Digital Commons Network^™

A Passion For Piano Unites Wells '27, Killey '99 During Concerto-Aria Performance, Julia Perez

Press Releases 2020-2029

No abstract provided.

Nanostructure Retention To 1100 °C In Soft-Templated Niobium Tungstates Using Dual-Carbon Strategy, Sean C. Wechsler, Alexander Gregg, Coby S. Collins, Santosh Kiran Balijepalli, Morgan Stefik

Faculty Publications

Mesoporous metal oxides (MMOs) have diverse applications including energy storage, catalysis, and separation membranes. Block polymer structure directing agents enable the control of morphology and pore size, however preservation of the nanostructure is often limited to a narrow range of heat treatment temperatures which constrains the tailoring of defect chemistries. High temperature treatments typically lead to collapse of the porous structure as surface area is reduced during crystal growth. Here, using a mesoporous niobium tungstate it is shown that neither in situ carbon generation nor ex situ carbon infiltration alone enable preservation of the ordered mesostructure at temperatures high enough …

Oer Learning In Disguise Toolkit, Alessandra Early, Nicole Mckenna

Open Educational Resources

The OER Learning in Disguise Toolkit, created by Doctors Alessandra Early and Nicole McKenna, is a series of learning materials that ask students to apply key criminal justice concepts to arenas like social media or popular culture, emphasizing media literacy, active reading, and creative thinking. The toolkit includes an introduction; five assignment descriptions (each divided into an instructor-facing section with notes on how to explain the assignment, and a student-facing section with the sample assignment description); one in-class activity; and an appendix with additional readings and materials.

Spatialge Is A User-Friendly Web Application That Facilitates Spatial Transcriptomics Data Analysis., Oscar E. Ospina, Roberto Manjarres-Betancur, Guillermo Gonzalez-Calderon, Alex C. Soupir, Inna Smalley, Kenneth Y. Tsai, Joseph Markowitz, Mariam L. Khaled, Ethan Vallebuona, Anders E. Berglund, Steven A. Eschrich, Xiaoqing Yu, Brooke L. Fridley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) is a powerful tool for understanding tissue biology and disease mechanisms. However, the advanced data analysis and programming skills required can hinder researchers from realizing the full potential of ST. To address this, we developed spatialGE, a web application that simplifies the analysis of ST data. The application spatialGE provided a user-friendly interface that guides users without programming expertise through various analysis pipelines, including quality control, normalization, domain detection, phenotyping, and multiple spatial analyses. It also enabled comparative analysis among samples and supported various ST technologies. The utility of spatialGE was demonstrated through its application in studying …

Pirfenidone Delivery By Blow-Molded Pcl Nanofiber Mat To Reduce Collagen Synthesis By Fibroblasts, Maximilian Zernic, Maryo Kohen, Faruk H. Orge, Amel Ahmed, Ozan Akkus

Faculty Scholarship

Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) during glaucoma is sometimes mitigated by insertion of glaucoma drainage devices (GDD). Excessive fibrosis around GDD plates may confine drainage and requiring revision surgeries in some patients. Pirfenidone (PFD) is an FDA approved drug to treat lung fibrosis, and it may be effective in limiting capsule formation around the GDD. To enable this, we aimed to develop a polymeric GDD encasement sheath that can sustainably release PFD to reduce fibrous capsule formation. The PFD-doped sheath was manufactured by blow molding of (poly)caprolactone (PCL). We investigated the effects of PCL concentration, spray distance, and molecular weight on …

Multidisciplinarity And Interdisciplinarity In Law, Yael Efron, Yossi Korazim-Kőrösy, Mohammed S. Wattad

Cleveland State Law Review

This article aims to dismantle walls and barriers, tracking the contemporary trends in law that acknowledge the significant value of interdisciplinary cooperation. We strive to explore how collaborative contemplation on a legal issue, incorporating two or more academic and practical viewpoints, can enhance interactions across multiple disciplines, improve comprehension of intricate problems, and guide interventions. Ultimately, such collaborations can yield an innovative and synergistic knowledge base, fostering the development of new theories capable of explaining complex human phenomena from varied perspectives. These diverse vantage points are expected to generate superior and more fitting outcomes than those achievable by the field …

Developmental Neurobiology And Miller V. Alabama: To What Extent Do Juvenile Brains Change?, Christos D. Strubakos J.D., Ph.D.

