Digital Commons Network^™

Staff Education To Increase Knowledge And Awareness Of Cultural Sensitivity Among Providers, Stephanie Chiamaka Anyanwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to enhance cultural sensitivity among healthcare providers through an educational intervention in a local organization. With the U.S. foreign-born population exceeding 47 million, the need for culturally competent care has become paramount. The study involved nine participants who underwent a pretest and posttest assessment to evaluate their knowledge and awareness of cultural sensitivity. Results indicated a significant increase in knowledge, with pretest and posttest scores improving from a mean of 4.33 to 8.56 (p < 0.01). Awareness in key areas such as patient-provider relationships, cultural beliefs, and language barriers also showed marked improvement. These findings further support the necessity of ongoing cultural sensitivity training to enhance patient care and outcomes, highlighting the potential for broader application across healthcare institutions.

Digital Trust Recovery: Effective Data Breach Management Approaches, Milbert Flores Dacayana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the digital economy, organizations face an increasing number of data breaches that compromise sensitive information and erode consumer trust. Some organizational leaders are concerned about the lack of effective strategies to manage data breaches and restore stakeholder confidence, which threatens organizations’ reputation and financial stability, and long-term trust in digital systems. Grounded in cybersecurity risk management theory (CRMT) and situational crisis communication theory (SCCT), the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies employed by data managers in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, to manage data breaches and rebuild consumer trust. Participants were 10 experienced data …

Beyond Neurons: Impact Of Cannabidiol On Glial Cells In Ischemic Stroke, Victória Linden De Rezende, Khiany Mathias, Cinara Ludvig Gonçalves, Rafael Mariano De Bitencourt, Tatiana Barichello, Fabricia Petronilho

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Ischemic stroke triggers a complex cascade of events involving inflammation, oxidative stress, and glial cell dysfunction, all of which contribute to neuronal damage and impaired recovery. Glial cells (e.g., astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes) play key roles in neuroinflammatory responses, making them attractive targets for therapeutic modulation. Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid from Cannabis sativa, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Preclinical evidence indicates that cannabidiol attenuates glial reactivity, reduces pro-inflammatory signaling, mitigates oxidative stress, and preserves blood-brain and intestinal barrier integrity in stroke models. Moreover, cannabidiol modulates key molecular pathways (e.g., nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor, and calcium-related signaling), contributing to …

Differentiation In The Human Urothelia Is Defined By Distinct Alternative Polyadenylation, Ninh B Le, Surbhi Sona, Briana Santo, Yi Zhang, Rosie Ou, R Allen Schweickart, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Kunal Rai, Shih-Han Lee, Joo Mi Yi, Oliver Wessely, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distinct epithelial cell states arise during differentiation, but mechanisms generating transcriptomic diversity among them remain poorly defined. The human ureter urothelium contains basal progenitor, intermediate cells, and terminally differentiated umbrella cells. Prior single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar global gene expression profiles across these states, raising the question of how distinct identities emerge. Here, we show that alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) introduces a major layer of transcriptomic diversity during urothelial differentiation, largely independent of changes in mRNA levels. Analysis of 13,544 urothelial cells identified hundreds of differentiation-associated APA events. Single-cell imaging revealed spatially specific APA patterns, and reporter assays demonstrated …

Conned By The Enemy: The Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium Anisopliae Lures And Kills Drosophila Suzukii, Ibrahim M. Farid, Shepard Ndlela, Paul G. Becher, Christopher W. Weldon, Abdelmutalab Ga Azrag, Helgi B. Schiöth, Samira A. Mohamed, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

BACKGROUND: Drosophila suzukii, commonly known as spotted wing drosophila (SWD), is a highly invasive and economically major pest that inflicts significant damage on soft-skinned fruit crops, including raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries and grapes. The recent invasion of D. suzukii in Africa represents a key impediment to the berry industry on the continent. Conventional control strategies for this pest rely heavily on chemical insecticides, which pose several adverse side effects on biodiversity and environmental health. In this study, we evaluated five Metarhizium anisopliae isolates (ICIPE 7, ICIPE 18, ICIPE 20, ICIPE 30, ICIPE 78) for development as a biopesticide for …

Payload Diversification Overcomes Resistance And Guides Sequential Antibody-Drug Conjugate Therapy In Breast Cancer, Dileep Reddy Rampa, Minji Seo, Nanae Ogata, Zhaoxuan Yang, Nithya Sridhar, Fujii Takeo, Chalothorn Wannaphut, Jennifer A Maynard, Kyoji Tsuchikama, George W Sledge, Naoto T Ueno, Jangsoon Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have transformed the treatment of breast cancer. FDA-approved ADCs such as trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), sacituzumab govitecan (SG), and datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) have demonstrated clinical benefit; however, drug resistance will almost inevitably emerge in the metastatic setting, and there is no established strategy for selecting subsequent ADCs after disease progression to the first exposure to the ADC. This study aimed to define mechanisms of acquired resistance and evaluate rational sequencing approaches.

