Digital Commons Network^™

Improved Accuracy For Myocardial Blood Flow Mapping With Deep Learning-Enabled Cmr Arterial Spin Labeling (Deepmasl): Validation By Microsphere In Vivo, Ran Li, Caleb Berberet, Qi Huang, Pamela K Woodard, Jie Zheng

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Current myocardial arterial spin labeling (ASL) methods are sensitive to noise (background and physiology), which limits the accuracy of myocardial blood flow (MBF) measurement. In this study, we demonstrated a new deep learning-enabled myocardial ASL approach (DeepMASL) and evaluated its accuracy to quantify MBF in a canine model of coronary arterial disease in vivo. The reference method was invasive microsphere measurements.

METHODS: Eighteen mongrel dogs were divided into two groups: healthy (n = 9) and coronary stenosis (n = 9). The latter was induced in an open-chest model with 3 types of stenosis: 50% (n= 3), 70% (n = …

Muc15 Ectodomain Architecture Regulates Integrin Clustering To Control Cancer Metastasis, Simei Zhang, Guy M Genin, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Cancer metastasis is governed by physical cues at the cell-matrix interface, with matrix stiffness, ligand density, and topography established as key determinants. Here, a fourth critical factor in cancer metastasis, the architecture of the cell-surface glycocalyx is identified. Using MUC15 as a representative small glycoprotein, mathematical modeling and domain truncation experiments are combined to show that glycoprotein size distribution governs integrin adhesion states and metastatic outcomes. MUC15 localizes to focal adhesions and interact with integrins, while larger glycoproteins such as MUC1 are sterically excluded. These physical effects, rather than intracellular signaling, dictate adhesion state transitions: removing MUC15's ectodomain eliminated its …

Renal Replacement Therapy In Lupus Nephritis-Related End-Stage Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Hassan Kawtharany, Jessica N Williams, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of renal replacement therapy in people with lupus nephritis (LN)-associated end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and support the development of the 2024 American College of Rheumatology LN treatment guidelines.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to address three Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) questions related to renal replacement therapy for ESKD due to LN, including comparisons of kidney transplant versus dialysis, hemodialysis versus peritoneal dialysis, and preemptive kidney transplant versus no preemptive kidney transplant. Outcomes of interest included mortality, cardiovascular (CV) events, infections, lupus flares, disease-related damage, graft failure, and quality of …

Adverse Experiences, Protective Factors, And Obesity In Latinx And Hispanic Youths, Victoria Goldman, Sevan Esaian, Miguel Ángel Rivas Fernández, Jonatan Ottino Gonzalez, Nicole Karcher, Jeffrey I Gold, Alaina P Vidmar, Shana Adise

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Pediatric obesity rates are rising, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may contribute by promoting stress-induced weight gain. Few studies have examined the association of ACEs with body mass index (BMI) and youth-reported protective factors, particularly among Latinx and Hispanic youths, who face higher rates of ACEs and obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of ACEs with BMI in a population-based cohort and determine whether youth-reported protective factors (eg, self-coping skills, caregiver or friend support, or overall support) moderate this association, with a focus on Latinx and Hispanic youths.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This large, cross-sectional study of youths aged …

Disruption Of The Placenta–Brain Axis In Transgenic Mice Lacking Serotonin Transporter (Sert) In Trophoblast Cells, David T. Ellenberger, Zhen Lyu, Rosalind T. B. Herrington, Jessica A. Kinkade, Gustavo W. Leone, Ji Ying Sze, Nathan J. Bivens, R. Frank Baker, R. Michael Roberts, Trupti Joshi, Cheryl S. Rosenfeld

Biomedical Sciences

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to pregnant women experiencing depression. Such drugs, however, might adversely affect placenta and fetal brain development. Parietal trophoblast giant cells (pTGCs) in the mouse placenta are postulated to internalize maternal serotonin (5-HT) via transport through SERT, encoded by Slc6a4, and to provide the initial source of 5-HT to the emerging brain via the placental–brain axis. Genetic deletion of Slc6a4 in pTGCs has been hypothesized to impact placental and fetal brain development. A transgenic mouse line with high-affinity SERT, encoded by Slc6a4, was selectively deleted by pairing mice with Cre recombinase linked …

Obesity Promotes Conserved Inflammatory And Metabolic Transcriptional Programs In Colon Tumors: Evidence From Mouse Models And The Colocare Study Patient Cohort, Elaine M Glenny, Adetunji T Toriola, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The global prevalence of obesity, an established risk and progression factor for colon cancer, is high and rising. Unfortunately, the mechanisms underlying the obesity-colon cancer association are incompletely understood, and new molecular targets enabling more effective intervention strategies to break the obesity-colon cancer link are urgently needed.