Cleveland State Law Review

This article delves into the profound complexities surrounding juvenile violent offenders. The landmark Supreme Court decision in Miller v. Alabama ruled that mandatory life without parole for juveniles is unconstitutional, citing developmental neuroscience that suggests adolescent brains are more amenable to rehabilitation because of their ongoing development. However, this article posits the ruling overlooks critical nuances in brain development. Emerging research indicates some juvenile offenders may exhibit persistent neurological profiles, like structural and functional brain changes, which do not resolve with age, challenging the assumption all young offenders can be rehabilitated as they mature. Through an in-depth analysis of contemporary …

The Echo: March 3, 2025, Taylor University

2024-2025 (Volume 112)

No abstract provided.

The Encyclopedia Of North American Drosophilids Volume 3: Drosophilids Of The Northwest, Thomas Werner, Tessa Steenwinkel, John Jaenike

Open Access Books

The Encyclopedia of North American Drosophilids Volume 3: Drosophilids of the Northwest provides an introduction to the flies of the family Drosophilidae of the Northwest of the United States. The book strives to facilitate identification of most of the drosophilid species in this region and provides remarks on interesting aspects of their biology and suggestions for future research on them. The book is intended for researchers, teachers, and students wishing to discover the diversity of these flies.

View the 3 Volume Series of The Encyclopedia of North American Drosophilids here: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/fruitflies/

Access The Encyclopedia of North American Drosophilids Volume 1: …

Preanalytical Errors, Analytical Errors, And Postanalytical Errors And The Financial Performance Of Hospitals, Rachele Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital administrators and financial decision-makers face ongoing challenges in maintaining positive operating margins, which are critical for sustaining healthcare services and delivering high-quality patient care. Errors in clinical laboratory testing—preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical—can lead to inefficiencies, increased costs, and reduced financial performance. Grounded in total quality management, the purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to examine the relationship between preanalytical errors, analytical errors, and postanalytical errors and hospital operating margin. The participants were clinical laboratory leaders who completed an anonymous survey using Survey Monkey as a data collection tool. The sample size for this study included 77 participants. The …

Recent Progress Of Polymer-Based Biosensors For Cancer Diagnostic Applications: Natural Versus Synthetic Polymers, Samar A. Salim, Elbadawy Kamoun, Mahmoud Elsabahy, Abdullah Elbadary, Esraa Abdelazim, Abdelrhman Mohsen, Marwaa Abdaleem, Hui Gao, Noura Eissa, Ibrahim Elghamry

Nanotechnology Research Centre

No abstract provided.

Living Labs: How Experimental Forests Offer Insights Into Small Mammal Population Dynamics, Nicholas Gosling

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

The Academic And Social Meaning Of Transcendental Meditation Practice For Students And Their Guardians, Holly Erica Squires

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transcendental meditation (TM) is a unique meditation practice that uses a personal mantra to help the practitioner create a quiet state of mind, greater mental clarity, better concentration, and emotional control. TM has not been examined for its value to help students academically and socially. In this generic qualitative study, high school students and their guardians were asked to describe the meaning of TM practice in their academic and social life. The competencies of social emotional learning (SEL) theory were utilized as the conceptual framework to guide the study’s methodology. Data from semistructured interviews with six students and five guardians …

Pleural Effusion: Shedding Light On Pleural Disease Beyond Infection And Malignancy, William C Harding, Abdul R Halawa, Mazen M Aiche, Bilal Zafar, Hyeon-Ju R Ali, Lara Bashoura, Saadia A Faiz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and Objectives: Non-malignant pleural effusions (NMPEs) are the most frequently encountered pleural disease. They arise from various non-malignant, non-infectious clinical conditions, including cardiac, renal, and hepatic organ dysfunction. Despite their wide prevalence, there is a lack of literature for NMPE. This publication aims to provide an updated overview of the causes, diagnostic strategies, and management options for NMPE.

Materials and Methods: This review synthesizes findings from studies published on NMPE, focusing on the presentation, diagnosis (such as imaging and pleural fluid analysis), and management strategies. Studies were selected based on relevance and were analyzed to provide a comprehensive summary …

Epigenetic Insights Into Substance Use Disorder And Associated Psychiatric Conditions, Ambrose Loc Ngo, Christopher M. Ahmad, Niki Gharavi Alkhansari, Linda Nguyen, Huiping Zhang

Student Publications

Background: Substance use disorder (SUD) is closely associated with epigenetic modifications that significantly impact mental health outcomes. Alcohol and drug misuse induce widespread changes in the epigenome and transcriptome of the central nervous system, disrupting critical processes such as reward signaling and emotional regulation. These alterations in epigenetic regulation and gene expression often persist even after substance cessation, potentially contributing to the onset or worsening of psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia, depression, stress, and anxiety.

