Digital Commons Network^™

Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis Of Cerebrospinal Fluid In Postoperative Delirium, Bridget A. Tripp, Simon T. Dillon, Min Yuan, John M. Asara, Sarinnapha M. Vasunilashorn, Tamara G. Fong, Sharon K. Inouye, Long H. Ngo, Edward R. Marcantonio, Zhongcong Xie, Towia A. Libermann, Hasan H. Otu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Preoperative risk biomarkers for delirium may aid in identifying high-risk patients and developing intervention therapies, which would minimize the health and economic burden of postoperative delirium. Previous studies have typically used single omics approaches to identify such biomarkers. Preoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the Healthier Postoperative Recovery study of adults ≥ 63 years old undergoing elective major orthopedic surgery was used in a matched pair delirium case–no delirium control design. We performed metabolomics and lipidomics, which were combined with our previously reported proteomics results on the same samples. Differential expression, clustering, classification, and systems biology analyses were applied to individual …

Effective Vocabulary Instructions In Kindergarten Through Third Grade, Allison Ericksen

Masters Projects

This project proposal explains the lack of research and emphasis put on vocabulary instruction in kindergarten through third grade. There is a vocabulary gap between students who come from low SES and high SES that puts students at a disadvantage when it comes to reading, since 60% of comprehension is tied to vocabulary (Stahl and Nagy, 2005). However, the gap is often not addressed until later grades when it starts to be more necessary to comprehend what they read in order to learn. Teaching vocabulary in the younger grades will help prevent the gap from growing too large for those …

Resisting Exploitation: A Study Of Karen Joyce Warren’S Ecofeminist Ethic In The Selected Indian Movies, Kogila S

Theses and Dissertations

According to Warren, “The exploitation of nature and animals is justified by feminising them; the exploitation of women is justified by naturalising them” (EPWP 27). Women and nature have the same right to live independently. They are not meant for exploitation. However, patriarchy has long exploited them.

The changes are happening only in the ratio, not in the act of controlling. This research aims to study the undervalued state of women and others in nature concerning Warren's eight features of ecofeminist ethic in Indian movies, namely Harish Ram L's Thumbaa (2019), Amit Masurkar’s Sherni (2021), and Rathindran Prasad R’s Boomika …

Landes Gift Names Baseball Stadium Entrance, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Fans of Ole Miss Rebel baseball no doubt have noticed new signage proclaiming Entrance 1 of Oxford-University Stadium as the Billy and Scott Landes Family Gate.

Dna Methylation Patterns In Umbilical Cord Blood From Infants Of Methadone Maintained Opioid Dependent Mothers, Oluwatobi Adegboyega, Suhita Gayen Nee' Betal, Pedro Urday, Rachel Huang, Katherine Bodycot, Huda Al-Kouatly, Kolawole Solarin, Joanna Chan, Sankar Addya, Rupsa Boelig, Zubair Aghai

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers

Methadone maintenance treatment for opioid dependent mothers is standard of care. Infants of methadone maintained opioid dependent (MMOD) mothers have better outcomes compared to infants of opioid dependent mothers without treatment. However, when compared to non-exposed infants, infants of MMOD mothers are associated with worse outcomes. We conducted a pilot study to examine genome wide differential DNA methylation using cord blood samples from sixteen term and near-term infants of MMOD and opioid naïve mothers, excluding Infants with chorioamnionitis. A total of 152 differentially methylated loci were identified at a difference >  + 2, < - 2 and p-value < 0.05. There were 90 hypermethylated loci (59 annotated genes) and 62 hypomethylated loci (38 annotated genes) observed. The hypermethylated and hypomethylated DNA changes involved multiple genes, pathways and networks that may explain some of the changes seen in infants of MMOD mothers. Top hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes involved areas of cell growth, neurodevelopment, vision and xenobiotic metabolism functions. Our data may explain the role of key pathways and genes relevant to neonatal outcomes seen from methadone exposure in pregnancy. Functional studies on the identified pathways and genes could lead to improved understanding of the mechanisms and identify areas for intervention.

