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The Utah Statesman, November 4, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The Plasma Proteome Reveals Markers Of Recent And Repeated Stress In Free-Ranging Seals, Jessica G. Avalos, Cory D. Champagne, Dan E. Crocker, Jane I. Khudyakov

Pacific Faculty Work

Animals in nature potentially experience multiple stressors, and those of anthropogenic origin are likely to be repeated or chronic. However, stress hormone levels are highly context-dependent and are not consistent predictors of chronic stress in wildlife. Profiling the downstream consequences of repeated stress responses, such as changes in metabolism or gene expression, may be more informative for predicting their individual-level health consequences and population-level impacts, which are key objectives for wildlife conservation. We previously found that in free-ranging juvenile elephant seals, the blubber transcriptome and proteome, but not cortisol levels, could distinguish between responses to single versus repeated stress axis …

Formulating Public Pharma, Shweta Kumar

IPIPC Papers & Reports

In 2022, prices for both brand-name and generic drugs in the U.S. were nearly three times as high as prices in comparably industrialized nations, with the cost of insulin products in particular being nearly ten times as high. As a result, 3 out of 10 American adults cannot afford to take their medication as prescribed. Furthermore, in 2024 the U.S. experienced its worst drug shortage in over a decade, with more than 300 drugs in short supply. Generic drugs are particularly vulnerable to shortage, as manufacturers have poor economic incentives to produce drugs with slim profit margins. While the Biden …

Butterfly Peacock Bass (Cichla Ocellaris) Neurocranium, Jasmyn Todaro, Emma Horton, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Pooled Analysis Of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, And Sleep Among Children From 33 Countries, Kar Hau Chong, Thomas Suesse, Penny L. Cross, Sarah T. Ryan, Eivind Aadland, Oluwayomi Aoko, Ankhmaa Byambaa, Valerie Carson, Jean Philippe Chaput, Hayley Christian, Dylan P. Cliff, Marieke De Craemer, Clarice Maria De Lucena Martins, Christine Delisle Nyström, Catherine E. Draper, Asmaa El Hamdouchi, Alex Antonio Florindo, Hongyan Guan, Amy S. Ha, Najmeh Hamzavi Zarghani, Kylie D. Hesketh, Mohammad Sorowar Hossain, Jajat Jajat, Thanh Kim, Denise Koh, Anna V. Kontsevaya, Nicholas Kuzik, Marja H. Leppänen, Marie Löf, Himangi Lubree, Kim Meredith-Jones, Tawonga W. Mwase-Vuma, Johan Y.Y. Ng, Rachel Novotny

Population and Public Health Science Faculty Publications

Importance: The prevalence estimates of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep (collectively known as movement behaviors) in 3-and 4-year-old children worldwide remains uncertain. Objective: To report the proportion of 3-and 4-year-old children who met the World Health Organization guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep across 33 countries. Design, Setting, and Participants: Pooled analysis of data from 14 cross-sectional studies (July 2008 to September 2022) identified through systematic reviews and personal networks. Thirty-Three countries of varying income levels across 6 geographical regions. Each study site needed to have at least 40 children aged 3.0 to 4.9 years with valid …

The Free Press Vol. 56, Issue 5, 11-04-2024, Chris Tiner, Cayley Bowman

Free Press, The

Spotlight on USM Neighbors--USM Goes Into Panic--Lewiston Shooting One Year Remembrance--The Gorham Connector--Champlain Film Festival--Portland String Quartet--Visiting Hometowns--EIC's Halloween Letter

Euphemism In Ai Discourse As Colonial Harm & Effect: Learnings From Subaltern Puerto Rico, Jacqueline Oquendo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Through three integrated studies, this dissertation explores complex human-AI interactions by comparing the perceptions of two groups of U.S. citizens: subaltern Puerto Ricans and stateside Americans’ interactions with ChatGPT. This corpus-assisted Critical Discourse Analysis or CLCDA, triangulated with 1:1 semi-structured interviews, validates scholars’ concerns about the biases inherent in generative AI. Contributing to those concerns, this dissertation reveals that ChatGPT deploys discourse strategies that, when executed, facilitate digital colonialism. Euphemistic language is prominent among its discourse strategies, replacing controversial words, phrases, and topics with more palatable ones. When prompted on events of historical significance, I find that ChatGPT’s discourse obscures …

Alf Engen At Sun Valley: Norwegian Immigrant Plays A Major Role In The Resort’S Early Years - Leads The Transition From Nordic To Alpine Skiing, John W. Lundin

Works by Local Authors

Alf Engen (1909-1997) immigrated to the U.S. from Mjondalen Norway in 1929,becoming the country’s best ski jumper and Four-Way competitor in the 1930s and 1940s. Alf was the oldest of the remarkable Engen family, that included his brothers Sverre and Karre(Corey). Alf was one of the pioneers who led the transition from Nordic events that dominated skiing in the early years, to alpine skiing in the latter part of the 1930s, along with Birger and Sigmund Ruud, Roy Mikkelsen, Hjalmar Hvam and others

The Echo: November 4, 2024, Taylor University

2024-2025 (Volume 112)

No abstract provided.

