Digital Commons Network^™

Leveraging Genetic Diversity In Mice To Inform Individual Differences In Brain Microstructure And Memory., Thomas J Murdy, Amy R Dunn, Surjeet Singh, Maria Telpoukhovskaia, Shanrong Zhang, Jacqueline K White, Itamar Kahn, Marcelo Febo, Catherine Kaczorowski

Faculty Research 2023

In human Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients and AD mouse models, both differential pre-disease brain features and differential disease-associated memory decline are observed, suggesting that certain neurological features may protect against AD-related cognitive decline. The combination of these features is known as brain reserve, and understanding the genetic underpinnings of brain reserve may advance AD treatment in genetically diverse human populations. One potential source of brain reserve is brain microstructure, which is genetically influenced and can be measured with diffusion MRI (dMRI). To investigate variation of dMRI metrics in pre-disease-onset, genetically diverse AD mouse models, we utilized a population of genetically …

Zoom Affordances And Identity: A Case Study, Angela Cirucci

College of Communication & Creative Arts Departmental Research

While how to engage students in online settings is a popular topic of study, largely left out are the ways in which virtual learning environments (VLEs) have implications for identity performance (and subsequently learning quality). This case study pairs a walkthrough analysis of Zoom with an open-ended survey (n = 250, M = 21.5) to investigate how VLE affordances impact student identifications. Findings indicate that students prefer Zoom because it is “user-friendly,” forgoing wordy options and instead presenting a more “appified” user interface. Students were concerned about their classmates and professors seeing their physical backgrounds, particularly those who reported family …

Enhancing Sustainable Process Designs Through Strategic Material Utilization And Waste Minimization Approaches, John David Chea

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability is a growing concern as resources are continually depleted for various applications without adequate renewal plans. The resulting impacts on the ecosystem, health, and resource circularity are often overlooked. This research analyzes improvement opportunities at each major stage in a product's life cycle. Raw material acquisition, product synthesis, process waste management, and the fate of a material in the end-of-life phases were examined. The viability of utilizing renewable resources has been demonstrated in this work by extracting bio-based chemicals from underutilized renewable resources at a commercial scale and transforming the extracted resources into polymeric materials. The optimization of raw …

Evaluation Of Precision Livestock Technology And Human Scoring Of Nursery Pigs In A Controlled Immune Challenge Experiment, Eduarda M. Bortoluzzi, Mikayla J. Goering, Sara J. Ochoa, Aaron J. Holliday, Jared M. Mumm, Catherine E. Nelson, Hui Wu, Benny E. Mote, Eric T. Psota, Ty B. Schmidt, Majid Jaberi-Douraki, Lindsey E. Hulbert

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives were to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff values of a visual-based precision livestock technology (NUtrack), and determine the sensitivity and specificity of sickness score data collected with the live observation by trained human observers. At weaning, pigs (n = 192; gilts and barrows) were randomly assigned to one of twelve pens (16/pen) and treatments were randomly assigned to pens. Sham-pen pigs all received subcutaneous saline (3 mL). For LPS-pen pigs, all pigs received subcutaneous lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 300 µg/kg BW; E. coli O111:B4; in 3 mL of saline). For the last treatment, eight pigs were randomly …

Evaluation Of Precision Livestock Technology And Human Scoring Of Nursery Pigs In A Controlled Immune Challenge Experiment, Eduarda M. Bortoluzzi, Mikayla J. Goering, Sara J. Ochoa, Aaron J. Holliday, Jared M. Mumm, Catherine E. Nelson, Hui Wu, Benny Mote, Eric T. Psota, Ty B. Schmidt, Majid Jaberi-Douraki, Lindsey E. Hulbert

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The objectives were to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and cutoff values of a visual-based precision livestock technology (NUtrack), and determine the sensitivity and specificity of sickness score data collected with the live observation by trained human observers. At weaning, pigs (n = 192; gilts and barrows) were randomly assigned to one of twelve pens (16/pen) and treatments were randomly assigned to pens. Sham-pen pigs all received subcutaneous saline (3 mL). For LPS-pen pigs, all pigs received subcutaneous lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 300 μg/kg BW; E. coli O111:B4; in 3 mL of saline). For the last treatment, eight pigs were randomly …

Greywater Treatment Using Integrated Sand Filtration With Ultrafiltration For Reuse, Aya El-Wattar

Theses and Dissertations

Membrane flux was observed and the two membrane sizes that achieved stable flux were chosen to be used in the later stages of the study. The chosen membranes were of 300 kDa and 400 kDa Molecular Weight Cutoff (MWCO).

