Digital Commons Network^™

What Can We Learn From Cavity-Nesting Birds?, Jennifer Uehling

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Professor Jennifer Uehling, Biology, "What can we learn from cavity-nesting birds?".

Single-Molecule Profiling Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances By Cyclodextrin Mediated Host-Guest Interactions Within A Biological Nanopore, Xiaojun Wei, Aditya Choudhary, Leon Y. Wang, Lixing Yang, Mark J. Uline, Mario Tagliazucchi, Qian Wang, Dmitry Bedrov, Chang Liu

Faculty Publications

Biological nanopores are increasingly used in molecular sensing due to their single-molecule sensitivity. The detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) like perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid is critical due to their environmental prevalence and toxicity. Here, we investigate selective interactions between PFAS and four cyclodextrin (CD) variants (α-, β-, γ-, and 2-hydroxypropyl-γ-CD) within an α-hemolysin nanopore. We demonstrate that PFAS molecules can be electrochemically sensed by interacting with a γ-CD in a nanopore. Using HP-γ-CDs with increased steric resistance, we can identify homologs of the perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid and the perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid families and detect common PFAS …

Evolution And Biogeographic Analysis Of The Dyssodia Genus, Serena Jeannine Blais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Modern phylogenetics, or the study of organismal evolutionary relationships, establishes the basis of understanding needed to explore the evolution and ecology of biological systems. Knowing the past of how species arrived where they are today allows us to make inferences about what might occur in the future under different climate and geological conditions by combining geologic knowledge with phylogenetic discoveries. Dyssodia is a small, understudied genus of plants from the marigold (Tageteae) tribe of the sunflower (Asteraceae) family. The goal of this project is to use next generation sequencing techniques to better understand the relationships within the Dyssodia genus. By …

Identifying Subsets Of Cancer Patients With An Increased Risk Of Developing Cutaneous Melanoma: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, And End Results-Based Analysis, Thomas Z. Rohan, Jenna L. Mandel, Henry Y. Yang, Lauren Banner, Daniel Joffe, Rachel Zachian, Jaanvi Mehta, Safiyyah Bhatti, Tingting Zhan, Neda Nikbakht

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Cancer survivors have an increased risk of developing second primary malignancies. We aimed to identify whether certain cancers lead to an increased risk of developing melanoma among cancer survivors. We evaluated the risk of developing cutaneous melanoma after the 20 most common cancers in the United States through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. We identified 9 primary cancers linked to increased risk of developing a subsequent cutaneous melanoma: cutaneous melanoma (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 9.65), leukemia (SIR = 1.76), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR = 1.33), thyroid cancer (SIR = 1.32), brain and nervous system cancer (SIR = 1.31), …

Biofabrication Of Tissue Constructs Using Protein-In-Polysaccharide Bioinks For Muscle Regeneration, Harshavardhan B

Theses and Dissertations

Myocardial infarction (MI) and volumetric muscle loss (VML) are debilitating conditions that severely affect patient quality of life and challenge healthcare systems, particularly in diagnosis and treatment. Conventional therapies often result in long recovery periods with limited functional restoration. Advances in regenerative medicine, especially extrusion-based 3D bioprinting, offer promising potential to improve the regeneration of complex tissues by precisely depositing cells and biomaterials layer-by-layer to create tailored tissue constructs.

A critical challenge in muscle tissue regeneration is developing protein-polysaccharide bioinks that closely mimic the native muscle tissue microenvironment. In this study, two protein-inpolysaccharide bioinks (alginate-fibrinogen and methylcellulose-gelatin-alginate) were developed to …

Validation Of An Artificial Intelligence-Based Prognostic Biomarker In Patients With Oligometastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer, Jarey H. Wang, Matthew P. Deek, Adrianna A. Mendes, Yang Song, Amol Shetty, Soha Bazyar, Kim Van Der Eecken, Emmalyn Chen, Timothy N. Showalter, Trevor J. Royce, Tamara Todorovic, Huei-Chung Huang, Scott A. Houck, Rikiya Yamashita, Ana P. Kiess, Daniel Y. Song, Tamara Lotan, Theodore Deweese, Luigi Marchionni, Lei Ren, Amit Sawant, Nicole L. Simone, Alejandro Berlin, Cem Onal, Andre Esteva, Felix Y. Feng, Phuoc T. Tran, Philip Sutera, Piet Ost

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is a need for clinically actionable prognostic and predictive tools to guide the management of oligometastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (omCSPC).

