Digital Commons Network^™

Netrin-1 Promotes Pancreatic Tumorigenesis And Innervation Through Neo1, Hiroki Kobayashi, Yosuke Ochiai, Junya Arai, Masahiro Hata, Feijing Wu, Masaki Sunagawa, Tadashi Iida, Taisuke Baba, Ermanno Malagola, Takayuki Tanaka, Zhengyu Jiang, Ruth A White, Xiaofei Zhi, Jin Qian, Quin T Waterbury, Ruhong Tu, Biyun Zheng, Yi Zeng, Hualong Zheng, Puran Zhang, Shuang Li, Leah B Zamechek, Jonathan S Labella, Takahiro Sugie, Atsushi Enomoto, Holger K Eltzschig, Carmine F Palermo, Iok In Christine Chio, Kenneth P Olive, Timothy C Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Nerves can regulate tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, clarification of the role of axon guidance molecules in tumorigenesis, innervation, and metastasis is required to better understand the tumor-promoting functions of nerves. Using murine KrasG12D-mutant pancreatic organoids, we screened axon guidance molecules and identified netrin-1 upregulation. Netrin-1 was also upregulated in vivo during pancreatic tumorigenesis in humans and mice. Mutant KRAS and β-adrenergic signaling upregulated netrin-1 and its receptor NEO1 in epithelial cells in part through the MAPK pathway. Ex vivo culture of celiac ganglia showed that netrin-1 promoted the axonogenesis of sympathetic neurons through nerve NEO1. In the Pdx1-Cre;LSL-KrasG12D/+ model, …

Speeding Up Interval Estimation For R2-Based Mediation Effect Of High-Dimensional Mediators Via Cross-Fitting, Zhichao Xu, Chunlin Li, Sunyi Chi, Tianzhong Yang, Peng Wei

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mediation analysis is a useful tool in investigating how molecular phenotypes such as gene expression mediate the effect of exposure on health outcomes. However, commonly used mean-based total mediation effect measures may suffer from cancellation of component-wise mediation effects in opposite directions in the presence of high-dimensional omics mediators. To overcome this limitation, we recently proposed a variance-based R-squared total mediation effect measure that relies on the computationally intensive nonparametric bootstrap for confidence interval estimation. In the work described herein, we formulated a more efficient two-stage, cross-fitted estimation procedure for the R2 measure. To avoid potential bias, we performed …

Food Apartheid And The Retail Food Environment In The Bronx, Aissatou Barry

CUNY Mexican Studies Institute

This project examines the structural mechanisms that contribute to unequal food access, both historical and ongoing, in the South Bronx, and applies the food apartheid framework created by Bronx food activist Karen Washington. This paper applies the framework to two food retail initiatives in NYC: the New York State Regional Hub and the New York City FRESH food program to assess whether their policies address the structural mechanisms that contribute to food inequality. I ask: How does the unequal distribution of healthy food access in the Bronx reflect broader patterns of racial and economic exclusion? To what extent do current …

Barriers To Youth Employment And Economic Mobility In The Bronx, David Cortes

CUNY Mexican Studies Institute

This research aims to uncover systemic factors that limit career stability for young adults in the Bronx. In this paper, I focus on unequal access to educational resources, economic inequality, and the digital divide as connected barriers that shape the quality of education and training youth receive, the resources and networks they have access to, and the opportunities they can realistically maintain over time. Based on a review of public data, media reports and the current literature, I argue that job instability in the Bronx is a structural problem. At the same time, this project pushes back against the assumption …

Uji Kelayakan Teknis Dan Performa Auvest: Rompi Pendingin Otomatis Berbasis Wearable Thermoelectric Cooler Untuk Mitigasi Risiko Heat Stress, Muchammad Adam Wildan, Amelia Avril Rayhana, Nadia Hanifan Nabila, Bian Shabri Putri Irwanto

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Heat stress is a serious threat to construction workers that can reduce productivity and even threaten lives. Existing cooling vest innovations still have limitations, such as weight, manual systems, and the risk of leakage. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Automatic Vest (AUVEST), an automatic cooling vest based on Wearable Thermoelectric Cooler and the Internet of Things (IoT), in preventing the risk of heat stress. The method used is experimental with trials on one construction worker in indoor and outdoor environments. AUVEST is equipped with temperature sensors (DS18B20, TMP102) and humidity (DHT11), whose data is processed by …

Biomarker And Age At Onset Endophenotypes Offer New Insights Into The Genetic Etiology Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Joseph Bradley