Differences In Brain Volume In Military Service Members And Veterans After Blast-Related Mild Tbi: A Limbic-Cenc Study, Emily L Dennis, Jared A Rowland, Carrie Esopenko, Nicholas J Tustison, Mary R Newsome, Elizabeth S Hovenden, Brian B Avants, Jessica Gill, Sidney R Hinds, Kimbra Kenney, Hannah M Lindsey, Sarah L Martindale, Mary Jo Pugh, Randall S Scheibel, Pashtun-Poh Shahim, Robert Shih, James R Stone, Maya Troyanskaya, William C Walker, Kent Werner, Gerald E York, David X Cifu, David F Tate, Elisabeth A Wilde

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), the "signature injury" of post-9/11 conflicts, are associated with clinically relevant, long-term cognitive, psychological, and behavioral dysfunction and disability; however, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear.

Objective: To investigate associations between a history of remote blast-related mild TBI and regional brain volume in a sample of US veterans and active duty service members.

Design, setting, and participants: Prospective cohort study of US veterans and active duty service members from the Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium-Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (LIMBIC-CENC), which enrolled more than 1500 participants at 5 sites used in …

Faculty Senate Agenda November 4, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report
• 3:40 Report
• Academic Freedom and Tenure Annual Report
• Athletic Council Annual Report
• Library Advisory Council Annual Report
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Characterization Of Driver Mutations Identifies Gene Signatures Predictive Of Prognosis And Treatment Sensitivity In Multiple Myeloma, Jian-Rong Li, Abinand Krishna Parthasarathy, Aravind Singaram Kannappan, Shahram Arsang-Jang, Jing Dong, Chao Cheng

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In multiple myeloma (MM), while frequent mutations in driver genes are crucial for disease progression, they traditionally offer limited insights into patient prognosis. This study aims to enhance prognostic understanding in MM by analyzing pathway dysregulations in key cancer driver genes, thereby identifying actionable gene signatures. We conducted a detailed quantification of mutations and pathway dysregulations in 10 frequently mutated cancer driver genes in MM to characterize their comprehensive mutational impacts on the whole transcriptome. This was followed by a systematic survival analysis to identify significant gene signatures with enhanced prognostic value. Our systematic analysis highlighted 2 significant signatures, TP53 …

Education Policy Committee Minutes November 07, 2024, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes
• Subcommittee Reports
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 4:00

Contrasting Responses Of Commercially Important Northwest Atlantic Bivalve Species To Ocean Acidification And Temperature Conditions, Teagan Mcmahon, Diana Thatcher, Branwen Williams, Alan Wanamaker, Brittany Jellison, Heidi Franklin, Katherine Guay, Nina M. Whitney, Joseph A. Stewart, Michèle Lavigne

Faculty Publications

Modern calcifying marine organisms face numerous environmental stressors, including overfishing, deoxygenation, increasing ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification (OA). Coastal marine settings are predicted to become warmer and more acidic in coming decades, heightening the risks of extreme events such as marine heat waves. Given these threats, it is important to understand the vulnerabilities of marine organisms that construct their shells from calcium carbonate, which are particularly susceptible to warming and decreasing pH levels. To investigate the response of four commercially relevant bivalve species to OA and differing temperatures, juvenile Mercenaria mercenaria (hard shell clams), juvenile Mya arenaria (soft shell clams), …

Contrasting Responses Of Commercially Important Northwest Atlantic Bivalve Species To Ocean Acidification And Temperature Conditions, Teagan Mcmahon, Diana Thatcher, Branwen Williams, Alan Wanamaker, Brittany Jellison, Heidi Franklin, Katherine Guay, Nina M. Whitney, Joseph A. Stewart, Michèle Lavigne

