Digital Commons Network^™

Growing Together: Strategies For Attracting And Retaining Community-Reflective Early Learning Professionals, Tonya Jo Coker

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

The recruitment and retention of a diverse early learning workforce remains a critical challenge in special education. This study explores the multifaceted issues of workforce shortages, turnover rates, and the disparity between the demographics of educators and students in the Department of Early Learning within an education service district in Oregon. Through a detailed analysis of historical and current data, this study identifies systemic challenges contributing to the difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified staff, especially those who are representative of the communities they serve. Using improvement science as a methodological framework, the study tested change ideas focused on recruitment, …

Rising Tides Lift All Boats: Significant Disproportionate Identification Of Latine Students In The Eligibility Category Of Specific Learning Disability, Erica Gordon

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

The study explored the complex problem of practice (POP) of significant disproportionate identification of Latine multilingual learner (ML) students in the special education eligibility category of specific learning disability (SLD). The study employed improvement science as its methodological framework. Integral partners and a leadership team from a rural Oregon district reviewed the literature and used a root cause analysis to identify six causes behind these outcomes. Iterative plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles test with concise data collection, enabling real-time adjustments and improvements within the improvement cycle was used to implement two change ideas. These prioritized change ideas resulted in the implementation of …

Addressing Disparities Among Latine Students In Special Education, Jesabel Jannette Centeno

Educational Leadership Professional Doctorate Dissertations

This study used Improvement Science to understand and address the overrepresentation of Latine students identified with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in elementary school settings. It highlighted the processes and systems that impacted Latine students' educational opportunities and services--emphasizing the need for culturally and linguistically aligned instructional practices. The study was set in a suburban school district in the Pacific Northwest, where many Latine students received special education services. It investigated the root causes of SLD over-identification among these students. It suggested that enhancing educational outcomes required a focused effort to reduce over- and under-identification in special education. The document now …

Vascularized Iliac Crest Bone Graft For The Reconstruction Of Anterior Vertebral Corpus Defects: A Literature Review And Cadaveric Feasibility Study, Jonathan L Jeger, Casey J Martinez, Maria Shvedova, Alec Simoni, Alanna Rebecca, Sebastian Winocour, Alexander E Ropper, Michael Bohl, William J Casey, Maziyar Kalani, Edward M Reece

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Vertebral body defects pose a significant challenge in spinal reconstructive surgery. Compression fractures of the vertebral corpus are typically treated with vertebral augmentation procedures. There are significant risks associated with the introduction of foreign material in the spine, including infection and pseudarthrosis. Vascularized bone grafts (VBGs) have become a popular alternative for spinal reconstruction in the last decade thanks to their robust blood supply and autologous nature. VBGs have been described predominantly for the reconstruction of posterior vertebral defects. The objective of this study is to describe a novel procedure for the reconstruction of vertebral corpus defects in the …

High Tumor Cd161 Expression Predicts A Survival Advantage And Marks A Th1-Skewed Microenvironment, Briana Amicarella Burns, Manasvi Chandra, Vanaja Konduri, William K Decker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

CD8+CD161+ T-cells exhibit augmented memory and cytolytic properties, mediating enhanced immunity in murine tumor models and improved survival in human non-small cell lung cancer. This T-cell subset might serve as a biomarker of positive response to therapy or even be isolated to augment current immunotherapeutic approaches yet limited knowledge of CD161 expression in human cancers restricts practical application. Here we bioinformatically tested the hypothesis that CD161 expression may be associated with positive outcomes in human cancers and investigated mechanisms underlying any observed advantages. Using TCGA-PANCAN dataset, we analyzed expression of CD161 in over 10,000 human tumors, correlating expression levels with …

The Reprogramming Factor Klf4 In Normal And Malignant Blood Cells, H Daniel Lacorazza

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger transcription factor that regulates cellular processes in stem cells, epithelial cells, and immune blood cells by controlling gene expression through genetic, epigenetic, and chromatin remodeling. The landmark 2006 publication identified KLF4 as one of the factors involved in reprogramming differentiated cells into pluripotent stem cells, sparking increased interest in KLF4 research a decade after its discovery, particularly in the fields of stem cell research, epithelial cell biology, endothelial cell function, and tumorigenesis. Over the years, KLF4 has emerged as a key transcription factor in modulating innate and adaptive immunity, …

Resilience Of The Gut Microbiome To Short Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy With Or Without High-Dosage L Reuteri In H Pylori-Infected Adults, Stefano Bibbò, Gustav Ahlström, Giovanni Mario Pes, David Y Graham, Lars Engstrand, Elettra Merola, Maria Pina Dore

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy typically consists of a combination of antibiotics and an antisecretory drug. Probiotics may be added to reduce side effects and possibly improve outcomes.

