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Investigate The Role Of Tgfβ3 In Regulating Irf6 And Δnp63 In Periderm Desquamation, Nam Ha

Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Failure in palatal fusion during palate development results in cleft palate, one of the most common birth defects in the US. During the final phases of palatogenesis, the palatal periderm (a protective cell layer that prevents premature fusion and adhesion with oral epithelium) must be removed, also known as desquamation. This process is a prerequisite for establishing the midline seam in the fused palate. Previous studies have shown that transforming growth factor-β3 (TGFβ3) plays an irreplaceable role in palate development in mice. Our previously published mechanistic models outline the role of TGFβ3 and its downstream signaling cascade involving proteins …

Long Covid Incidence Across Sars-Cov-2 Lineages And Identification Of Conserved Spike Targets For Multivalent Vaccines, Grace J. Kim, Md Ashad Alam, Judy S. Crabtree, Rebecca Rose, Susanna L. Lamers, San Chu, Ronald Horswell, Daniel Fort, Lucio Miele

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Background: Long COVID remains poorly characterized at the genomic level. The primary aim of this study was to examine the relationship between viral sequences and the incidence of Long COVID at a tertiary care center in Louisiana between April 2020 and December 2022. A secondary aim was analysis of the Spike protein to identify conserved regions for multivalent vaccine targets. Method: To estimate Long COVID incidence across variants, we linked 4,789 SARS-CoV-2 sequences to 3,090 de-identified patient electronic health record information. The base population was defined as any patient with an International Classification of Diseases-10-Clinical Modification COVID-19 diagnosis code (U07.1) …

Adaptive Neuromodulation Dialogues: Navigating Current Challenges And Emerging Innovations In Neuromodulation System Development, Frederik Lampert, Matthew R Baker, Michael A Jensen, Amir H Ayyoubi, Christian Bentler, Jessica L Bowersock, Rosana Esteller, Jeffrey A Herron, Graham W Johnson, Daryl R Kipke, Christopher K Kovach, Vaclav Kremen, Filip Mivalt, Joseph S Neimat, Theoden I Netoff, Enrico Opri, Alexander Rockhill, Joshua M Rosenow, Kristin K Sellers, Nathan P Staff, Chandra Prakash Swamy, Ashwin Viswanathan, Gerwin Schalk, Timothy Denison, Dora Hermes, Nuri F Ince, Peter Brunner, Gregory A Worrell, Kai J Miller

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Adaptive neuromodulation systems and implantable brain-computer interfaces have made notable strides in recent years, translating experimental prototypes into clinical applications and garnering substantial attention from the public. This surge in interest is accompanied by increased scrutiny related to the safety, efficacy, and ethical implications of these systems, all of which must be directly addressed as we introduce new neurotechnologies. In response, we have synthesized the insights resulting from discussions between groups of experts in the field and summarized them into five key domains essential to therapeutic device development: (1) analyzing current landscape of neuromodulation devices and translational platforms (2) identifying …

Macroinvertebrate Community Dynamics In A Recovering, Hypersaline Estuary, Catherine M. Eckert, Claudia A. Tamez, Erin E. Easton, David Hicks

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Bahia Grande is a 6,500—acre tidal basin located at the southernmost tip of Texas. Tidal flow into this coastal estuary was cut off in the 1930s, causing the basin to dry up for ~70 y. A pilot channel connecting the Bahia Grande to tidal waters was constructed in 2005, allowing flooding of the basin to occur. Throughout the period reported herein (2005–2019), the system remained characterized by persistent spatial and temporal episodes of extreme hypersalinity (>70)—a critical factor influencing estuarine community composition and driving key ecological processes. With additional rehabilitation actions forthcoming, characterization of the estuary is essential …

From Disciplinary Silos To Cyber-Transdisciplinary Networks: A Plural Epistemic Model For Agi-Era Knowledge Production, Cristo Leon, James Lipuma

