Digital Commons Network^™

Proteomics Profiling Of Research Models For Studying Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Mathilde Resell, Hanne-Line Rabben, Animesh Sharma, Lars Hagen, Linh Hoang, Nan T. Skogaker, Anne Aarvik, Eirik Knudsen Bjåstad, Magnus K. Svensson, Manoj Amrutkar, Caroline S. Verbeke, Surinder K. Batra, Gunnar Qvigstad, Timothy C. Wang, Anil Rustgi, Duan Chen, Chun-Mei Zhao

Journal Articles: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with a five-year survival rate of 10-15% due to late-stage diagnosis and limited efficacy of existing treatments. This study utilized proteomics-based systems modelling to generate multimodal datasets from various research models, including PDAC cells, spheroids, organoids, and tissues derived from murine and human samples. Identical mass spectrometry-based proteomics was applied across the different models. The preparation and validation of the research models and the proteomics were described in detail. The assembly datasets we present here contribute to the data collection on PDAC, which will be useful for systems modelling, …

Dance-Related Fractures Occur In The Upper And Lower Extremities At Similar Rates: An Analysis Of The 2004-2023 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Database, Senah E. Stephens, Joshua F. Edwards, Lisa K. Cannada

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction

In the United States, 21% of adolescents participate in dance. Dancers are susceptible to injuries, particularly of the lower extremity, due to extreme positioning, dynamic overload, and repetitive movements.

Objectives

(1) to report the prevalence and describe demographic characteristics of dance-related fractures and (2) to analyze variables associated with disposition status.

Methods

The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database, published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, was used to investigate dance-related fractures diagnosed in a sample of 100 emergency departments over 20 years. Descriptive statistics and demographic variables were analyzed using chi square tests. Age was analyzed …

Changes In Cardiovascular Risk Factors And Health Care Expenditures Among Patients Prescribed Semaglutide, Yuan Lu, Yuntian Lu, Tedi Totojani, Chungsoo Kim, Rohan Khera, Hua Xu, John E. Brush Jr., Harlan M. Krumholtz, Jason Abaluck

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Importance Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has demonstrated substantial weight reduction and cardiovascular benefits in clinical trials. However, its association with clinical outcomes and health care expenditures remains underexplored.

Objective To evaluate changes in cardiovascular risk factors and health care expenditures among patients prescribed semaglutide across multicenter cohorts.

Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study included 23 522 adults (≥18 years) who received an initial semaglutide prescription between January 1, 2018, and January 1, 2025, at Sentara Healthcare and between January 1, 2018, and May 1, 2025, at Yale New Haven Health System.

Exposure The first prescription of …

A Novel D-Peptide Modulates Dclk1 Gelsolin Interactions, Reducing Pdac Tumor Growth, Landon L. Moore, Dongfeng Qu, Parthasarathy Chandrekesan, Kamille Pitts, Randal May, Byron E. Anderson, Milton L. Brown, Courtney W. Houchen

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

What drives inflammation-associated tumorigenesis and progression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)? Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is a central driver of inflammation-associated tumorigenesis, with elevated expression linked to worse clinical outcomes. Two isoforms of DCLK1 possess a unique extracellular domain (ECD). DCLK1 isoform 2 contains two microtubule-binding domains, while isoform 4, lacks the microtubule-binding domains but, plays a pivotal role in tumor progression. We identified novel D-peptides that selectively target this ECD, significantly suppressing PDAC cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in xenograft models without inducing cell death. In silico modeling and binding assays revealed DCLK1 isoform 4 interacts with …

When The Storm Clears: Stories Of Life Beyond Chronic Illness, Marie Bernard, David Mercer, Linda Bernard, Simone Bernard

EMET Projects

This book is a collection of personal stories from patients at the Intestinal Rehabilitation Clinic at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Each of them shares a common thread of living with Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) — but this book is not about their diagnosis alone. It is about their lives outside of it: the ordinary, extraordinary, and uniquely personal experiences that make them who they are.

