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Proceedings Of The 23rd Annual Urban Ecology & Conservation Symposium March 17, 2025, Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium Of Portland/Vancouver

Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium of Portland/Vancouver

These proceedings document the agenda and abstracts for presentations and posters from the 23rd annual conference organized by the Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium of Portland/Vancouver (UERC) which occurred on March 17, 2025. The UERC is a consortium of people from various universities and colleges, state and federal agencies, local governments, non-profit organizations and independent professionals interested in supporting urban ecosystem research and creating an information-sharing network of people that collect and use ecological data in the Portland/Vancouver area. The annual conference has an open call for abstracts. The UERC organizing committee selects the final oral and poster presentations, along with …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, March 17, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - February 18, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - March 6, 2025
• 3:40 Report
• Budget of Faculty Welfare Committee
• Sustainability Council
• Policy 323, 378, 389
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• 2025-2026 Faculty Senate Calendar
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Implementing X-Ray For Single-Use Systems Sterilization: What’S Next?, Samuel Dorey, Lucie Delaunay,, Nathalie Dupuy, Sylvain R. A Marque

Single Use Technologies VII: Revolutionizing Manufacturing for Tomorrow’s Medicines

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

The Unified Phenotype Ontology : A Framework For Cross-Species Integrative Phenomics., Nicolas Matentzoglu, Susan M. Bello, Ray Stefancsik, Sarah M Alghamdi, Anna V Anagnostopoulos, James P Balhoff, Meghan A Balk, Yvonne M Bradford, Yasemin Bridges, Tiffany J Callahan, Harry Caufield, Alayne Cuzick, Leigh Carmody, Anita R Caron, Vinicius De Souza, Stacia R Engel, Petra Fey, Malcolm Fisher, Sarah Gehrke, Christian Grove, Peter Hansen, Nomi L Harris, Midori A Harris, Laura Harris, Arwa Ibrahim, Julius O B Jacobsen, Sebastian Köhler, Julie A Mcmurry, Violeta Munoz-Fuentes, Monica C Munoz-Torres, Helen Parkinson, Zoë M Pendlington, Clare Pilgrim, Sofia M C Robb, Peter N Robinson, James Seager, Erik Segerdell, Damian Smedley, Elliot Sollis, Sabrina Toro, Nicole Vasilevsky, Valerie Wood, Melissa A Haendel, Christopher J Mungall, James A Mclaughlin, David Osumi-Sutherland

Faculty Research 2025

Phenotypic data are critical for understanding biological mechanisms and consequences of genomic variation, and are pivotal for clinical use cases such as disease diagnostics and treatment development. For over a century, vast quantities of phenotype data have been collected in many different contexts covering a variety of organisms. The emerging field of phenomics focuses on integrating and interpreting these data to inform biological hypotheses. A major impediment in phenomics is the wide range of distinct and disconnected approaches to recording the observable characteristics of an organism. Phenotype data are collected and curated using free text, single terms or combinations of …

Urban Beavers At The Crossroads: How Ecological Knowledge, Sociodemographic, And Spatial Context Shape Public Perception And Coexistence Preferences, Matthew Guziejka

Dissertations and Theses

Urban beavers demonstrate synurbization by adapting to urban environments, offering ecological benefits such as biodiversity enhancement and flood mitigation, while also occasionally conflicting with infrastructure. This study examines how ecological knowledge, sociodemographics, and spatial context influence public perceptions and management preferences for urban beavers in the Tualatin River watershed, Oregon.

A voluntary survey of 176 participants from peri-urban areas assessed demographic characteristics, ecological knowledge, and attitudes toward management approaches. Spatial factors, such as proximity to watercourses and green spaces, were also analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore relationships between these factors and management preferences. Political orientation was significantly …

Financial Metrics As Predictors Of Financial Vulnerability And Nonprofit Failure, Yossi Haimberg

Dissertations and Theses

Studying nonprofit's risk factors for financial vulnerability and possible demise is important because of the negative social consequences for both the failed organization and its stockholders. Financial vulnerability is a concern shared by all nonprofit's stakeholders as poor financial health affects nonprofit's ability to fulfill its mission, sustain its operations, and in many cases may result in a nonprofit demise. Advance knowledge on financial vulnerability has significant implications for nonprofit's leaders to develop corrective strategies to prevent failure.

