Digital Commons Network^™

Dinaciclib Improves Treatment Response In Chemoresistant Hepatoblastoma, Brian T Hickner, Andres F Espinoza, Rohit K Srivastava, Roma H Patel, Priyanka Rao, Nicholas A O'Brien, Kalyani R Patel, Andrew A Badachhape, Abhishek Kona, Dolores H López-Terrada, Sarah E Woodfield, Sanjeev A Vasudevan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chemoresistant hepatoblastoma (HB) is associated with poor outcomes. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are potential therapeutic targets because of their critical role in cell growth and chemoresistance. To evaluate the efficacy of CDK inhibition, HB cell lines were treated with dinaciclib and evaluated with cytotoxic, cell-death reversal, and immunoblotting assays. A HB patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model was treated with placebo, vincristine + irinotecan (VI), dinaciclib, or VI + dinaciclib to evaluate tumor growth and response to therapy. We found that dinaciclib had a marked effect on HB cell viability, induced PARP cleavage, and decreased CDK9 protein expression in vitro. Overexpression of CDK9 …

Crosstalk Between Gut Microbiota And Antihypertensive Drugs: A Systematic Review, Dhiya'ul Haq, Keri Lestari

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Hypertension is a multifactorial condition characterized by persistently elevated blood pressure. In addition to genetic and environmental factors, recent studies suggest that the gut microbiota contributes to the development of hypertension and modulates the response to antihypertensive therapy. This review aims to summarize the latest knowledge on the bidirectional interaction between gut microbiota and antihypertensive drugs. Original studies published up to May 2025 on this topic were collected from two online databases: PubMed and Scopus. A total of 220 articles were identified, and 9 articles met the inclusion criteria for further discussion. Three of these included articles discussed how gut …

A Predictive Model For Multi- Week Respiratory Risk From Red Tide On Florida’S Gulf Coast., Elmer S. Ochaeta

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

Florida’s Gulf Coast red tide (Karenia brevis) can put toxins into the air, making people cough, irritating the throat, and worsening asthma or other breathing problems especially when winds blow from the ocean toward the beach. Right now, most public updates don’t really help with the question people actually ask when planning a weekend or vacation: “Will going to or close to the beach be risky in the next few weeks?”.

In this project, I build a weekly early warning system that estimates respiratory risk for specific beaches and predicts that risk 2 to 4 weeks ahead. The study covers …

“Chords Of Inquiry”: Alternate Guitar Tunings, Harmony, And Text-Music Relations In Joni Mitchell’S Early Songs, Peter Kaminsky, Megan Lyons

Open Access Fund Publications

In the 2003 documentary Woman of Heart and Mind, Joni Mitchell states, “Chords are depictions of emotions. These chords that I was getting by twisting the knobs on the guitar until I could get these chords that I heard inside that suited me, they feel like my feelings. You know, I called them, not knowing, chords of inquiry.” In investigating Mitchell’s music, we address the integration of guitar, harmony, and expression of feeling exemplified by “chords of inquiry.” We take as a corpus her early songs from 1968 to 1972 in which she accompanies herself on guitar. Our study …

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Healthcare Support Worker Confidence And Skills Through A Nursing Associate Led Study Day, Lindsay Ewing

South West Clinical School Journal

#400WORDS: NATIONAL NURSING ASSOCIATE SPECIAL EDITION

Bridging The Gap: Enhancing Healthcare Support Worker Confidence And Skills Through A Nursing Associate Led Study Day, Lindsay Ewing

South West Clinical School Journal

#400WORDS: NATIONAL NURSING ASSOCIATE SPECIAL EDITION

A Mouse Model Of Lipoatrophy Reveals Relationships Between Beige Fat Appearance And Female Fertility, Elizabeth S Anaya, William Dion, Pradip K Saha, Aaron R Cox, Evelyn De Groot, Avery A Ahmed, Jessica B Felix, Bokai Zhu, Stephanie A Pangas, Sean M Hartig