Experimental design: We generated breast cancer cell lines resistant to T-DXd (TDXd-R) and SG (SG-R). We assessed antigen expression, internalization, and resistance pathways, including efflux transporter …

Cabozantinib And Thromboembolism In Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, And Retrospective Study, Harish Eswaran, Rohan R Kasthuri, Pavan K Bendapudi, Alok A Khorana, Raj S Kasthuri, Nick Van Es, Steven P Grover

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Antiangiogenic agents, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), represent an important class of treatments for a range of solid tumors. However, concerns have arisen over potential associations between antiangiogenic agents and thromboembolic events. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a frequently used VEGFR TKI, cabozantinib, with placebo or usual care. The primary outcome was the risk of any thromboembolism. Secondary outcomes included the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), risk of arterial thromboembolism (ATE) and progression-free survival. 14 RCTs were included with a combined total of 4204 patients, …

Differentiation In The Human Urothelia Is Defined By Distinct Alternative Polyadenylation, Ninh B Le, Surbhi Sona, Briana Santo, Yi Zhang, Rosie Ou, R Allen Schweickart, Veena Kochat, William I Padron, Kunal Rai, Shih-Han Lee, Joo Mi Yi, Oliver Wessely, Byron H Lee, Angela H Ting

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Distinct epithelial cell states arise during differentiation, but mechanisms generating transcriptomic diversity among them remain poorly defined. The human ureter urothelium contains basal progenitor, intermediate cells, and terminally differentiated umbrella cells. Prior single-cell RNA sequencing revealed similar global gene expression profiles across these states, raising the question of how distinct identities emerge. Here, we show that alternative cleavage and polyadenylation (APA) introduces a major layer of transcriptomic diversity during urothelial differentiation, largely independent of changes in mRNA levels. Analysis of 13,544 urothelial cells identified hundreds of differentiation-associated APA events. Single-cell imaging revealed spatially specific APA patterns, and reporter assays demonstrated …

Structures Of Trpv1 Bound By Hyperthermia-Inducing Analgesics, Yu-Hao Gao, Yi-Zhe Huang, Zhao-Xing Li, Xiao-Ying Chen, Chang-Yan Shao, Han-Wen Li, Bin Liu, Fán Yang, Mei-Rong Chen, Mei-Ling Lu, Michael X Zhu, Fan Yang, Yi-Bei Xiao, Ye Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

TRPV1, a member of the transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily, mediates nociception and thermoregulation. TRPV1-targeting analgesics frequently induce hyperthermia, underscoring the need for structural insights to guide the development of safer compounds. Here, we determined the structures of rat TRPV1 bound to the clinical candidate analgesics AMG517, AMG9810, and SB366791. AMG517 and AMG9810 are deeply situated within the S3-S4 interface of the vanilloid pocket, where they interact with residues from the S3-S6 helices, as well as the S4-S5 linker. These interactions induce local deformations in the TRP-box and lower S6 helix, accompanied by a modest rotation of the S1-S4 bundle, …

Mechanistic Insights Into The Antimicrobial Effect Of Benzodioxane-Benzamides Against Escherichia Coli, Lorenzo Suigo, Alessia Lanzini, Valentina Straniero, William Margolin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: The bacterial cell division machinery is emerging as an attractive target for antimicrobial compounds. FtsZ, a highly conserved essential division protein, is the target for a number of small molecules such as benzamides. Recent studies show that benzodioxane-benzamides (BDOBs) are among the most potent inhibitors of FtsZ function in Gram-positive bacteria, although their ability to inhibit Gram-negative FtsZ, in particular Escherichia coli FtsZ, has been more controversial.

Methods: Here, we use genetic and cytological methods to demonstrate that FtsZ of efflux pump-disabled E. coli can be efficiently targeted by BDOBs.