METHODS: This is a multicenter retrospective study to assess the prognostic and predictive performance of a multimodal artificial intelligence biomarker (MMAI; the ArteraAI Prostate Test) in men with omCSPC (n = 222). The cohort also included 51 patients from the STOMP and ORIOLE phase 2 clinical trials which randomized patients to observation versus metastasis-directed therapy (MDT). MMAI scores were computed from digitized histopathology slides and clinical variables. Overall survival (OS) and time to castration-resistant prostate cancer (TTCRPC) were …

You’Ve Got To Admit It: An Evaluation Of Holistic Admissions Ratings To Predict Successful Outcomes In A Doctoral Program Of Clinical Psychology, Lauren Kidd

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Graduate admissions teams analyze student applications to decide which applicants to invite for postgraduate work. Historically, graduate admissions teams have attended to cognitive measures, including undergraduate GPA and standardized test scores. While these items have some predictive validity for cognitive outcomes like graduate GPA, admissions teams consider other admissions data to discern whom to invite for enrollment. Clinical psychology admissions teams consider written application materials, letters of reference, and curricula vitae to create a more holistic view of applicants. Research has yet to discern how the integrated evaluation of admissions data might predict the success of future professionals and serve …

Evaluation Of Sirtuin 1 As A Predictor Of Cardiovascular Outcomes In Diabetic Patients With Limb-Threatening Ischemia, Federico Biscetti, Maria Margherita Rando, Maria Anna Nicolazzi, Enrica Rossini, Michele Santoro, Flavia Angelini, Roberto Iezzi, Luis H. Eraso, Paul J. Dimuzio, Dario Pitocco, Massimo Massetti, Antonio Gasbarrini, Andrea Flex

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) significantly increases the risk of major adverse limb events (MALE) and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after lower extremity revascularization (LER). This study aims to identify novel biomarkers that help to further reduce the risk of postoperative cardiovascular complications. In this prospective, nonrandomized, observational study, baseline serum levels of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) were assessed in 147 diabetic patients scheduled for LER due to CLTI, and participants were followed for the occurrence of MALE and MACE over 12 months. Fifty-three patients experienced MALE, and 33 experienced MACE within the follow-up period. Lower baseline SIRT1 levels were significantly …

Engaging Children In Conversations About Loss With The Help Of A Canadian Activity Book, Giulia Adele Dinicola

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

In Canada, the practice of medically assisting patients in dying has been legal since 2016. Patients who have been diagnosed with serious diseases or disabilities—including mental illnesses, starting in March 2024—may meet the requirements to seek medically assisted suicide. As a result of this legalization, medical and ethical communities have expressed concerns regarding those who assist their loved ones in the process of dying. To date, little has been written about how children react when someone close to them decides to end their life due to unbearable suffering. In July 2022, the Canadian Virtual Hospice group published the Medical Assistance …

The Costs Of Ecosystem Disturbances, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Presents an illustration of the interdependencies inherent in natural ecosystems. An ecosystem may be defined as: “… a single environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it or characterizes it. An ecosystem embodies every aspect of a single habitat, including all interactions between its different elements” (Knapp 2020). In such interdependent systems, removal of one or more of the essential “elements” can severely disrupt the functioning of the system and such disruptions can give rise to negative impacts on the environment and human health and well-being.

Environmental Aspects Of Braking: Analysis Of Wear Particles From Friction Brakes, Abhiram Yendluri

Research Papers

No abstract provided.