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

White adipose tissue (WAT) performs vital metabolic and endocrine functions, but roles in female reproduction remain understudied and poorly understood. Here, we report that female mice experiencing progressive lipoatrophy after knockout of Ubc9 in adipocytes (Ubc9fKO) displayed disrupted estrous cycles, reduced ovarian reserve, and subfertility. During aging, female Ubc9fKO mice lose subcutaneous WAT more quickly than their male counterparts and weigh less than littermate controls. Subcutaneous WAT excised from female Ubc9fKO mice strongly enriched for thermogenesis genes generally associated with metabolic benefits. Female Ubc9fKO mice exhibited hypermetabolism and accumulated thermogenic, Uncoupling Protein 1-expressing beige fat cells in residual subcutaneous WAT …

Propuesta Curricular Para La Asistencia Médica Bilingüe Orientada A La Concordancia De Lenguas Y La Interpretación Médica En Español, David Sanchez-Jimenez, Noemi Rodriguez, Justin Harnandan, Margarita Perez, Melissa Garcia

Publications and Research

Resumen: El presente trabajo describe el proceso para establecer una especialización secundaria bilingüe centrada en la comunicación y la interpretación médica en una universidad de Estados Unidos designada como Institución al Servicio de los Hispanos. Este nuevo título universitario brindará a los estudiantes bilingües de español e inglés especializados en el área de la salud la oportunidad de mejorar sus destrezas comunicativas para convertirse en competentes profesionales de la salud concordantes de lengua.

Abstract:This paper details the process to establish a new bilingual academic minor in health communication and medical interpretation at a United States university designated as a Hispanic-Serving …

Factors Influencing Medication Adherence In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Lydia Allison

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Good Life And Human Flourishing: Timeless Principles From Aristotle To Tolstoy, Daniel Mark Kelly

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Semantic Networks In Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Exhibit Reduced Efficiency, Interconnectivity, And Flexibility, Sophia Lall, Jennifer Pardo, Joshua Sandry

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

Word-finding deficits are common in persons with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (pwRRMS); this may be related to the inefficient organization of semantic information.

Objective

To understand whether the semantic organization and semantic retrieval are impacted in pwRRMS.

Methods

Semantic fluency data from 64 pwRRMS and 73 controls was utilized to (1) derive standard verbal fluency measures using the Semantic Network and Fluency Utility R package and (2) build semantic networks via the correlation-based network approach in the SemNet R package. Subjective word-finding concerns were assessed in a subgroup of the sample. Group differences were evaluated.

Results

PwRRMS endorsed more frequent …

Displaced Myonuclei Are Attributable To Both Resident Myonuclear Migration And Stem Cell Fusion During Mechanical Loading In Adult Skeletal Muscle, Nathan Serrano, Pieter Jan Koopmans, Kevin A. Murach

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Faculty Publications and Presentations

Non-peripheral (displaced) myonuclei are characteristic of skeletal muscle pathology and severe injury but also appear after exercise and with aging. Displaced myonuclei are typically attributed to the activity of muscle stem cells, or satellite cells. We sought to address whether displaced myonuclei in adult skeletal muscle are exclusively from an exogenous source such as satellite cells or can result from resident myonuclear migration. To address this question, we used a murine recombination-independent muscle fibre-specific doxycycline-inducible fluorescent myonuclear labelling approach, EdU stem cell fate tracking, two durations of plantaris muscle mechanical overload (MOV, 3 days and 7 days), and fluorescent histology. …

Pitx2 Dosage-Dependent Changes In Pacemaker Cell State Underlie Sinus Node Dysfunction And Atrial Arrhythmias, Lieve E Van Der Maarel, M Ridwane Mungroo, Otto J Mulleners, Mathilde R Rivaud, Arie O Verkerk, Karel Van Duijvenboden, Freek H T Tiel Groenestege, Jeffrey D Steimle, Lianne Fokkert, Corrie De Gier-De Vries, Mischa Klerk, Arie R Boender, James F Martin, Bjarke Jensen, Gerard J J Boink, Harsha D Devalla, Vincent M Christoffels