Results: We show that engineered mutants …

Systemic Drug Delivery In Pigs Using Biodegradable Microneedle Patches, Katherine A. Miranda-Munoz, Tsungcheng Tsai, Jacy Riddle, Ke He, Lee Blaney, Jeremy Powell, Jorge Almodovar

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transdermal microneedle systems offer a minimally invasive strategy for systemic drug delivery in veterinary medicine. In this study, biodegradable microneedle patches composed of polyvinyl alcohol, collagen, and chitosan were evaluated in pigs for the delivery of two model compounds, fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran, 4 kDa) and flunixin meglumine (FLU). Patches were applied to the ear and neck to assess the influence of anatomical site on systemic absorption. FITC-dextran delivered via a single 50 mg patch on the neck achieved approximately 1.2-1.4-fold higher plasma concentrations than oral administration and ear-applied patches, demonstrating enhanced uptake from vascularized regions. FLU patches applied to the …

Targeting Interleukin-6 Trans-Signaling To Improve Post-Stroke Inflammation: A Precision Immunotherapy Perspective, Kate Mendoza, Dustin T Nguyen, Anjali Chauhan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Structures Of Invertebrate Pezo-1 Isoforms With A Compact Architecture And A Dispensable Pore-Distal N-Terminal Blade, Briar Bell, Angela M Jaramillo-Granada, Daniel J Orlin, Wei-Hsiang Weng, Haosheng Wen, Marcos Sotomayor, Alexander T Chesler, Matthew L Baker, Julio F Cordero-Morales, Valeria Vásquez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PIEZO channels are mechanosensitive ion channels conserved from plants to humans, yet structures exist for only a few mammalian orthologs. We define the structural and functional diversity of Caenorhabditis elegans PEZO-1, a single gene with extensive alternative splicing, by determining cryo-electron microscopy structures of three representative isoforms: G (full length), K (lacking the pore-distal N-terminal blade), and L (missing most of the blade). PEZO-1G displays mechanically evoked currents yet adopts a compact, semi-flattened conformation that significantly differs from the mammalian domes. The blades exhibit a three-step slope architecture stabilized by inter-blade latching among transmembrane helical units, yielding a circular, steering-wheel-like …

Race And Patient-Physician Communication On Blood Pressure Management: Helping Improve Care, Samar A. Nasser, Ashley Pender, Ayan Ali, Kardie Tobb, Keith C. Ferdinand

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an overview of the relationship of race and ethnicity and patient-physician/clinician communication on blood pressure management.

RECENT FINDINGS: The suboptimal interactions experienced by patients from underrepresented racial and ethnic populations may be improved by enriching relationships among clinicians, population health scientists, policymakers, and community members/leaders. Current care communication and policies for managing hypertension appear to be insufficient. Implementing and disseminating effective strategies to efficiently improve the quality of hypertension care and recognize social determinants of health among minoritized populations is intertwined with enhanced communication.

SUMMARY: Approaches such as self-affirmation—encouraging patients to reflect on their strengths …

Establishing Functional Communication Responses And Mands: A Scoping Review Of Teaching Procedures And Implications For Future Investigation., Kyle W. Dawson, Amanda N. Zangrillo, Samantha J. Bryan, Rebecca J. Barall, Colin G. Wehr

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The functional communication response (FCR) shares fundamental properties with the mand, with both responses linking the relevant motivating operation and the reinforcer maintaining a response. The FCR differs from the mand in that the communication response has the expressed intention of replacing challenging behavior by providing an outlet to access the same functional reinforcer. Research describes the development of mand and FCR repertoires; however, no research to date elucidates differences and similarities in how these repertoires are established. A scoping review was selected to systematically map and compare instructional procedures across FCT and mand training studies. In this scoping review, …

Anorectal Complications In Acute Leukaemia: A Retrospective Analysis Of Clinical Characteristics, Management And Outcomes In A Tertiary Care Setting In Oman, Najwa Al Himali, Murtadha Al Khabori, Mohamed Al Huneini

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Anorectal complications are common and serious issues among patients with haematological malignancies, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Limited data are available on their incidence, microbiology screening and management. This study aimed to improve the understanding of these complications in patients diagnosed with acute leukaemia in Oman. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman and included patients diagnosed with acute leukaemia who developed anorectal complications over the past decade (2015–2024). Results: A total of 100 patients were included in this study; 50% had acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), 35% had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) …

Clustering Of Temporal And Visual Data: Recent Advancements, Priyanka Mudgal

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Clustering plays a central role in uncovering latent structure within both temporal and visual data. It enables critical insights in various domains including healthcare, finance, surveillance, autonomous systems, and many more. With the growing volume and complexity of time-series and image-based datasets, there is an increasing demand for robust, flexible, and scalable clustering algorithms. Although these modalities differ—time-series being inherently sequential and vision data being spatial—they exhibit common challenges such as high dimensionality, noise, variability in alignment and scale, and the need for interpretable groupings. This survey presents a comprehensive review of recent advancements in clustering methods that are adaptable …

