Digital Commons Network^™

Charging The Corridors: A Distance-Weighted Difference-In-Differences Analysis Of Nevi Interstate Fast-Charging Deployment, Gasoline Consumption, And Air Quality Across California Counties, Khoi Van

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Food Sovereignty In Urban And Ex-Urban Communities, Ravyn Jones

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Institutionalization Of Nuclear Sharing: A Happy Medium For Asymmetric Alliances, Masanao Goto

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Focused Ultrasound-Enhanced Nose-To-Brain Delivery Of A Therapeutic Antibody In A Large-Animal Model, Siaka Fadera, Cristian Antonio Wieczorek Villas Boas, Yimei Yue, Zhaoning Gu, Jinyun Yuan, Debolina De, Buck E Rogers, Arash Nazeri, Hong Chen

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

Cutibacterium Adaptation To Life On Humans Provides A Potential C Acnes Infection Biomarker, Md Shafiuddin, Wen-Chi Huang, Gabriel William Prather, Jeffrey Ryan Anton, Andrew Lawrence Martin, Sydney Brianna Sillart, Jonathan Z Tang, Michael R Vittori, Michael J Prinsen, Jessica Jane Ninneman, Chandrashekhara Manithody, Jeffrey P Henderson, Alexander W Aleem, Ma Xenia Garcia Ilagan, William H Mccoy 4th

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Propionibacteriaceae appear to have adapted to life on humans during the domestication of cattle. These microbial immigrants formed the genus Cutibacterium, and a descendent of those microbial trailblazers (C acnes) now dominates 25% of human skin. C acnes colonization of human skin requires the protein RoxP. Although all Cutibacteria encode this adaptation to life on humans, nothing like RoxP has been found in any other organism. In this study, we report an extensive assessment of 21 RoxP orthologs, which identified conserved molecular surfaces linked to heme-dependent oligomerization and low pH stability. Our investigation suggests how RoxP helps C acnes dominate …

Coordinated Regulation Of Capping Protein By Carmil And V-1/Myotrophin, John A Hammer, John A Cooper

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Capping Protein (CP) plays a central role in controlling actin filament dynamics in almost all eukaryotic cell types by virtue of its ability to block monomer addition and loss at the barbed end of the actin filament. Like other proteins that control actin assembly, CP is subject to regulation. Here we focus on two direct regulators of CP-CARMIL and V-1/Myotrophin. Specifically, we review recent biochemical, structural, imaging, and cell biological data that argue these two proteins cooperate to create a regulatory cycle for CP that controls its availability, activity, and site of action in the cell. Finally, we discuss unresolved …

Diverse Misfolding Mutant Digestive Enzymes Cause Chronic Pancreatitis Through Common Pathways, Steven J Wilhelm, Grace E Curry, Neel Matiwala, Jianguo Lin, Tran Quach, Mark E Lowe, Miklós Sahin-Tóth, Xunjun K Xiao

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Increasing evidence suggests that protein misfolding and proteotoxicity is an important mechanism of chronic pancreatitis (CP) in patients with genetic variants. Two mouse models carrying misfolding digestive enzyme variants, CPA1 N256K and PNLIP T221M, recapitulate the human CP phenotype. We hypothesized that both models develop CP through similar disease mechanisms.

METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of mice aged 1 to 6 months using histology, immunohistochemistry, protein immunoblotting, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to characterize pancreatic pathological changes.

RESULTS: Both homozygous models exhibited CP hallmarks, including progressive acinar …

A Deep Learning Model To Guide Personalized Mechanical Circulatory Support Use In Cardiogenic Shock Patients Undergoing Pci, Amit P Amin, Richard G Bach, Darren C Tsang, Weili S Zheng, Raed A Qarajeh, Emmanouil S Brilakis, Hemant Kulkarni

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock (CS) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) involves rapidly changing clinical, hemodynamic, and metabolic factors that current models cannot effectively integrate.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a deep learning (DL) model to guide personalized use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices in CS patients undergoing PCI.