STEM for Success Resources

This article extends a keynote from the 16th IMCIC 2025, offering a framework for academic institutions navigating the epistemic shifts prompted by artificial general intelligence (AGI). It argues that traditional disciplinary (Mode 1), interdisciplinary (Mode 2), and transdisciplinary (Mode 3) approaches are increasingly insufficient to address the complexity and plurality of AGI-era knowledge production. Drawing on critical communication theories—such as the Kuhn–MacIntyre thesis on incommensurability, the Bataille–Lyotard notion of invention, Nicolescu–Ostrom's governance frameworks, and Haraway–Scholz's situated knowledge—the article introduces Mode 4: cyber-transdisciplinarity.1 This mode conceptualizes AGI as an epistemic co-agent, enabling real-time mediation, synthesis, and redistribution of knowledge between human …

A Genetic Interaction Between Ded1 And Hat1 In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Reveals A Role For Hat1p In Cytoplasmic Rna Granule Accumulation, Audrey J. Panko, Aidan Winters, Nicholas R. Rothbard, Angela K. Hilliker

Biology Faculty Publications

Ded1p is an essential translation initiation factor that interacts with and is modulated by eIF4F. Ded1p also promotes the assembly and disassembly of stress granules, which contain nontranslating mRNAs and translation initiation factors. As Ded1p affects both mRNA storage and translation initiation, regulation of Ded1p's function may affect whether mRNAs are translated or localized to cytoplasmic RNA granules. To identify regulators of Ded1p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we screened for overexpression suppressors of the severe growth defect conferred by high levels of Ded1p. We found that overexpression of HAT1, a lysine acetyltransferase, can suppress the growth defect conferred by …

P-15 Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft Improves Time To Fusion In Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Randomized, Controlled, Investigational Device Exemption Study, James S. Harrop, Michael P. Steinmetz, John E. O'Toole, Christopher D Chaput, Rick C. Sasso, K. Brandon Strenge, Greg Maislin, Jeffrey P. Mullin, Thomas B. Freeman, Anthony Guanciale, Howard Lantner, Michael E. Janssen, David G. Schwartz, John M. Small, Wellington K. Hsu, Paul M. Arnold

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, multicenter, single-blind, randomized, and controlled pivotal study.

OBJECTIVE: Compare time-to-fusion in patients treated with P-15L (PearlMatrix TM P-15 peptide enhanced bone graft) versus local autograft over 24 months and evaluate changes in pain and quality of life at 24 months relative to baseline.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: P-15L, an FDA-designated breakthrough device, is a composite bone graft with P-15, a 15-amino acid polypeptide that promotes cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation to support bone formation.

METHODS: Patients (22-80 y) with degenerative disc disease were randomized to the investigational (P-15L) or control (local autograft) group during single-level transforaminal lumbar …

Beyond Precision: Ambiomic Survivorship In Childhood And Aya Cancer., Juan Antonio Ortega-García, Omar Shakeel, Nicole Wood, Antonio Pérez-Martínez, Jose Luís Fuster-Soler, Mark D. Miller

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: Survival among children and adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer has improved substantially over recent decades; however, dominant survivorship models remain reactive-activated post-treatment and anchored to static exposure- and organ-based screening. This design underuses the anticipatory window at diagnosis and overlooks environmental and social determinants that modulate outcomes across the life course. Methods: We narratively reviewed international frameworks including the Children's Oncology Group (COG), the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group (IGHG), the Pan-European Network for Care of Survivors after Childhood and Adolescent Cancer (PanCare) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), and synthesized evidence …

(Un)Intended Consequences Of Race In Medicine: The Ethics Of Race-Based Medical Practice And The Perpetuation Of Structural Racism, Allegra Merriweather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that race-based medicine acts as a form of structural racism that is ethically indefensible. While it may be claimed to be a neutral diagnostic tool, the medical use of race as a biological proxy only further enforces the very hierarchies it purports to remediate, reinscribing inequity from conception to death. Building off Jacques Ellul’s work on Technique, we interpret race-based medicine as a self-perpetuating system that values procedural expediency over moral accountability. In nine chapters, the analysis follows the ways this technique is manifested in genetics and assisted reproduction, where commodified racial selection preserves social hierarchies; in …