The third phase of the study involved running the full system on synthetic greywater then on real greywater. The parameters investigated were COD, TSS, Turbidity and BOD₅. Total COD removal after sand filtration, 300kDa UF and 400 kDa UF was 65, 66 and 73.4% respectively. Total TSS removal after sand filtration, 300kDa UF and 400 kDa UF was 93.1, …

Uab Researcher Studying Ways To Reduce Toxicity In Breast Cancer Treatment, Staff

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Sexual Dimorphism In Corallite Size And Modularity Of A Broadcast Spawning Coral, Porites Lobata, Ricardo M. Pedraza-Pohlenz, Eduardo F. Balart, J. J.Adolfo Tortolero-Langarica, Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso, Michael E. Hellberg, Orión Norzagaray-López, Rafael A. Cabral-Tena, Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña, David A. Paz-García

Faculty Publications

Differences in selective pressures and the energetic cost of gametes in gonochoristic corals should vary with the sex of the colony, which may lead to sexual dimorphism. Coral colonies are composed of subunits (corallites) that create a complex morphological architecture. If corallite features are distinct between sexes, then the degree of coordinated change among these subunits may also vary (phenotypic modularity). This study tested for sexual dimorphism in the corallites of the reef-building coral Porites lobata, a gonochoric broadcast spawner, and compared this with previously demonstrated sexual dimorphism in its congener P. panamensis, a gonochoric brooder. Corallite area in P. …

A Bioengineered Probiotic For The Oral Delivery Of A Peptide Kv13 Channel Blocker To Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis, Yuqing Wang, Duolong Zhu, Laura C Ortiz-Velez, Jacob L Perry, Michael W Pennington, Joseph M Hyser, Robert A Britton, Christine Beeton

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

New therapeutics that combine efficacy with limited side effects and can be delivered noninvasively are needed to adequately treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune diseases. Kv1.3 channel-expressing CCR7− effector memory T (TEM) lymphocytes are significant players in the pathogenesis of multiple autoimmune diseases, and blocking Kv1.3 reduces disease severity in rat models of RA and patients with plaque psoriasis. However, peptide therapeutics require repeated injections, reducing patient compliance. We used a bioengineered Lactobacillus reuteri as an oral delivery method of a Kv1.3 blocker for immunomodulation in rat models of atopic dermatitis and RA. This study demonstrates a …

Differential Co-Expression Networks Of The Gut Microbiota Are Associated With Depression And Anxiety Treatment Resistance Among Psychiatric Inpatients, Dominique S Thompson, Chenlian Fu, Tanmay Gandhi, J Christopher Fowler, B Christopher Frueh, Benjamin L Weinstein, Joseph Petrosino, Julia K Hadden, Marianne Carlson, Cristian Coarfa, Alok Madan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Comorbid anxiety and depression are common and are associated with greater disease burden than either alone. Our recent efforts have identified an association between gut microbiota dysfunction and severity of anxiety and depression. In this follow-up, we applied Differential Co-Expression Analysis (DiffCoEx) to identify potential gut microbiota biomarker(s) candidates of treatment resistance among psychiatric inpatients.

METHODS: In a sample of convenience, 100 psychiatric inpatients provided clinical data at admission and discharge; fecal samples were collected early during the hospitalization. Whole genome shotgun sequencing methods were used to process samples. DiffCoEx was used to identify clusters of microbial features significantly …

Summer Movement Of Burbot (Lota Lota) In An Isolated Michigan River And Pre-Restoration Assessment Of The Grand River Fish Assemblage In Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, Usa, Alexis Neff

Masters Theses

This thesis research consisted of two complimentary projects. The first focused on understanding the ecology and life-history of an isolated population of a freshwater fish, the Burbot; the second on a pre-restoration assessment of the fish community in the Grand River.

