Digital Commons Network^™

Eef2k Promotes Immune Evasion In Melanoma Via Cyclin D1–Mediated Stabilization Of Pd-L1, Yijie Ren, Darby J. Ballard, Anil Kumar, Andy F. Song, Mitiksha Gupta, Xiaofang Xiong, Xingcong Ren, Jugal Kishore Das, Jin-Ming Yang, Jianxun Song

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is a stress-responsive regulator of protein synthesis implicated in melanoma progression, but its role in tumor immune evasion remains poorly defined. We investigated how eEF2K influences programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression through modulation of Cyclin D1. We analyzed gene expression and dependency datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Cancer Dependency Map. Protein–protein interactions were assessed by co-immunoprecipitation. Cyclin D1 was inhibited pharmacologically with palbociclib. Immune responses were evaluated in murine B16-OVA and human A2058 melanoma models using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry after genetic or pharmacologic modulation of eEF2K and Cyclin D1. …

Characteristics Of The Health-Associated Oral Microbiome In Young Nonhuman Primates, J. L. Ebersole, O. A. Gonzalez

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Nonhuman primates have been shown to develop periodontitis with clinical and demographic features similar to humans. This preclinical disease model is well-positioned to advance the elucidation of novel biologic-based preventive and therapeutic approaches to controlling periodontitis, a chronic infection and immunoinflammatory disease. In this analysis, the oral microbiomes of younger (10–19 human years; n = 30) nonhuman primates are compared for matriline (an indicator of heritability), sex, and age variations. A holistic assessment of the microbiome similarities/differences suggested two primary conclusions in this younger group of orally healthy nonhuman primates. First, at the microbiome level of phyla, orders, and families, …

Prognostic Value Of Lung Injury Biomarkers In Patients Hospitalized With Covid-19 Without Respiratory Failure At Admission, Jennifer G. Wilson, Greg A. Grandits, Birgit Grund, Shweta S. Mistry, Carolyn Leroux, Angelika Ringor, Neil R. Aggarwal, Daniel D. Murray, Christina E. Barkauskas, Samuel M. Brown, Elizabeth Higgs, Kathryn Shaw-Saliba, Adam Rupert, Virginia L. Kan, Jeremy R. Beitler, Omar Awan, Jamie L. Sturgill, Halima Dawood, Andre C. Kalil, Ioannis Kalomenidis, Abhijit Duggal, Sarah C. Sasson, Minh Q. Ho, Hien H. Nguyen, Jens D. Lundgren, Adit A. Ginde, Wesley H. Self, H. Clifford Lane, Michael A. Matthay, Angela J. Rogers

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Objectives: – The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted an urgent need to more efficiently identify patients at highest risk for developing respiratory failure. We investigated whether plasma levels of lung injury biomarkers are associated with progression to respiratory failure among adults hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia without respiratory failure at admission. Design: – This was a nested case-control study of COVID-19 patients enrolled in the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines-3 (ACTIV-3)/Therapeutics for Inpatients with COVID-19 (TICO) platform trial who were on less than 20 L/min supplemental oxygen at enrollment. We compared baseline measurements of lung injury biomarkers between participants who progressed to …

Improving Blood Pressure Control Through Lifestyle Modification In African Americans Adults With Uncontrolled Hypertension, Tasha Leonard

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

African American adults have the highest incidence of uncontrolled hypertension (HTN), leading to premature cardiovascular death in Texas and worldwide. In a South Texas cardiac clinic, over 90% of African American adults with HTN also have obesity, compared with 55% of their Caucasian counterparts. The most prevalent factor affecting this group is poor understanding of blood pressure management, which leads to nonadherence to dietary and exercise recommendations, medication regimens, and blood pressure monitoring. The objective was to determine whether lifestyle modification using a hypertensive bundle would improve blood pressure management among African American adults in the clinical setting. The initiative …

Watercolored Waves, Inchara Kumar

Digressions: Literary & Art Journal

No abstract provided.

How Wasteful Is Signaling?, Alex Frankel

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

Signaling is wasteful. But how wasteful? We study the fraction of surplus dissipated in a separating equilibrium. For isoelastic environments, this waste ratio has a simple formula: β/(β + σ), where β is the benefit elasticity (reward to higher perception) and σ is the elasticity of higher types’ relative cost advantage. The ratio is constant across types and independent of other parameters, including convexity of cost in the signal. A constant waste ratio characterizes the isoelastic class. In winner-take-all signaling tournaments with N candidates, exactly (N − 1)/N of the surplus dissipates—the same as in Tullock contests.