Mapping Post-Rainfall Recovery In Arid Regions Using A Hierarchical U-Net, Xin Hong

All Works

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced an extreme rainfall event between April 15 and 17, 2024, and that resulted in severe flooding in its coastal regions. Dubai was among the most affected regions. This study applies a hierarchical deep learning model on PlanetScope imagery to detect flood inundation, quantify flood extent by land cover, and examine short-term recovery dynamics. While earlier work detailed the methodological development of a hierarchical U-Net model (Hong et al., in press), here we emphasize its application for monitoring resilience trajectories in an arid urban environment. Results show that approximately 22 km² of land was …

Assessing Mangrove Ecosystem Health And Identifying Optimal Planting Regions Using Remote Sensing And Gis In The Uae, Imen Ben Salem, A. Karthi, Yousef Nazzal

All Works

Mangrove forests play a critical role in carbon sequestration, biodiversity preservation, and coastal resilience, making their conservation and restoration essential in climate change mitigation. This study uses traditional field evaluations and remote sensing and geoinformatics (GIS) methods to examine how mangrove ecosystems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have changed over time and space. We used Landsat satellite data from 2001 to 2024 and a set of vegetation indices, including SMRI, NDVI, GNDVI, EVI, and NDCI, to examine spatial patterns in biomass distribution, vegetation density, and overall ecosystem health. CO2 sequestration is a bit more climate-impact resilient. Even though the …

Mapping Urban Vegetation Changes Using Planetscope Imagery And Gis: A Case Study Of The 2024 Dubai Flood, Sumayya Almansoori, Xin Hong

All Works

In April 2024, unexpected heavy rainfall triggered one of the most severe flooding events in Dubai’s recent history, causing widespread concern for urban infrastructure and green spaces. This study evaluates the flood’s impact on urban vegetation in South Dubai using high-resolution PlanetScope satellite imagery and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Vegetation conditions before and after the flood (April 14 and April 18–19, 2024) were quantified and compared using NDVI analysis within QGIS to assess changes in vegetation health and coverage. Results indicate significant declines in vegetation health in areas dominated by intensive turf management, such as Damac Hills and …

Bridging The Gap Transition From Pediatric Care To Adult Care, Jordan Garcia, Haley Henry, Amina Jamma, Guiliana Jimenez Carrion, Alexis Lowary, Jenna Potts, Josie Ramirez, Iman Siraj

2025

No abstract provided.

Assessing Urban Flooding And Vegetation Impact In Dubai Creek Following The April 2024 Extreme Rainfall, Dana Alhammadi, Xin Hong

All Works

During April 2024, the United Arab Emirates experienced an unusual phenomenon of an intense rainfall episode between April 14 and 18 that resulted in massive flooding in urban environments, particularly low-lying areas such as Dubai Creek. As a tidal waterway with dense urban development and environmentally sensitive zones surrounding it, Dubai Creek is an ideal site for assessing environmental changes caused by to floods. The study employed pre-flood (14 April) and post-flood (18 April) high-resolution PlanetScope satellite images, in combination with QGIS analysis, to evaluate vegetation health and surface water changes. Quantification of affected areas from flooding was achieved through …

Metaverse-Enabled Digital Twins For Business And Smart Cities: Toward A Human-Centered Framework For Digital Transformation, Rasem Qudaih, Nicholas Caldwell, Imen Ben Salem, A. Karthi

All Works

Digital Twin (DT) technologies are increasingly changing how businesses and cities model, assess, and enhance complex systems. Traditional DTs have served as static representations of tangible assets, providing monitoring and predictive functionalities. However, minimal stakeholder engagement and a focus on specific sectors have often limited their full potential. The rise of the metaverse, reinforced by Extended Reality (XR) technologies, presents a unique chance to evolve DTs into immersive, interactive, and human-centered platforms for collaborative decision-making. This integration allows stakeholders to visualize and engage with multidimensional data in real time, facilitating predictive analysis, scenario planning, and participatory governance. In business environments, …

Cxcr4-Targeted Theranostics In Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Present Evidence And Future Directions, Marcus Yoakam, Uma A. Obalapuram, Kameron Hahn, Samir Dalia

Student Publications

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a biologically heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies with variable clinical outcomes despite advances in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and cellular therapies. The C–X–C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4)/ C–X–C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) axis plays a central role in lymphocyte trafficking, survival, and tumor microenvironment interactions. It is frequently dysregulated in NHL, making it an attractive target for precision oncology. CXCR4- directed theranostics combines molecular imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy, enabling real-time assessment of receptor expression, patient stratification, and personalized treatment delivery. Diagnostic positron emission tomography imaging using ⁶⁸Ga-pentixafor reliably visualizes CXCR4-expressing disease, while therapeutic agents, such …