Faculty Publications

Modern calcifying marine organisms face numerous environmental stressors, including overfishing, deoxygenation, increasing ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification (OA). Coastal marine settings are predicted to become warmer and more acidic in coming decades, heightening the risks of extreme events such as marine heat waves. Given these threats, it is important to understand the vulnerabilities of marine organisms that construct their shells from calcium carbonate, which are particularly susceptible to warming and decreasing pH levels. To investigate the response of four commercially relevant bivalve species to OA and differing temperatures, juvenile Mercenaria mercenaria (hard shell clams), juvenile Mya arenaria (soft shell clams), …

Predictive Validity Of Person-Environment Fit On The Hiring Desirability Of Software Engineers, Lucija Velican

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Person-environment (P-E) fit, particularly in recruitment, has gained significant attention, expanding beyond the traditional focus on job-applicant compatibility to include alignment with team and organizational dynamics. Despite its importance, there is no consensus on how to effectively measure this fit, which limits its predictive power for employee outcomes. This quantitative correlational study addressed this gap by examining the predictive validity of congruence between candidates’ psychological characteristics and various facets of the work environment among software engineers. Drawing on Schneider’s attraction-selection-attrition model, the study examined congruence at multiple levels (candidate-team, candidate-leader, and candidate-role) and its influence on hiring desirability. Secondary data …

Forgotten Partners: Mothers’ Perceptions Of Early Literacy Instruction For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Andrew Payne

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Families are often the forgotten partners in education and in educational research. It is important to consider input from families regarding their children’s education. Their voices are crucial ones that should be heard more often. The research is currently lacking information about families’ perceptions about the education of their children with significant disabilities. This qualitative study explored mothers’ perspectives on the literacy education of their children and the role they play in the process. Stories of five participants and their lived experiences of supporting their children with intellectual and development disabilities in acquiring early literacy skills are shared. Themes relating …

Age-Related Decline In Blood-Brain Barrier Function Is More Pronounced In Males Than Females In Parietal And Temporal Regions, Xingfeng Shao, Qinyang Shou, Kimberly Felix, Brandon Ojogho, Xuejuan Jiang, Brian T Gold, Megan M Herting, Eric L Goldwaser, Peter Kochunov, Elliot Hong, Ioannis Pappas, Meredith Braskie, Hosung Kim, Steven Cen, Kay Jann, Danny J J Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a pivotal role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS), and shielding it from potential harmful entities. A natural decline of BBB function with aging has been reported in both animal and human studies, which may contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders. Limited data also suggest that being female may be associated with protective effects on BBB function. Here, we investigated age and sex-dependent trajectories of perfusion and BBB water exchange rate (kw) across the lifespan in 186 cognitively normal participants spanning the ages of 8-92 years old, using a non-invasive diffusion-prepared pseudo-continuous arterial …

Fc-Enhanced Anti-Ctla-4, Anti-Pd-1, Doxorubicin, And Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening: A Novel Combinatorial Immunotherapy Regimen For Gliomas, Kwang-Soo Kim, Karl Habashy, Andrew Gould, Junfei Zhao, Hinda Najem, Christina Amidei, Ruth Saganty, Víctor A Arrieta, Crismita Dmello, Li Chen, Daniel Y Zhang, Brandyn Castro, Leah Billingham, Daniel Levey, Olivia Huber, Marilyn Marques, David A Savitsky, Benjamin M Morin, Miguel Muzzio, Michael Canney, Craig Horbinski, Peng Zhang, Jason Miska, Surya Padney, Bin Zhang, Raul Rabadan, Joanna J Phillips, Nicholas Butowski, Amy B Heimberger, Jian Hu, Roger Stupp, Dhan Chand, Catalina Lee-Chang, Adam M Sonabend

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain cancer that is resistant to conventional immunotherapy strategies. Botensilimab, an Fc-enhanced anti-CTLA-4 antibody (FcE-aCTLA-4), has shown durable activity in "cold" and immunotherapy-refractory cancers.

Methods: We evaluated the efficacy and immune microenvironment phenotype of a mouse analogue of FcE-aCTLA-4 in treatment-refractory preclinical models of glioblastoma, both as a monotherapy and in combination with doxorubicin delivered via low-intensity pulsed ultrasound and microbubbles (LIPU/MB). Additionally, we studied 4 glioblastoma patients treated with doxorubicin, anti-PD-1 with concomitant LIPU/MB to investigate the novel effect of doxorubicin modulating FcγR expressions in tumor-associated macrophages/microglia (TAMs).