OBJECTIVES: This study integrated RNA sequencing data from mouse and human colon tumor samples, as well as human adipose samples, to rigorously establish obesity-associated transcriptomic signatures conserved between the 2 species.

METHODS: We employed a mouse colon cancer model with colonoscopy-guided orthotopic transplantation of syngeneic Apc

RESULTS: Diet-induced obesity reduced survival in …

In Situ Structural Mechanism Of Epothilone-B-Induced Cns Axon Regeneration, Satish Bodakuntla, Kenichiro Taira, Yurika Yamada, Pelayo Alvarez-Brecht, A King Cada, Nirakar Basnet, Rui Zhang, Antonio Martinez-Sanchez, Christian Biertümpfel, Naoko Mizuno

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Axons in the adult central nervous system (CNS) do not regenerate following injury, in contrast to neurons in the peripheral nervous system and neuronal growth during embryonic development. The molecular mechanisms that prevent regeneration of neurons in the CNS remain largely unknown

Early Life Infection With Cryptosporidium Parvum Induces Inflammatory Responses To Dietary Antigens, Iti Saraav, Wanyi Huang, Jisun Jung, Rui Xu, Yong Fu, Keely Mcdonald, Lawrence A Schriefer, Rachel Rodgers, Megan T Baldridge, Rodney D Newberry, Chyi-Song Hsieh, L David Sibley

2020-Current year OA Pubs

To examine the effect of early-life infection with

Effects Of Injectable Trace Mineral Timing On Calf Performance And Health Indicators, Marie E. Goulais

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One hundred and fourteen calves (average BW= 224kg ± 89kg) were utilized to evaluate the effects of injectable trace mineral (ITM) administration on calf performance and health when administered pre-weaning and at weaning. Calves were blocked by sex, stratified by age, and randomly assigned to one of the following treatment groups: 1) no ITM injection (CON), 2) ITM administered 28 d before weaning (PW), or 3) ITM administration at weaning (WEAN). Calves were vaccinated against respiratory pathogens on D-28 and D0. At weaning, cattle were transported to a local auction market, held overnight and returned the following morning. Body weight …

Optimizing Cobb Mx X 500 Broiler Diets Through The Investigation Of Lysine And Energy Synergies, Soybean Processing “Add-Backs” Ingredients, And Soybean Genotype Amino Acid Selection, Savannah Caroline Wells

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored strategies to optimize Cobb MX x 500 broiler chicken nutrition by investigating lysine and energy synergies, the utilization of soybean processing by-products (“add-backs”), and soybean genotype selection for enhanced amino acid composition. Three independent but complementary research objectives were pursued to improve feed efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness in modern broiler production. The first objective assessed the interactive effects of dietary lysine and metabolizable energy (ME) on the performance and carcass traits of Cobb MX × 500 broilers. Using a central composite design, nine dietary treatments were formulated across multiple feeding phases. Results demonstrated that broiler performance responded …

Agricultural Practices’ Impact On Soil Health Indicators In Mid-South U.S. Crop Production Systems, Katherine Suzanne French

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soil health and regenerative agriculture are concepts gaining popularity across global agriculture systems. The effect of sustainable farming practices such as nutrient management, cover crops, adoption of no-tillage, and residue retention on crop yield, as well as environmental resilience, is increasingly being studied. This research aimed to evaluate the impacts of (i) cover cropping and nutrient management, and of (ii) soil sampling depth and timing on indicators of soil health in various mid-southern irrigated row crop systems. Soil health indicators like soil organic matter (SOM), carbon dioxide respiration (CDR), beta-glucosidase enzyme activity (BG), permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), and the soil …