Body Composition In Preterm Infants: Current Insights And Emerging Perspectives, Sreekanth Viswanathan, Melissa Thoene, Zaineh Alja'nini, Pradeep Alur, Kera Mcnelis

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

In recent years, significant advancements in respiratory and nutritional care have markedly improved the survival rates of preterm infants and enhanced long-term health outcomes. Despite these improvements, emerging research highlights the lasting impacts of early growth patterns on an individual's health trajectory. Adults born prematurely face a higher incidence of health issues related to their early birth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that preterm infants should achieve growth rates similar to those of fetuses, with clinicians emphasizing nutrition delivery to help these infants reach their expected weight for gestational age. However, this approach often results in altered body composition, …

Postnatal Growth Assessment Of The Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infant, Kera Mcnelis, Melissa Thoene, Katie A. Huff, Ting Ting Fu, Zaineh Alja'nini, Sreekanth Viswanathan

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

Preterm birth represents a nutritional emergency and a sudden dissociation of the maternal-placental-fetal unit that regulates metabolic and endocrine physiology. Growth demonstrates health and is a signal of physiological well-being. Growth is expensive for a critically ill infant and possible only after other homeostasis energy demands are met. Despite an expert-stated goal that preterm infants should grow at a similar rate to their gestational age-matched fetal counterparts, this is not the reality for many preterm infants. Other investigators have proposed new metrics for growth quality in the neonatal intensive care unit. This review discusses growth assessment and standards in very-low-birth-weight …

Rvd2 Mitigates Tnfɑ-Induced Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Through Nrf2 Signaling In Placental Trophoblasts, Taija Hahka, Deekshika Sekar, Prakash Kumar Sahoo, Aiswariya Ravi, Colman Freel, Chandan Krishnamoorthy, Sankar Ramamurthy, Rebekah Rapoza, Rebecca Drakowski, Anum Akbar, Matthew Van Ormer, Melissa Thoene, Corrine K. Hanson, Tara Nordgren, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Ann Anderson-Berry

Journal Articles: Pediatrics

INTRODUCTION: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are marked by elevated levels of TNFα, which increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) and disrupts metabolism of trophoblasts. Resolvin D2 (RvD2), an omega-3 fatty acid-derived lipid mediator, is known to resolve inflammation, but its role in protecting trophoblasts by promoting antioxidant responses to alleviate ROS remains unclear. Nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) controls cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and helps with the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis. Upon translocation to nucleus, NRF2 activates the antioxidant response element (ARE), inducing the expression of genes that can mitigate ROS. Hence, …

The Ole Miss, University Of Mississippi

The Ole Miss (1897-)

The Ole Miss Annual, 2025

Hay Comida En La Casa: Study On Food Inaccessibility In Nyc, Crystal A. Secaira , '25

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

No abstract provided.

Lactate's Role In Appetite Suppression, Seth Mccarthy

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Once considered metabolic waste produced during exercise, lactate is now known to have diverse roles in biology. Muscle-derived lactate can travel through the bloodstream and be taken up by other tissues and i) oxidized, ii) converted to glucose via gluconeogenesis, or iii) bind to its receptor to trigger molecular signaling cascades. Lactate has been described as a “myokine” capable of inter-organ crosstalk and compelling evidence demonstrates lactate’s role as a signalling molecule in pathways related to the regulation of appetite. The purpose of this dissertation was to further elucidate lactate’s role in appetite regulation using series of studies aimed at …

Evaluating And Mapping Habitat Suitability And Effects Of Woodland Treatment On Breeding Pinyon Jays In Colorado, Emily Diane Macklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a highly social, colonially nesting corvid endemic to the interior western United States whose populations have declined by ~72% since 1966, prompting the species’ current review for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Pinyon jays inhabit pinyon pine (Pinus subsect. Cembroides) and juniper (Juniperus spp.) woodlands and other dry conifer woodlands, portions of which are treated through tree thinning and removal for fuels reduction, ecological restoration, and habitat improvement for wildlife. As a result there is pressing need to better understand how woodland treatment and other potential drivers impact pinyon jay habitat suitability and …