Summary: This review delves into key epigenetic mechanisms underlying SUD and its comorbid psychiatric disorders, with a focus on DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNA …

Controlling Cross-Presentation Of Integrin Binding And Bmp Mimicking Peptides To Control Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Fate, Sydney Merrill-Patrice Neal

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Growth factors are attractive for their ability to drive proliferation, differentiation and other biological programs critical for tissue repair. In many cases, growth factors are used to improve cell survival and integration of transplanted cells such as Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) within host tissue. However, growth factors, either alone or in combination with cells like MSC, are typically administered at supraphysiological doses that can lead to dangerous off-target effects when the growth factors diffuse away from the site where they are originally delivered. Short peptide mimics of full-length peptides can be a promising alternative since they can be covalently conjugated …

The Role Of Homocysteine Redox Chemistry In Biomolecular Mechanisms, Megha Gupta

Dissertations and Theses

Homocysteine at elevated levels is a well-known independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, it is still unclear, after large scale clinical trials, involving tens of thousands of patients, whether homocysteine is a disease mediator or marker. The disconnect between the basic science showing the association of homocysteine with cardiovascular disease and the outcomes of clinical trials based on vitamin therapy for homocysteine lowering, highlights the need for insights into the molecular mechanisms linking homocysteine to cardiovascular disease and other pathologies. For example, elevated homocysteine levels have also been associated with risk for stroke, venous thromboembolism, Alzheimer's disease, neural tube …

Non-Dre Voided Urine Test To Diagnose Prostate Cancer: Updated Results, Patrick T. Gomella, Joon Yau Leong, Leonard G. Gomella, Vivek S. Tomar, Hector Teran, Edouard J. Trabulsi, Mathew L. Thakur

Department of Urology Faculty Papers

Background: The standard diagnostic approach for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis consists of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, digital rectal examination (DRE) and image-guided targeted biopsies. Given the invasive nature, potential adverse events and costs associated with these techniques, alternative approaches have been investigated, specifically with serum and urine assays. The work presented here is intended to further validate a novel noninvasive optical technique for PCa detection, targeting the VPAC genomic receptors that are overexpressed on prostate cancer's malignant cells (MC), in non-DRE voided urine. Methods: Patients (N = 62) who had image-guided biopsy and histologically confirmed localized PCa, and …

Gain-Of-Function Chromatin Remodeling Activity Of Oncogenic Foxl2c134w Reprograms Glucocorticoid Receptor Occupancy To Drive Granulosa Cell Tumors, Thomas Welte, Veena K Vuttaradhi, Eleonora Y Khlebus, Allison Brodsky, Alejandra Flores Legarreta, Joseph Celestino, Reid T Powell, Clifford C Stephan, Nghi Nguyen, Jian Li, Shiro Takamatsu, Katherine Calzoncinth, Anil K Sood, David M Gershenson, P Andrew Futreal, Barrett Lawson, R Tyler Hillman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Adult type ovarian granulosa cell tumors (AGCT) are rare malignancies with the near universal c.C402G (p.Cys134Trp) somatic mutation in FOXL2, a forkhead box family transcription factor important for ovarian function. Relapsed AGCT is incurable, but the mechanism of the unique FOXL2 mutation could confer therapeutic vulnerabilities. To identify FOXL2C134W-dependent pharmacologic synergies, we created and characterized endogenous FOXL2 isogenic AGCT cells and an AGCT tumoroid biobank. A drug screen identified that glucocorticoids promote FOXL2C134W-dependent AGCT growth. Epigenetic investigation revealed that the Cys134Trp mutation exposes latent DNA sequence-specific chromatin remodeling activity in FOXL2. FOXL2C134W-dependent chromatin remodeling activity redirected glucocorticoid receptor chromatin occupancy …

First-In-Human Clinical Trial Of A Small-Molecule Ebna1 Inhibitor, Vk-2019, In Patients With Epstein-Barr-Positive Nasopharyngeal Cancer, With Pharmacokinetic And Pharmacodynamic Studies, A Dimitrios Colevas, Zahra Talebi, Elizabeth Winters, Caroline Even, Victor Ho-Fun Lee, Maura L Gillison, Saad A Khan, Rong Lu, Benjamin A Pinsky, Samantha S Soldan, Olga Vladmirova, Paul M Lieberman, Troy E Messick

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: A first-in-human phase I study was conducted in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma to assess the safety and tolerability of VK-2019, a small-molecule selective inhibitor of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1).

Patients and methods: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies were performed, including the measurement of EBV DNA plasma levels. Twenty-three patients received VK-2019 orally once daily at doses ranging from 60 to 1,800 mg using an accelerated titration design, with cohort expansion at 1,800 mg. EBV genome copy number and spatial transcriptomic analyses were conducted on biopsies collected from three patients at baseline and after treatment.