Understanding life-history strategies of species is important to recognize changes in behavior caused by anthropogenic effects. Burbot (Lota lota), are important apex predators in their native range, is understudied, and exhibits complex life-history strategies. Specifically, little research has been done on isolated river populations. My research objective was to assess Burbot movement and habitat use over a …

Exploring The Potential Of Intranasally Administered Naturally Occurring Quercetin Loaded Into Polymeric Nanocapsules As A Novel Platform For The Treatment Of Anxiety, Shady Swidan, Khaled Younis Mahmoud, Nahla Ahmed Elhesaisy, Abdelrahman Rashed, Ebram Mikhael, Mahmoud Fadl, Mahmoud Elsadek, Merna Mohamed, Merna Mostafa, Mohamed Hassan, Omar Halema, Youssef Elnemer

Pharmacy

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent forms of psychopathology that afects millions worldwide. It gained more importance under the pandemic status that resulted in higher anxiety prevalence. Anxiolytic drugs such as benzodiazepines have an unfavorable risk/beneft ratio resulting in a shift toward active ingredients with better safety profle such as the naturally occurring quercetin (QRC). The delivery of QRC is hampered by its low water solubility and low bioavailability. The potential to enhance QRC delivery to the brain utilizing polymeric nanocapsules administered intranasally is investigated in the current study. Polymeric nanocapsules were prepared utilizing the nanoprecipitation technique. The best …

Dry Eye Disease In Mice Activates Adaptive Corneal Epithelial Regeneration Distinct From Constitutive Renewal In Homeostasis, Joseph B Lin, Xiaolei Shen, Charles W Pfeifer, Fion Shiau, Andrea Santeford, Philip A Ruzycki, Brian S Clark, Qin Liu, Andrew J W Huang, Rajendra S Apte

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Many epithelial compartments undergo constitutive renewal in homeostasis but activate unique regenerative responses following injury. The clear corneal epithelium is crucial for vision and is renewed from limbal stem cells (LSCs). Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we profiled the mouse corneal epithelium in homeostasis, aging, diabetes, and dry eye disease (DED), where tear deficiency predisposes the cornea to recurrent injury. In homeostasis, we capture the transcriptional states that accomplish continuous tissue turnover. We leverage our dataset to identify candidate genes and gene networks that characterize key stages across homeostatic renewal, including markers for LSCs. In aging and diabetes, there were only …

Functional Impact Of A Cancer-Related Variant In Human Δ1‑Pyrroline-5-Carboxylate Reductase 1, Oseeyi I. Daudu, Kaylen R. Meeks, Lu Zhang, Javier Seravalli, John J. Tanner, Donald F. Becker

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (PYCR) is a proline biosynthetic enzyme that catalyzes the NAD(P)H-dependent reduction of Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) to proline. Humans have three PYCR isoforms, with PYCR1 often upregulated in different types of cancers. Here, we studied the biochemical and structural properties of the Thr171Met variant of PYCR1, which is found in patients with malignant melanoma and lung adenocarcinoma. Although PYCR1 is strongly associated with cancer progression, characterization of a PYCR1 variant in cancer patients has not yet been reported. Thr171 is conserved in all three PYCR isozymes and is located near the P5C substrate binding site. We found that …

Something Smells Fishy: How Lipid Mediators Impact The Maternal–Fetal Interface And Neonatal Development, Maranda Thompson, Arzu Ulu, Maheswari Mukherjee, Ana G. Yuil-Valdes, Melissa Thoene, Matthew Van Ormer, Rebecca Slotkowski, Teri Mauch, Ann Anderson-Berry, Corrine K. Hanson, Tara M. Nordgren, Sathish Kumar Natarajan

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Normal pregnancy relies on inflammation for implantation, placentation, and parturition, but uncontrolled inflammation can lead to poor maternal and infant outcomes. Maternal diet is one modifiable factor that can impact inflammation. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids obtained through the diet are metabolized into bioactive compounds that effect inflammation. Recent evidence has shown that the downstream products of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids may influence physiology during pregnancy. In this review, the current knowledge relating to omega-3 and omega-6 metabolites during pregnancy will be summarized.

Something Smells Fishy: How Lipid Mediators Impact The Maternal–Fetal Interface And Neonatal Development, Maranda Thompson, Arzu Ulu, Maheswari Mukherjee, Ana G. Yuil-Valdes, Melissa K. Thoene, Matthew Van Ormer, Rebecca Slotkowski, Teri Mauch, Ann Anderson-Berry, Corrine K. Hanson, Tara M. Nordgren, Sathish Kumar Natarajan

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Normal pregnancy relies on inflammation for implantation, placentation, and parturition, but uncontrolled inflammation can lead to poor maternal and infant outcomes. Maternal diet is one modifiable factor that can impact inflammation. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids obtained through the diet are metabolized into bioactive compounds that effect inflammation. Recent evidence has shown that the downstream products of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids may influence physiology during pregnancy. In this review, the current knowledge relating to omega-3 and omega-6 metabolites during pregnancy will be summarized.