Materials and methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized trial of pantoprazole plus either Lactobacillus reuteri (Gastrus) (high dose) or a matching placebo to assess the impact on the gut microbiota of H. pylori-positive adults. Fecal samples were collected at baseline and after one and 2 months for shotgun metagenomic sequencing.

Results: A total of 26 patients were recruited and completed therapy. L. reuteri was only detected in the group that received supplemental …

Small Molecule Screening Identifies Hsp90 As A Modifier Of Rna Foci In Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, Sara J Johnson, Hannah L Johnson, Reid T Powell, Clifford Stephan, Fabio Stossi, Thomas A Cooper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic disorder caused by a CTG triplet repeat expansion within the 3' untranslated region of the DMPK gene. Expression of the expanded allele generates RNA containing long tracts of CUG repeats (CUGexp RNA) that form hairpin structures and accumulate in nuclear RNA foci; however, the factors that control DMPK expression and the formation of CUGexp RNA foci remain largely unknown. We performed an unbiased small molecule screen in an immortalized human DM1 skeletal muscle myoblast cell line and identified HSP90 as a modifier of endogenous RNA foci. Small molecule inhibition of HSP90 leads …

Telemedicine For Under-Resourced Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Qualitative Study Exploring The Views And Experiences Of Patients And Their Healthcare Team, Savannah Bowman, Sandeep K Agarwal, Keshia C Ferguson, Maryjo J Maliekel, Maria A Lopez-Olivo, Maria E Suarez-Almazor, Maria I Danila, Jinoos Yazdany, Sebastian Bruera

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: There is scarce knowledge on the benefits, limitations, and acceptance of telemedicine in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly in those from under-resourced groups. We aimed to assess the experiences and views on telemedicine of people with SLE, clinicians, and nursing staff from a safety net healthcare system in Harris County, Texas, defined as a hospital network that primarily serves low-income, uninsured, and vulnerable populations.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured 1:1 in-person interviews of patients with SLE and their clinical team members, in Harris County, Texas. Using Levesque's conceptual framework for healthcare access, semi-structured interviews and content analysis were …

From Trials To Practice: Implementing A Clinical Intervention In Community Settings, Elizabeth M Vaughan, Xiaoying Yu, Victor J Cardenas, Craig A Johnston, Salim S Virani, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Christie M Ballantyne, Aanand D Naik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction/objectives: Diabetes increases the risk of complications, especially for vulnerable populations. Our previous randomized clinical trial (RCT), TIME (Telehealth-supported, Integrated Community Health Workers (CHWs), Medication access, group visit Education), showed the efficacy of CHW-led diabetes care. This study aimed to gather data on transitioning TIME from clinical trials to practical implementation.

Methods: We conducted a 12-month RCT at a nonprofit community clinic using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Participants, Hispanic adults without insurance and with type 2 diabetes (N = 58; 29/arm), were randomized to TIME (intervention) or usual care (control). The intervention included monthly group visits and …

Minimum Standards For Training In Colorectal Endoscopic Mucosal Resection Among Advanced Endoscopy Trainees, Dennis Yang, Ernesto Robalino Gonzaga, Muhammad Khalid Hasan, Arvind Julius Trindade, Mark Radlinski, Rebecca A Burbridge, Jeffrey Mosko, Pushpak Taunk, Salmaan Jawaid, Mohamed O Othman, David L Diehl, Harshit S Khara, Quin Liu, Srinivas Gaddam, Harry Aslanian, Shailendra S Chauhan, Amrita Sethi, John Poneros, Jason Samarasena, Ali M Ahmed, Uzma D Siddiqui, Dennis Chen, Moamen Gabr, Andrew Y Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims: Data on colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection (C-EMR) training during advanced endoscopy fellowship remain limited. We aimed to determine the number of procedures required by an "average" advanced endoscopy trainee (AET) to achieve competence in cognitive and technical C-EMR skills.