Social Marketing And The Challenges Of Participant Recruitment, Tom Baranowski, Teresia M O'Connor, John A Jimenez-Garcia, Kavita Radhakrishnan, Elva M Arrendondo, Debbe Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Recruitment of research participants often has not obtained a desired sample size, thereby becoming a major problem inhibiting investigators' ability to adequately test the specified hypotheses. Social marketing with its four Ps, originally developed by the business world to sell products and adapted for public health initiatives, is proposed as a dynamic comprehensive conceptual framework to apply marketing principles and practices to enhance participant recruitment. Applying a social marketing approach to research recruitment would require initial investigation to understand the motivations of the target audience in regard to research participation, and continued research throughout the main project to adapt the …

Demystifying The Virtualization Process: A Call For Standard Reporting Of Virtual Modifications To Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, Using The Frame Model, Derrecka M Boykin, Tracey L Smith, Barbara Rakel, Merlyn Rodrigues, Jennie Embree, Ken Woods, Angelic D Chaison, Lilian Dindo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The sudden onset of the coronavirus disease led to a rapid expansion of video telehealth to deliver mental healthcare. Although video telehealth was not a new clinical practice, there was limited guidance on how best to modify evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for virtual delivery (a process also referred to as virtualization). The virtualization process for EBPs remains unclear as newly emerging reports on this topic do not consistently report modification decisions. This commentary calls attention to the need to improve documentation practices to allow a greater understanding of modifications needed to maximize the positive effects of EBPs transported to a virtual …

Freedom As The Physical Notion. Mechanics Of A Material Point, Michael Vigdorowitsch

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This is a novel conceptual attempt to introduce freedom as a consistent physical notion. The present consideration is limited to mechanics of a material point. Adapted to physical representation, freedom is tested throughout the paper to conform to its general perception. It is first tried on such physical notions (but not restricted to) as potency of a set, Lagrangian, action, degrees of freedom. Defined as angular and essentially nonlinear variable, it appears to be dual as that the domain affords and that the material point possesses within the domain, not necessarily equal to one another. Freedom has to degrade if …

A High-Resolution Photographic Guide For Identifying Fiddler Crabs From The Shores Of The Atlantic Ocean, Abby M. Hutchins, Carl L. Thurman

Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) Symposium

The aim of this project is to make high-resolution images of the 23 species of fiddler crabs inhabiting coastal regions of Europe, East Africa, North America, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and South America. So that these can be used by anyone to identify species, the images will be published on the UNI - Rod Library ScholarWorks webpage (https://scholarworks.uni.edu/) and publicly available on the World Wide Web.

Intermittent Fasting As An Adjuvant To Standard Drug Therapy For Drug Resistant Epilepsy, Jake Smiech

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Epilepsy affects about 70 million people worldwide, making it the world’s second most common neurological disease. The first line treatment for epilepsy are anti-seizure medications, but only two-thirds of patients respond to the first two medications given. We propose a randomized controlled study utilizing intermittent fasting as a therapeutic lifestyle modification as an adjuvant to standard drug therapy for those that experience drug-resistant epilepsy. We will assess the efficacy and safety of intermittent fasting for a period of six months, and statistically determine if there is a significant reduction in the mean frequency of seizures participants experience compared to a …

Utility Of Serum Uromodulin In Predicting Kidney Injury In Acute Decompensated Heart Failure, Isabel Bautista

Yale School of Medicine Physician Associate Program Theses

Heart failure is widespread and associated with high mortality and healthcare costs. Patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure are at risk for developing kidney injury, a high-risk complication known as cardiorenal syndrome. Elevated uromodulin has reno-protective effects and is associated with a lower risk of kidney dysfunction. Compelling evidence suggests that elevations in uromodulin levels may help improve clinical outcomes among other kidney disease populations yet, it has not been explored in patients with heart failure. This study aims to investigate the relationship between baseline serum uromodulin levels and risk of incident acute kidney injury among acute decompensated heart …

Revision Of Trachyderines Related To Sphaenothecus From North America With Description Of Three New Genera, And New Species Of Lophalia Casey, 1912, Mannophorus Leconte, 1854, And Ischnocnemis Thomson, 1864 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachyderini), Bryan K. Eya

Insecta Mundi

The genera Lophalia Casey, 1912, Mannophorus LeConte, 1854 and Ischnocnemis Thomas, 1864 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachyderini) are recharacterized by providing additional morphological features to enhance the delineation of these genera. Two species, Lophalia cribricollis Bates, 1892 and Ischnocnemis luteicollis (Bates, 1885), are transferred to a new genus Lophaliamorpha Eya with Lophaliamorpha luteicollis (Bates) new combination as the type species. Ischnocnemis skillmani Chemsak and Hovore, 2010 is transferred to a new genus Paramannophorus Eya with Paramannophorus skillmani (Chemsak and Hovore) new combination as the type species. A new genus Microteroschema is created to accommodate two additional species from Mexico: Microteroschema parvum …

