Digital Commons Network^™

Merging Biophilic Design Approach Into University Learning Interior Spaces: An Applied Experience, Sara M. Atwa

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Incorporating living elements into educational environments is a crucial matter, as many educational spaces are deprived of natural features. Designers should incubate this way of thinking to generate healthy and inspiring spaces for students. The biophilia hypothesis reveals that humankind has a genuine connection with the natural environment which makes us happier and healthier. Biophilic design has motivated architects to merge nature within the interior spaces using plants, reclaimed wood, water features, and daylight. Thereby, this manuscript debates that educational spaces – particularly in universities – requisite a sincere interaction with the nature environment by embracing biophilic design as an …

Catholic School Teaching As Participation In The Common Good, John L. Beltramo

Journal of Catholic Education

Increasing rates of teacher attrition have exacerbated the shortage of teachers in regions of the United States. In response, some scholars have proposed initiatives that promote the professionalization of teaching, hoping to attract and retain new teachers through greater classroom autonomy and stronger professional development. Others have advocated for a vision of teaching as a vocation, through which teachers can find deeper meaning and thereby better tolerate challenging working conditions. While both conceptualizations of teaching hold compelling implications for the field, their lack of grounding in a broader conception of community ultimately limit the extent to which they can respond …

Skinned Worlds: Virtual Reality And The Postbiological, Alicia Corts

Research, Publications & Creative Work

This paper explores the concept of “skinning” in educational virtual reality (VR) environments, reframing it as a dramaturgical and pedagogical act rather than a mere visual overlay. Through comparative analysis of The World of Hugo Simberg and C!ao: Piazza Navona Experience, the study investigates how design decisions shape user identity, agency, and the performance of learning. Drawing on performance theory, it examines how avatars – or their absence – guide learners through curated paths, subtly influencing perception and interaction. While both applications strip away overt self-representation, they open space for subversion, reflection, and imaginative engagement. The paper argues that skinning …

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (Cfd) Based Assessment Of Animal Borne Data Logger Impact, Christopher Pass

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Animal borne data loggers are powerful tools that provide researchers with valuable insight into the behaviour and ecology of free-ranging marine animals. Despite their usefulness, the addition of a tag inevitably alters the forces acting on a swimming body and can increase the energetic cost of swimming. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools offer a powerful means of assessing tag impact and a number of previous works have employed CFD to this end but have typically been based on a range of simplifying assumptions. Chief amongst these simplifications is that animals can be modelled as rigid bodies with a simple tag …

Upregulation Of Delta Opioid Receptor By Meningeal Interleukin-10 Prevents Relapsing Pain, Kufreobong E Inyang, Jaewon Sim, Kimberly B Clark, Matan Geron, Karli Monahan, Christine Evans, Patrick O'Connell, Sophie Laumet, Bo Peng, Jiacheng Ma, Cobi J Heijnen, Robert Dantzer, Grégory Scherrer, Annemieke Kavelaars, Matthew Bernard, Yasser A Aldhamen, Joseph K Folger, Alexis Bavencoffe, Geoffroy Laumet

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic pain often includes periods of transient amelioration and even remission that alternate with severe relapsing pain. While most research on chronic pain has focused on pain development and maintenance, there is a critical unmet need to better understand the mechanisms that underlie pain remission and relapse. We found that interleukin (IL)-10, a pain resolving cytokine, is produced by resident macrophages in the spinal meninges during remission from pain and signaled to IL-10 receptor-expressing sensory neurons. Using unbiased RNA-sequencing, we identified that IL-10 upregulated expression and antinociceptive activity of δ-opioid receptor (δOR) in the dorsal root ganglion. Genetic or pharmacological …

Oral Microbiome Brain Axis And Cognitive Performance In Older Adults, Darbaz Adnan, Phillip A Engen, Michelle Villanueva, Shohreh Raeisi, Vivian Ramirez, Ankur Naqib, Stefan J Green, Faraz Bishehsari, Lisa L Barnes, Ali Keshavarzian, Klodian Dhana, Robin M Voigt

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The human oral microbiota is a community of microorganisms that reside in the oral cavity, including lingual, buccal, and saliva, each niche with a distinct microbial composition. Alterations in oral microbiota have been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This study used data from 143 older adults in the MIND trial to evaluate the association between oral microbiome and cognitive function. Oral niche-specific differences (saliva, buccal, and lingual), as well as the microbiome composition differences (α and β diversity), were associated with cognitive function. A lower abundance of Gemella and a higher abundance of anaerobic pro-inflammatory bacteria …

Use Of Hookah And Age Of Asthma Onset Among Us Adults, Adriana Pérez, Sarah Valencia, Pushan P Jani, Melissa B Harrell

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To explore the association of hookah use on the age of asthma onset among adults who were asthma/COPD free and who did not use cigarettes, cigars, electronic cigarettes or smokeless tobacco prior to asthma onset.