METHODS: The authors analyzed data from 1,408 CS patients treated with intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or microaxial flow-pump (mAFP) at multiple hospitals (2004-2019). Clinical, hemodynamic, and metabolic variables from admission to MCS placement were compiled into longitudinal vectors. Using Python 3.7 and TabNet in …

Oculomics And Ai: The Eye As A Biomarker For Health Span, Joy Le Yi Wong, Rajendra S Apte, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

As the world's population ages, the focus of healthcare is shifting from extending life span to promoting health span. There is an unmet need to identify sensitive and reliable markers of health span through more cost-effective and non-invasive methods, to enable early and effective intervention on modifiable aging factors. The eye offers a unique window into systemic health, providing direct visualization of the body's vascular and neural health. This review presents an overview of how various ocular structures can serve as biomarkers of health span-drawing on insights from ocular imaging, metabolomics, and proteomics, with evidence from basic science, animal models, …

Identification Of Distinct Subtypes In Immune Tolerance After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Using The Prospective Able1.0 Pediatric Study Cohort, Bernard Ng, Shalini Shenoy, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The lack of immune tolerance after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can result in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD), which is the primary nonrelapse limitation of successful HCT. To date, immune tolerance has been considered a single biological entity, but we hypothesized that post-HCT immune tolerance could develop through multiple pathways. Using the ABLE network database, which comprises measurements of 75 cell populations, 10 cytokines and chemokines, lymphocyte population telomere length, KRECs and TRECs, and 132 metabolites from the largest pediatric cGvHD cohort (n = 241), we applied clustering analysis to patients with primary immune tolerance (PIT; no acute GvHD [aGvHD] or …

Excellent Outcomes In Feasibility Study Of Radiation-Free Conditioning And Transplant In Pediatric Severe Aplastic Anemia, Mithra Lakshmi Narasimhan, Irem Eldem, Jeffrey J Bednarski, Ginny L Schulz, Robert J Hayashi, Shalini Shenoy

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is treated with a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) in the presence of an HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD) with disease-free survival (DFS) of >90%. In the absence of an MSD, immunosuppressive therapy (IST) can induce remission but concerns for relapsed/refractory disease and clonal hematopoiesis persist. IST failure is an indication for HCT. Modern HCT approaches target barriers such as graft rejection (GR), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and transplant-related toxicities. Traditionally, total body irradiation (TBI) inclusive HCT conditioning helps decrease GR, but the use of TBI in children increases concerns for late effects such as malignancies. To describe outcomes …

A Single-Cell Atlas Characterizes Dysregulation Of The Bone Marrow Immune Microenvironment Associated With Outcomes In Multiple Myeloma, William C Pilcher, Lijun Yao, Yizhe Song, Kazuhito Sato, Julia T Wang, Reyka G Jayasinghe, Jennifer A Foltz, Mark A Fiala, Chiang I-Ling, Julie Fortier, Michael Slade, Stephen T Oh, Michael P Rettig, John F Dipersio, Shaji Kumar, Ravi Vij, Li Ding, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable despite advances in treatment options. Although tumor subtypes and specific DNA abnormalities are linked to worse prognosis, the impact of immune dysfunction on disease emergence and/or treatment sensitivity remains unclear. We developed an Immune Atlas of MM by generating profiles of 1,397,272 single cells from the bone marrow (BM) of 337 newly diagnosed participants and characterized immune and hematopoietic cell populations. Cytogenetic risk-based analysis revealed heterogeneous associations with T cells of BM, with 17p13 deletion showing distinct enrichment of a type 1 interferon signature. The disease progression-based analysis revealed the presence of a proinflammatory immune …

Perceived Hiv Risk, Barriers, And Preferences For Hiv Testing In Structurally Vulnerable Communities In St. Louis: A Best-Worst Scaling Survey, Emmanuel K Tetteh, Noelle Le Tourneau, Gregory Gross, Mckenzie Swan, Tyrell Manning, Justin Cole, Katie Wolf, Lawrence Hudson-Lewis, Julia D López, Todd Combs, Virginia R Mckay

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BackgroundPersistent gaps in efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States highlight the need for community-specific, evidence-based HIV testing strategies. This study investigated barriers and preferences around HIV testing among underserved populations, including Black, queer, and young adults in the St. Louis, Missouri area.MethodsWe conducted a Best-Worst Scaling (BWS) survey with adults (16+ years) recruited at community events, collecting responses electronically and providing a $25 incentive. The survey assessed the relative importance of 13 potential barriers to HIV testing such as stigma, structural barriers, and perceived HIV risk, chosen based on literature review and community input. Mean preference …