Nonprofit scholars such as Tuckman and Chang, Greenlee, Hager, and Searing have contributed notable benchmarks in the field of nonprofit vulnerability, by …

Investigating Spatial Mapping Of Lipid And Protein Alterations Within Cells And Tissues Using Raman Microspectroscopy, Elnaz Sheikh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The progression of various diseases is associated with alterations in the microenvironment of cells, consisting of a variety of metabolites like lipids and proteins. It is well known that lipids and proteins are potential biomarkers for indicating alterations within the cell microenvironment induced by disease, and various methods are frequently used for their examination. To understand the chemical composition and spatial distribution of constituents in tissues and cells, confocal Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, as non-destructive tools, have shown potential for monitoring abnormalities at the cellular level with high resolution and can facilitate detection through targeting multiple biomarkers. The application of …

Independent- Mar. 17, 2025, Leslie Lozada

The Independent (1988-present)

No abstract provided.

Visualisation Of Cyber Vulnerabilities In Maritime Human-Autonomy Teaming Technology, Mathew Walter, Avanthika Vineetha Harish, Luke Christison, Kimberly Tam

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Marine operations are increasingly leveraging AI technologies to improve performance and efficiency. However, there are many factors that affect safety, from the remote operating centre (ROC) to autonomous vessels. This includes both hardware and software that augments or replaces direct human control. Further, the integration of AI for autonomy also introduces new cyber security vulnerabilities arising from adversarial threats and complex interactions between conventional and AI-driven systems. In response, we propose a comprehensive assessment approach that assesses the security of marine technologies by addressing risks to both traditional systems and emerging AI components. In this wider system-of-systems view, the authors …

Phase I Trial Of Tti-101, A First-In-Class Oral Inhibitor Of Stat3, In Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors, Apostolia M Tsimberidou, David J Vining, Sukeshi P Arora, Sofia De Achaval, Jeffrey Larson, John Kauh, Carrie Cartwright, Rony Avritscher, Imran Alibhai, David J Tweardy, Ahmed O Kaseb

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 is a transcription factor that is essential for the survival and immune sequestration of cancer cells. We conducted a phase I study of TTI-101, a first-in-class, selective small-molecule inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, in patients with advanced metastatic cancer.

Patients and methods: Patients were treated with TTI-101 orally twice daily in 28-day cycles at four dose levels (DL): 3.2 (DL1), 6.4 (DL2), 12.8 (DL3), and 25.6 (DL4) mg/kg/day ("3+3" design). Three TTI-101 formulations were used in a stepwise manner (NCT03195699).

Results: Sixty-four patients were treated (median …

A Creative Introduction To Narrative Therapy: Harnessing The Power Of Stories, Art, And The Person-Of-The-Therapist, Marissa Mueller

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

This paper describes a proposed graduate-level academic elective course for mental health practitioners in training. The course content is organized across a total of 10 class sessions. Topic areas include introductions to the theory and techniques of narrative therapy, including expressive art approaches, the importance of social justice work through collective narrative practice and liberation psychology, the construction and analysis of stories of self and personal myths, and a focus on developing the person-of-the-therapist. Each class session will review that week's lecture content, assigned readings, small and large group discussion prompts, and in-class activities. The course prioritizes centering student experiences …

Development Of S(Vi) And S(Iv) Chemistry: From Asymmetric Synthesis To Covalent Reactive Groups, Chuan Shan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation mainly covers the development of synthetic methodologies related to several heteroatom functional groups, including phosphonates P(V), sulfoximines S(VI), sulfonimidamides S(VI), sulfonimidoyl fluorides S(VI), and sulfinamides S(IV). The interests in these functionalities are not only out of chemistry curiosity but also due to their pharmaceutical importance indicated by the existing drug molecules that contain these functional groups. The first chapter introduced the importance of phosphonates in biochemistry and organic synthesis, also provided some essential background of our synthetic efforts. The second chapter described the phosphonate synthesis from commercially available starting materials, with the purpose to obtain heterocyclic phosphonates in …