Methods: AETs from advanced endoscopy training programs (AETPs) were graded on every C-EMR using a standardized assessment tool. Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis was used to generate individual and aggregate learning curves to estimate the minimum number of cases required to achieve competence for overall, technical, and cognitive components of C-EMR. AETs completed a self-assessment questionnaire on C-EMR …

Adjudication Hiding In Plain Sight: Rethinking Standing In Rulemaking Petition Cases, Gwendolyn Savitz

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Exposed! Students’ Personal Reproductive Healthcare Information, Janet Levit

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Interpretive Rules Are The New Regulations: Agency Guidance After Loper Bright, Gwendolyn Savitz

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Scaling Energy Resilience Through Energy Commons And The Solar Commons Community Trust, Marc L. Roark

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Mutations In Retinal Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels Identified In Familial Cases Of Inherited Retinal Dystrophies From Pakistan, Zainab Akhtar, Kiran Afshan, Yumei Li, Sumaira Altaf, Aleesha Asghar, Ume Sughra, Wajid Ali Khan, Haiba Kaul, Rui Chen, Sabika Firasat

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are ligand-gated ion channels that transduce light signals into electrical signals in the retinal photoreceptors. Pathogenic variants in CNG channel genes are reported to cause inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs). The current study used targeted panel sequencing to describe the mutational spectrum of CNG channel genes in familial cases of IRDs from eight consanguineous Pakistani families.

Methods: The current study included consanguineous Pakistani families with at least two affected members. DNA was extracted from whole blood samples by the phenol-chloroform method. Two affected members from each family were initially analyzed using targeted panel sequencing of 344 …

Med12 Loss-Of-Function Variants As A Cause Of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia In Females With Hardikar Syndrome And Nonspecific Intellectual Disability, Eric C Kao, Elizabeth A Mizerik, Carlos A Bacino, Hongzheng Dai, Liesbeth Vossaert, Daryl A Scott

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) is required for the assembly of the kinase module of Mediator, a regulatory complex that controls the formation of the RNA polymerase II-mediated preinitiation complex. MED12-related disorders display unique gender-specific genotype-phenotype associations and include X-linked recessive Opitz-Kaveggia syndrome, Lujan-Fryns syndrome, Ohdo syndrome, and nonspecific intellectual disability in males predominantly carrying missense variants, and X-linked dominant Hardikar syndrome and nonspecific intellectual disability in females known to predominantly carry de novo nonsense/frameshift and nonsense/missense variants, respectively. MED12 was previously identified as a low-penetrance candidate gene for non-isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH+). At the time, however, there was …

Epilepsy Clinic Analytics: Leveraging Emr Reporting Tools To Characterize Center Volume And Complexity, Vanuli Arya, Arindam Ghosh Mazumder, Muna Nnamani, Mark A Abboud, Samuel C Lee, Michael S Guzman, Vaishnav Krishnan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Epilepsy centers connect patients to multidisciplinary provider groups that can coordinate surgical interventions and/or investigational treatments. Automated techniques to cross-sectionally review patient volume and complexity may reveal objective metrics to assign appropriate personnel and resources. Here, we leveraged an electronic medical record (EMR) reporting tool to examine how patient and visit volumes, antiseizure medication (ASM) prescriptions and neuromodulation use evolved over an 11-year epoch at a single level 4 adult epilepsy center in Texas, USA.

Methods: Using Epic Workbench Reporting, we acquired the dates of (i) all clinic visits (office or telemedicine), (ii) CPT codes for neuromodulation interrogation/programming, and …

Long-Term Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Antibody Trajectories After Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibody Treatment, Elizabeth S Munroe, Greg A Grandits, Robert C Hyzy, Hallie C Prescott, Thomas W Barrett, Robin L Dewar, Nicole Engen, Anna L Goodman, Timothy J Hatlen, Helene Highbarger, Thomas L Holland, Gareth Hughes, Tomas O Jensen, Muhammad A Khan, Ioannis Kalomenidis, Nayon Kang, Sylvain Laverdure, Prasad Manian, Vidya Menon, Ravi Patel, Srikanth Ramachandruni, Tauseef Rehman, Kathryn Shaw-Saliba, Birgit Thorup Røge, David M Vock, Amy C Weintrob, Barnaby E Young, Anne P Frosch, Strive Network And Therapeutics For Inpatients With Covid-19 (Tico) Study Groups

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nMAbs) have been used to treat COVID-19 and are increasingly being used to treat other infections. However, there is concern that by neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus, nMAbs may decrease the availability of antigens to the immune system, potentially impairing the endogenous polyclonal immune response and decreasing long-term immune protection.