Comparison Of Breast And Gastric Her2 Immunohistochemistry (Ihc) Scoring Criteria In The Assessment Of Endometrial Carcinoma, Rachel L Furuya, Whitney Grither, Matthew A Powell, Premal H Thaker, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing is the primary method to determine HER2 status at many institutions, often with reflex to in situ hybridization (ISH). DNA- and RNA- based platforms are emerging for HER-2 assessment. While approved IHC algorithms exist for HER2 scoring in breast and gastric carcinomas, neither has been validated in endometrial cancer. This study seeks to compare them and evaluate patterns of DNA and RNA expression.

METHODS: 263 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA), 275 serous endometrial carcinoma (SEC), and 214 uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) specimens were randomly selected. Previously stained HER2 IHC slides underwent blinded review by two board-certified pathologists and …

Why Person-Environment Fit Matters When Addressing Homelessness: An Intersectional Analysis Of King County, Washington’S Coordinated Entry System, Cori L. Cafaro

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

Coordinated Entry (CE) systems aim to address homelessness by allocating resources based on need and prioritizing the most vulnerable individuals. However, system success depends on appropriately matching people to housing. This study examined person-environment fit (P-E fit) and associated housing outcomes for single adults matched to permanent supportive housing through King County, Washington's CE for All system, with intersectionality as a secondary lens. This was a secondary analysis using Qualitative Content Analysis of interview and focus group transcripts from tenants (n = 18), staff (n = 27), and policy leaders (n = 11). Five dimensions of fit emerged as consequential …

Gibson Point Aerial, Chatham County Geographic Survey Department (Savannah, Ga)

Defending Savannah: History and Archaeology of the Gibson's Point Battery

An aerial photo of Gibson Point Battery with 1 foot contour lines, published by the Chatham County Geographic Information Systems Department in 2026.

Chatham County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Department. 2026. Topographic Contour Map Overlay of Whitemarsh Island Battery Site (Battery Circle/Battery Way). Savannah, GA: Chatham County GIS

A Qualitative Study: How Does The Underrepresentation Of Black American Contributions To American Society In K-12 Curricula Affects Black Students' Self-Perception?, Deniece M. Rogers

Theses and Dissertations from DePaul University

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how the underrepresentation of Black American history in K–12 curricula influences individuals’ understanding of American society, identity, and cultural belonging. Using open-ended questionnaires distributed via Qualtrics, thirty-seven participants reflected on their educational experiences, the extent to which Black American history was included, and how its omission shaped their self-perception and social awareness. Guided by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and The 1619 Project, the study was organized around six a priori themes identified in existing scholarship: Awareness of Historical Omission, Identity and Self-Perception, Social and Cultural Impact, Reactions to the Education System, Emotional Responses, and Broader …

Investigation Of Mercury Bioaccessibility In Subsistence Fishes From The Canadian Subarctic, Kiran Mateo Sharma Mr

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fish consumption is the primary pathway for human exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), a global contaminant of concern known to cause adverse health effects. Fort Albany First Nation, a remote Indigenous community in northern Ontario that relies on fish for both subsistence and cultural practices, has expressed concern regarding the safety of local fish consumption. Community members and leaders have communicated several priorities for scientific research that are the foundation of this thesis. Specifically, consumers of wild-caught fish have asked how traditional cooking methods may affect mercury concentrations in fish, and how mercury concentrations in little-studied organs, such as liver and …

An Examination Of Speech Motor Control And Auditory Processing In Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd), Rita Bishai

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fluent speech production is achieved through a relative weighting of feedback and feedforward motor control systems. These systems are thought to be responsible for the online correction of vocal errors and initiating speech, respectively. The relative weighting of these motor control systems has been shown to differ under conditions of high attentional load and across individual differences in sensory acuity. However, research has yet to examine speech motor control in a population with clinical attentional and sensory processing differences, such as those with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The studies in this thesis aimed to examine how ADHD traits relate to …

Is Prosocial Behavior A Unique Correlate Of Academic Success In Emerging Adulthood?, Jacqueline Di Biase