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) remains among the top 10 causes of death in the United States and is projected to affect nearly 14 million people by 2050. To this point, studies of Alzheimer’s genetics and endophenotypes have yielded a bounty of results that culminated in the first disease-modifying drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, in 2022. Most of the genetic studies for Alzheimer’s disease to date have been focused on late-onset AD or Autosomal dominant AD, leaving a critical need for studying sporadic early-onset AD (EOAD; ~10% of cases). Furthermore, the demand for clinical portability has created a need for high-sensitivity proteomic …

An Advanced Multi-Branch Recurrent Deep Learning Model For Predicting The Antibacterial Capacity Of Nanoparticles With Shap-Based Explainability, Shaimaa M.S. Zainulabdeen, Najee B. Haifaa, Iman Ali Atiyah

Muthanna Medical Journal

The antibacterial properties of nanoparticles play a crucial role in industries such as textiles, water disinfection, pharmaceuticals, and food packaging. Given the rising concerns over antibiotic resistance, metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a promising alternative. While machine learning techniques in nano informatics have shown encouraging results in predicting the antibacterial efficacy of nanoparticles, the application of deep learning methods in this domain remains limited. This study introduces a novel predictive model based on a multi-branch recurrent neural network, incorporating three types of recurrent cells: LSTM, BiLSTM, and GRU, to estimate the antibacterial effectiveness of nanoparticles. The proposed model …

Microbial Infections And Psychological Disorders Resulting From Drug Abuse: Review, Zainab Sahib A. Quraish, Noora A. Hassan

Muthanna Medical Journal

Drug abuse fact still continue one of the prevalent global issue today and one of the primary reasons of precocious death. Additionally, people also may be infected with one or more infections, disserve human capabilities and prevent dissemination opportunities for growth and economic prosperity. This is an extremely dangerous matter, causing a deterioration in the security and economic situation and a decline in the standard of living of families. This necessitates rapid intervention by the competent authorities to curb and eradicate this phenomenon. Economic and health consequences. The aim is to encouraged to study relationships between drug abuse and increased …

Viral Etiologies Of Urinary Tract Infections: A Comprehensive Review, Husam Hussein Lazim

Muthanna Medical Journal

While urinary tract infections (UTIs) are predominantly caused by bacteria, this review highlights the significant and often overlooked role of viruses as etiological agents, particularly in immunocompromised populations. Viruses such as BK polyomavirus, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) can directly infect the urothelium, causing conditions like hemorrhagic cystitis, dysuria, and sterile pyuria that closely mimic bacterial UTIs. Other viruses, including JC polyomavirus, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and SARS-CoV-2, are associated with urinary tract dysfunction through different mechanisms, such as asymptomatic viruria, neurogenic pathways, or post-viral inflammation. In contrast, systemic viruses like filoviruses and hantaviruses cause acute kidney injury …

Purified Β-Glucan From Enterococcus Faecium As Antibacterial And Antibiofilm Agent Against Mdr Gram-Positive Wound Infections Causative Bacteria, Entissar Hussain Abdulhameed, Jehan Abdul Sattar Salman

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: The investigation focused on MDR- gram positive isolated from wounds infections and assessed their ability for biofilm formation. The effect of purified β- glucan produced from E. faecium on the growth and biofilm of MDR wound isolates was studied. Methods: One hundred and thirty-five samples were collected from hospitals in Baghdad, Iraq, resulting in the isolation of nine isolates of Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp., which were grown, examined microscopically, biochemically, and identified by Vitek2. Their susceptibility to ten antibiotics were evaluated, and their capacity to produce biofilms were examined. The antibiofilm impact of pure β-glucan was evaluated after …

Prevalence Of Tobacco Use And Awareness Of Its Effects Among First Grade Of University Students, Yaseen T. Srhan

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable mortality and morbidity. College students are at high risk of smoking as they are prone to higher availability of cigarettes and stress. Although medical students are aware about the health hazards of tobacco smoking, they, as well as physicians, smoke. Consumption of tobacco and tobacco products, by smoking in particular, is considered to impose a net social cost to society. Smoking and tobacco use are increasingly considered to have acquired the dimensions of an epidemic. Aim: The study estimates the prevalence of smoking and assesses socio-demographic correlates of smoking and characteristics of …

Comparative Study Of Combined Darn And Mesh Vs Mesh-Only Repair In The Management Of Primary Adult Male Inguinal Hernia, Samer Makki Mohamed Al Hakkak