Multisite, Multiancestry Genome-Wide Association Study Meta-Analysis Of Functional Seizure Disorder In A Hospital Sample Of 675,680 Patients, Slavina B Goleva, Costin Leu, Yen-Chen Anne Feng, David Burstein, Sanan Venkatesh, Rebecca Birnbaum, Veera M Rajagopal, Peter Straub, Jakob Christensen, Jocelyn F Bautista, Robyn M Busch, Imad M Najm, Jakob Grove, Anders D Børglum, Georgios Voloudakis, Panos Roussos, Jordan Smoller, Dennis Lal, Lea K Davis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Functional seizures (FS) are paroxysmal episodes that phenotypically resemble epileptic seizures but are not associated with brain epileptiform discharges; they are also known as psychogenic nonepileptic seizures. The exact etiology and pathophysiology of FS is unknown; however, trauma and stress-related disorders are known risk factors.

Methods: We used a validated algorithm applied to electronic health records to identify individuals with FS in 6 international biobanks and hospital sites. We conducted a multisite FS genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis, including 10,910 FS cases (9040 predicted European ancestry [EA] and 1870 predicted African ancestry [AA]) and 664,500 (561,150 EA and 103,350 …

Optimisation Of Sampling For A New Skin Microbiome Assay Pilot Study, Anita Smith

Theses

Recent interest in the diverse ecosystem of bacteria, fungi and viruses that make up the skin microbiome has led to numerous studies investigating the microbiome in healthy skin and in dermatological diseases. An imbalance of the normal skin microbial flora can cause some skin diseases, and current culture techniques are often unable to detect a microorganism to further our understanding of the clinical–microbiological correlates of disease and dysbiosis. Atopic dermatitis and rosacea are presentations that General practitioners (GPs) often manage that may have an infective or microbiological component and can be challenging to treat. Further research using culture-independent techniques is …

Monopolizing The Harvest: Corporate Influence And Regulatory Gaps In Global Seed Governance, Mia Mahmudur Rahim

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Design Of Energy-Efficient, Scalable, And Flexible Tensor Processing Architectures With Electro-Photonic Integrated Circuits, Oluwaseun Alo

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

In recent years, artificial intelligence has achieved remarkable success across domains such as computer vision, natural language processing, and scientific computing. This progress has been driven largely by advances in deep learning, particularly deep neural networks (DNNs), including convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformer-based models. While these models deliver unprecedented accuracy, often surpassing human performance, their computational complexity continues to grow rapidly due to multibillion- and trillion-parameter designs. As model sizes and deployment scales expand, the demand for energy-efficient and high-throughput hardware accelerators has intensified. Conventional electronic platforms based on CPUs, GPUs, ASICs, and FPGAs are increasingly constrained by the …

Advancing Edge Intelligence: Strategies For Improving Machine Learning On Embedded Devices, Prakash Dhungana

Theses and Dissertations--Electrical and Computer Engineering

Artificial intelligence (AI) has demonstrated tremendous success in handling complex tasks across multiple domains, a leap largely attributed to complex deep neural network (DNN) architectures. However, the increasing demand for real-time processing, low latency, limited connectivity, and enhanced privacy necessitates edge intelligence, where computation is performed directly on resource-constrained embedded devices rather than relying on cloud infrastructures. While optimized TinyML techniques such as pruning, quantization, and neural architecture search (NAS) have made edge deployment feasible by significantly reducing computation and memory demands, achievable performance remains severely limited by hardware constraints. Furthermore, models deployed in highly dynamic real-world environments suffer from …

Breast Milk Versus Formula Feeding In The Development Of Necrotizing Enterocolitis Among Nicu Infants: An Integrative Review, Mackenzie Jameson, Faye Li, Liudmila Ryzhova, Mia Smith

Master's Projects

Introduction/Question: NEC is a serious condition characterized by the death of intestinal tissue, primarily affecting premature infants or those with low birth weight. The incidence of NEC poses a significant concern in neonatal healthcare due to its substantial mortality risk, particularly among vulnerable populations. This condition can lead to various complications, including sepsis, nutritional deficiencies, delays in growth and development, and, in severe cases, death. NEC not only impacts the health of the infant but also affects the emotional well-being and bonding experiences of parents. Despite advancements in neonatal care, the rate of NEC has increased, highlighting the need …