Neural Correlates Of Opioid-Induced Risk-Taking Behavior In The Prelimbic Prefrontal Cortex, Cana B Quave, Andres M Vasquez, Guillermo Aquino-Miranda, Milagros Marín, Esha P Bora, Chinenye L Chidomere, Xu O Zhang, Douglas S Engelke, Fabricio H Do-Monte

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Opioid use disorder occurs alongside impaired risk-related decision-making, but the underlying neural correlates are unclear. We developed an approach-avoidance conflict task using a modified conditioned place preference procedure to study neural signals of risky opioid seeking in the prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in executive decision-making. Following morphine conditioned place preference, rats underwent a conflict test in which fear-inducing cat odor was introduced in the previously drug-paired side of the apparatus. While the saline-exposed control group avoided cat odor, the morphine group included two subsets of rats that either maintained a preference for the paired side despite the presence of …

Impact Of Co-Mutations And Transcriptional Signatures In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Adagrasib In The Krystal-1 Trial, Marcelo V Negrao, Alvaro G Paula, David Molkentine, Laura Hover, Monique Nilsson, Natalie Vokes, Lars Engstrom, Andrew Calinisan, David M Briere, Laura Waters, Jill Hallin, Lixia Diao, Mehmet Altan, George R Blumenschein, Ferdinandos Skoulidis, Jing Wang, Scott E Kopetz, David S Hong, Don L Gibbons, Peter Olson, James G Christensen, John V Heymach

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: KRAS inhibitors are revolutionizing the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but clinico-genomic determinants of treatment efficacy warrant continued exploration.

Experimental design: Patients with advanced KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC treated with adagrasib [KRYSTAL-1 (NCT03785249)] were included in the analysis. Pretreatment next-generation sequencing data were collected per protocol. HTG EdgeSeq Transcriptome Panel was used for gene expression profiling. Clinical endpoints included objective response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). KRASG12C-mutant NSCLC cell lines and xenograft models were used for sensitivity analyses and combination drug screens.

Results: KEAP1 MUT and STK11MUT were associated with shorter survival to adagrasib [KEAP1: …

The Gain-Of-Function Ube3aq588e Variant Causes Angelman-Like Neurodevelopmental Phenotypes In Mice, Kellan P Weston, Anna M Gunelson, Susan E Maloney, Xia Ge, Jalin A Stelzer, Kwang-Soo Kim, Shylyn Collier, Marissa M Mindt, Megan J Agajanian, Michael B Major, Dennis Goldfarb, Kevin K Noguchi, Jason J Yi

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mutations in the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBE3A that cause enzymatic gain-of-function result in disease phenotypes which differ from classic Angelman syndrome. However, these phenotypes are highly heterogeneous raising questions about the mechanistic basis of such phenotypic diversity. Here, we characterize a mouse model harboring a Ube3a

Lanthorn, Vol. 59, No. 13, March 17, 2025, Grand Valley State University

Volume 59, August 5, 2024 – April 14, 2025

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

The Prevalence Of Weapon Damage: A Proportional Meta-Analysis, Sarah Lane, Erin Mccullough

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Sexually selected weapons are tools that are used in physical fights over mating opportunities. Individuals can face dire fitness consequences if they break their weapon and can no longer fight effectively; however, the costs and consequences of weapon damage have largely been ignored. In this study, the literature was systematically searched to examine the prevalence of weapon damage, and a phylogenetically controlled proportional meta-analysis was conducted to explore factors influencing the patterns of weapon damage across the animal kingdom. A total of 36 suitable studies were identified across 74 species and 13 orders for a total of 82 effect sizes. …