High Incidence And Geographic Distribution Of Cleft Palate In Finland Are Associated With The Irf6 Gene, Fedik Rahimov, Pekka Nieminen, Priyanka Kumari, Emma Juuri, Tiit Nikopensius, Kitt Paraiso, Jakob German, Antti Karvanen, Mart Kals, Abdelrahman G Elnahas, Juha Karjalainen, Mitja Kurki, Aarno Palotie, Estonian Biobank Research Team, Finngen, Arja Heliövaara, Tõnu Esko, Sakari Jukarainen, Priit Palta, Andrea Ganna, Anjali P Patni, Daniel Mar, Karol Bomsztyk, Julie Mathieu, Hannele Ruohola-Baker, Axel Visel, Walid D Fakhouri, Brian C Schutte, Robert A Cornell, David P Rice

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

In Finland, the frequency of isolated cleft palate (CP) is higher than that of isolated cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P). This trend contrasts to that in other European countries but its genetic underpinnings are unknown. We conducted a genome-wide association study in the Finnish population and identified rs570516915, a single nucleotide polymorphism highly enriched in Finns, as strongly associated with CP (P = 5.25 × 10-34, OR = 8.65, 95% CI 6.11-12.25), but not with CL/P (P = 7.2 × 10-5), with genome-wide significance. The risk allele frequency of rs570516915 parallels the regional variation of CP prevalence …

Skn-1 Activation During Infection Of Caenorhabditis Elegans Requires Cdc-48 And Endoplasmic Reticulum Proteostasis, Carolaing Gabaldón, Ozgur Karakuzu, Danielle A Garsin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

During challenge of Caenorhabditis elegans with human bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis, the elicited host response can be damaging if not properly controlled. The activation of Nrf (nuclear factor erythroid-related factor)/CNC (Cap-n-collar) transcriptional regulators modulates the response by upregulating genes that neutralize damaging molecules and promote repair processes. Activation of the C. elegans Nrf ortholog, SKN-1, is tightly controlled by a myriad of regulatory mechanisms, but a central feature is an activating phosphorylation accomplished by the p38 mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) cascade. In this work, loss of CDC-48, an AAA+ ATPase, was observed to severely compromise SKN-1 …

Quantifying And Reducing The Cost Of Tagging: Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics And Diving Experiments To Reduce Impact From Animal-Borne Tags, J. Chris Mcknight, Chris Pass, Dave Thompson, Steve Balfour, Sophie M.J.M. Brasseur, Clare Embling, Gordon Hastie, Ryan Milne, Adam Kyte, Simon E.W. Moss, Richard Pemberton, Debbie J.F. Russell

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Animal-borne instruments are essential research tools for ecologists and physiologists. An increasing number of studies have shown impacts of carrying a tag on behaviour and energetics, which can have implications for animal welfare and data validity. Such impacts are a result of the additional mass and/or drag loads, with the latter requiring empirical measurements or computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to estimate. To quantify and effectively minimize tag impacts from drag, a novel combined empirical and CFD approach is required. Here, we demonstrate such an approach using captive phocid seals and the widely used Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) Instrumentation Group …

Automatically Extracting Social Determinants Of Health For Suicide: A Narrative Literature Review, Annika M Schoene, Suzanne Garverich, Iman Ibrahim, Sia Shah, Benjamin Irving, Clifford C Dacso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Suicide is a complex phenomenon that is often not preceded by a diagnosed mental health condition, therefore making it difficult to study and mitigate. Artificial Intelligence has increasingly been used to better understand Social Determinants of Health factors that influence suicide outcomes. In this review we find that many studies use limited SDoH information and minority groups are often underrepresented, thereby omitting important factors that could influence risk of suicide.

Engineered Self-Regulating Macrophages For Targeted Anti-Inflammatory Drug Delivery, Molly Klimak, Amanda Cimino, Kristin L Lenz, Luke E Springer, Kelsey H Collins, Natalia S Harasymowicz, Nathan Xu, Christine T N Pham, Farshid Guilak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by increased levels of inflammation that primarily manifests in the joints. Macrophages act as key drivers for the progression of RA, contributing to the perpetuation of chronic inflammation and dysregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1). The goal of this study was to develop a macrophage-based cell therapy for biologic drug delivery in an autoregulated manner.