Methods: Secondary data analyses were conducted of the waves 1-6 (2013-2021) of the US nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study among adults (>18 years). The four hookahs use exposures evaluated were (1) past 30-day (P30D) hookah use at the first wave of participation, (2) total number of waves before asthma onset in which adults reported P30D hookah use, (3) total …

Esomeprazole Inhibits Proliferation Of Scleroderma Fibroblasts Via Cell Cycle Regulation, Mohammad A Khan, Shaheer Koniyan, Manisha Ahir, Anil G Jegga, Maureen D Mayes, David Gius, Justin Leung, Mark D Bonnen, Sydney B Montesi, Yohannes T Ghebre

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Scleroderma is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by abnormal fibroblast proliferation and excessive collagen deposits in the skin and internal organs. We previously showed that esomeprazole, an FDA-approved drug for gastric disorders, may prevent dermal fibrosis.

Methods: To test this, we evaluated the antiproliferative effect of esomeprazole and the underlying molecular mechanisms using primary fibroblasts derived from patients with scleroderma. BrdU incorporation, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, Western blot analysis, RNA sequencing, and functional enrichment analysis were performed.

Results: Esomeprazole inhibited the proliferation of scleroderma fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner, as measured by BrdU incorporation and Ki-67 marker. Intriguingly, esomeprazole arrested …

Long-Term Dynamic Profiles Of Cognitive Kinases Induced By Different Learning Protocols, Yili Zhang, Rong-Yu Liu, Paul Smolen, John H Byrne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Learning is associated with activation of multiple protein kinases, but few details are known about the activation dynamics in response to different learning protocols. We addressed this issue by examining the long-term dynamics of kinases critical for long term synaptic facilitation (LTF) of the Aplysia sensorimotor synapse. Three serotonin (5-HT) protocols have been found to induce LTF with distinct effectiveness: the five-pulse regular-spaced Standard protocol; the five-pulse irregular-spaced Enhanced protocol; and the two-pulse protocol with an interval of 45 min. We previously compared long-term dynamics of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) isoform ERK after these protocols. Here we examined the …

Neutrophils Unveiled In Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Sheighlah Mcmanus, Priyanka Khare, Maria Teresa S Bertilaccio

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This review explores neutrophils' roles in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), highlighting their functions within the immune system. While neutrophils are known for fighting infections, their altered behavior in CLL significantly impacts disease progression. This review notes the reduced phagocytic abilities of neutrophils and the increased formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in patients with CLL. It also examines the effects of CLL treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies, on neutrophils' count and function, stressing the need for improved strategies to manage therapy-induced immune dysfunction. This review also provides detailed information about the interactions between neutrophils and other immune elements …

Protecting Organs-At-Risk In Cancer Therapies Through Temporary Organ Displacement: A Comprehensive Review, Rance B Tino, Michael Li, Amirreza Heshmat, Ayush Suresh, Anasimone Guillaume, Kristy K Brock, Bruno C Odisio, Eugene J Koay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Radiation therapy (RT) and locoregional ablation are cornerstones of modern oncology, yet their therapeutic potential is frequently limited by the challenge of sparing healthy organs-at-risk (OARs) from treatment-related complications. Temporary organ displacement (TOD) techniques directly address this issue by creating a physical separation using 'spacers' during treatment, thereby minimizing collateral damage while enhancing therapeutic precision. The clinical benefits, including improved tumor control, reduced morbidity, and enhanced survival, are documented across malignancies of the head and neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis. To create a unified framework for this evolving field, this comprehensive review provides a systematic classification of TOD techniques based …

Nutritional Management Of The Child With Chronic Kidney Disease And On Dialysis., Vanessa Shaw, Caroline Anderson, An Desloovere, Larry A. Greenbaum, Lyndsay Harshman, Christina L. Nelms, Pearl Pugh, Nonnie Polderman, José Renken-Terhaerdt, Evelien Snauwaert, Stella Stabouli, Jetta Tuokkola, Johan Vande Walle, Bradley A. Warady, Fabio Paglialonga, Rukshana Shroff

