The main outcome, antibiotic prescriptions in primary care visits, was compared in the preintervention (April–September 2020), intervention (October 2020 to September 2021), and postintervention periods (September 2021 to September …

Improving Health And Well-Being Through Shared Family Meals, Halle Larson, Savannah Daines, Stacy Bevan, Palak Gupta, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos

All Current Publications

Shared family meals provide numerous benefits for children, adolescents, and parents, including improved diet quality, healthier weight, better academic performance, stronger family bonds, and enhanced mental health. Regular family meals help children develop healthier eating habits, reduce risky behaviors, and foster communication skills. Despite challenges such as busy schedules and differing dietary preferences, families can overcome obstacles by starting small, keeping meals simple, involving everyone in meal prep, and minimizing distractions like screens. Creating a positive, flexible mealtime routine can help integrate these valuable moments into family life.

Two Lies And A Truth: Perceived Credibility's Effect On The Truth Effect, Zefanya Boentoro, Carter King, Josiah Rosario

Student Work

The truth effect posits that a person believes information the more they are exposed to it. This study researched the effects of perceived source credibility on the truth effect when perceptual fluency is consistent. One hundred ninety-four participants across four groups reviewed sets of information with differing repetitions and perceived credibilities; they then reported their willingness to believe the presented information. A statistically significant relationship was found between one of the sources for one set of information and the willingness to believe scores, while no relationship existed between the repetitions and willingness to believe scores.

Short-Term Territoriality: The Influence Of Time And Gender On Territorial Behavior, Audra Kooi, Celia Vander Woude, Elijah Vander Woude

Student Work

Territoriality, the behavior of claiming and defending space or objects, has been widely studied in both animal and human contexts, but most research focuses on long-term patterns. Forty-seven undergraduate students were instructed to sit and watch videos of varying lengths. After leaving the room, participants were instructed to sit again, and their seat choices were recorded to assess territorial behavior, measured by displacement. Results showed a strong preference for returning to the same seat, which suggests territorial behavior is not exclusively established in the long term but can emerge within a few minutes.

The Comparative Effect Of Propolis And Chlorhexidine Mouthwash On Oral Nitrite-Producing Bacteria And Blood Pressure Regulation, R. Bescos, L. Du Toit, A. Redondo-Rio, P. J. Warburton, T. L. Nicholas, M. Kiernan, R. A. Burton, L. Belfield, G. Montagut, A. Benavente, W. Vevers, T. Gabaldón, Z. Brookes, P. Casas-Agustench

School of Health Professions

BACKGROUND: Propolis mouthwash (PROP-M) has demonstrated antibacterial properties like those of chlorhexidine mouthwash (CHX-M). However, its impact on the abundance of oral nitrite-producing species (NPS) and nitrite-producing activity (NPA) remains unexplored.

METHODS: Forty-five healthy individuals were randomised into 2 groups to rinse their mouth twice a day for seven days with either CHX-M ( n  = 21) or PROP-M ( n  = 24). Metagenomic sequencing (16S rRNA) was performed on saliva samples collected before and after each treatment. Additionally, salivary biomarkers and blood pressure were measured.

RESULTS: CHX-M increased the relative abundance of NPS ( p  < 0.001) but significantly impaired the NPA ( p  < 0.001) compared to baseline and PROP-M. No significant differences in the relative abundance of NPS and NPA were observed in the PROP-M group. However, a significant increase of plasma nitrate (+7 µmol/L, p  = 0.047) and a decrease in systolic BP (-2 mmHg, p  = 0.022) was observed in this group compared to the baseline.

CONCLUSION: The results indicate …

Identification Of An Early Subset Of Cerebellar Nuclei Neurons In Mice, Maryam Rahimi-Balaei, Shayan Amiri, Thomas Lamonerie, Sih-Rong Wu, Huda Y Zoghbi, G Giacomo Consalez, Daniel Goldowitz, Hassan Marzban

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Cerebellar nuclei (CN) neurons serve as the primary output of the cerebellum and originate from the cerebellar primordium at early stages of cerebellar development. These neurons are diverse, integrating information from the cerebellar cortex and relaying it to various brain regions. Employing various methodologies, we have characterized a specific subset of CN neurons that do not originate from the rhombic lip or ventricular zone of the cerebellar primordium. Embryos were collected at early stages of development and processed for immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blotting, in situ hybridization (ISH), embryonic culture, DiI labeling, and flow cytometry analysis (FCM). Our findings indicate that …

Pneumonia And Anemia In Rural Midwestern Missouri: A Retrospective Analysis, Jenna Watts, Morgan W. Stewart, Tyler Stone, Shelby Mertz, John Paulson, Nova Beyersdorfer, Kerry Johnson

Student Publications

Introduction: Pneumonia and anemia are prevalent medical conditions with significant implications on patient health, resulting in numerous hospitalizations and deaths. Various studies have been done on the mortality rates of pneumonia and anemia individually. However, fewer describe the mortality of patients diagnosed with pneumonia superimposed on anemia.

Methods: This retrospective study used data from electronic medical records obtained from rural Midwestern Missouri, including 9,879 patients who were admitted with either anemia or pneumonia. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality.

Results: The study found that patients with pneumonia had a higher mortality rate of 25.8% when diagnosed with comorbid anemia compared …

Development Of A Ripk1 Degrader To Enhance Antitumor Immunity, Xin Yu, Dong Lu, Xiaoli Qi, Rishi Ram Paudel, Hanfeng Lin, Bryan L Holloman, Feng Jin, Longyong Xu, Lang Ding, Weiyi Peng, Meng C Wang, Xi Chen, Jin Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The scaffolding function of receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) confers intrinsic and extrinsic resistance to immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) and emerges as a promising target for improving cancer immunotherapies. To address the challenge posed by a poorly defined binding pocket within the intermediate domain of RIPK1, here we harness proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to develop a RIPK1 degrader, LD4172. LD4172 exhibits potent and selective RIPK1 degradation both in vitro and in vivo. Degradation of RIPK1 by LD4172 triggers immunogenic cell death, enhances tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte responses, and sensitizes tumors to anti-PD1 therapy in female C57BL/6J mice. This work reports …

Cutaneous Nodules Secondary To Mycobacterium Avium Complex In A Patient With Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Jay Patel, Shannon Sayyadioskoie, Hanna Siatecka, Theodore Rosen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

We present a patient with human immunodeficiency virus who developed multiple painful lesions that previously in the past had speciated as Cryptococcus neoformans cutaneously, and in the lung. Despite induction therapy for presumed re-infection, the patient did not improve so a biopsy was performed and this was speciated as Mycobacterium avium complex, with final diagnosis being disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex. This case highlights the importance of considering a broad differential diagnosis for any new lesions regardless of prior culture data.

Pharmacologic Blockade Of A Pioneer Transcription Factor, Katerina Cermakova, H Courtney Hodges

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cancers frequently co-opt lineage-specific transcription factors (TF) utilized in normal development to sustain proliferation. However, the effects of these TFs on tumor development depend considerably on where in the genome they bind. A new article by Taylor and colleagues expands on previously developed diamidine compounds that obstruct the DNA binding sites of the pioneer TF PU.1 (SPI1) in acute myeloid leukemia. Immobilization and sequencing of genomic DNA targeted by these compounds revealed that these inhibitors alter the genomic binding patterns of PU.1. The authors report that their strategy constrains the genomic binding preferences of PU.1, leading to redistribution of PU.1 …