METHODS: For proof-of-concept, we developed "smart" macrophages to mitigate the effects of IL-1 by delivering its inhibitor, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). Bone marrow-derived macrophages were lentivirally transduced with a synthetic gene circuit …

Neutrophil- And Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell-Conditioned Medias Cause Myotube Atrophy And Alter The Myotube Transcriptome, Heidi Disbrow, Jonathan Specht, Michael Deyhle

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Cancer-related inflammation and altered hematopoiesis leads to increased neutrophil and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) production and reduced lymphoid and erythroid cell production. Recently, we found cells bearing a surface antigen belonging to both MDSCs and neutrophils accumulate in skeletal muscle and contribute to atrophy that occurs in cancer cachexia. It is unknown if these cells cause skeletal muscle atrophy directly, or if MDSCs and neutrophils impact atrophy differently. The PURPOSE of this study was to explore the direct effects of neutrophil- and MDSC-conditioned media relative to control medium on myotube atrophy and transcriptome.METHODS: Neutrophils were isolated from the …

Muscle Wins Again: Examining The Relationship Between Maximal Strength And Body Composition Metrics, Antonella V. Schwarz, S. Kyle Travis

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Maximal strength is the greatest force a muscle group can produce during a single maximal effort. Strength is a key determinant of both athletic performance and functional capacity, and understanding its relationship with body composition offers valuable insights for optimizing overall health and physical performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between maximal strength and various body composition measurements, with the objective of determining whether fat-related or muscle-related metrics are stronger predictors of strength outcomes. METHODS: Per the available subject pool, trained biological males (n=20; 21.6±1.9yrs; 175.2±5.5cm; 80.3±9.5kg; Dots: 268.7±39.2au) participated in a …

The Effect Of Exercise On Serum Cytokines Soluble Cytokine Receptors., Kosar Valaei, Jonathan Specht, Jeremy Ducharme, Alyssa Bailly, Michael Deyhle

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Cytokines mediate many acute and chronic responses to exercise through interaction with their membrane-bound receptor(s). However, in addition to the cytokines themselves, there exist soluble versions of cytokine receptors that may change in response to exercise. Soluble receptors represent an additional regulatory and modulatory layer of cytokine signaling. More attention to soluble cytokine receptors is needed to understand cytokine bioavailability and signaling following exercise. PURPOSE: To determine how cytokines and their soluble receptors change in the serum of both trained and untrained men after vigorous exercise. METHODS: Seven endurance-trained and five untrained men (N=12) participated in this study. Anthropometrics, cardiorespiratory …

Destructive Plasticity, “Surplus Of Consciousness,” And The “Monster” In True Detective, Courtney Patrick-Weber

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

The first season of HBO's cult hit True Detective introduced viewers to a southern gothic murder mystery that many will not easily forget. Since many of us focused primarily on the whodunit narrative, we may have missed the narrative of trauma simmering under the surface of the story. This narrative of trauma reveals a deeper layer to the story between Detective Rust Cohle and serial killer Errol Childress, one that also reveals our own fears regarding trauma in our lives. By applying first the nihilist philosophies of Peter Zapffe with Cohle and Catherine Malabou's concept on destructive plasticity in Childress, …

Muscle Specific Era Overexpression Remodels Mitochondrial Cristae Architecture And Drives Mtdna Replication To Enhance Oxidative Metabolism, Karen Li, Bridgette Ryning, Noor Fahs, Noelle Morrow, Andrea Hevener

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Reduced estrogen action is associated with obesity and insulin resistance in both males and females. However, the tissues and cell-specific targets essential for estrogen-mediated effects on metabolism remain inadequately understood. We have previously shown that muscle-specific estrogen-recpeptor alpha (ERa) knockout reduces metabolism and insulin sensitivity and blunts adaptations to exercise training. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of skeletal muscle ERa overexpression on whole-body metabolism, exercise capacity, and mitochondrial function. METHODS: A tamoxifen-inducible and muscle-specific ERa overexpression model (mERa^OE) was generated in male mice. Body weight was tracked and a glucose …

Intermittent Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Activation Promotes Myotube Hypertrophy, Isaac S. Stark, Abigail E. Summers, Jack E. Barbeau, Neal A. Secrist, David M. Thomson

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Muscle atrophy is a concern in various health conditions, such as aging, cancer, and diabetes. As such, finding effective therapies to treat muscle loss is of significant value. The best treatment for muscle atrophy is exercise. However, many with these conditions either cannot or will not exercise. This highlights the value of finding an effective pharmacologic therapy. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is one of the best-characterized exercise-responsive molecular signals. Despite suppressing muscle synthesis acutely, chronic AMPK activation has been shown to prevent muscle loss in wasting conditions. Our collaborator company, Biolexis Therapeutics, has identified MLX-0871 as a novel AMPK-activating oral …