3d Model Visualization Function For Responsive Web Design, Sora Nazhan Kamal, Abdullahi Abdu Ibrahim

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

Except for critical basic implementations seen in historical records, the abundanceof similar frameworks, platforms, and apps available may be deceptive. Striking a balance between3D certified displaysitsa basically vital tool for today’s quantitative simulation science. Since the seeing is the main sensefor humanities.and incorporated complicated features continues to be difficult. Geometrically precise point clouds and meshes are the result of cutting-edge methodology (computer vision, reverse engineering, and digital photogrammetry), this technology (LiDAR, laser scanners, and unmanned aerial vehicles), and random research approaches.These represent random research approaches a by-product of the procedure.. As the precision, size, and complexity of these things rise, …

Higher Dietary Vitamin K Intake Is Associated With Better Physical Function And Lower Long-Term Injurious Falls Risk In Community-Dwelling Older Women, Marc Sim, C. Smith, Nicky P. Bondonno, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Jack Dalla Via, R. Mccormick, K. Zhu, Jonathan M. Hodgson, R. L. Prince, Joshua R. Lewis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: In recent years, a potential beneficial role of Vitamin K in neuromuscular function has been recognised. However, the optimal dietary intake of Vitamin K to support muscle function in the context of falls prevention remains unknown. Objective: To examine the relationship of dietary Vitamin K1 and K2 with muscle function and long-term injurious fall-related hospitalisations in older women. Design: Cohort study. Participants: 1347 community-dwelling older Australian women ≥ 70 years. Measurements: A new Australian Vitamin K nutrient database, supplemented with published data, was used to calculate Vitamin K1 and K2 intake from a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline …

Cultivating Interreligious Dialogue As An Effective Peace-Building Mechanism In The Academe, Ramil R. Marcos

Landas

Efforts are underway to introduce and/or strengthen peace education in the Philippine educational system, an endeavor that necessarily includes interreligious relations as a component of the program, especially given the diverse religious profiles of many stakeholders in the academe. This article contributes essential Scriptural and pastoral backgrounds that undergird the Catholic approach to and method of dialogue. It explores the possibilities for incorporating both ecumenical and interreligious dialogue in the training and formation of Filipino students, a move encouraged by sociologists and academicians. The article revisits the dimensions of dialogue that promote active relationships, the common pursuit of goals, respect …

A Trinitarian Pneumatology For Evangelization In Asia, Renato Taib Oliveros

Landas

Asian religions may differ in their belief in the Spirit yet the Spirit is the same Spirit that has been present amongst Asians since creation. In Redemptoris Missio, St. John Paul II acknowledges that the Holy Spirit is active in the heart of every person and that the Spirit’s activity can also affect “society and history, peoples, cultures and religions.” The Spirit of God communicates the Word as the Christ incarnate, the same Word revealed by the Spirit to non-Christians as divine wisdom and guidance. The Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of God for …

Full Issue, Volume 35, Issue 2

Landas

No abstract provided.

The Link January 10, 2023, Access To Justice Institute

The Link Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Success In Establishing Orthotopic Patient-Derived Xenograft Models Of Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Gloria V Echeverria, Shirong Cai, Yizheng Tu, Jiansu Shao, Emily Powell, Abena B Redwood, Yan Jiang, Aaron Mccoy, Amanda L Rinkenbaugh, Rosanna Lau, Alexander J Trevarton, Chunxiao Fu, Rebekah Gould, Elizabeth E Ravenberg, Lei Huo, Rosalind Candelaria, Lumarie Santiago, Beatriz E Adrada, Deanna L Lane, Gaiane M Rauch, Wei T Yang, Jason B White, Jeffrey T Chang, Stacy L Moulder, W Fraser Symmans, Susan G Hilsenbeck, Helen Piwnica-Worms

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models of breast cancer are an effective discovery platform and tool for preclinical pharmacologic testing and biomarker identification. We established orthotopic PDX models of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) from the primary breast tumors of patients prior to and following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) while they were enrolled in the ARTEMIS trial (NCT02276443). Serial biopsies were obtained from patients prior to treatment (pre-NACT), from poorly responsive disease after four cycles of Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (AC, mid-NACT), and in cases of AC-resistance, after a 3-month course of different experimental therapies and/or additional chemotherapy (post-NACT). Our study cohort includes a …