Results: VK-2019 was …

Ancestral Differences In Anticancer Treatment Efficacy And Their Underlying Genomic And Molecular Alterations, Mei Luo, Jingwen Yang, Alejandro A Schäffer, Chengxuan Chen, Yuan Liu, Yamei Chen, Chunru Lin, Lixia Diao, Yong Zang, Yanyan Lou, Huda Salman, Gordon B Mills, Eytan Ruppin, Leng Han

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Systematic multi-omics analysis revealed ancestry-dependent molecular alterations, but their impact on the efficacy of anti-cancer treatment is yet largely unknown. Here, we analyzed clinical trials from ClinicalTrials.gov and found that only 8,779/102,721 (8.5%) oncology clinical trials posted information on enrollment by race/ethnicity. The underrepresentation of non-White populations suggests that it remains challenging to determine differences in the efficacy of anti-tumor treatments among different racial groups. Through a comprehensive analysis of clinically actionable genes, imputed drug responses, and immune features, we identified potential differences in treatment response to targeted, chemo and immunotherapies between different ancestral populations. Further analysis of multiple independent …

Accumulation Of Cd38 In Hybrid Epithelial/Mesenchymal Cells Promotes Immune Remodeling And Metastasis In Breast Cancer, Tanvi H Visal, Recep Bayraktar, Petra Den Hollander, Michael A Attathikhun, Tieling Zhou, Jing Wang, Li Shen, Corina-Elena Minciuna, Meng Chen, Elizve Barrientos-Toro, Harsh Batra, Maria Gabriela Raso, Fei Yang, Edwin R Parra, Aysegul A Sahin, George A Calin, Sendurai A Mani

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly metastatic subtype of breast cancer. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a nonbinary process in the metastatic cascade that generates tumor cells with both epithelial and mesenchymal traits known as hybrid EM cells. Recent studies have elucidated the enhanced metastatic potential of cancers featuring the hybrid EM phenotype, highlighting the need to uncover molecular drivers and targetable vulnerabilities of the hybrid EM state. Here, we discovered that hybrid EM breast tumors are enriched in CD38, an immunosuppressive molecule associated with worse clinical outcomes in liquid malignancies. Altering CD38 expression in tumor cell impacted migratory, invasive, …

Antibody-Drug Conjugates Targeting The Egfr Ligand Epiregulin Elicit Robust Antitumor Activity In Colorectal Cancer, Joan Jacob, Yasuaki Anami, Peyton C High, Zhengdong Liang, Shraddha Subramanian, Sukhen C Ghosh, Solmaz Aghaamiri, Cara Guernsey-Biddle, Ha Tran, Julie Rowe, Ali Azhdarinia, Kyoji Tsuchikama, Kendra S Carmon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

As colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death, identifying therapeutic targets and approaches is essential to improve patient outcomes. The EGFR ligand epiregulin (EREG) is highly expressed in RAS wild-type (WT) and mutant colorectal cancer, with minimal expression in normal tissues, making it an attractive target for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development. In this study, we produced and purified an EREG mAb, H231, which had high specificity and affinity for human and mouse EREG. H231 also internalized to lysosomes, which is important for ADC payload release. ImmunoPET and ex vivo biodistribution studies showed significant tumor uptake of zirconium-89-labeled H231, …

Epigenetic Landscapes Of Aging In Breast Cancer Survivors: Unraveling The Impact Of Therapeutic Interventions-A Scoping Review, Nikita Nikita, Zhengyang Sun, Swapnil Sharma, Amy L Shaver, Victoria Seewaldt, Grace Lu-Yao

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Breast cancer therapies have dramatically improved survival rates, but their long-term effects, especially on aging survivors, need careful consideration. This review delves into how breast cancer treatments and aging intersect, focusing on the epigenetic changes triggered by chemotherapy, radiation, hormonal treatments, and targeted therapies. Treatments can speed up biological aging by altering DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling, affecting gene expression without changing the DNA sequence itself. The review explains the double-edged sword effect of therapy-induced epigenetic modifications, which help fight cancer but also accelerate aging. Chemotherapy and targeted therapies, in particular, impact DNA methylation and histone modifications, promoting …

Biomimetic Swarm Of Active Particles With Coupled Passive-Active Interactions, Amir Nourhani