Methods: We compared 28 and 90-day anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein neutralization activity and anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid response for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection randomized to receive nMAbs or placebo in the large platform ACTIV-3/TICO trials. We pooled results from four trials of anti-spike nMAbs. For most tested agents, measurements …

Gut Microbial Community Structure Of The Adult Citrus Root Weevil Diaprepes Abbreviatus, Imilce A Rodriguez-Fernandez, Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez, Paola G Figueroa-Pratts, Keislamarí Cintrón-Berríos, Nichole D Rodriguez-Cornier, Gary A Toranzos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Diaprepes abbreviatus is an agricultural pest known to affect around 270 plant species across the Caribbean and the United States, posing significant challenges to pest management. Chemical control dominates management, but environmental and health concerns motivate microbiome-informed alternatives. However, limited information exists on the gut anatomy, physicochemical environment, and microbial composition of D. abbreviatus. In this study, we provide the first comprehensive characterization of the gut morphology, pH, and microbiota of adult D. abbreviatus in both females and males collected in Puerto Rico. Using dye-based gut tracing, we identified foregut, midgut, and hindgut or posterior gut compartments, and confirmed the …

Age-Related Variations In Hba1c Improvemecnts: Insights From A Telehealth-Supported Community-Based Intervention, Laura Porterfield, Xiaoying Yu, Amber B Amspoker, Craig A Johnston, Aanand D Naik, Salim S Virani, Christie M Ballantyne, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: We previously demonstrated that a telehealth-supported community health worker (CHW) intervention significantly improved clinical outcomes in diabetes care. However, the extent to which these benefits vary across different age groups remains unclear. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a CHW-led multidimensional diabetes intervention in reducing HbA1c across age groups.

Research design and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 10 studies (n = 301) that focused on low-income Hispanic adults with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. The intervention included CHW-participant coaching via mobile Health (mHealth), monthly CHW-led group education, and bidirectional mHealth feedback among …

Promotion Of Hiv Clearance By Sensitization Of Hiv Reservoirs To Cell Death, Min Li, Baichao Sun, Jing Dong, Jian-Rong Li, Laurie J Minze, Min Chen, Chao Cheng, Jin Wang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: HIV integrates its proviral DNA into the host genome to establish persistent infection. To promote HIV clearance, we have designed an approach for selective elimination of host cells harboring replication-competent HIV (SECH), through inhibition of autophagy and anti-apoptotic molecules during viral reactivation. SECH approach can clear HIV-infected cells in approximately 50% humanized mice. However, the mechanisms for the resistance of reservoirs to depletion in mice with failure in HIV clearance are unclear.

Methods: We have performed single cell transcriptome analyses of HIV-infected T cells that escaped the treatments, in order to identify cellular pathways that could be targeted to …

Transposable Element Activity Captures Human Pluripotent Cell States, Florencia Levin-Ferreyra, Srikanth Kodali, Yingzhi Cui, Alison R S Pashos, Patrizia Pessina, Justin Brumbaugh, Bruno Di Stefano

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) exist in multiple, transcriptionally distinct states and serve as powerful models for studying human development. Despite their significance, the molecular determinants and pathways governing these pluripotent states remain incompletely understood. Here, we demonstrate that transposable elements act as sensitive indicators of distinct pluripotent cell states. We engineered hPSCs with fluorescent reporters to capture the temporal expression dynamics of two state-specific transposable elements, LTR5_Hs, and MER51B. This dual reporter system enables real-time monitoring and isolation of stem cells transitioning from naïve to primed pluripotency and further towards differentiation, serving as a more accurate readout of pluripotency …

Cadherin 1 Germline Mutation Co-Occurs With Medullary Thyroid Cancer And Choroid Plexus Papilloma: A Case Report And Review Of Literature, Vijay Nitturi, Sricharan Gopakumar, Hsiang-Chih Lu, Akash J Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: We describe the case of a 23-year-old woman with a history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) who presented with a choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) and review the literature regarding the co-occurrence of these two pathologies.