Computational Modelling And Design Of Antibodies: Benefits From Analysis Of Their Unique Structural Motifs, Katherine M. Mccoy

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The complexes that antibodies make with their binding partners, or antigens, are especially valuable to be able to predict and modify due to their unique role in the immune system. Yet, they present significant challenges to computational methods of both modelling and design. Antibodies are unlike most other proteins in that they are composed of a scaffold region, which is a highly conserved structure that is largely the same between antibodies of the same class, and Complementary Determining Regions (CDRs), which are comprised of hypervariable loops that largely determine their binding motifs. Additionally, antibodies and their antigens do not co-evolve …

Antimicrobials Produced By Ants: Chemical Properties And Microbe Specificity, Katy Chon

Master's Theses

Antibiotic resistance is a growing public health concern worldwide, and for over a decade, we have been witnessing the growth of difficult to treat infectious diseases caused by bacteria that are becoming resistant to antibiotics. This resistance can be mostly related to the misusing and improper use of antibiotics in both humans and animals. To restore this problem, humans have turned to new sources for the production of antibiotics. In this study, we focused on using ants. Social insects, including ants and bees, have faced strong disease pressures during their evolution and have developed a range of methods to fight …

(Arise) Achievements In Research, Inquiry And Scholarship Exhibition 2024, Office Of Undergraduate Research

(ARISE) Achievements in Research, Inquiry and Scholarship Exhibition

No abstract provided.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Rocky Mountain Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes Macroura), Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Rocky Mountain red fox (Vulpes vulpes macroura) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

26th Annual Open Government Summit: Your Guide To The Access To Public Records Act & Open Meetings Act, Peter F. Neronha, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

A Shield-Bearer’S Tale: Elucidating The Roles Of Estradiol And Choline In Mitigating Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairment, Robert W. Botelho Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chemotherapy-Related Cognitive Impairments (CRCIs) are significant consequences of chemotherapy that affect a substantial portion of breast cancer survivors, potentially persisting long after treatment cessation. This series of studies investigated the neuroprotective roles of estradiol and choline against CRCIs induced by cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin (CYP/DOX), commonly known as Adriamycin/Cytoxan (AC) chemotherapy. Utilizing the MMTV-PyVT mouse model of breast cancer, this body of work spans several experimental studies, the first of which evaluates the impact of dietary choline supplementation on spatial memory and cholinergic function in tumor-bearing mice undergoing chemotherapy. The subsequent study tests whether impaired ovarian function and resulting reductions in …

Diapause Specific Proteins Of A Brine Shrimp Form Liquid Droplets Dependent On Salt And Ph Levels, Kolby Sanders, Alex Haydon, Charles Elder, David Grimm, Michael Menze

Undergraduate Research Events

Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) is a process when a polypeptide condenses into a dense and dilute phase in aqueous solutions. Within cells, this process is believed to relate to stress regulation and various cellular processes. Several stress-related proteins found only during the embryonic developmental stage of diapause in the brine shrimp, A. franciscana, have been observed to undergo LLPS in vitro. Our results show that the small heat shock protein (sHSP) p26 has a greater propensity to LLPS under varying salt concentrations compared to LEA6, a late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA). At a protein concentration of 1.31 mg/ml in …

The Design And Impact Of Interactive Online Modules For Dental Faculty Calibration, Meixun Zheng, Debra Woo, Kim Benton

Pacific Faculty Work

The diverse backgrounds of health professions faculty often result in inconsistent teaching, clinical techniques, and feedback for students. Faculty calibration is essential for uniform, high-quality instruction. However, scheduling training sessions is challenging due to faculty availability. This study introduces a self-paced, interactive online approach to dental faculty calibration. Four self-paced online modules were developed using an interactive cloud-based platform. A variety of learning activities were interspersed throughout the module to promote active learning. A survey captured faculty’s perception of the online format. ANOVA analyses examined differences in perceived effectiveness of the online format between full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty. The …

Surgical Challenges In Sacro-Pelvic Sarcomas: Tailoring Approaches With 3d Morphometric Insights, Vikram Murugan, Justin Bird

Students Summer in Oncology at Anderson Research (SOAR) 2024

This study investigates the influence of sacral morphology variations on the stabilization provided by sacroiliac screws in patients with pelvic posterior ring fractures. Using high-resolution CT scans for advanced 3D analysis, it identifies sacral dysmorphism variations of L5/S1 sacralization, tongue-in-groove phenomena, and mammillary bodies, that are crucial for refining surgical planning and enhancing fixation effectiveness.