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: The research was conducted to compare the efficacy and postoperative outcomes of combined mesh and darn (CMD) repair versus mesh alone (MA) repair in adult patients with inguinal hernia, with a focus on recurrence rates and the occurrence of postoperative complications. In the realm of general surgical practice, open surgery remains a viable treatment option for primary inguinal hernia, alongside the availability of laparoscopic procedures. Materials and Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted of 404 adult patients with primary inguinal hernias undergoing surgery in selected hospitals between February 2020 and January 2023. Comparative parameters were length of …

Cost Of Illness Analysis In Total Knee Replacement At Public Hospital Jenderal Ahmad Yani, Lampung, Indonesia, Dina Fatma Alia, Dwi Endarti, Tri Murti Andayani

Jurnal Ekonomi Kesehatan Indonesia

Total knee replacement (TKR) is one of the most economical and frequently successful orthopedic procedures. Cost-of-illness studies of TKR in Indonesia are scarce and lack an analysis of the relationship between characteristics and costs. This study aims to examine the cost-of-illness of TKR from a social perspective and explore the relationship between the characteristics and the cost of TKR. This is an observational cross-sectional study of all patients who underwent TKR from 1st January 2022-31 st December 2023. The characteristics were collected from the medical records. Cost of illness was conducted from a social perspective with a bottom-up approach. Hospital …

Global Preferences And Determinant Variables Of Caesarean Delivery Among Pregnant Women: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Mitiku Tefera, Lijalem Jemberu, Eyob Getachew, Getnet Alemu Andarge, Kedir Seid, Gebeyehu Lakew, Amlaku Nigusie Yirsaw, Eyob Ketema Bogale

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

A caesarean section (CS) is a lifesaving procedure. With rising rates, women’s delivery choices have become a global concern. This review assesses global CS preference and determinants. A search of 6 databases was conducted (PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Maternity and Infant Care) in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, including papers published between 2013 and 2024. Egger’s test and funnel plot assessed publication bias, while the I2 statistic and Cochrane Q-test evaluated heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis considered sample size, publication year and economic condition. Initially, 73 articles were identified, of which 13 were deemed suitable, with a total sample size …

Health Workers’ Perspectives On Family Medicine And Family Physicians In Karbala City, Iraq, Haneen Nadhim Jawad, Ali Abdulridha Abutiheen, Hasan Alwan Baiee, Salam Sahib Obiad

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: The opinions and experiences of health workers can provide valuable insights into the current state of family medicine and its potential to improve healthcare services in any country, including Iraq.

Objectives: To identify health workers’ perceptions in Karbala Governorate regarding the role of family medicine and family physicians, and to explore their opinions on the performance of primary health care centers.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out from March through May 2024, involving health professionals from various health service settings in Karbala Governorate, Iraq. Data were collected through a structured, self-administered validated questionnaire covering demographic …

Study The Metabolic And Hormonal Changes In Obese And Non-Obese Women With Polycystic Overy Syndrome: Case-Control Study, Hawraa Shakir Issa, Hanaa Addai Ali

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Women with PCOS experience pathological symptoms like diabetes and insulin resistance (IR), obesity and being overweight, infertility, and irregular menstruation due to hormonal abnormalities.

Objectives: Study the association between metabolic and hormonal changes in PCOS.

Materials and methods: Forty-five Iraqi women with newly diagnosed PCOS, aged between 20–40 years, were divided into two groups X Obese Women with PCOS, Y Non-Obese PCOS. The samples were collected from private labs, Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital, and Al-Zahraa Hospital in the Najaf Governorate. Each was tested using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the subject’s reproductive hormones and by colorimetric methods used to …

Assessment Of Autonomic Dysfunction In Iraqi Patients With Parkinson’S Disease Using The Ssr, Ahmed Ayad Al-Janabi, Abdulnasir Hussin Ameer

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects both motor and non-motor functions, including the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic dysfunction, particularly involving sympathetic pathways, is a common but underdiagnosed feature in PD.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess autonomic dysfunction in Iraqi patients with Parkinson’s disease using the Sympathetic Skin Response (SSR) test as a non-invasive neurophysiological tool.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Ghazi Al-Hariri Surgical Teaching Hospital, involving 40 patients diagnosed with PD and 40 age-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent SSR testing to evaluate latency and amplitude in the hands and feet under …

Assessment Of Serum Levels Of Na, K, Mg, Fe+2, And Se As Potential Risk Markers In Women With Breast Cancer, Fatima Hussein Mahdi, Muthana Saleh Mashkour, Seyed Omid Ranaei Siadat, Hanaa Addai Ali, Abdulkadhim A. Hawi

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Breast cancer is a malignant neoplasm characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of breast epithelial cells, with potential for metastasis.