Enhancing Alfalfa Persistence In Rangelands: Evaluating Morphological Traits Of Medicago Sativa Subsp. Falcata Germplasm, Abdulallah Mohammed Alomair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rangelands cover nearly half of the Earth’s surface, representing about 54% (79 million km2), and occur in different types and climates worldwide. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a major component in rangelands and covers about (320 thousand km2), representing about 0.4% of total global rangeland area. As a critical perennial legume crop, alfalfa can improve soil health by fixing approximately 336 kg/ha/year of nitrogen and sequestering up to 614 kg/ha/year of carbon, while enhancing livestock production due to its high content level of vitamins, magnesium, minerals, fiber, and protein. However, environmental stresses such as drought, freezing, and grazing limit alfalfa …

Epidemiological And Diagnostic Approaches For Soybean Cyst Nematode In South Dakota, Nabina Karki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines (HG) Ichinohe, is an endoparasitic nematode and one of the major yield-limiting pathogens of soybean (Glycine max L.) in the United States. Soybean cyst nematode alone accounts for more than $1.5 billion economic loss annually in North America. First reported in the U.S.A. in 1954 in New Hanover County, North Carolina and later in 1995 in Union County, South Dakota. Prior to this study, SCN has spread in 34 counties in the state. As a soil pathogen, which can adapt to most soil conditions under soybean production and beside soybean, it is hosted on …

Evaluation Of Two Stem Boring Insects In South Dakota: A Survey Of Wheat Stem Sawfly And Determining The Impact Of Planting Date On Dectes Stem Borer Infestations In Sunflowers, Khuma Kumari Bhusal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wheat, Triticum aestivum L., and sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., are major crops in South Dakota that are threatened by stem-boring insect pests capable of reducing yield and harvestability. In wheat, the wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton, has long been recognized as a destructive pest in the Northern Great Plains, yet its actual distribution within South Dakota remained uncertain. To determine its presence, a two-year survey was conducted across the state from 2023–2024, during which one to four wheat fields per county were sampled using standardized sweep net transects. Wheat stem sawflies were collected only from Harding and Perkins Counties …

Incremental Innovation, George Horvath

Faculty Scholarship

Transformative innovations—the ones that use new technologies to disrupt the world—command our attention. But most new products are the result of a more mundane process of incremental iterative innovation, evolving through a long series of small modifications of existing technologies. Although both kinds of innovation can result in improved safety and utility, both can also create new dangers. We tend to be more aware of this in transformative innovations (as current worries over artificial intelligence show); by contrast, dangers created by incremental iterative innovation often go unrecognized, because the process itself is easy to overlook. Policymakers and regulators need to …

Homeschooling And Online Learning Technologies From A Parent’S Perspective, Karla M. Forti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational research study was to examine the relationship between homeschooling parents’ use of educational technology tools and their instructional behaviors and perceptions, with additional consideration of virtual school participation. Survey-based data from 22 parents of over 40 homeschooled children were used to examine technology adoption and instructional preferences across non-traditional learning settings. The study addressed four research questions through descriptive statistics and correlational analysis, while quantitative themes from open-ended responses enriched the findings. Results provided insight into parental motivations and trends influencing homeschooling and virtual school choices, highlighting the expanding role of online learning …

Learning Positive Deviance Techniques: How Non-Conformity To Vote-Buying Is Practiced And Its Outcomes, The Ugandan Context, Collins Kwarisima

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research has investigated the use of positive deviance or exemplary behavior as an innovative approach to addressing political corruption, specifically the vote-buying practice in Uganda. To understand the techniques of positive deviance in vote-buying, this study was guided by the main research question: How is non-conformity to vote-buying practiced, and what are its outcomes? Individual and focus group interviews were utilized to collect qualitative data from 40 respondents (voters and political leaders) who deter the vote-buying practice in Rukungiri District, Western Uganda. With the help of community gatekeepers, the study followed the inclusion criteria to identify voters and political …