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Physiologically relevant increases in transcription factor dosage and their role in development and disease remain largely unexplored. Genomic deletions upstream of the Paired-like homeodomain transcription factor gene (PITX2), identified in patients with sinus node dysfunction and atrial fibrillation and modeled in mice (delB), rewire the local epigenetic landscape, increasing PITX2 expression. Here, we demonstrate that pacemaker cardiomyocytes in the embryonic delB sinus node ectopically express PITX2 at physiological dosages in a heterogeneous pattern. The prenatal delB sinus node forms discrete subdomains showing PITX2 dosage-dependent mild or severe loss of pacemaker cardiomyocyte identity. Respective subdomain sizes and severity of sinus node …

Functional Vs Anatomical Cortico-Striatal Connectivity In The Macaque Brain, Wei Tang, Megan E Monko, Zoe Liu, Ana M G Manea, Fernando A Ortega, Damyan Hart, Jason Zhou, Jan Zimmermann, Sarah R Heilbronner

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The cerebral cortex provides the main input to the striatum, constituting the first step in cortico-basal ganglia loops. Decades of careful anatomical tract-tracing research have established the exquisite topography of each cortical region's projection to the striatum in nonhuman primates. In parallel, neuroimaging research has demonstrated the relationship between cortico-striatal resting-state functional connectivity and specific cognitive, behavioral, psychiatric, and neurological states in humans. However, still unclear is the extent to which functional connectivity recapitulates the specific topographies of cortico-striatal anatomical connectivity. Here, we combined datasets of cortico-striatal anatomical and functional connectivity in macaques to determine the degree of overlap between …

A Comprehensive Study Of C-Kit-Expressing Amacrine Cells In The Mammalian Retina, Zheng Jiang, Wen Shen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Amacrine cells assemble complex circuits in the inner retina, where they integrate, modulate, and relay spatial and temporal information to retinal ganglion cells. Nevertheless, their organization and functional diversity are still not fully understood. In this study, we identify a distinct group of amacrine cells that express the stem cell factor receptor-c-Kit. Using combined techniques of anti-CD117 (c-Kit) immunolabeling, confocal imaging, and computational algorithms, we characterize the morphological features and spatial distribution of the c-Kit-expressing amacrine cells. Our results show that c-Kit-expressing amacrine cells are GABA-positive neurons with medium to wide dendritic fields that stratify within the specific strata in …

Yap-Induced Glycolysis Drives Fibroinflammation And Disrupts Fibroblast Fidelity, Chang-Ru Tsai, Lin Liu, Yi Zhao, Jong H Kim, Paulo Czarnewski, Rich Gang Li, Fansen Meng, Mingjie Zheng, Jeffrey Steimle, Xiaolei Zhao, Francisco Grisanti, Zheng Sun, Jun Wang, Md Abul Hassan Samee, Xiao Li, James F Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Separation of the pulmonic and systemic circulation is essential for terrestrial life, and mammals have evolved distinct cardiac chambers with specialized structures and functions. Transcriptomics profiling revealed cellular heterogeneity between heart chambers. However, the mechanisms underlying chamber-specific transcriptomic and metabolic differences-and their functional significance-remain poorly understood. The Hippo/YAP (yes-associated protein) pathway is a conserved signaling network that regulates diverse cellular processes. The Hippo kinases inhibit YAP in cardiac fibroblasts (CF) to restrict fibrosis and inflammation. Nonetheless, how YAP regulates the metabolic microenvironment during homeostasis and fibroinflammation remains unclear.

Methods: We investigated YAP and glycolysis activity in the 4 cardiac …

Inhibitory Control, Attentional Bias, And Palatable Food Consumption In Adolescents: A Laboratory Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial., Carolina M. Bejarano, Adrian Ortega, Christopher C. Cushing

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Understanding relationships among inhibitory control, attentional bias to food cues, and food consumption in nonclinical adolescent samples can inform preventive efforts for disordered eating and associated health risks.

OBJECTIVE: This pilot study conducted preliminary testing of an inhibitory control training intervention on attentional bias toward food cues, hedonic appetite, and food consumption, as well as examined inhibitory control's relationship with hedonic appetite, food consumption, binge eating, and cognitive restraint.