Hyperspectral Indicators And Characterization Of Glyphosate-Induced Stress In Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium Album L.), Mario Andrés Soto Valencia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyperspectral sensing enables detection of herbicide stress in weeds, but practical use requires strategies for redundancy control, rating variability management, and evaluator bias mitigation. This thesis evaluates common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) under glyphosate exposure, aiming to identify key wavelengths, construct vegetation indices, and improve injury modeling. Greenhouse experiments used dimensionality reduction methods (principal component analysis, Relief F, Bayesian discriminant analysis) to isolate 34 unique wavelengths from about 3,200 bands. Calibration data were collected 14 days after treatment (DAT) to support wavelength selection and model development, while data from 27 DAT were used for independent validation. Class comparisons across six statistically …

Novel Approaches To Disinfecting Poultry Processing Wastewater For Reuse, Seth Olorunmijuwonlo Adesope

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Water is an essential resource used in poultry processing, generating large volumes of foodborne pathogen-rich wastewater posing treats to public health. Treating poultry processing wastewater (PPW) is crucial for safe water reuse and sustainable development. Conventional disinfection methods like aerobic digestion and chlorination, although effective, impose considerable operational cost and generate harmful by-products. Integrated recycling systems such as advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) which destroy micro-organisms through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) present a promising opportunity for enhancing resources and sustainability. This study investigated the use of photo-electrochemical (PEC), specifically by combining electrochemical (EC) and photochemical (PC; Photosensitizer and …

Transcriptomic And Contractile Adaptations In Skeletal Muscle In A Rodent Model Of Anorexia Nervosa, Oscar Armando Vicen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder marked by severe chronic caloric restriction and is primarily diagnosed through psychological and behavioral symptoms. AN has the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Many individuals with a history of AN experience incomplete recovery despite intervention treatment. Skeletal muscle molecular mechanisms under chronic energy deprivation remain poorly understood. PURPOSE: To investigate transcriptomic profiles of the gastrocnemius muscle following one month of a rodent model of AN. This study analyzed whether the molecular changes correlate with collected muscular force data to provide a comprehensive understanding of …

There, But Not There: Pre-Service Teacher Identity And Transformation In The Internship Semester, Jacob G. Warren

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive multiple-case study investigates how five secondary pre-service teachers constructed and negotiated their professional identities during the internship semester. Guided by a single overarching research question—How do pre-service teachers form and narratively negotiate their identities as educators within the liminal space of the internship?—the study conceptualizes identity as a dynamic, socially mediated, and storied process. Sociocultural theory and narrative identity theory provide the analytical framework, emphasizing development through interaction, participation, and reflective meaning-making. Participants were enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching program and completed internship placements in middle and high school classrooms. Data were collected through pre-internship …

Effect Of Peracetic Acid Dip Frequency On The Quality And Functional Properties Of Non-Marinated And Marinated Broiler Tenderloins, Joaquin Jose Esquivel Vergara

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The poultry industry continues to balance the need for effective antimicrobial interventions with the preservation of meat quality. Among the most widely used antimicrobial agents, peracetic acid (PAA) has proven effective for reducing foodborne pathogens in poultry products. However, excessive or repeated exposure to PAA can influence meat functionality by altering protein structure, color, and water-holding capacity. Therefore, the broad objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PAA dip frequency and post-treatment marination timing on the physicochemical and functional quality of broiler tenderloins (Pectoralis minor), in order to provide processing insights that optimize both microbial safety and …

Ring-Opening And Monofunctionalization Study On Spiro Cyclic Aminals And N, O-Acetals System Via Nitrogen-Centered Radical Intermediates, Chujun Zhou

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The nitrogen-centered radical has been drawing increasing attention among researchers. Radical polarity is one of the key factors in studying nitrogen-centered radicals’ reactivity, and the functional groups attached to the nitrogen atom are of vital importance. Among different types of nitrogen-centered radicals, aminium radical and metal aminium radical are electrophilic due to the positive charge on the intermediate. The sulfonamide radical, amidyl radical, and cyanide amine radical are also electrophilic since the nitrogen is adjacent to electron electron-withdrawing group. The neutral amino radical, iminyl radical, masked nitrogen radical are nucleophilic because of the electron-donating groups. After classifying the nitrogen-centered radical, …