Isolation, Characterization & Identification Of Cultivable Field Pea Seed Bacteria In South Dakota, Diana Wairimu Njuguna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a legume, cultivated on over 25 million acres, particularly in Canada, France, China, Russia, and the United States. Its seeds harbor microbiota including bacteria and fungi, either on the surface (epiphytes) or within seed tissues (endophytes). These microbes can be pathogenic or beneficial, enhancing seedling metabolism and protection from environmental stresses. Characterizing beneficial seed microbiota enables development of microbial inoculants for seed treatment. Seeds from 12 varieties (green or yellow seed coats) were harvested from Sturgis and Dakota Lakes in 2021. Epiphytes were extracted using sonication followed by grinding the seeds to obtain endophytes. Isolates …

Key Brain Region Identification In Obesity Prediction With Structural Mri And Probabilistic Uncertainty Aware Model, Walia Farzana, Megan A. Witherow, Ahmed Temtam, Liangsuo Ma, Melanie Bean, F. Gerry Moeller, K. M. Iftekharuddin

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Objectives/Goals: Predictive performance alone may not determine a model’s clinical utility. Neurobiological changes in obesity alter brain structures, but traditional voxel-based morphometry is limited to group-level analysis. We propose a probabilistic model with uncertainty heatmaps to improve interpretability and personalized prediction. Methods/Study Population: The data for this study are sourced from the Human Connectome Project (HCP), with approval from the Washington University in St. Louis Institutional Review Board. We preprocessed raw T1-weighted structural MRI scans from 525 patients using an automated pipeline. The dataset is divided into training (357 cases), calibration (63 cases), and testing (105 cases). Our probabilistic model …

Psychophysiological Tools & Techniques To Predict Perceptual Motor Task Outcomes, Bobby Gerald Rawls Iii

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The process of perceiving environmental information, analyzing it, formulating a plan of action, and carrying out said plan is vital to our day to day lives. This loop occurs for every motor task we perform, from actions as simple as elbow flexion to as complex as performing surgery. As such, it is imperative to understand what physiological, psychological, and neurocognitive factors most dictate success or failure in the motor performance loop.

Prior research has shown that measures from each of these facets have strong relationships with motor performance outcomes, though these findings tended to rely on artificially produced stress in …

An Investigation Into How The Prostate And Androgens Mediate Greater Levels Of Uric Acid In Males Compared To Females, Rachel D. King

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Chronic elevated circulating uric acid (UA) levels (hyperuricemia) are associated with gout as well as cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal dysfunction. Men have greater mean circulating UA levels than women and are more likely to exhibit hyperuricemia. This may be partly driven by the hormonal regulation of renal UA transporters; however, a direct link between hormones and UA production has not been established. Production of UA is catalyzed by xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR / XDH), which is ubiquitously expressed but has the greatest specific activity in the liver. Interestingly, an extensive gout genome-wide association study (GWAS) recently revealed a robust genetic …

Improving Postpartum Outcomes Through Therapeutic Individual And Group Occupational Therapy Sessions In Hospitalized Antepartum Patients, Melissa C. Learish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Extended hospitalization in the postpartum period is occasionally medically indicated due to a variety of diagnoses, but can pose challenges to the psychosocial well-being of pregnant women, such as social isolation, anxiety, alteration of normal life routines, and less preparation for postpartum life. In acute care settings, however, maternal management tends to focus on physical stabilization rather than holistic maternal care, including opportunities for emotional support, occupational engagement, and postpartum planning. This doctoral capstone project was designed to assess the effect of individualized and group-based occupational therapy interventions for antepartum women who have been hospitalized for extended periods of time, …

Inactivation Kinetics Of Escherichia Coli And Listeria Monocytogenes In Edible Insects, Precious Aduloju

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Edible insects are emerging as sustainable and nutritious alternatives to conventional protein sources. However, concerns about food safety, particularly the presence of pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes, remain a barrier to consumer acceptance and industrial use. This study evaluated the effectiveness of thermal processing in inactivating E. coli, L. monocytogenes, and their non-pathogenic surrogates (E. coli JM109 and Listeria innocua) in both fresh and dehydrated forms of Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) and Acheta domesticus (cricket). It also evaluated the influence of insect species, moisture content, and temperature on microbial inactivation. A microbial challenge …

Improving Hospital Discharge Readiness Among Caregivers Of Children With Complex Medical Needs, Megan M. Bruce