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Prior developmental research has frequently linked prosocial behavior to stronger academic functioning during childhood and adolescence (Cruz et al., 2024; Gerbino et al., 2018; Oberle et al., 2022), yet its relevance to academic success in emerging adulthood remains unclear. Guided by a Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, the present study sought to address gaps in emerging adulthood research by examining the academic relevance of prosocial behavior while accounting for influential developmental assets and testing its independent contribution to academic achievement. Undergraduate students (N = 501) completed a cross-sectional self-report survey assessing prosocial behavior, self-control, dutifulness, sociability, and cumulative grade …

Mixed Methods Insights Into Understandings Of And Stigma Towards Autism In Children And Young Adults, Natalia Gc Van Esch

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

BACKGROUND: Autism is widely stigmatized and misunderstood. Existing research using methods such as questionnaires finds that autistic individuals are often evaluated more negatively than their non-autistic counterparts. Unfortunately, this approach provides limited insight into the underlying representations of autism that individuals hold. The present study seeks to examine how children and adults define, describe, and represent autism, and how these representations relate to stigma. METHODS: In Part I, children participated in a semi-structured interview in which they defined autism and created autistic and non-autistic characters using a guided character-building task. Children then rated their characters on a series of social …

Permafrost Microtopography And Active Layer Hydrology In The Western Canadian Arctic, Tobias L. Leonhard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The growing interest in Arctic regions will likely increase the use of nuclear energy in the Arctic. While this energy source has a high potential to improve economic opportunities in the Arctic, it also increases the release of radioactive material (radionuclides). Radionuclides are already found in the Arctic and are traced back to natural as well as anthropogenic sources. Water is one of the dominant transport vectors for solutes such as radionuclides or other contaminants. Therefore, improving our understanding of Arctic hydrology is important for assessing future environmental risks such as the release of radionuclides. Topographic and microtopographic features are …

The Effects Of Appearance Change And Partial Face Visibility On Eyewitness Identification, Raina-Lynn A. Brock M.A., Judy Eaton Ph.D.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There is limited research examining the possibility of a temporary appearance change (e.g. a black eye) between exposure to a perpetrator at the time of a crime and later identification attempts by eyewitnesses. Across two experimental studies, this research examines how eyewitness identification decisions are impacted by an appearance change and how lineup procedures can influence eyewitness accuracy. Study 1 examined how a transient facial feature, a black eye, affects the accuracy of eyewitnesses’ identification decisions, while manipulating the severity of the black eye (prominent bruising, faded bruising, no bruising). Participants (N=403) were exposed to a 43-second mock crime video …

Fear Across The Map: A Cross-Municipal Analysis Of Fear Of Crime In Canada, Muhammad Ali

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This study examines the predictors of fear of crime (FOC) across three Canadian municipalities: Hamilton, Ontario; Brantford, Ontario; and North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Data from 1,956 survey responses were analyzed to understand how certain factors shape FOC across different municipal contexts in Canada. This study uses descriptive statistics, reliability analyses, correlation matrices, and Ordinary Least Squares regression models to examine whether FOC, and the predictors of FOC, operate consistently across municipalities. The findings indicate that the predictors of FOC are relatively reliable across municipal contexts. However, the influence of the predictors of FOC can vary across municipalities. Importantly, the level of …

Timing, Targets, And Teaching: How Employee Help-Seeking Influences Downward Knowledge Sharing, Nicholle E. Kovach

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Knowledge sharing between managers and employees is critical for employee development and organizational performance. However, managers differ in whether they share knowledge, and in the type of knowledge shared. While solution-oriented knowledge offers immediate answers to improve short-term performance, process-oriented knowledge promotes long-term learning and employee development. The purpose of my dissertation is to investigate factors that influence managers’ knowledge-sharing decisions.

I conduct two studies to investigate my predictions. In Study 1, I examine how the timing of employee help-seeking requests, the source of performance targets and employee historical performance influence the type and quality of managers’ knowledge-sharing responses. Drawing …

Stability Of Brown Carbon And Lipid Monolayers At The Air-Water Interface, Maaike Snider

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Performing Within Performance: Gender Nonconformity In Drama, Eliana Lazzaro

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Feminist Analysis Of Forensic Psychology: Ethics, Power, And Practice In Carceral Systems, Sarah Mcgarry Gray

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Economics Of Marriage, Sofia Vuong

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Does Anything Beat A Naive Forecast? Machine Learning, Garch, And Equity Volatility, Anthony Le

Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.