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

While it is widely accepted that the nutritional management of the infant with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is paramount to achieve normal growth and development, nutritional management is also of importance beyond 1 year of age, particularly in toddlers, to support the delayed infantile stage of growth that may extend to 2-3 years of age. Puberty is also a vulnerable period when nutritional needs are higher to support the expected growth spurt. Inadequate nutritional intake throughout childhood can result in failure to achieve full adult height potential, and there is an increased risk for abnormal neurodevelopment. Conversely, the rising prevalence …

Digital Twins In Healthcare: A Comprehensive Review And Future Directions, Hamid Khoshfekr Rudsari, Becky Tseng, Hongxu Zhu, Lulu Song, Chunhui Gu, Abhishikta Roy, Ehsan Irajizad, Joseph Butner, James Long, Kim-Anh Do

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a transformative force in healthcare, offering unprecedented opportunities for personalized medicine, treatment optimization, and disease prevention. This comprehensive review examines the current state of DTs in healthcare, analyzing their implementation across different physiological levels-from cellular to whole-body systems. We systematically review the latest developments, methodologies, and applications while identifying challenges and opportunities. Our analysis encompasses technical frameworks for cardiovascular, neurological, respiratory, metabolic, hepatic, oncological, and cellular DTs, highlighting significant achievements such as population-scale cardiac modeling (3,461 patient cohort), reduced atrial fibrillation recurrence rates through patient-specific cardiac models, improved brain tumor radiotherapy planning, advanced …

Role Of Mir-204 In Controlling Metabolic Functions Of The Subretinal Microglia, Yan Chen, Sarah E Bounds, Neloy Kundu, James Regun Karmoker, Yin Liu, Dongin Kim, Jiyang Cai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale: MicroRNA-204 (miR-204) is one of the most abundant miRNA species in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and RPE-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Knockout (KO) of miR-204 leads to dysfunction and degeneration of both the RPE and the retina. In addition to previously reported retinal pathologies, we observed the accumulation of lipid-laden subretinal microglia in miR-204 KO mice. This study aimed to identify potential molecular targets of miR-204 involved in microglia lipid processing and to determine whether RPE-derived EVs can improve the function of miR-204-deficient retinal microglia.

Methods: Lipid accumulation in microglia was detected by staining with LipidTox, a fluorescent dye …

Combined Inhibition Of Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 And Kinase Signaling As A Preclinical Treatment Strategy In Glioblastoma, Lea M Stitzlein, Deokhwa Nam, Faith A Hernandez, Kareena H Patel, Alaina Poche, Huaxian Ma, Katie Impelman, Joy Gumin, Heping Wang, Jing Wang, Samantha Gadd, Wafik Zaky, Oren Becher, Richard W Dudley, Frederick F Lang, Gangadhara R Sareddy, Joya Chandra

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is overexpressed in glioblastoma, contributing to tumor growth and treatment resistance. LSD1 inhibitors have shown preclinical promise but have had limited clinical development for glioblastoma. Given the frequent kinase pathway alterations seen in glioblastoma, the interplay between LSD1 inhibition and kinase signaling pathways was investigated.

Methods: Glioblastoma stem cell (GSC) lines and normal human astrocytes (NHAs) were treated with catalytic LSD1 inhibitors, NCD38 and bomedemstat, and the LSD1 scaffolding inhibitor, seclidemstat alone and in combination with kinase inhibitors, including osimertinib, afatinib, and ulixertinib. The effect on cell viability, proliferation, and neurosphere formation was assessed, and …

Histopathologic Progression And Metastatic Relapse Outcomes In Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinomas Of The Urinary Tract, Mohammad Jad Moussa, Georges C Tabet, Arlene O Siefker-Radtke, Lianchun Xiao, Nathaniel R Wilson, Jianjun Gao, Christopher J Logothetis, Petros Grivas, Byron Lee, Amishi Y Shah, Pavlos Msaouel, Roger Li, Leticia Campos Clemente, Jianping Zhao, Nizar M Tannir, Ashish M Kamat, Donna E Hansel, Charles C Guo, Matthew T Campbell, Omar Alhalabi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the urinary tract (SCNEC-URO) has an inferior prognosis compared to conventional urothelial carcinoma (UC). Here, we evaluate the predictors and patterns of relapse after surgery.