Procalcitonin And C-Reactive Protein Levels Among Covid-19 Patients In Sulaymaniyah, Karmand Qadir Hamad Amin, Makwan Mohammed Abdulkareem

Muthanna Medical Journal

COVID-19 is a viral disease that affects multiple body organs. The objective of this study is Investigating the role of PCT and CRP in predicting the outcome of patients with COVID-19. Cross-sectional prospective study including 135 patients with SARS-CoV-2 confirmed by RT-PCR. Serum level of PCT and CRP are measured at admission and on day 10 post-admission. Patients are followed up for one month. The mean level of PCT on day 1 was 0.1±0.28 ng/ml compared with 0.3±1.27 ng/ml on day 10. Respectively, the mean serum level of CRP on day 1 and day 10 was 113.57±89.88mg/L and 44.76±43.29 mg/L. …

“That They All May Be One”: A Virtuous Community, A Paradigm For Environmental Sustainability, Abundio R. Babor Jr.

Landas

The impact of human actions on the environment has created a myriad of problems. We need a moral paradigm that can facilitate an essential and substantial transformation to recover the bond between one another in the common home. Communal and environmental sustainability happens when human beings in the community live prudently, justly, steadfastly, and moderately with faith, hope, and charity. A virtuous community focused on the habitual practice of the virtues sustains the environment because when human beings treat each other prudently, justly, steadfastly, and moderately with faith, hope, and charity, they act in the same manner toward non-human species. …

A Reframed Consistent Ethic Of Life On Nuclear Energy: Exploring The Moral Implications Of The Revival Of The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, Archie R. Magarao

Landas

This paper critically examines the moral implications of reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) through the lens of the Reframed Consistent Ethic of Life (RCEL). While the Philippine government highlights its potential economic benefits, the study raises serious concerns about nuclear waste and its risks to human and nonhuman life. It evaluates both the advantages and dangers of nuclear energy, emphasizing threats to ecological integrity and long-term safety. The paper also questions the adequacy of existing plans for nuclear waste disposal, particularly in light of geopolitical and security challenges. In response, it proposes key moral perspectives: rethinking God’s presence …

Abiotic Stress Experiments Need A Reality Check To Improve Translation To The Field, Anne Plessis

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evo Es Pueblo: Indigeneity And Socialism In The Foreign Policy Of Bolivian President Evo Morales, Joseph A. Flores

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

Evo Morales, an Aymara man, was the first Indigenous President of Bolivia, a majority-Indigenous country, from 2005-2019. He and his political party, Movimento al Socialismo (MAS), promised to center Indigenous concerns in Bolivia’s foreign policy by championing pro-environmental policies, nationalizing natural resources, and breaking ties with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank. This essay examines the role of socialism and indigeneity in Morales’ foreign policy using his speeches at international venues such as the United Nations, tweets (@evoespueblo), op-eds in American news outlets, and interviews. Morales foregrounded his foreign policy …

Framing Esports’ Jedi Issues: A Case Study In Media Irresponsibility, David Painter, Brittani Sahm

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This investigation analyzes Asian, European, and North American coverage of esports’ justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) issues as a case study of media organizations’ communications on these topics.

Design/methodology/approach: This quantitative content analysis describes coverage of esports’ race, gender, age, and social class issues to draw inferences about media organizations’ abilities to meet their social responsibilities when reporting on organizational JEDI issues.

Findings: There were significant differences across continents; however, most stories only mentioned gender and age, seldom noting esports’ race or social class issues.

Research limitations/implications: Although all stories analyzed were published in English, the findings extend …

Mimosa 2022/2023, Jacksonville State University

JSU Yearbooks

The JSU Yearbook Collection spans the years from 1926 to the present. The publication began in 1926 as the Teacola (some volumes spelled "Teacoala") and continued under this title through 1933. The yearbook appears to have ceased printing after that year; the student newspaper took the name Teacola (later changed to the Collegian and finally the Chanticleer) and began publication in 1934. The yearbook started up again in 1947 under the name Mimosa. The Library holds all volume years that were printed: 1926-1933, 1947-1950, 1952-present.