Code Breaking: Inhibiting Dna Repair To Enhance Radiotherapy In Colorectal Cancer, Aadil Sheikh, Broderick X. Turner, Michael Curran

Students Summer in Oncology at Anderson Research (SOAR) 2024

In this study, we investigated how inhibiting components of the DNA damage repair pathway can increase DNA damage and activation of the innate immune system in radiotherapy in colorectal cancer.

Dedicated Drained Liver Volume Measurement After Percutaneous Biliary Drain Placement: A Personalized Three-Dimensional Volumetry Model, Ryan P. Kempen, Brayden Mi, Koustav Pal, Iwan Paolucci, David T. Fuentes, Ethan Y. Lin, Alda L. Tam

Students Summer in Oncology at Anderson Research (SOAR) 2024

We trained an nnU-Net machine learning algorithm to auto-segment abdominal CT scans to construct a personalized three-dimensional model of liver, tumor, and biliary anatomy. As a proof-of-concept, we applied our nnU-Net model to verify liver volume drainage territory in cases of low level obstructions with a liver drainage volume of 100%.

Impact Of Tumor Pigmentation In 6934 Patients With Uveal Melanoma At A Single Center, Samuel Goldstein, Ferris Bayasi, George Thomas, Matthew Barke, Michael Nguyen, Samantha Pastore, Carol Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Purpose: To evaluate clinical features and outcomes associated with degree of tumor pigmentation in patients with uveal melanoma (UM) of the choroid and ciliary body. Design: Retrospective observational study. Subjects: Six thousand nine hundred thirty-four consecutive patients with choroidal or ciliary body melanoma between 1971 and 2007 from a single ocular oncology center. Methods: Data on patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment approach, and clinical outcomes were collected. Comparisons between pigmented (>80% pigmentation by surface area), partially pigmented (20%–80%), and nonpigmented tumors (<20%) were performed using relevant hypothesis testing. Survival analyses for metastasis and melanoma-related death were conducted using the Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank tests for univariate comparisons. A multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the independent effects of multiple covariates on time-to-metastasis. Main Outcome Measures: Extraocular extension, ocular melanocytosis, time to tumor recurrence, tumor location, and melanoma-related metastasis and death. Results: There were 6934 eyes with UM and the degree of tumor pigmentation was classified as pigmented (n = 3762; 54%), partially pigmented (n = 2115; 31%), or nonpigmented (n = 1057; 15%). Pigmented UM was associated with extraocular extension (P < 0.001), ocular melanocytosis (P = 0.003), earlier tumor recurrence (P < 0.001), and more anterior tumor epicenter location (ciliary body, and equator to ora serrata) (P < 0.001). Pigmented UMs also exhibited the highest 10-year metastasis rate at 26%, compared with 19% for partially pigmented UMs and 16% for nonpigmented UMs (P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier survival curves demonstrated differences among the tumor pigmentation groups for melanoma-related metastasis (P < 0.001) and melanoma-related death (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis for melanoma-related metastasis showed that pigmented UMs had a 29% higher relative risk of developing metastasis compared with partially pigmented UMs (P = 0.002) and a 54% higher relative risk of developing metastasis compared with nonpigmented UMs (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Pigmented choroidal and ciliary body melanoma is more often associated with ocular melanocytosis, extraocular extension, anterior tumor epicenter, and earlier tumor recurrence. We also revealed that patients with pigmented UMs demonstrate a higher 10-year rate of metastatic disease and have decreased metastatic survival relative to partially pigmented and nonpigmented UMs. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Ventral Hippocampus Mediates Inter-Trial Responding In Signaled Active Avoidance, Cecily R. Oleksiak, Samantha L. Plas, Denise Carriaga, Krithika Vasudevan, Stephen Maren, Justin M. Moscarello

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

The hippocampus has a central role in regulating contextual processes in memory. We have shown that pharmacological inactivation of ventral hippocampus (VH) attenuates the context-dependence of signaled active avoidance (SAA) in rats. Here, we explore whether the VH mediates intertrial responses (ITRs), which are putative unreinforced avoidance responses that occur between trials. First, we examined whether VH inactivation would affect ITRs. Male rats underwent SAA training and subsequently received intra-VH infusions of saline or muscimol before retrieval tests in the training context. Rats that received muscimol performed significantly fewer ITRs, but equivalent avoidance responses, compared to controls. Next, we asked …