A Systematic Characterization Of Fibroblast Subtypes And Heterogeneity, Xiuli Zhu, Hongen Kang, Zhongming Zhao, Peilin Jia

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Fibroblasts are essential components in development, disease, and treatment response, yet their diversity and function remain incompletely understood. Here, we constructed a comprehensive fibroblast landscape by integrating large-scale single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing datasets spanning 60 major human organs and tissues across various developmental stages and biological conditions. We identified 16 fibroblast subtypes and systematically characterized their tissue specificities, transcriptional heterogeneity, and cell states. Further analyses revealed distinct fibroblast subtypes associated with pluripotency and senescence across tissues. Leveraging the well-defined fibroblast atlas, we demonstrated that different fibroblast subtypes were associated with various complex traits such as anthropometric and immune diseases. …

Consciousness Studies In Community: Allan Leslie Combs’S Enduring Vision, Debby Flickinger Phd, Rebecca A. Damien Phd

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Consciousness studies can be found in many different disciplines. Allan Leslie Combs held an inclusive view of consciousness that was not limited to any one branch, and he inspired us to explore consciousness through many doorways. Together the authors share narratives about teaching and learning with Combs while reviewing key areas shaped by his legacy, including gatherings, archetypes, psychology, and synchronicity. Our shared intention is to honor Leslie’s legacy through a narrative that comes from the heart as well as the mind.

Keywords: consciousness studies, gatherings, archetypes, synchronicity, Allan Leslie Combs

Single-Nucleus Multiomics Reveals The Disrupted Regulatory Programs In Three Brain Regions Of Sporadic Early-Onset Alzheimer’S Disease, Andi Liu, Citu Citu, Nitesh Enduru, Xian Chen, Chia-Hao Tung, Tirthankar Sinha, Sofia E Sepulveda, Astrid M Manuel, Damian Gorski, Brisa S Fernandes, Meifang Yu, Paul E Schulz, Lukas M Simon, Claudio Soto, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Sporadic early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (sEOAD) represents a substantial but less-studied subtype of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we generated a single-nucleus multiome atlas derived from the postmortem prefrontal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus of nine individuals with or without sEOAD. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to delineate cell type–specific transcriptomic changes and linked candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) across brain regions. We prioritized eight conservative transcription factors in glial cells in multiple brain regions, including RFX4 in astrocytes and IKZF1 in microglia, which are implicated in regulating sEOAD-associated genes. Moreover, we identified the top 25 altered intercellular signaling between glial cells …

Posterior Anatomic Limit For Mandibular Molar Distalization In Subjects With Different Growth Patterns, Genders, And Growth Status, Rehana Bashir

Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this study is to identify the anatomical limits for mandibular molar distalization, a technique frequently employed in orthodontics to address various malocclusions. Mandibular molar distalization plays a critical role in the management of crowding, and correction of the molar relationship.

It is imperative to assess the posterior anatomical space (PAS) in the mandibular retromolar area prior to distalization or uprighting the mandibular molars to avoid periodontal issues (dehiscence, orthodontically induced root resorption, and tooth mobility) and achieve successful treatment outcomes.

A clinical question that, however, isn't well understood is whether the amount of mandibular molar distalization is …

Mechanistic Insight Of Neuropilin-2 Expression During The Progression Of Prostate Cancer, Sanika Bodas

Theses & Dissertations

Advanced prostate cancer represents a particularly aggressive and challenging form of prostate cancer (PCa) that shows resistance to both traditional therapies, such as androgen deprivation therapy, and newer treatment modalities like hormone therapies and immunotherapies. For patients diagnosed with advanced stages of PCa, treatment options are limited, and chemotherapy is often the last line of defense. Unfortunately, chemotherapy can severely diminish the quality of life, particularly in older patients, due to its harsh side effects, including fatigue, immune suppression, and overall physical decline. Despite these challenges, researchers and clinicians remain focused on developing more effective and targeted treatments for patients …