Materials and methods: We identified a definitive-surgery cohort (n = 224) from an institutional database of patients with cT1-T4NxM0 SCNEC-URO treated in 1985-2021. Histopathologic review was conducted by independent pathologists. Relapse event was the time-to-event outcome, and relapse probabilities were estimated using a competing risk method with cumulative incidence functions (CIFs). Fine-Gray distribution models assessed covariate associations.

Results: Most patients (161, 71.9%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (neoCTX). Ninety two (41%) …

Relationship Between Trpm4 Rs8104571 Genotype, Circulating Trpm4 And Sur1, And Clinical Outcome Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Joseph D Krocker, Madeline E Cotton, Janet R Ashley, Jacob B Schriner, Baron K Osborn, Yao-Wei Willa Wang, Charles S Cox, Charles E Wade

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The variant single nucleotide polymorphism rs8104571 has been associated with poor outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is most prevalent in those of African ancestry. This single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) resides within a gene coding for the TRPM4 protein, which complexes with SUR1 protein to create a transmembrane ion channel and is believed to contribute to cellular swelling and cell death in neurological tissue. Our study evaluates the relationship between circulating TRPM4 and SUR1, rs8104571 genotype, and clinical outcome in TBI patients. Trauma patients with moderate to severe TBI were included in this retrospective study. rs8104571 genotyping and admission …

Mutation Of Conserved Mhc Class I Cytoplasmic Tyrosine Affects Cd8+ T Cell Priming, Effector Function, And Memory Response, Yimo Sun, Yitao Tang, Priscilla Ortiz, Barbara Nassif Rausseo, Barbara Pazdrak, Lama Elzohary, Arjun Katailiha, Amjad Talukder, Cassian Yee, Richard Eric Davis, Gregory Lizée

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The cytoplasmic domain of MHC class I (MHC-I) molecules contains a single, highly conserved tyrosine residue (Y320). In previous work, we found that mice expressing a Y320F-mutated form of H-2Kb had reduced capacity to generate Kb-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses following viral infection, due at least in part to defects in endolysosomal trafficking of H-2Kb and antigen cross-presentation by dendritic cells (DCs). In this study, we investigated whether there are additional, post-presentation dependencies on Y320 for T cell priming. We engineered both human- and mouse-derived antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to express either wild-type MHC-I or variants of MHC-I containing Y320F …

Autophagy Cargo Profiles In Skeletal Muscle During Starvation And Exercise, Mohd Farhan, Shangze Lyu, Trezze P Nguyen, Dakai Zhang, Hong Liang, Yong Zhou, Yu A An, Jun Wang, Hongyuan Yang, Guangwei Du, Yang Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Autophagy is a cellular process to clear unwanted and dysfunctional cellular cargoes, which are sequestered in autophagosomes before their delivery to lysosomes for degradation. Autophagy cargo selection, mediated by cargo receptors, varies across cell types and conditions. Understanding the cargo features is essential for elucidating autophagy's function in specific physiological or pathological contexts. Here, we present a simple and rapid method for isolating LC3B-positive autophagosomes from the tissues of GFP-LC3 transgenic mice, a widely used autophagy reporter model, without relying on the complex ultracentrifugation steps required by traditional methods. When combined with quantitative proteomics, this approach enables efficient in vivo …

Disulfidptosis And Its Emerging Relevance In Cancer And Immunity, Qidong Li, Shengrong Wu, Li Zhuang, Boyi Gan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Disulfidptosis is a recently identified form of regulated cell death (RCD) triggered by disulfide stress when cystine uptake via solute carrier family 7 member 1 (SLC7A11) overwhelms the cell's reducing capacity. Unlike apoptosis or other "cell suicide" pathways, disulfidptosis likely represents a "cell sabotage" mechanism, defined by aberrant disulfide bonding and catastrophic actin cytoskeleton collapse. In this Perspective, we examine the paradoxical role of SLC7A11 as both a ferroptosis protector and a disulfidptosis trigger, and the mechanistic hallmarks of disulfidptosis. We highlight emerging therapeutic strategies to target disulfidptosis in cancer, including glucose transporter inhibition, redox-targeting agents, and nanomaterial-based approaches, and …

E2f1 Overexpression Reduces Aging-Associated Dna Damage In Cultured Cerebral Endothelial Cells And Improves Cognitive Performance In Aged Mice, Sheelu Monga, Samantha Flores, Maria Pilar Blasco-Conesa, Syed M Rahman, Brian Noh, Pedram Peesh, Bhanu Priya Ganesh, Sean P Marrelli, Louise D Mccullough, Jose Felix Moruno-Manchon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