Results: FcE-aCTLA-4 demonstrated high-affinity binding …

The Emerging Field Of Viroimmunotherapy For Pediatric Brain Tumors, Marc Garcia-Moure, Virginia Laspidea, Sumit Gupta, Andrew G Gillard, Soumen Khatua, Akhila Parthasarathy, Jiasen He, Frederick F Lang, Juan Fueyo, Marta M Alonso, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pediatric brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in children. Even to date, with the advances in multimodality therapeutic management, survival outcomes remain dismal in some types of tumors, such as pediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas or central nervous system embryonal tumors. Failure to understand the complex molecular heterogeneity and the elusive tumor and microenvironment interplay continues to undermine therapeutic efficacy. Developing a strategy that would improve survival for these fatal tumors remains unmet in pediatric neuro-oncology. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are emerging as a feasible, safe, and promising therapy for brain tumors. The new paradigm in virotherapy implies that the …

Impa1-Derived Inositol Maintains Stemness In Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Via Impdh2 Activation, Che-Chia Hsu, Guihua Wang, Chien-Feng Li, Xian Zhang, Zhen Cai, Tingjin Chen, Bo-Syong Pan, Rajesh Kumar Manne, Gagan Deep, Haiwei Gu, Yuzhuo Wang, Danni Peng, Vasudevarao Penugurti, Xiaobo Zhou, Zhigang Xu, Zhongzhu Chen, Ming Chen, Andrew J Armstrong, Jiaoti Huang, Hong-Yu Li, Hui-Kuan Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Acquisition of prostate cancer stem cells (PCSCs) manifested during androgen ablation therapy (ABT) contributes to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, little is known about the specific metabolites critically orchestrating this process. Here, we show that IMPA1-derived inositol enriched in PCSCs is a key metabolite crucially maintaining PCSCs for CRPC progression and ABT resistance. Notably, conditional Impa1 knockout in the prostate abrogates the pool and properties of PCSCs to orchestrate CRPC progression and prolong the survival of TRAMP mice. IMPA1-derived inositol serves as a cofactor that directly binds to and activates IMPDH2, which synthesizes guanylate nucleotides for maintaining PCSCs with ARlow/- …

Predictive Validity Of Person-Environment Fit On The Hiring Desirability Of Software Engineers, Lucija Velican

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Person-environment (P-E) fit, particularly in recruitment, has gained significant attention, expanding beyond the traditional focus on job-applicant compatibility to include alignment with team and organizational dynamics. Despite its importance, there is no consensus on how to effectively measure this fit, which limits its predictive power for employee outcomes. This quantitative correlational study addressed this gap by examining the predictive validity of congruence between candidates’ psychological characteristics and various facets of the work environment among software engineers. Drawing on Schneider’s attraction-selection-attrition model, the study examined congruence at multiple levels (candidate-team, candidate-leader, and candidate-role) and its influence on hiring desirability. Secondary data …

Predictive Validity Of Person-Environment Fit On The Hiring Desirability Of Software Engineers, Lucija Velican

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Person-environment (P-E) fit, particularly in recruitment, has gained significant attention, expanding beyond the traditional focus on job-applicant compatibility to include alignment with team and organizational dynamics. Despite its importance, there is no consensus on how to effectively measure this fit, which limits its predictive power for employee outcomes. This quantitative correlational study addressed this gap by examining the predictive validity of congruence between candidates’ psychological characteristics and various facets of the work environment among software engineers. Drawing on Schneider’s attraction-selection-attrition model, the study examined congruence at multiple levels (candidate-team, candidate-leader, and candidate-role) and its influence on hiring desirability. Secondary data …

Social Workers' Challenges And Successes In Working With Black Men During Times Of Social Upheaval., Eric Dewayne Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. social workers experienced challenges and successes when working with Black male clients in mental and medical health and addiction therapy or treatment settings before and during the simultaneous events of the COVID-19 pandemic, political elections, and racial violence/social injustice movements of the late 2010s–early 2020s. This project addressed the lack of knowledge regarding evidence-based practices to address the challenges and positive therapeutic experiences of social workers, specifically those working in clinical practice with Black American male clients. The theoretical framework for this study was Bell's critical race theory. The generic qualitative research design was used to address three research …