Assessment Of Polymeric Chloroquine Formulations For Targeted Therapy Of Ulcerative Colitis And Metastatic Colorectal Cancer, Neha Kumari

Theses & Dissertations

Effective targeted drug delivery is a critical unmet need in the management of both ulcerative colitis and metastatic colorectal cancer, where conventional systemic therapies may be hindered by suboptimal efficacy and significant side effects. This thesis explores the development and preclinical assessment of polymeric chloroquine (PCQ)-based nanotherapeutics, leveraging stimuli-responsive designs for disease-specific delivery and action.

For ulcerative colitis, a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanogel system was engineered to release PCQ, a macromolecular derivative of hydroxychloroquine, specifically in the inflamed areas within the colon. Nanogels with well-defined size and positive surface charge were synthesized via reversible fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization …

Development And Characterization Of Non-Viral Delivery Systems For Pulmonary Delivery Of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Kasturi Siddhanta

Theses & Dissertations

The development of non-viral delivery systems for pulmonary delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics is driven by the need for safer and more accessible approaches to treat lung diseases, while avoiding the systemic side effects and immune responses associated with viral vectors. Such systems encompass both non-invasive inhalation-based platforms, and systemically administered platforms designed to achieve localized lung delivery. These strategies aim to enable high drug concentrations at the site of action, rapid onset of therapeutic effect, and greater therapeutic efficacy than existing treatments. Designing effective pulmonary delivery systems requires precise optimization of particle properties—including size, morphology, surface characteristics, cell-specific targeting, …

Role Of Nadph Oxidase 4 In Murine Cancer-Associated Fibroblast, Faith M. Gomez

Theses & Dissertations

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women in the United States. Frontline hormone therapies for breast cancer prove ineffective in triple negative breast cancer tumors wherein the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 are downregulated or absent; therefore, patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer are primarily limited to chemotherapies which carry a higher failure and resistance rate. Here we target cancer associated fibroblasts as potential drivers of chemoresistance in triple negative breast cancer. We investigated the mechanism by which Nox4 regulates the YAP/TAZ pathway in modulating DTX sensitivity and sought to determine if targeting Nox4 …

Development Of Self-Assembled Polymeric Polyplexes For Microrna Delivery: Toward Treatment Of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease, Marjina Akter Kalpana

Theses & Dissertations

Self-assembled polymeric polyplexes have the potential to serve as an RNA interference (RNAi) delivery platform for the combined inhibition of CXCR4 and miR-155 in the treatment of alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD). A central challenge in RNA delivery is balancing the extracellular stability of polyplexes, cellular uptake, and intracellular release of RNA cargo. We developed polymeric polyplexes using the CXCR4-antagonist polymer PAMD, designed to target CXCR4 on activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and deliver therapeutic miRNA to activated Kupffer cells (KCs) in fibrotic liver. We improved the polyplexes by cholesterol modification of PAMD and by PEGylation of PAMD-Ch. The cholesterol modification …

Evaluating Bmx-001 As A Selective Radioprotector For Healthy Tissue In Pelvic Cancers, Molly Myers

Theses & Dissertations

Pelvic cancers, including rectal, anal, and prostate cancer, are relatively survivable cancers with high five-year survival rates, partially due to the addition of radiation to treatment regimens. Radiation confers excellent tumor control, but also causes damage to surrounding tissue, resulting in both short-term and long-term side effects. In a patient population that is surviving longer after treatment, limiting the impact of side effects is instrumental to improving patient quality of life. Radiation-induced ROS is instrumental in causing these side effects and provides a unique opportunity to protect healthy tissue from damage while sensitizing cancer tissue to treatment, as cancer cells …

Exposures, Protections, And Barriers: Advancing Understanding Of Agricultural Worker Health, Alexandra A. Farfalla

Theses & Dissertations

Farming is a hazardous occupation. Exposures are multifactorial, variable, and shaped by overlapping tasks, environments, and social contexts. This dissertation aimed to illustrate the complexity of agricultural exposures and the barriers to protective practices through three complementary studies.