Ca-125 As A Biomarker In Renal Medullary Carcinoma: Integrated Molecular Profiling, Functional Characterization, And Prospective Clinical Validation, Sandra L Grimm, Menuka Karki, Kyle A Blum, Jean-Philippe Bertocchio, Rong He, Durga N Tripathi, Niki M Zacharias, Justin M Lebenthal, Rahul A Sheth, Priya Rao, Giannicola Genovese, Zhen Lu, Robert C Bast, Davis R Ingram, Rossana Lazcano, Khalida M Wani, Wei-Lien Wang, Alexander J Lazar, Nizar M Tannir, Cheryl L Walker, Cristian Coarfa, Pavlos Msaouel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) is a highly aggressive malignancy defined by the loss of the SMARCB1 tumor suppressor. It mainly affects young individuals of African descent with sickle cell trait, and it is resistant to conventional therapies used for other renal cell carcinomas. This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers for early detection and disease monitoring of RMC.

Experimental design: Integrated profiling of primary untreated RMC tumor tissues and paired adjacent kidney controls was performed using RNA sequencing and histone chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. The expression of serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), was prospectively evaluated in 47 patients with RMC. …

Identification Of Lysosomal Lipolysis As An Essential Noncanonical Mediator Of Adipocyte Fasting And Cold-Induced Lipolysis, Yu-Sheng Yeh, Trent D. Evans, Mari Iwase, Se-Jin Jeong, Arick Park, Ali Ghasemian, Borna Dianati, Ali Javaheri, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Adipose tissue lipolysis is the process by which triglycerides in lipid stores are hydrolyzed into free fatty acids (FFAs), serving as fuel during fasting or cold-induced thermogenesis. Although cytosolic lipases are considered the predominant mechanism of liberating FFAs, lipolysis also occurs in lysosomes via lysosomal acid lipase (LIPA), albeit with unclear roles in lipid storage and whole-body metabolism. We found that adipocyte LIPA expression increased in adipose tissue of mice when lipolysis was stimulated during fasting, cold exposure, or β-adrenergic agonism. This was functionally important, as inhibition of LIPA genetically or pharmacologically resulted in lower plasma FFAs under lipolytic conditions. …

The Advanced Strategies Of Human And Donor Milk Fortification And Its Effect On Long-Term Outcome In Preterm Babies, Ashwini Lakra, Mahaveer Singh Lakra, Ishani Arora, Heena Bhandekar, Amar Taksande, Roshan Prasad, Mayur Wanjari

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Poor growth in intrauterine and extrauterine life and inadequate protein supplementation in babies during the first weeks of premature babies are linked to long-term growth failure and poor brain development. The calorie requirements of premature newborns cannot always be fulfilled, even with routine and traditional fortification. This is because traditional fortification procedures rely on the presumed well-known composition of human milk rather than the calculated one. The protein content of mothers' milk of preterm babies varies, decreases with breastfeeding duration, and differs with donor human milk being preserved in milk banks for a long duration. Newer fortification techniques are needed …

Blood Tnf-Α And Gabra-1 Levels In Individuals With Poor Ovarian Response Underwent In Vitro Fertilization Program, Gadsara Ruangprachum, Paweena Thuwanut, Wisan Sereepapong, Vorasuk Shotelersuk, Siraprapa Tongkobpetch, Porntip Sirayapiwat

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Poor ovarian response (POR) to ovarian stimulation during in vitro fertilization (IVF) program remains a critical issue contributing to decreased ovarian reserve and cancellation of IVF cycles. Nevertheless, the complete etiology of PRO condition remains inadequately understood.

Objectives: This research primarily aimed to compare levels of blood pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) and apoptotic marker (GABRA-1) between those exhibiting normal ovarian response (NOR) and those with poor ovarian response during IVF program.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving whole blood collection from 25 participants was conducted (15 individuals in NOR group and 10 in POR group). Relative gene expression levels of blood …

Exploring The Therapeutic Potential Of Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Extract-Loaded Transferosomal Gel In Freund's Complete Adjuvant-Induced Rat Models., Vandana Singh Ms., Hema Arya Ms., Bhavana Singh Dr., Koushal Dhamija Mr., Preeti Singh Dr., Gautam Kumar Dr.