Exposure To Light At Night And Risk Of Cancer: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, And Data Synthesis, Samuel Ma, Yossef Alsabawi, Hashem B. El-Serag, Aaron P. Thrift

School of Medicine Publications

Simple Summary

Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, and the causes of cancer are numerous and multifactorial, including genetic and environmental factors. There is a developing interest in the role of sleep and light at night (LAN) exposure in cancer development. The aim of our study is to further understand the relationship between LAN exposure and the risk of cancer by systematically reviewing existing literature assessing LAN exposure and the risk of various cancer types. We found a positive association between LAN exposure and breast cancer risk, but there was insufficient data to convincingly draw a conclusion …

Influence Of Adiposity And Sex On Sars-Cov-2 Antibody Response In Vaccinated University Students: A Cross-Sectional Esfuerso Study, Adriana L. Perales-Torres, Lucia M. Perez-Navarro, Esperanza M. Garcia-Oropeza, Alvaro Diaz-Badillo, Yoscelina Estrella Martinez-Lopez, Marisol Rosas-Diaz, Octelina Castillo-Ruiz, Laura Yanneth Ramirez-Quintanilla, Leonel Vela, Beatriz Tapia, Juan C. Lopez-Alvarenga

School of Medicine Publications

Prior studies have identified various determinants of differential immune responses to COVID-19. This study focused on the Ig-G anti-RBD marker, analyzing its potential correlations with sex, vaccine type, body fat percentage, metabolic risk, perceived stress, and previous COVID-19 exposure. In this study, data (available in S1 Data) were obtained from 108 participants from the ESFUERSO cohort, who completed questionnaires detailing their COVID-19 experiences and stress levels assessed through the SISCO scale. IgG anti-RBD concentrations were quantified using an ELISA assay developed by UNAM. Multiple regression analysis was employed to control for covariates, including sex, age, body fat percentage, body …

Detection And Mitigation Of Misleading Pheromone Trails In Foraging Robot Swarms, Ryan Luna, Qi Lu

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This study addresses the overlooked aspect of security in swarm robotics by exploring the vulnerabilities of stigmergic communication in foraging robot swarms. More specifically, we study the swarm's susceptibility to attacks that introduce misleading pheromone trails. Simulated scenarios in which detractor robots lay misleading trails to deceive benign foraging robots effectively reduce the foraging performance of the swarm. We analyze the impact of the attack on the swarm and evaluate the reduction of foraging efficiency. We introduce a defense mechanism using distance-based clustering (DBSCAN) along with a cluster grouping method to isolate large batches of detractors early in the simulation. …

Co-Localization Of Osteoclasts Differentiation Markers In An Implant Model In Diabetic Mice, Diego Adobbati, Deborah Rocha Seixas, Danieli Rodrigues, Claudia C. Biguetti

School of Podiatric Medicine - Student Research

Introduction and Hypothesis: Diabetes can impair implant osseointegration and impact implant functionality. While significant research has focused on osteogenesis during the osseointegration, little attention has been given to pre-osteoclast differentiation. We hypothesize that diabetes increases pre-osteoclast activity potentially leading to implant failure. This study aims to identify and localize osteoclast markers, specifically DC-STAMP (Dendritic Cell-Specific Transmembrane Protein) and NFATc2 (Nuclear Factor of Activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 2), in diabetic (D) and non-diabetic (ND) mice.

Methodology: Twenty-four 16-week-old male 129 Sv mice (12 diabetic and 12 non-diabetic) underwent implantation with a 0.5x1.5 mm commercially pure titanium screw in the right maxillary bone. …

N-Myc And Stat Interactor Is An Endometriosis Suppressor, Yuri Park, Xiaoming Guan, Sang Jun Han

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

In patients with endometriosis, refluxed endometrial fragments evade host immunosurveillance, developing into endometriotic lesions. However, the mechanisms underlying this evasion have not been fully elucidated. N-Myc and STAT Interactor (NMI) have been identified as key players in host immunosurveillance, including interferon (IFN)-induced cell death signaling pathways. NMI levels are markedly reduced in the stromal cells of human endometriotic lesions due to modulation by the Estrogen Receptor beta/Histone Deacetylase 8 axis. Knocking down NMI in immortalized human endometrial stromal cells (IHESCs) led to elevated RNA levels of genes involved in cell-to-cell adhesion and extracellular matrix signaling following IFNA treatment. Furthermore, NMI …