Multiple Aspects Of Environmental Temperature Have Complex Interactions With Avian Parental Behavior To Influence Offspring Outcomes, William H. Kirkpatrick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic climate change is projected to shift not only average temperatures across the globe, but also the amount of thermal variation experienced in the natural environment. Exposure to shifts in averages and a wider range of thermal experiences will cause shifts in wildlife behavior. In avian species, behaviors exhibited during reproduction have implications for the well-being of their offspring. Here, I explore specific incubation behaviors in four species: Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata), Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus), Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), and Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis). I examined constancy, or the percentage of time on the nest, and off-bout duration, …

Broiler Responsiveness To Dietary Amino Acid Density In A Commercial Setting, Virginia Slick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The majority of research assessing the amino acid responsiveness in broilers has been conducted in experimental designs utilizing pens that contain 12 to 25 birds with high replication. While this trial design is beneficial as a way to perform high replications with multiple treatments in a way that is both economically and spatially feasible, it may not accurately translate to a rearing environment more similar to that of commercial open floor housing. This research was conducted to determine if the effects of lysine driven amino acid density diets that have been found in the traditional floor pen setting correlate to …

Volume Status Detection With Integral Pulse Frequency Modulation Model Of Peripheral Venous Pressure, Jeremiah Rhys Wimer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the effectiveness of utilizing a modified integral pulse frequency modulation (IPFM) algorithm to synthesize peripheral venous pressure (PVP) waveforms for the detection of several physiological conditions using logistic regression. PVP waveforms are collected from 18 human patients and 4 porcine subjects. Human data are used to train models for determining the hypovolemic status of the patient, while the porcine data are used to train models for determining level of anesthesia and detecting internal hemorrhaging. In the human dataset, the waveforms collected from the 18 patients are classified into two groups according to serum chloride levels: resuscitated (≥100 …

Hormonal Control Of Seawater Acclimation In The Intestine Of The Atlantic Killifish (Fundulus Heteroclitus), Karma Je Hine

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Atlantic killifish (Fundulus Heteroclitus) is a teleost found in brackish water estuaries, which are subject to large fluctuations in salinity, that handles osmotic stress by triggering compensatory actions across their osmoregulatory organs. As the external salinity increases, the killifish intestine exhibits a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, as the protein composition of the gut epithelium can be modified to absorb desalinated water (H2O) from ingested seawater (SW). Three osmoregulatory hormones, prolactin (P), growth hormone (GH), and cortisol (F), have been observed to be crucial for these transitions to occur in many species of teleosts, including killifish. This research sought …

Finding Utopia: An Examination Of Pedagogical Approaches To Teaching Utopianism In U.S. College Classrooms, Brittany Page Brake

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how, and if, utopianism is being taught in college classrooms across the United States. Long considered impractical, overly idealistic, and/or politically dangerous, utopianism has been largely marginalized in political science and American culture. However, this project finds that there are instructors teaching utopianism and they are using the concept to challenge students to think differently about governance, justice, and institutional design. Drawing from political theory literature, course syllabi submitted by faculty from different U.S. universities, interviews with instructors, and personal case studies of my own courses at Central State University and Manchester University, I explore how utopian …

Development Of The Hydrogeology Concept Inventory And Exploration Of Its Embedded Spatial Thinking Components, Oluwarotimi Akindele Popoola

Dissertations

Hydrogeology is a sub-discipline of geoscience that deals with the occurrence and movement of water and possible contaminants within the subsurface. Understanding basic principles of hydrogeology is important for applying practical solutions to hydrogeology problems. Hydrogeology is a visuospatial discipline in which spatial thinking skills play a significant role. To assess the hydrogeology knowledge of students, a valid and reliable assessment instrument with spatial components is required.