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Abstract:

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation and joint damage.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the antiarthritic activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum (TFG) Transferosomal gel in a Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritic rat model and compare it with Diclofenac gel, a standard anti-inflammatory drug.

Methods: Arthritis was induced in rats by injecting a 0.1 mL (1mg/ml) CFA suspension into the left hind foot in the subplantar region, allowing them to develop arthritis for 21 days.

Results: Arthritis induction led to a significant increase in paw volume, indicative of inflammation. Treatment with both TFG-transferosomal gel and Diclofenac …

The Role Of Genetics In Human Oral Health: A Systematic-Narrative Review, Anita Joy-Thomas, Zarna Lalwani, Leticia Guajardo, John Valenza, Walid D Fakhouri

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: An individual's genetic makeup influences their organ development, orofacial structures, and overall health. Though many studies have been conducted to determine the inheritance of oral diseases and conditions, there is a lack of comprehensive research classifying these disorders based on the genetic and environmental etiology.

Methods: This systematic review aimed to analyze the existing body of literature using the PubMed and Cochrane databases and answer the following question: "What evidence exists supporting the role of genetic factors in oral conditions?" This systematic-narrative review methodically categorizes oral diseases and conditions based on their genetic or environmental linkages. Each …

Cracking The Code Of Hbv Persistence: Cutting-Edge Approaches To Targeting Cccdna In Chronic Hepatitis B With Or Without Pyogenic Liver Abscesses, Umar Saeed, Zahra Zahid Piracha, Mahmood Khan, Muhammad Nouman Tariq, Syed Shahan Gilani, Muhammad Raza, Rakshana Munuswamy, Naveen Bose, Dilber Uzun Ozsahin, Ilker Özşahin, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection remains a formidable global health challenge, driving severe liver complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA). At the core of HBV persistence lies covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), a viral reservoir that fuels ongoing infection despite antiviral treatments. This review highlights molecular mechanisms governing cccDNA formation, maintenance, and clearance, spotlighting innovative therapeutic strategies to disrupt this key viral element. We explore cutting-edge approaches, including epigenetic modulation to silence cccDNA, RNA interference (RNAi) for viral RNA degradation, and CRISPR/Cas genome editing to excise cccDNA directly. Additionally, emerging antiviral therapies and immunotherapies, …

Books And Media

Appalachia

Reviews of: A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber's Story, by Beth Rodden; Blood Sweat Tears, edited by Christine Reed; Pack Light: A Journey to Find Myself, by Shilletha Curtis; Alpine Rising: Sherpas, Baltis, and the Triumph of Local Climbers in the Greater Ranges, by Bernadette McDonald; Headstrap: Legends and Lore From the Climbing Sherpas of Darjeeling, by Nandini Purandare and Deepa Balsavar; Tramping Monadnock! New Discoveries with Henry David Thoreau, by Robert M. Young; Ghosts of Glencoe, by Chuck Schwerin; The Lifer: Rock Climbing Adventures in the Gunks and Beyond, by …

Research

Appalachia

The seasonal snowpack’s decline is affecting plants and animals.

Last Hike On Mount Monadnock: Friends Confront Time And Mortality, Eric D. Lehman

Appalachia

Two friends push up the southern New Hampshire peak, sensing but not knowing that it will be the last time for one of them.

Rotors, Not Propellers: A Tribute To A Dedicated Helicopter Pilot, Sally Manikian

Appalachia

A tribute to Carl J. Svenson, a pilot who for three decades flew supplies to huts and shelter sites for the Appalachian Mountain Club before his death in a crash in Croyden, New Hampshire, in October 2023.

Mountain Ninjas: Today's Motorized Beasts Of Burden, Justin Preisendorfer

Appalachia

Motorized equipment like snowcats and helicopters have become critical tools for effective recreation management in the modern era in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire.

Flight Lessons: Drones Find Their Way As Search-And-Rescue Tools, Sandy Stott

Appalachia

Since 2018, New Hampshire Fish & Game has begun using drones to search for lost and injured hikers in the White Mountains, complementing ground searches, trained dogs, and helicopters.