Philosophical System Of General T-Continuity As The Base Of Culture-Space Economics, Victor L. Tonn

Faculty and Staff - Articles & Papers

This paper presents a holistic philosophical system based on systric forms, operational transformors, and T-Continuity, aiming to establish cultural foundations for Type I and II Economies. Culture-space economics bridges Earth and space, initiating universal economics for the Great Space Era. The Comprehensive Universe (『SELF』) comprises three systems supporting mutual-central, micro-private, and macro-collective economies. Humanity’s spaceward journey advances T-Continuity, with human creativity—not just technology—as the primary driver, offering hope for cosmic peace through ideal cultural-spatial economies. This paper presents a holistic philosophical system based on systric forms, operational transformors, and T-Continuity, aiming to establish cultural foundations for Type I and II …

A Third Way: An Unlikely Professional Portfolio, Sami C. Pack-Toner

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Age, Law, And Political Economy, Alexander Boni-Saenz

Articles

This Article examines the intersection of age, class, and the law. Its central claim is that age is an essential dimension for the analysis of law and political economy. There are two primary reasons why. First, age is embedded in a large body of legal rules that structure the labor market and address vulnerabilities associated with particular life stages. Child labor laws set minimum ages for entry into the workforce, while social welfare laws use age eligibility criteria to shape the material conditions for older adults. Second, age and its sibling concept, generation, indirectly shape economic and political relations by …

The Effect Of Social Buffering And Gender On Cortisol Response In Emerging Adults, Ashley G. Molchany

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Abstract

Cortisol, the primary stress hormone in the body, is released in times of challenge, including challenges faced throughout the transition to college. The experience of acute stress can be assessed through cortisol measures. The present study involved a 60-minute lab assessment for first-year students to analyze their physiological response to stress. Previous research has illustrated factors which impact cortisol responses, two of which are social support and gender. In the current study, participants (n = 71) were assigned to work either by themselves (Student Alone Condition) or in a peer triad group (Peer Triad Condition). Additionally, participants identified …

Dual Language Learner Status In Relation To Cortisol For Children In Head Start Preschool, Keala Bratsch

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Early childhood education (ECE) has well documented school readiness benefits, especially for children facing economic hardship. Yet preschool context poses challenges that are associated with elevated stress levels and potential long-term tax on physiological systems that respond to stress. The present study examined dual language learner (DLL) status in relation to levels of the stress hormone cortisol among low-income children attending Head Start Preschool programs. Participants included 207 children ages 3- 5 years who attended preschool in 2021-22 (60.9% attending a dual-language learning school, 39.1% attending an English-instruction-only preschool; all participants meeting the criteria for low-income), and their parents or …

Arts Enriched Head Start Preschool And School Readiness: Are Benefits Accentuated For Children Facing Greater Economic Hardship?, Isabella Capera

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Children growing up in impoverished and low-income households face opportunity gaps that limit their school readiness (Blair & Raver, 2015). Head Start preschool, which serves families facing economic hardship, has been demonstrated to reduce these gaps and enhance school readiness. Further, multiple studies have suggested that arts enriched Head Start may offer particular benefits (e.g., Brown et al., 2010, 2018; Lobo & Winsler, 2008). Yet research to date is limited and has not examined whether the benefits of arts enriched preschool may be uniquely helpful for children facing the greatest economic risk. The present study examines growth in school readiness …

Peer Mentorship Among Women Staff In Higher Education Organizations: A Phenomenological Study, Katherine Marie Booher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The role of higher education within U.S. society has broadened. As colleges and universities expand their work beyond the core teaching and research functions, staff become more involved in mission-delivery than they have been historically. In the past, staff primarily served in supportive roles, but now also lead initiatives such as outreach and community engagement, workforce and economic development, international programs, and more. This broadening mission underscores the importance of staff within the higher education organizations’ mission-delivery functions. However, the execution of this work is hindered by staff attrition in positions primarily filled by women. The current literature on mentorship …

Private Standards As Liability Shields: A Pro-Innovation Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Approach For States, Gary E. Marchant, Jordan Buckwald