Objectives: To follow the change in the level of trace elements (TEs) and the extent to which these changes are related to the risk of breast cancer before taking chemotherapy or removing the tumor.

Materials and Methods: The case-control group had 90 Iraqi women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, alongside 90 healthy women who were matched for age and body mass index. Elements and electrolytes in the serum, such as iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and selenium, were measured using a spectrophotometer. …

The Role Of Interleukin 2 And Interleukin 15 In Diagnosis And Prognosis Of Celiac Disease In Children, Mustafa Ali H. Khalaf, Israa Ketab H. Al-Yasiri, Karrar Abdil-Aziz A. Beg

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition that affects the small intestine, triggered by the intake of gluten and related prolamines in genetically predisposed individuals. The anti-tissue tTG-IgA transglutaminase test is a primary screening method for suspected celiac disease.

Materials and Methods: Forty-five children with celiac disease were enrolled in the study, with an age range between 2–14 years, and 43 healthy subjects as the control group in the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad. The diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by Anti tissue transglutaminase (tTG) IgA and IgG antibodies, IL-2, and IL-15 using the enzyme-linked immunoassay technique (ELISA). …

Role Of Serum Chemerin In Predicting Cardiometabolic Risk: Correlation With Lipid Profile In Metabolic Syndrome, Goljameen Midhat Abdulla, Ammar Hatem Abdullateef

Hilla University College Journal For Medical Science

Background: Chemerin, is regarded as an adipose-derived hormone regulating insulin sensitivity, lipid homeostasis, adipogenesis and inflammatory responses. It has previously been shown that serum chemerin levels are linked to metabolic syndrome and cardio-metabolic risk. More knowledge of its associations with lipid profile components might improve early cardiometabolic risk stratification.

Objective: To evaluate the association of serum chemerin as a possible biomarker for Cardiometabolic Risk (CMR) and to correlate it with lipidogram parameters in the adult population with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: A case-control study with 45 individuals with metabolic syndrome and 45 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Serum chemerin …

Table Of Contents

Georgia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Patterns Of Llm Weaponization: A Comparative Analysis Of Exploitation Incidents Across Commercial Ai Systems, George Antoniou

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This comparative study examines patterns of Large Language Model (LLM) weaponization through systematic analysis of four major exploitation incidents spanning from 2023-2025. While existing research focuses on isolated incidents or theoretical vulnerabilities, this study provides one of the first comprehensive comparative frameworks analyzing exploitation patterns across state-sponsored cyber-espionage (Anthropic Claude incident), academic security research (GPT- 4 autonomous privilege escalation), social engineering platforms (SpearBot phishing framework), and underground criminal commoditization (WormGPT/FraudGPT ecosystem). Through comparative analysis across eight dimensions: Adversary sophistication, target selection, exploitation techniques, autonomy levels, detection evasion, attribution challenges, defensive gaps, and capability democratization, this research identifies critical cross-case patterns …

Quantum Readiness In Cybersecurity Education: A Framework For Preparing The Next Generation In The Post-Quantum Era, George Antoniou

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

This framework addresses the critical gap between post-quantum standards and workforce readiness. Shor's algorithm demonstrates that sufficiently powerful quantum computers can break the cryptographic foundations of internet security. While the cryptography research community has developed quantum-resistant algorithms, educational institutions have not prepared students to implement these solutions. Recent surveys show fewer than half of organizations have begun planning for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) transitions (Entrust Cybersecurity Institute, 2024; U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2023; (ISC)², 2024). The NICE Framework (Newhouse, Keith, Scribner, & Witte, 2017) outlines the knowledge and skills that cybersecurity professionals should possess. The framework omits post-quantum cryptography entirely. Organizations …

Harmonizing Self-Reported And Free Text Medication Data: A Reproducible Pipeline For Gerontological Research, Ramkrishna K Singh, Chen Chen, Semere Bekena, David C Brown, Kaylin Taylor, Matthew Blake, Yiqi Zhu, Kebede Beyene, David B Carr, Ganesh M Babulal

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Self-reported medication data collected as free text in gerontological and dementia research is often unstructured with inconsistent formatting. These circumstances pose a challenge for standardization and classification when preparing effective, reproducible analyses. Spelling variations, naming conventions, and reporting drug combinations can hinder mapping to standard pharmacologic vocabularies and compromise medication exposure assessments. We aimed to develop and implement a transparent, reproducible, and scalable data harmonization pipeline that ingests free-text medication records and classifies them according to American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) therapeutic categories. METHODS: A four-phase curation pipeline processed 30,062 Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) medication records collected over …