As we age, cerebral endothelial cells (CECs) are less efficient in maintaining genome integrity and accumulate DNA damage. DNA damage in the brain endothelium can lead to the impairment of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), which is a major factor in brain dysfunction and dementia. Thus, identifying factors that regulate DNA repair in the brain endothelium can prevent brain dysfunction associated with aging. E2F1 is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes associated with DNA repair, among other functions. We hypothesize that E2F1 is downregulated in the brain vasculature of mice with aging and that E2F1 upregulation can improve …

New Anhydramnios After 22 Weeks And Pulmonary Hypoplasia, Aaron W Roberts, Margaret Clement, Suzanne Marie Lopez, Rita Swinford, Percy Pacora Portella, Edgar Hernandez-Andrade, Matthew Rysavy, Anthony Johnson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Anhydramnios due to renal failure prior to 22 weeks of gestational age (WGA) is associated with lethal pulmonary hypoplasia but after 22 WGA outcomes are less clear. We evaluated whether these fetuses, with new anhydramnios after 22 WGA, incur significant risk of severe neonatal pulmonary morbidity.

Methods: This retrospective study of singleton pregnancies diagnosed with new-onset renal anhydramnios after 22 WGA following verifiable normal AFI on ultrasound before 22 WGA from 2021 to 2023. Cases with bilateral renal agenesis, premature rupture of membranes, and nonrenal malformations were excluded.

Results: During the study period 53,698 s trimester ultrasound examinations were …

Safety Of Indocyanine Green Microdosing For Clinical Imaging Of Csf Ventricular Dynamics And Extracranial Outflow, Miriam Zamorano, Banghe Zhu, Ahmed T Massoud, Jonathan Hendricks, H Alex Choi, Pedram Peesh, Brandon A Miller, Xinhai Robert Zhang, Manish N Shah, Eva M Sevick-Muraca

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and purpose: Intravenous administration of indocyanine green (ICG) has been approved in brain surgeries for decades, yet concerns about neurotoxicity prevent its direct administration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Armed with prior animal studies demonstrating the feasibility of using ICG microdosing into the CSF, we sought to evaluate its nonclinical safety profile and obtain surrogate measures in adults prior to its use in human neonates.

Methods: Evaluation of ICG toxicity was conducted in mixed primary CNS cell cultures and in an extended safety study of juvenile rat pups deploying intraventricular injections of saline (as control) or ICG. Analysis of …

Correlation Of Pancreatic Laminin Alpha 5 Expression With Clinical Outcomes In Total Pancreatectomy With Islet Autotransplantation, Jayachandra Kuncha, Carly M Darden, Yang Liu, Michael Lawrence, J Sebastian Danobeitia, Bashoo Naziruddin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study examines extracellular matrix (ECM) protein (ECM) expression in chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and its correlation with graft function after total pancreatectomy with islet autologous transplantation (TPIAT). Pancreatic sections from 29 CP patients undergoing TPIAT were analyzed for ECM including pan-laminin, laminin alpha 5 (LAMA5), collagen IV, and Perlecan by immunohistochemistry and scored by the percentage positive staining area within the whole tissue area. Graft function was monitored by blood glucose and C-peptide levels. Laminin alpha 5 levels in blood plasma were greater in CP. Laminin alpha 5 expression was significantly higher in all CP patient etiological categories including …

Stim1 And Lipid Interactions At Er-Pm Contact Sites, Yuepeng Ke, Ritchel Gannaban, Junchen Liu, Yubin Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Store-operated calcium (Ca2+) entry (SOCE) represents a major route of Ca2+ permeation across the plasma membrane (PM) in non-excitable cells, which plays an indispensable role in maintaining intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. This process is orchestrated through the dynamic coupling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized Ca2+ sensor stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and the PM-resident ORAI1 channel. Upon depletion of ER Ca2+ stores, STIM1 undergoes conformational rearrangements and oligomerization, leading to translocation of STIM1-containing ER membrane towards the PM. This movement is facilitated by the physical interaction between positively charged cytosolic domains within STIM1 and negatively charged phospholipids embedded in the PM, …

Chronic Circadian Misalignment Accelerates Sarcopenia Progression In Mice, Takashi Seya, Nobuya Koike, Naoki Okubo, Yasuhiro Umemura, Yoshiki Tsuchiya, Kazuya Yabumoto, Yasuhiro Endo, Kanako Iinuma, Akiyo Kakibuchi, Akira Sugimoto, Kenji Takahashi, Seung-Hee Yoo, Zheng Chen, Kazuhiro Yagita

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: In today's 24/7 society, circadian misalignment caused by environmental and lifestyle factors is associated with various adverse health consequences. Understanding tissue-specific pathology is required to counter this growing public health challenge. A potential association of environmental circadian misalignment with sarcopenia, or accelerated loss of skeletal muscle strength and mass, is poorly documented.