This research was conducted as a series of quantitative studies with three goals: (1) to develop the Hydrogeology Concept Inventory (HCI), a valid and reliable measure of upper-level undergraduate students’ hydrogeology knowledge, (2) …

Mitochondria-Mediated Epigenetic Transfer Between Chondrosarcoma And Wild-Type Cells, Caleb C. J. Wyckoff

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Glioblastoma (GB), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), cholangiocarcinoma, and chondrosarcoma (CS) cancers all contain mutations in the gene isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2). The mutant IDH2 enzyme exhibits transformation of alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) into the oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D2HG) in the mitochondria of these cancers. Mitochondrial-mediated transfer between cancer cells and recipient cells is a significant event that impacts the physiology of the receiving cell, specifically the epigenetic landscape. Previous experiments indicating increased DNA methylation in mesenchymal stem cells exposed to IDH1 or IDH2 conditioned medium underscore the potential role of D2HG to alter methylation states. Additionally, the presence of …

Comparative Analysis Of Emergent Behaviors Of Three Drone Swarm System Models For Targeting Using Agent-Based Modeling And Simulation, Arsenio T. Gumahad Ii

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation introduces a novel computational simulation framework for evaluating the emergent behaviors of three swarm drone models using Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS). The three swarm models are a Leader-Follower swarm model based on Bruckstein's antline theory, a Flocking model based on a simplified Reynolds 'Boids’ model, and a Stigmergic model with pheromone-based coordination. The primary objective of the simulation is to evaluate the performance of these models in delivering a user-defined number of drones of each type to a target area of interest in four separate scenarios, resulting in 50,000 separate simulation trials. Each scenario was structured to …

Proceedings Of The 25th International Symposium On Adapted Physical Activity, Catherine Carty, Gerard Masdeu Yelamos

Publications

This volume presents the Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA 2025), hosted by Munster Technological University under the Patronage of UNESCO. It is intended as a permanent scholarly record of the symposium, its themes, and its contributions across research, practice, policy, culture, and inclusion in line with CoARA principles.

Triple-Parametric Autoencoder For 2d Reparameterization Via Bézier, B-Spline, And Nurbs Representations, Shaoliang Yang, Jun Wang

Mechanical Engineering

This paper proposes a sample-wise triple-parametric deep learning framework (TPDLF) for 2D curve parameterization. The proposed framework integrates Bézier, B-spline, and Non-Uniform Rational B-spline (NURBS) curve formulations within a unified neural network architecture, enabling the reconstruction of smooth and closed 2D curves such as real-world airfoil and synthetic Superformula shapes (with -fold symmetry). An encoder compresses the input curve shape into a latent space, while three distinct decoders untangle the latent space by inferring corresponding governing parameters for each parameterization (i.e., Bézier/B-spline/NURBS). The corresponding reconstruction modules are then deployed to ensure smooth curve generation using the governing parameters …

Differences In Loading Rate In Shod And Unshod Treadmill Walking, David Austin Kropushek

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the loading rates of shod and unshod conditions in treadmill walking. It was hypothesized that walking barefoot would demonstrate higher loading rates than walking with shoes. It was also hypothesized that walking barefoot on a treadmill would result in greater stride-to-stride variability than walking with shoes. Sixteen healthy adult females volunteered and provided their consent to participate in this study. Participants were given time to accommodate to the instrumented treadmill both while wearing shoes and without. Two 10-minute trials were collected with a rest period between. Data were analyzed using Vicon Nexus …

Coming To The American Vincentian Mission In 1818: The Second Journey, John E. Rybolt C.M.

Vincentian Studies

Three letters from Francesco Cellini, a Vincentian novice, and his confrere, Filippo Borgna, a Vincentian student with vows, are given or summarized here. In 1818, Cellini and Borgna made an eighty-eight-day voyage from Livorno, Italy, to the United States. Cellini wrote an account to a friend in Rome, and Borgna largely copied this in his letter, perhaps to ensure that one of their texts would survive the trip back to Italy. These are the only known detailed records of the Vincentians’ second journey to the US and reinforce records kept by Felix De Andreis and Joseph Rosati, who came two …

Emergency Lending By The Federal Reserve, Kathryn Judge, Richard Clarida

Faculty Scholarship

The Federal Reserve established an array of innovative emergency lending facilities during the Great Financial Crisis and expanded the scope of its emergency lending yet further in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This Article provides a retrospective of how the Federal Reserve used its emergency lending authority across these two episodes, identifying patterns and revealing some differences. It sheds light on the conditions that enabled the Federal Reserve to establish the facilities that it did, including the roles played by Congress and Treasury in providing the equity funding that made certain facilities possible. It shows how in each episode, the …