Membrane Il-18 Identifies A Human Macrophage Subset With Distinct Proteomic And Functional Traits, Chiara Vitale, Marco Colonna, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This study contributes to the characterization of human macrophages in normal and pathological conditions such as cancer. We characterized a macrophage population expressing membrane-associated IL-18 (mIL-18) that shows peculiar proteomic, phenotypic, ultrastructural, and functional properties. mIL-18+ macrophages exhibit increased levels of key proteins involved in pathogen recognition, activation, migration, and endocytosis. They also display specialized functions in vesicle and actin filament transport and lipid metabolism, and have typical mitochondrial traits. Importantly, mIL-18+ cells dominate the peritoneal fluid of adult cancer patients and are present in the bone marrow of children with neuroblastoma. They express high levels of TREM2 but display …

Us Drug Policy Does Not Align With Experts’ Rankings Of Drug Harms: A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, Michael Broman, Alan K Davis, Stacey Armstrong, Adam Levin, Kaltum Ahmed, Gustavo A Angarita, Brooke J Arterberry, Cecilia Bergeria, Mitch Earleywine, Kathryn S Gex, Tom Gregoire, Jamey J Lister, David S Mathai, Nicky J Mehtani, Nathan Menke, Charles D Nichols, Hillary Shaub, Alayna P Tackett, Brandon Weiss, Nefize Yalin, Lawrence D Phillips

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: United States drug policy is primarily based on the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and largely contradicts scientific evidence about how to mitigate drugs’ harms. Expert consensus on drug harms could inform policy that improves the health of people who use drugs while reducing negative societal impacts of drug use. Therefore, this study adapted and extended the relevant 2010 United Kingdom multi-criteria decision analysis, rating drug harms by criteria comprising health and social impacts to people who use drugs and their families, communities, and society.

Methods: Seventeen experts on drug use in the US, including three with lived experience …

Ultrasound-Guided Diffuse Optical Tomography: An Adjunct To Ultrasound That Can Reduce Unnecessary Breast Biopsies, Quing Zhu, Debbie Bennett, Ian S Hagemann, Jaimee Mannix, Kimberly Wiele, Megan Luther, Jingqin Luo, Steven P Poplack

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Breast biopsy is recommended for any lesion in which the radiologist deems the likelihood of malignancy to be greater than 2% and more than 75% of biopsies return with benign results. This study assesses whether the total hemoglobin concentration (HbT) and blood oxygen saturation (%sO2) of malignant and benign breast lesions, obtained using Ultrasound-guided diffuse optical tomography (US-guided DOT), can help reduce benign breast biopsy rates. METHODS: 238 women consecutively recruited were examined with US-guided DOT before their US-guided biopsy. Three or four radiologists independently provided BI-RADS assessments using pre-procedure US and mammography (when available), first without and then …

Eata Mediated Degradation Of Intestinal Mucus Is Species-Specific And Driven By Muc2 Structural Features, Sergio Trillo-Muyo, Brendan Dolan, Frida Svensson, Tim J Vickers, Liisa Arike, Maria-Jose García-Bonete, Jenny K Gustafsson, Mathias I Nielsen, Hans H Wandall, James M Fleckenstein, Gunnar C Hansson, Sjoerd Van Der Post

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infections are a leading cause of diarrheal illness, responsible for an estimated 100,000 deaths annually. ETEC pathogenesis is driven by various virulence factors, including toxins, adhesins, and noncanonical factors such as the protease EatA. The first line of host defense against intestinal pathogenic bacterial infections is the protective intestinal mucus layer. Here, we demonstrate the mechanism by which EatA degrades the core mucus component MUC2, thereby facilitating access to the epithelial cell surface and promoting infection. We identify the specific cleavage site region localized at the C-terminal of MUC2. EatA's protease activity depends on the interaction …

European Management Studies 2025, Vol. 23, No. 4

European Management Studies

European Management Studies 2025, vol. 23, no. 4

Gender Representation In Automotive Safety: The Role Of Female Crash Test Dummies, Gökçe Hilal Yavuz, Emre Arabaci, Ajab Khan Kasi

Platform: A Journal of Engineering (PAJE)

Vehicle testing is conducted to evaluate safety, durability, environmental compliance, and performance. Various tests, such as crash, performance, durability, environmental impact, and chemical safety, are conducted to ensure that vehicles meet regulatory and quality standards. In crash testing, anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), commonly referred to as dummies, are used to simulate the effects of collisions on the human body and to assess injury risks. These dummies differ in terms of gender representation and design; for example, the Hybrid III model represents an average male, EvaRID represents a female, and WorldSID is used for side-impact evaluations. Anatomical and biomechanical differences between …