Mental Health And Conflicts: A Handbook For Empowerment, Dan Berstein

DRI Press

Mental health needs are universal. About half of us will end up having a diagnosable mental health issue at some point during our lives, and we all know what it is like to have a bad day. We also understand conflicts are hard and they often bring out the worst in us. There are simple ways to be ready for when mental health needs arise during conflicts. This handbook introduces different mental health perspectives, dispels common stereotypes, and provides tools for empowering mental health communication. This book is designed to help laypeople as well as professionals across all kinds of …

Expression Spectrum Of Te-Driven Transcripts In Human Adult Tissues, Benpeng Miao, Xinlong Luo, Amina Ademovic, Yushan Yang, Tao P Wu, Bo A Zhang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Transposable elements (TEs) are vital components of eukaryotic genomes and have played a critical role in genome evolution. Although most TEs are silenced in the mammalian genome, increasing evidence suggests that certain TEs are actively involved in gene regulation during early developmental stages. However, the extent to which human TEs drive gene transcription in adult tissues remains largely unexplored. RESULTS: In this study, we systematically analyze 17,329 human transcriptomes to investigate how TEs influence gene transcription across 47 adult tissues. Our findings reveal that TE-driven transcripts are broadly expressed in human tissues, contributing to both housekeeping functions and tissue-specific …

Myd88 Signaling In Myeloid Cells Induces Gastrointestinal Tract Injury And Systemic Inflammation After West Nile Virus Infection, Shih-Ching Lin, Fang R Zhao, Matthias Mack, Gabriel Mbalaviele, Michael S Diamond

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Humans with autoantibodies to type I interferons (IFNs) are at higher risk for neurological disease after West Nile virus (WNV) infection. IFN signaling deficient WNV-infected mice develop greater inflammation in the brain, which correlates with loss of gut barrier integrity. Here, we investigate the immune pathways that mediate this virus-gut-brain axis of inflammation. Myd88

Redefining The Role Of Chaperones For Dot/Icm T4bss-Mediated Substrate Translocation By Legionella Pneumophila, Sukhithasri Vijayrajratnam, Ahmet Hasanovic, Joseph P Vogel

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Legionella pneumophila, the etiological agent of legionnaires' disease, establishes its intracellular niche through the Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system, which translocates ∼300 effector proteins into host cells. Efficient secretion of many effectors requires the IcmS and IcmW chaperones, which interact with both substrates and the type IV coupling protein DotL. A prior model proposed that IcmSW are released from substrates during translocation by transfer to the C terminus of DotL and then recycled to the cytoplasm. This model predicts an excess cytoplasmic pool of IcmSW and their dissociation from DotL. We tested these predictions using quantitative stoichiometric analysis of Dot/Icm …

Dual Roles Of Trpv2 In The Innate Immune Response To Cytosolic Dna: Arresting Dormant And Boosting Activated Sting, Chen Cheng, Hsiang-Ting Lu, Shan Li, Zhongsheng You

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The cGAS/STING-dependent innate immune pathway is central in the cellular response to cytosolic DNA derived from viral infections, genotoxic stress, or mitochondrial defects. While efficient activation of the pathway is crucial for defending against pathogens and cancer, maintaining its dormancy without stimuli is equally important to avoid autoimmunity. However, the precise control of the cGAS/STING pathway remains poorly understood. Here, we report that the ion channel TRPV2 regulates both the dormancy and activation of STING. TRPV2 associates with STING and suppresses spontaneous STING activation in the absence of cytoDNA but dissociates from STING and promotes its activation by releasing Ca

Distinct Contributions Of Etv2+ And Flk1+ Progenitors To Endothelial, Hematopoietic, And Cardiac Lineages, Dereck Alleyne, Minseo Kim, Jun Wu, Yoojung Kwon, Ye-Ram Kim, Ashraf Ul Kabir, Matthew Ishahak, Jeffrey R Millman, Changxu Fan, Hyung Joo Lee, Karen Krchma, Xiaoyun Xing, Kory Lavine, Ting Wang, Kyunghee Choi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The ETS family transcription factor ETV2, VEGFA, and its receptor FLK1 are essential for hematopoietic, vascular, and cardiac development. Here, we combine dual Etv2 and Flk1 lineage tracing with molecular profiling to define how mesoderm progenitors are allocated to hematopoietic, endothelial, cardiomyocyte, and smooth muscle lineages. We demonstrate that hematopoietic, endothelial, and cardiac valves arise from dual Etv2