Minnesota Journal of Law, Science & Technology

States face a dilemma. The federal government is not regulating artificial intelligence (AI), and is threatening states that regulate the technology with preemption and funding restrictions. Moreover, piecemeal state regulation with different substantive requirements risks impeding AI innovation and harming our national interest and security. And yet, AI creates a whole host of problems relating to accuracy, safety, security, bias, transparency, privacy, and autonomy that needs to be governed. This Article presents a solution to this dilemma that can protect against AI risks without harming innovation and the national interest. The proposal is for states to provide a liability shield …

Perceived Discrimination And Posttraumatic Stress In People Of Color: The Moderating Role Of Ethnic-Racial Identity And Psychological Flexibility, Jacinta O. Anyanwu

Dissertations and Theses

Perceived discrimination is highly prevalent among people of color (POC) and is strongly associated with elevated posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) severity, even after accounting for socioeconomic factors. Guided by the minority stress model, this study examined whether two resilience factors - ethnic racial identity and psychological flexibility moderated the association between everyday discrimination and PTSS in a trauma exposed adult sample of POC. Participants (N = 355) were recruited through Prolific, an online crowdsource platform, and completed self report measures assessing discrimination, PTSS severity, ethnic racial identity, and psychological flexibility. Everyday discrimination was a robust predictor of PTSS severity across …

The Mitosis-Specific Antibody Anti-Phosphohistone-H3 (Phh3) And Its Relation To The Histopathological And Biological Characteristics Of Ameloblastoma And Ameloblastic Carcinoma, Husam Asadiq S. Alrumayh, Samar Soliman, Khadiga M. Ali, Hoda M Ismail, Azza Abbas El-Sissi

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Aim This study aimed to assess the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) in multicystic ameloblastoma (AB), unicystic AB and ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) and to investigate the mitotic activity difference between these lesions. Material and Methods This study was carried out on 30 cases, classified into three groups Group I 13 cases of multicystic AB. Group II 7 cases of unicystic AB Group III 10 cases of AC. These cases were selected from the Oral Pathology Department, Mansoura University and Cairo University archives from 2023 to 2024. Immunohistochemistry for PHH3 was done and the immunoreactivity was evaluated by the …

Evaluation Of Soft Tissue Response Of Two Different Provisional Prothesis Used For Immediate Load Full Arch Implant Prosthesis. Randomized Control Clinical Trial, Mubeen Jaafar Imran, Mohammed Hussein Raafat Abd Elfatah, Sally Elsayed Abdelsameaa, Moustafa Abdou Moustafa Elsyad

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Purpose: The study seeks to evaluate the gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI) for bar reinforced 3D printed provisional full arch and Milled PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) provisional full arch prostheses. Materials and methods: This study involves immediate implant placement in completely edentulous mandibles using computer-guided surgery. Patients are selected based on CBCT evaluation, ensuring bone density between D1 and D3. A removable complete denture was first fabricated to restore the occlusal plane. A dual scan technique was used with radiopaque markers for digital planning. Virtual prosthesis planning was performed using Exocad software. A stackable surgical guide was …

Comparative Study Between High Performance Polymers Versus Metallic Definitive Obturator: A Finite Element Analysis, Mostafa S. Swedan

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Aim: This study investigates the mechanical performance of obturators fabricated from PEKKTON, PEEK, and traditional Cobalet-chromium materials using finite element analysis. Methods : One three dimensional finite element model was created for this study. Starting by cast laser scanning to create solid parts of the model "cortical, cancellous, mucosa, obturator, and partial denture" that to simulate restoration of maxillectomy defects. The model was subjected to average masticatory load of 200N distributed on the partial denture vertically and oblique. Results: The results of the three obturator materials showed too similar deformation and stresses distributions with small variation in values. The obturator …

Extended Platelet Rich Fibrin In Mandibular Alveolar Ridge Splitting With Simultaneous Implant Placement, Faisal Hammad Nuhater Alshammary, Heba Abo-Elfetooh Elsheikh, Walid Abd El-Ghafar Al-Zordk, Noha Ahmed Mansour

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Purpose: To evaluate, both clinically and radiographically, the use of extended platelet-rich fibrin versus a pericardium membrane in mandibular ridge splitting accompanied by immediate implant placement.