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Advancements in medicine and technologies have led to an increase in the population of children living with complex and chronic health conditions. Children with medical complexities (CMCs) and their caregivers frequently have challenges navigating home life after transitioning from hospital to home-based care. A 14-week doctoral capstone project was conducted at Dayton Children’s Hospital to improve caregiver readiness for hospital discharge. Project participants included caregivers of CMCs (n = 6) admitted to the hospital and pediatric acute care occupational therapists (n = 4). The Pediatric Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale – Long Form (Peds-RHDS) was used as a pre-and post-intervention …

A Multi-Case Study Exploring Ncaa Division I Athletic Departments’ Mental Health Culture Through Stakeholders’ Perspectives, Kimberly Ann Granados Tolentino

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Despite the NCAA’s ongoing efforts to guide athletic departments into providing sufficient mental health support to student-athletes, psychological well-being continues to be a primary area of concern for collegiate athletes. Student-athletes are as likely as the regular college population to experience mental health issues, but less likely to seek services (Watson, 2005). Researchers have continued to examine the perceived barriers preventing student-athletes from utilization of mental health services which include a lack of knowledge, limited access, and perceived negative stigma (e.g., Harris & Maher, 2023; Yoon & Petrie, 2023). Organizational culture–loosely defined as a group’s accumulated shared learning in which …

Comparison Of Compositional Characteristics Of Protein Extracted From Spent Hemp Seed Cakes By One-Step Defatting With Organic Solvents Followed By Isoelectric Solubilization Precipitation Using Strong And Weak Acids, Miah Nicole Gathman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Hemp seed cakes (HSC) are the byproduct of pressing hemp seeds for oil and are a significant agricultural waste product, with hundreds of tons produced annually. These nutrient-rich cakes have potential for sustainable applications in animal feed and food products. However, they could offer even greater value to the food industry through further extraction of the lipids and separation of the proteins they contain. Protein is a key nutritional component and companies are seeking cost-effective, time-efficient processes to concentrate protein from underutilized resources like HSC. Hexane (HEX) is a common solvent used in one-step defatting processes but may cause issue …

Evaluating The Adaptation Of Taro (Colocasia Esculenta) To West Virginia Climatic Conditions, Kayode Joseph Ajayi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Climate change impacts agriculture and food security across the globe, therefore higher temperatures could increase in the length of the growing period and new crops would take advantages of. Research was conducted in Morgantown, WV in 2022 and 2023 to understand the growth pattern of Taro in West Virginia, and to analyzing the chemical composition of the Taro plant. The experiment was a completely randomized design in direct planting-low tunnel technology (2 replications, and 10- plants/plot), and two fertilization treatments (fertilized and non-fertilized). Spacing was 1 m within and between rows. Data were subjected to ANOVA using SAS. Dependent variables …

The Characterization Of Il-27 Production And Its Impact On T Cell Antigen-Specificity And Diversity In A Neonatal Bcg Vaccination Model, Ashley M. Divens

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), and it has plagued humans for most of recorded history. Despite strong efforts to prevent and treat TB, it remains the leading cause of death due to a pathogen and is most prevalent in certain regions of Asia and Africa. Currently, the only approved vaccine to prevent TB is the live-attenuated Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. Most countries have a universal BCG vaccination policy, but the vaccine ultimately fails to be protective. The BCG vaccine is most effective in children and protects against disseminated TB, but protection wanes 10-15 years after vaccination causing …

Five-Year Analysis Of Kiko Buck Growth Rate, Carcass Muscling And Parasite Resistance In A Feedlot Setting, Garrett Thomas Vaughan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Five-year analysis of Kiko buck growth rate, carcass muscling and parasite resistance in a feedlot environment

Garrett T. Vaughan

From 2018 to 2023, Kiko bucks born from January 1^st to March 15^th were performance tested at West Virginia University to evaluate growth rate, ultrasound carcass characteristics and parasite resistance under an artificial infection. Kiko bucks were submitted by producers from 17 different states and over 5 performance tests, 830 Kiko bucks were evaluated. Bucks were group housed and fed ad libitum with a 16% CP pellet containing soyhulls, serving as the dietary fiber component. Upon arrival, bucks were …