The first study examined co-exposures to solvents and noise as risk factors for hearing loss (HL) among 7,495 farmers and ranchers in a 7-state region. Results indicated nearly 60% of co-exposed participants reported hearing loss, with an adjusted odds ratio nearly six-fold (OR=6.03, [4.67-7.78]) for moderate/severe HL. This work highlights the importance of recognizing chemical exposures as a modality in HL in …

Regulation Of Chromatin Remodeling By The Post-Hsa Domain Of Brg1, A Subunit The Baf Atp-Dependent Chromatin Remodeling Complex, Min Sze Ewe

Theses & Dissertations

The ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler BAF complex regulates nucleosome positioning, chromatin accessibility, and tissue specific gene expression. Its catalytic subunit, BRG1, contains several regulatory domains including the post-HSA region, proposed to modulate ATPase activity. Multiple cancer-associated mutations map to these regulatory regions underscoring their importance, yet the precise role of the post-HSA region in chromatin remodeling remains poorly understood.

To investigate the function of the post-HSA domain, we ectopically expressed FLAG-tagged BRG1 with post-HSA deletion (Δpost-HSA BRG1) in mouse embryonic stem cells. Western blot analysis confirmed expression of the mutant protein. To determine the effects of mutant protein expression on chromatin …

Advancing Point-Of-Care Healthcare Diagnostics To Tackle Future Outbreaks And Pandemics: Nanotechnology-Driven Developments And Impact On Rapid Pathogen Detection, Naresh Mandal, Bidhan Pramanick, Tarun Kanti Bhattacharyya, Baljit Singh

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Against The Perfect Theory-Theory: Toward A Tenable Realism, Magnus Fried

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

We all have realistic intuitions: there is a mind-independent world out there, and we can capture some of its features in our scientific theories. There have been many attempts to justify our realistic intuitions, and I will analyze some that build on ideas from Saul Kripke and (in particular) Hilary Putnam. However, many of these attempts share a dependency on what I call “The Perfect Theory -Theory,” which holds that there could be a theory that perfectly mirrors the objectively existing world. But this theory is defunct, so the dependency is an issue. Scientific realism, many have argued, relies on …

Socrates And Early Buddhist Medical Ethics: Foundations Of Moral Reasoning In The Care Of Body And Mind, Chandima Gangodawila

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

While Buddhist traditions articulate a parallel moral vision in the early discourses of the Pāli Canon, Western traditions usually locate the roots of ethical reasoning in Socratic inquiry. Especially in their approaches to bodily care, spiritual well - being, and moral responsibility, this article contends that both Socratic and Early Buddhist ideas converge on fundamental principles in medical ethics. Through a comparative textual and philosophical study, the paper examines how Socratic dialectics and the Buddha's diagnostic approach to dissatisfa ction/ suffering (dukkha) both produce frameworks for ethical healthcare anchored in the development of virtue, wisdom, and care for the integrity …

Our Land: Rodger Mcafee And His Life-Long Quest For Community In America, Morgan E. Bowen

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Review Of Stolen Innocence: My Story Of Growing Up In A Polygamous Sect, Becoming A Teenage Bride, And Breaking Free Of Warren Jeffs, Etta Madden

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Community Sustainability: The Challenge Of Intergenerational Change, Peter H. Cock

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Law School Should Not Be The Only Path To A Law License, Drew Thornley

Widener Commonwealth Law Review

No abstract provided.

Harm And Wrongdoing In The Law Of Rape, Ben A. Mcjunkin

Widener Commonwealth Law Review

No abstract provided.

Review Of Not Without My Sister: The True Story Of Three Girls Violated And Betrayed, Ruth Lambach

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.