Materials and Methods: A total of sixteen implants were placed in eight patients with horizontally atrophic posterior mandibular ridges measuring 3–6 mm in width were randomly assigned to two groups with equal numbers. Both groups underwent ridge splitting with simultaneous implant insertion. In Group I, the intercortical defect was grafted with bone allograft and covered using a pericardium membrane, while Group II received extended platelet-rich fibrin (e-PRF) membrane instead. Clinical assessment focused on assessment …

Influence Of Serum Vitamin D Levels On Marginal Bone Loss Around Unsplinted Mandibular Implant Overdentures: A Retrospective Study, Rahma El Hussany Mohammed El Desouky, Fatma Ahmad El-Waseef

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Objective: To investigate the impact of serum vitamin D levels on marginal bone loss (MBL) in patients restored with unsplinted-mandibular-implant overdentures using LOCATOR attachments. Materials and Methods: Thirty participants rehabilitated with three-implant-mandibular overdentures were included. Based on serum vitamin D at the time of prosthetic loading, participants were categorized into two equal groups: a test group with deficient vitamin D (< 20 ng/mL) and a control group with sufficient levels (≥30 ng/mL). Patients with borderline levels (21–29 ng/mL) were excluded. Peri-implant vertical (VBL) and horizontal bone loss (HBL) were measured at baseline (T0), 6 months (T6), and 12 months (T12). Results: The vitamin D-deficient group exhibited significantly elevated VBL and HBLover the sufficient group at all-time points (P

Cephalometric Norms And Sexual Dimorphism In The Tanzanian Population: A Comparative Study With Caucasian And West African Norms, Ali K. Hamad, Ferdinand M. Machibya, Matilda M. Mlangwa, David N. Ngassapa

Mansoura Journal of Dentistry

Objective: This study aimed to establish cephalometric norms for the Tanzanian population, assess sexual dimorphism in cephalometric measurements, and compare these findings with established Caucasian and West African norms to enhance orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. Materials and Methods: A crosssectional study was conducted on 309 subjects (142 males, 167 females) at Muhimbili University Dental Clinic. Cephalometric radiographs were digitally traced using Quick Ceph Studio. Reliability was assessed using the inter-class correlation coefficient. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test checked normality, while one-sample t-tests and Student’s ttests (p < 0.05) were used for comparisons. Data were analyzed with RStudio. Results: Tanzanians showed significantly smaller craniofacial measurements than Caucasians. Males had larger skeletal dimensions than females. Compared to West Africans, Tanzanians had generally higher values, with a few exceptions. Conclusion: Tanzanians display distinct craniofacial characteristics, differing from both Caucasians and West Africans. These findings support the need for population-specific cephalometric norms to guide accurate orthodontic diagnosis and treatment.

High Technology And The Developing State: The Arrival Of Supercomputers In India, Ramesh Subramanian

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

While India has made vast strides in information technology in the last few decades, its success is mainly attributed to its software, rather than its hardware sector. In fact, India’s attempts at developing computer hardware that can match international standards have largely been unsuccessful. A notable exception is its development of a series of supercomputers that match and exceed many international standards. This paper looks at an interesting period in India’s computing history – namely the 1980s and 1990s – focusing on its development of an indigenous supercomputer. During that period, supercomputers were thought to be the sole privy of …

Hydroponics In The Classroom: Cultivating Plants, Captivating Young People, Stacy A. Adams, Christian Stephenson, Theresa James, Kim Todd

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Few students take the initiative to pursue coursework beyond that required for progression to graduation. Limited are opportunities that connect educational content to industry application, potentially inspiring young people towards impactful careers. The United States government has emphasized the importance of STEM education to ensure national security and to maintain economic competitiveness globally. STEM education is not a defined discipline but an approach for building knowledge through application and engagement. Developing and managing a hydroponics prototype provides numerous opportunities for embedding STEM content into a fun and interactive project. This poster provides inspiration for constructing a simple deep water culture …

Assessment Of Soybean Response To Irrigation Variability In Eastern Nebraska Using The Aquacrop Model, Anmol Singh, Saleh Taghvaeian, Yufeng Ge, Derek M. Heeren, Frank Bai

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a major irrigated crop in eastern Nebraska, where recent expansions in irrigated agriculture and projected trends in irrigation demand necessitate thorough investigations of approaches that can optimize its irrigation management. In this study, the AquaCrop model was calibrated and validated using 19 variable irrigation treatments from a five-year field experiment. The model accurately simulated canopy cover, soil water content, and grain yield, with validation normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) of 12%, 7%, and 7%, respectively. The model was subsequently applied to estimate soybean yield and water requirement during a 15-year period (2010–2024) …