METHODS: Participants (N=43; mean age 15.1, SD 1.7 years; 31/43, 72% female) were randomized to a food cue-specific go/no go inhibitory control training intervention or control group, took part in …

Biodiversity Performance Of Living Wall Systems In Urban Environments: A Uk Case Study Of Plant Selection And Substrate Effects On Multi-Taxa Communities, Paul Henry Lunt, James Buckley, Suzanne Mitchell, Gabriel Thomas, Elek Churella, Thomas Richard Murphy

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Urban densification threatens biodiversity, yet conventional greenspace expansion is constrained by limited land availability. Living wall systems (LWS) offer potential biodiversity enhancement through vertical green infrastructure, though their ecological value remains underexplored. This study evaluated the biodiversity performance of three LWS in Plymouth, UK, using multi-taxa surveys to assess invertebrate communities, bird assemblages, and bat activity. A scoping review of 2638 publications revealed limited research on LWS biodiversity, with only 27% of biodiversity-focused papers referencing specific species. Field surveys employed standardised protocols including flower-visiting pollinator observations, spider assessments, soil invertebrate extraction using Tullgren funnels, acoustic bird monitoring, and bat emergence …

Child Assent Practices In Research: Improving Ethics, Decision-Making, And Inclusivity, David C. Coker, Ketaki Inamdar, Daniel F. Mccleary, Lesley Cottrell

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The following article addresses a conundrum: What if child assent in research were a fully informed, stand-alone process that empowered all children to discuss meaningfully, negotiate, and decide how and what the research experience would look like? Past research and practices suggest that child assent, when children (youths to 17-year-olds who have not been emancipated) agree to participate in research before, during, and after parents’ or guardians’ consent, is rife with problems that minimize informed participation and prize procedural ethics over true understanding of the processes and autonomous decision-making. Academic articles often lack details, as length requirements and brevity preclude …

Estate Planning Techniques: Disclaimer-A Useful Post-Mortem Estate Planning Tool, Philip E. Heckerling

Tax Adviser

No abstract provided.

Create @ State 2011, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Create@State

The proceedings book for 2011

Enrolled Deeds As Records And Archives In Jamaica, Andrew Williams

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

This paper examines the history of the enrolled deeds record series in Jamaica, from its creation in the mid-seventeenth century through to the present day. It is a critical examination of a single record series through colonialism and independence. It examines the purpose of deeds and the context in which deeds registries were created before examining the history of the series through the periods of slavery and emancipation. It examines in close detail the late nineteenth century, when the Island Record Office—which has custody of the enrolled deeds—was created and several other important changes happened. It situates the enrolled deeds …

Restricted Word Order In Languages Without Overt Case Marking: Evidence From Modern Dialects Of Arabic, Mustafa Ahmed Al-Humari

UB Journal for Humanities

The study examines the morphosyntactic strategies used in Arabic language to indicate grammatical functions (subject, object) within a sentence, comparing and contrasting modern dialects of Arabic, particularly Saudi Arabic, and Yemeni Arabic, with Standard Arabic. The empirical observation of the study is that, while Standard Arabic mainly relies on a case marking strategy to determine grammatical functions, the modern dialects of Arabic under investigation are incapable of employing this strategy. This incapability raises questions about how grammatical functions are indicated in the absence of overt case morphology in the mentioned dialects. The paper argues that the absence of overt case …

The Syntax Of Verbless Sentences In Bisha Najdi Arabic, Aeshah Muqbil Saeed Almineeai

UB Journal for Humanities

This study investigates the syntactic structure of verbless sentences in Bisha Najdi Arabic (henceforth BNA). It explores the different types of BNA verbless constructions, i.e., verbless constructions with nominal predicate, adjectival predicates and adverbial predicate. It argues for the nonverbal predicate analysis, as proposed by Benmamoun (2000, 2008), and extends the analysis to BNA verbless constructions within Chomsky's (1995) Minimalist Framework. In addition, the study argues that hnaak in similar constructions is a verb-like element, and accordingly, a syntactic analysis is provided for both BNA affirmative and negative hnaak-constructions. By investigating the syntactic structure of BNA verbless sentences, the study …