Mitochondrial Protein Expression In Nr4a3-Knockout Mice, Abigail E. Summers, Benjamin Y. Sung, Andrew B. Gold, Liana Leininger, Jeffery S. Tessem, David M. Thomson

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The expression of the orphan receptor, Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4 Group A Member 3 (NR4A3), is upregulated in response to exercise, suggesting that it could be influential in altering gene expression for skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise. Recent research has demonstrated that when NR4A3 was knocked down in skeletal muscle cells, there was decreased expression of mitochondrial proteins, including those of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS). The effect of deficient NR4A3 expression on mitochondrial proteins in mouse skeletal muscle is unknown. PURPOSE: We tested the hypothesis that NR4A3-knockout (KO) would suppress the expression of mitochondrial proteins in mouse skeletal muscle. …

Ribosomal Protein S6 Phosphorylation Is Elevated In Nr4a3 Knockout Muscle, Benjamin Y. Sung, Abigail E. Summers, Andrew B. Gold, Liana Leininger, Jeffery S. Tessem, David M. Thomson

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Exercise training produces many muscle and body adaptations that improve health and function. Many of these adaptations are driven by altered gene expression. Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4 Group A Member 3 (NR4A3; AKA NOR-1) is an orphan nuclear receptor and transcription factor whose expression is among the most upregulated genes after exercise, suggesting that it plays a critical role in the adaptation to training. Recently, a knockdown study in cultured skeletal muscle cells showed that the silencing of NR4A3 led to impaired signaling through the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), a key molecular driver of muscle mass maintenance. …

Pain Education And Preparation Across Health Care Professions: A Scoping Review, Rodiel Kirby Baloy Ii

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

There is an ongoing evolution in the understanding of pain biology and its underlying mechanisms. Healthcare professional education and preparation must adapt to continue to provide effective management of individuals experiencing pain. PURPOSE: A review of current studies in pain education and preparation across healthcare professions was performed. This scoping review will be part of a larger study assessing the state of pain preparation in the field of physical therapy. METHODS: A scoping review of articles discussing pain education and preparation of healthcare professions, including dentistry (2), medicine (8), nursing (7), occupational safety and health (1), occupational and …

Ballard Brief, Kate Bradley, Jayden Davis

Marriott Student Review

At Ballard Brief, we help people understand the problem by publishing topic-specific briefs that synthesize modern research about social issues. Ballard Briefs are authored by BYU students who noticed a problem and set out to educate themselves and others.

Reflections On Building A Popular Writing Course, Emily Howson, Chris Massenburg, Cecilia Shelton

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

Composition pedagogy has typically employed traditional academic texts in the instruction of first-year writing courses. In this article, three first-year writing instructors reflect on their experiences employing popular culture artifacts in lieu of more traditional academic texts in writing classrooms at a small, private, historically black institution (HBCU). By retrospectively analyzing the intersections between theory and practice, the instructors’ autoethnographic reflections explore the utility of popular culture artifacts as tools for teaching and learning writing, with an emphasis on rhetorical knowledge and transfer. Though preliminary, their conclusions point to the potential of popular culture for integration into traditional best practices …

Program Review Report 11-5-24, Angela Brock

Program Review Committee

No abstract provided.

Clock Hijackers: How Integration Of Glioblastoma Into Circadian Circuits Regulates Tumor Progression And Sensitivity To Current Therapies, Maria Felicita Gonzalez

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults with a poor prognosis despite aggressive therapy. A recent, retrospective clinical study found that administering chemotherapy with Temozolomide (TMZ) in the morning increased patient overall survival by 6 months compared to evening. Previous work has shown that murine and human models of GBM have cell-intrinsic circadian rhythms in expression of the core clock genes Bmal1 and Per2 in vitro. This suggests that GBM has circadian rhythms that entrain to the hosts’ central clock. Understanding the mechanisms underlying circadian entrainment and tumor growth in GBM is essential to determine whether …

Executive Committee - Minutes, 11/5/2024, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.