Transport Of Β-Amyloid From Brain To Eye Causes Retinal Degeneration In Alzheimer’S Disease, Qiuchen Cao, Shige Yang, Xiaowei Wang, Huaiqing Sun, Weijie Chen, Yuliang Wang, Junying Gao, Yanchi Wu, Qiuhua Yang, Xue Chen, Songtao Yuan, Ming Xiao, Maiken Nedergaard, Yuqing Huo, Qinghuai Liu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The eye is closely connected to the brain, providing a unique window to detect pathological changes in the brain. In this study, we discovered β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits along the ocular glymphatic system in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 5×FAD transgenic mouse model. Interestingly, Aβ from the brain can flow into the eyes along the optic nerve through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), causing retinal degeneration. Aβ is mainly observed in the optic nerve sheath, the neural axon, and the perivascular space, which might represent the critical steps of the Aβ transportation from the brain to the eyes. Aquaporin-4 facilitates the influx …

Nerve Injury Inhibits Oprd1 And Cnr1 Transcription Through Rest In Primary Sensory Neurons, Ashok Subedi, Asieh Etemad, Aadhya Tiwari, Yuying Huang, Biji Chatterjee, Samantha M Mcleod, Yungang Lu, Diangelo Gonzalez, Krishna Ghosh, Mario Sirito, Sanjay K Singh, Elisa Ruiz, Sandra L Grimm, Cristian Coarfa, Hui-Lin Pan, Sadhan Majumder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The transcription repressor REST in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is upregulated by peripheral nerve injury and promotes the development of chronic pain. However, the genes targeted by REST in neuropathic pain development remain unclear. The expression levels of four opioid receptor genes (Oprm1, Oprd1, Oprl1 and Oprk1) and the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (Cnr1) gene in the DRG regulate nociception. In this study, we determined the role of REST in controlling their expression in the DRG induced by spared nerve injury (SNI). SNI induced chronic pain hypersensitivity in wild-type mice and was accompanied by increased levels of Rest transcript and …

Deletion Of Fgfr2 In Ductal Basal Epithelium With Tamoxifen Induces Obstructive Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, Xiaowei Yang, Xingwu Zhong, Haotian Lin, Andrew J W Huang, Lixing W Reneker

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (Fgfr2) is crucial for the homeostasis of meibomian gland (MG). However, the role of Fgfr2 in MG ductal epithelial progenitors remains to be delineated. Herein, we created a new transgenic mouse model with conditional deletion of Fgfr2 from MG ductal progenitors and investigated the cell-specific role in the pathogenesis of obstructive meibomian gland dysfunction.

METHODS: Peritoneal injection of tamoxifen (TAM) at 50 µg/gm for three consecutive days was performed to induce conditional deletion of Fgfr2 in two-month-old Krt5Fgfr2CKO or Krt5Fgfr2CKO-mTmG mice. Phenotypes of MG after Fgfr2 deletion were monitored by meibography, lipid staining, and …

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Giardia Lamblia Article Review, Wahda A. M. Khrofa, Ramzia H. A. Almizwary, Alyaa A. N. Alsaffo

BioMed Visions Journal

Giardia lamblia is a microscopic parasite belonging to the genus Giardia, renowned for its complex antigenic mechanisms. This parasite predominantly inhabits the small intestine, leading to a range of symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and discomfort, affecting both humans and various animals such as dogs, cats, cattle, and sheep. The transmission of Giardia lamblia occurs through contaminated food, surface water, and fecal matter. The parasite spreads primarily through the fecal-oral route when hands contaminated with infected feces is exposed to the mouth, or when the infected cysts are ingested directly or indirectly.

Giardia lamblia goes through two primary life stages …

Despair For Democracy, Bennett L. Gershman

Pace Law Review

In the convoluted terrain of American democracy, the proliferation of lies, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and paranoid thinking has emerged as a pervasive force, undermining the foundational principles upon which the nation was built. This article embarks on a penetrating exploration of the multifaceted challenges posed by these phenomena, exacerbated by the divisive rhetoric and provocative incitements to violence perpetuated by the Trump administration. As the fabric of truth unravels, the rule of law stands as a critical linchpin in preserving the integrity of democracy, serving as a bulwark against the encroachment of authoritarianism and the unchecked spread of disinformation.

Against …

Free Exercise Challenges To Entheogen Prohibitions: Precedents, Principles, And Issues, Kevin Chamow

Pace Law Review

This paper examines the conditions for the possibility of future

challenges to prohibitions against the cultivation, distribution, and use of entheogens—substances which reliably induce religious experiences in their users—based on the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Smith no longer applies to federal prohibitions against entheogens, because of Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). Under the current Gonzalez framework, the Court is given the difficult task of evaluating the cost of the claimant’s exemption against the state’s interest in the general ban; including how the exemption would impact enforcement of the general ban. This is essentially predictive systems-theory and policymaking, …