Variations In Politeness Strategies Among Native Speakers Of Najdi Arabic And American English In Social Communication: A Cross-Cultural Study, Aeshah Muqbil Saeed Almineeai, Asseel Ali Alshahrani

UB Journal for Humanities

Uncovering what constitutes polite language in each culture and how certain expressions deemed acceptable in one society might be inappropriate in the other is the focus of politeness. Therefore, this study investigates the variations in communication strategies among speakers of Najdi Arabic, as spoken in Bisha City, and speakers of American English. The study basically explores how individuals from these distinct linguistic backgrounds respond to five different social scenarios. The study used qualitative approach to detect the responses of 15 speakers—11 Saudi Arabian natives and 4 Americans on some situations. Findings show there are some similarities in what may be …

Exploring The Intricate Relationship Between Automation And Performance In The Saudi Public Sector., Saleh Hamed Alharbi

UB Journal for Humanities

Office automation immensely enhances the working environment. Widespread technological revolution shapes Human Resource Management (HRM) practice. The most important factor in decision-making is the information on which the decision is based. Detailed and accurate information prevents erroneous decisions. This study explores the impact of the automation of HR processes on organizational performance in the public sector. Three hundred and sixteen (316) employees from the University of Tabuk participated in the study. The study used smart Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Model (smart PLS-SEM) to estimate the relationships between constructs. The results reveal that office automation has a direct impact on organizational …

Problems Of Faithfulness In The English Translation Of Tayeb Salih’S Masterpiece Season Of Migration To The North: Revisiting Equivalence Theory, Ali Albashir Mohammed Alhaj

UB Journal for Humanities

Translation is a bi-lingual communication activity that should convey the information similar to the original. Consequently, the translator's target is to be faithful to the original wording and maintain the essence of the source language (SL) when he/she conveys a text in the target language (TL). This study was conducted to cast a new light on the cultural problems encountered by Denys Johnson-Davis in his English translation of Tayeb Salih's Season of Migration to the North, specifically in terms of his faithfulness to the ST, and how these can be addressed from various theoretical and practical standpoints about the equivalence …

The Quest For Connection In A Cold And Isolated World: A Psychoanalytical Study On Edward Albee's 'The Zoo Story', Abdulmajeed Abdulqadir Saeed Alhanash

UB Journal for Humanities

This research paper explores the theme of connection in a cold and isolated world through a psychoanalytical lens. It specifically focusses on Edward Albee's one-act play, The Zoo Story, examining how the characters' struggles with loneliness, alienation, and detachment reflect the broader human condition. It illuminates the underlying psychological motivations, anxieties, and desires that shape their actions and relationships. The psychological approach is used to analyze the social isolation and loneliness of characters in the play. Analyzing this theme psychologically illuminates the factors contributing to Jerry’s sense of isolation: lack of meaningful social connections, societal pressures, and personal experiences that …

Exploring The Impact Of Talent Management Strategies On Improving Healthcare Service: A Case Study On King Faisal Medical Complex In Taif, Wejdan Mabrook Abdullah Al-Otaibi, Osama Abdelmonge Yousef Akola, Sami Ahmed Saleh Alghamdi

UB Journal for Humanities

The current study aims to identify the role of talent management in improving the service of healthcare service. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers relied on the descriptive analytical approach. A questionnaire was administrated employees at King Faisal Medical Complex (KFMC) in Taif - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The researchers received back 230 responses. Results show that the respondents agreed highly on the imperative role of talent management, with an average score of 76.96%. There was a positive correlation was (r=0.4835), between the dimensions of talent management and the improvement of the healthcare service. The results also …

Fostering Oral English Skills Beyond Formal Learning In Saudi Efl Setting, Ghazwan Mohammed Saeed Mohammed

UB Journal for Humanities

The increasing research on informal language learning illustrates awareness about out-of-class learning. This study aimed to explore how technological advances are being used informally to enhance EFL learners’ oral skills. The study was conducted at the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Employing a survey, data were collected from 191 learners at the university level. The participants were male and female students who were enrolled at different colleges of the university. Findings revealed that learners frequently use a set of strategies for out-of-class oral skills enhancement. The listening and speaking strategies were quite similar, which indicated that learners were aware of …