University Research

We study the universal behavior of a class of active colloids whose design is inspired by the collective dynamics of natural systems such as schools of fish and flocks of birds. These colloids, with off-center repulsive interaction sites, self-organize into polar swarms exhibiting long-range order and directional motion without significant hydrodynamic interactions. Our simulations show that the system transitions from motile perfect crystals to solid-like, liquid-like, and gas-like states depending on noise levels, repulsive interaction strength, and particle density. By analyzing swarm polarity and hexatic bond order parameters, we demonstrate that effective volume fractions based on force-range and torque-range interactions …

Somatic Acupressure For The Management Of The Fatigue-Sleep Disturbance-Depression Symptom Cluster In Breast Cancer Survivors: A Study Protocol For A Phase Iii Randomised Controlled Trial, Mengyuan Li, Tao Wang, Xian Liang Liu, Ren Li Deng, Wai Hang Kwok, Li Qun Yao, Jing Yu Benjamin Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction The fatigue-sleep disturbance-depression symptom cluster (FSDSC) is commonly experienced by breast cancer (BC) survivors, leading to a deteriorated quality of life (QoL). Somatic acupressure (SA) has been recommended as a promising non-pharmacological intervention for cancer-related fatigue (the core symptom of the FSDSC) in the guidelines, showing its encouraging role in relieving cancer-related sleep disorders, fatigue and depression. This phase III randomised controlled trial (RCT) is designed to evaluate the effects, safety and cost-effectiveness of SA for managing the FSDSC in BC survivors. Methods This phase III RCT will be a partial-blinded, sham-controlled, three-arm, parallel clinical trial, involving a 7-week …

Connectome-Based Predictive Modeling Of Ptsd Development Among Recent Trauma Survivors, Ziv Ben-Zion, Alexander J Simon, Matthew Rosenblatt, Nachshon Korem, Or Duek, Israel Liberzon, Arieh Y Shalev, Talma Hendler, Ifat Levy, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, Dustin Scheinost

Staff and Researcher Publications

Importance: The weak link between subjective symptom-based diagnostics for posttraumatic psychopathology and objective neurobiological indices hinders the development of effective personalized treatments.

Objective: To identify early neural networks associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development among recent trauma survivors.

Design, setting, and participants: This prognostic study used data from the Neurobehavioral Moderators of Posttraumatic Disease Trajectories (NMPTDT) large-scale longitudinal neuroimaging dataset of recent trauma survivors. The NMPTDT study was conducted from January 20, 2015, to March 11, 2020, and included adult civilians who were admitted to a general hospital emergency department in Israel and screened for early PTSD symptoms indicative …

Racial Equity In Urine Drug Screening Policies In Labor And Delivery, Vahid Azimi, Cassandra Trammel, Lauren Nacke, Alexandra Rubin, Lori Stevenson, Brittaney Vaughn, Stephen M Roper, Mark A Zaydman, Ronald Jackups, Noor Riaz, Kim P Schamel, Jeannie C Kelly

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Black pregnant patients are significantly more likely than their White counterparts to undergo peripartum urine drug screening (UDS) and subsequent reporting to child protective services (CPS).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of removing isolated cannabis use and limited prenatal care as order indications, combined with clinician-facing clinical decision support, with racial parity in peripartum UDS and CPS reporting.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This quality improvement study assessed 9396 pregnant patients at a single tertiary care center in a Midwestern US urban metropolitan region who delivered before (June 1, 2021, to September 31, 2022) and after (October 1, 2022, to …

Kismet Meets Serendipity: A Personal Reflection On Using Patricia Leavy’S Novel Low-Fat Love To Bring Meaning To College Students, U. Melissa Anyiwo

The Qualitative Report

In this article Melissa Anyiwo writes about meeting Patricia Leavy and reading her debut novel, Low-Fat Love. She reflects on the impact this book has had on her personally, and how as a work of social fiction it resonated deeply with her own life experiences. She details using social fiction novels in undergraduate classroom settings, why she has used Low-Fat Love so many times in her courses, the lessons embedded into the novel, and the kinds of self and social reflection the novel stimulates. She references other well-known examples of popular culture in her analysis of meaning-making in Low-Fat …

Jeff Bernstein, Oral History Interview, 2025, Kat Hacanyan

Oral Histories

Jeff Bernstein is a professor of political science and Director of the Faculty Development Center at EMU. Bernstein, alongside colleagues like Decky Alexander and Pam Landau, is another one of the Center for Jewish Studies' earliest supporters. He started teaching classes at EMU while working on a graduate degree from U of M and was later hired as a full time faculty member. Up until its move off campus, Bernstein served as a board member for Hillel, alongside CJS Founding Director Marty Shichtman. He was appointed director of the Faculty Development Center in 2021 and continues to serve on the …