Case description: A 23-year-old woman with a history of MTC treated with thyroidectomy 3 months prior was referred to neurosurgery with an incidental fourth ventricular mass found on prior imaging of her neck. She presented to the clinic with intermittent headaches and underwent MRI which demonstrated a hyperintense, heterogeneously enhancing lobular mass at the obex of the fourth ventricle. She underwent suboccipital craniotomy and …

A Murine Model Of Gestational Diabetes Reveals Masld Risk And Alterations In Markers Of Hepatic Mitochondrial Metabolism, Grace E Shryack, Alexa A Krause, Simone Hernandez Ruano, Laura C Schulz, Kathleen A Pennington, R Scott Rector

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) impacts roughly 1 in 7 pregnancies and results in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in 30% of these women. Nonetheless, there exists a dearth of investigation into the relationship between GDM and MASLD. Here, we sought to investigate the potential role of hepatic mitochondrial function in GDM and MASLD.

Methods: One week prior to conception and throughout pregnancy, mice were fed either a low-fat control diet (CD) or a high-fat, high-sucrose (HFHS) diet to induce an established model of GDM. Maternal livers were collected at day 0, 6.5, 13.5 and 17.5 of pregnancy. Hepatic …

Leveraging Human Microbiomes For Disease Prediction And Treatment, Henok Ayalew Tegegne, Tor C Savidge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The human microbiome consists of diverse microorganisms that inhabit various body sites. As these microbes are increasingly recognized as key determinants of health, there is significant interest in leveraging individual microbiome profiles for early disease detection, prevention, and drug efficacy prediction. However, the complexity of microbiome data, coupled with conflicting study outcomes, has hindered its integration into clinical practice. This challenge is partially due to demographic and technological biases that impede the development of reliable disease classifiers. Here, we examine recent advances in 16S rRNA and shotgun-metagenomics sequencing, along with bioinformatics tools designed to enhance microbiome data integration for precision …

A New Interpolated Pseudodifferential Preconditioner For The Helmholtz Equation In Heterogeneous Media, Sebastian Acosta, Tahsin Khajah, Benjamin Palacios

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

This paper introduces a new pseudodifferential preconditioner for the Helmholtz equation in variable media with absorption. The pseudodifferential operator is associated with the multiplicative inverse to the symbol of the Helmholtz operator. This approach is well suited for the intermediate and high-frequency regimes. The main novel idea for the fast evaluation of the preconditioner is to interpolate its symbol, not as a function of the (high-dimensional) phase-space variables, but as a function of the wave speed itself. Since the wave speed is a real-valued function, this approach allows us to interpolate in a univariate setting even when the original problem …

Treatment Fidelity And Outcome In Cbt For Youth With Autism: The Meya Fidelity Scale, Bryce D Mcleod, Jeffrey J Wood, Jennifer Cecilione Herbst, Danielle Dunn, Philip C Kendall, Eric A Storch, An Chuen Cho, Kashia A Rosenau

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: Assessing treatment fidelity in effectiveness research is critical to interpreting study findings. This paper details the development and initial psychometric evaluation of the Modular Evidence-Based Practices for Youth with Autism Fidelity Scale (MEYA-FS) designed to support the assessment of cognitive-behavioral treatments for youth with autism in effectiveness research.

Method: Recorded treatment sessions (N = 338) were randomly selected from 77 youth (M age = 9.65 years, SD = 1.87; 50.67% White; 85.33% male) who received the Schema, Emotion, and Behavior-Focused Therapy for Children (SEBASTIEN) (n = 51) or Coping Cat (n = 24) program.

Results: …

Commentary: Impact Of Resistance Training Intensity On Body Composition And Nutritional Intake Among College Women With Overweight And Obesity: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Joshua L Keller, Sarah E Deemer, Gian Luca Di Tanna, Sherri L Pals, Kevin R Fontaine, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Circulating Tumor Hpv Dna, Antibodies To Hpv16 Early Proteins, And Oral Hpv16 Dna As Biomarkers For Hpv-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer Screening, Kristina R Dahlstrom, Andrew T Day, Victor M Alvarez, Samantha R Chirinos, Giselle Santillana, Ming Guo, Karen S Anderson, Erich M Sturgis

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Oropharyngeal cancer rates continue to rise with no effective screening method. Persistent oral oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV), antibodies to HPV16 early (E) oncoproteins, and circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA) are biomarkers that show promise for use in HPV-related cancer screening.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of biomarkers for HPV-related cancer and their agreement in middle-aged men.

Methods: Men aged 50–64 years from the general population provided oral rinse and blood samples as well as information about demographics, tobacco/alcohol exposure, sexual behavior, and HPV-related disease history. Oral rinse was tested for HPV16 DNA and plasma was tested for HPV16 E …