Methods: 14-week-old wild-type C57BL/6J male mice were exposed to a chronic jet lag (CJL) paradigm consisting of an 8-h phase advance every 4 days (the ADV group) or a fixed light-dark cycle (the LD group) for 64 weeks. Grip strength was measured during the experiment, and hindlimb …

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Inhibits Transient Expression Of Autophagy And Synaptic Proteins In Developing Brain, Monica Hampe, Nune Darbinian, Nana Merabova, Armine Darbinyan, Jamal Hamze, Uday Bharai, Yuri Persidsky, Mary F Morrison, Shohreh Amini, Laura Goetzl, Michael E Selzer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Neuronal apoptosis and consequent inhibition of autophagy, with loss of synaptic connections are central events in the genesis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). However, studies of molecular mechanisms of autophagy in human fetal brain are limited. Recently, prenatal exposure to EtOH was associated with reduced miRNA-9 levels in fetal brain-derived exosomes (FB- Es) isolated from maternal plasma, which correlated with small eyes, an anatomical hallmark of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Since miR-9 targets several genes that regulate synaptic plasticity, EtOH-induced inhibition of miR-9 could potentially result in dysregulation of genes involved in synaptogenesis/plasticity.

Methods: Rats were fed a …

Limitations Of The Radiotheranostic Concept In Neuroendocrine Tumors Due To Lineage-Dependent Somatostatin Receptor Expression On Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells, Nghia Nguyen, Yu Min, Jennifer Rivière, Mark Van Der Garde, Sukhen Ghosh, Laura M Bartos, Matthias Brendel, Florian Bassermann, Ali Azhdarinia, Wolfgang A Weber, Katharina S Götze, Susanne Kossatz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale: Radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) has become an effective treatment option for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) and castration-resistant prostate cancer and is in clinical development for many indications. One of the major advantages of theranostic RPT is that the distribution of radiopharmaceuticals in the human body can be imaged, and radiation doses to the patient's organs can be calculated. However, accurate dosimetry may be fundamentally limited by microscopic heterogeneity of radiopharmaceutical distribution.

Methods: We developed fluorescent analogs of somatostatin-receptor-subtype 2 (SSTR2) targeting Lutetium-177 labeled radiopharmaceuticals that are clinically used in patients with NETs and studied their uptake by hematopoietic stem and progenitor …

Peripheral Administration Of Blood From Tau Transgenic Animals Exacerbates Brain Tau-Associated Pathology, Laura Vegas-Gomez, Matias Pizarro, Jesus Garcia-Martin, Maria Angeles Arredondo-Alcala, Bianca Bustamante, Carolina Gonzalez-Silva, Soledad Matus, Rodrigo Diaz-Espinoza, Antonia Gutierrez, Rodrigo Morales, Claudia Duran-Aniotz, Ines Moreno-Gonzalez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). While amyloid-beta propagation through prion-like mechanisms has been extensively studied in both central and peripheral pathways, the potential spreading of tau aggregates in the periphery remains largely unexplored. Emerging evidence suggests that hyperphosphorylated tau (ptau) aggregates may propagate beyond the central nervous system, as they have been detected in peripheral tissues and biological fluids from humans and mouse models of tauopathies. However, whether peripheral ptau aggregates or other factors associated to its accumulation contribute to brain pathology remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the …

Distribution Of Chronic Wasting Disease (Cwd) Prions In Tissues From Experimentally Exposed Coyotes (Canis Latrans), Nancy Ho, Reece Mcginn, Paulina Soto, Terry R Spraker, Justin Fischer, Kurt Vercauteren, Tracy Nichols, Rodrigo Morales

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cervids susceptible to chronic wasting disease (CWD) are sympatric with multiple other animal species that can interact with infectious prions. Several reports have described the susceptibility of other species to CWD prions, or their potential to transport them. One of these species is the coyote (Canis latrans), which has been previously shown to pass transmission-relevant prion titers in their feces for at least three days after ingesting prion-positive brain material. The current study followed up on these findings and evaluated the distribution of prions in multiple tissues from the same coyotes. Our results show that prions persist in the digestive …