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Spectrum, Volume 55, Issue 5, Sacred Heart University

Newspapers (Obelisk & Spectrum)

Highlights include: SHU Alumni’s Film “Flyway of Life” -- Debut of the School of Performing Arts -- Joining the Brotherhood -- How Students are Tackling Financial Literacy -- Stepping into the Spotlight -- Six Pioneers Swim Towards Nationals

Quiescent Oxphos-High Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells That Persist After Chemotherapy Depend On Bcl-Xl For Survival, Slawomir Andrzejewski, Marie Winter, Leandro Encarnacao Garcia, Olusiji Akinrinmade, Francisco Madeira Marques, Emmanouil Zacharioudakis, Anna Skwarska, Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, Marina Konopleva, Guangrong Zheng, Susan A Fineberg, Daohong Zhou, Evripidis Gavathiotis, Tao Wang, Eugen Dhimolea

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The persistent residual tumor cells that survive after chemotherapy are a major cause of treatment failure, but their survival mechanisms remain largely elusive. These cancer cells are typically characterized by a quiescent state with suppressed activity of MYC and MTOR. We observed that the MYC-suppressed persistent triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells are metabolically flexible and can upregulate mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes and respiratory function ("OXPHOS-high" cell state) in response to DNA-damaging anthracyclines such as doxorubicin, but not to taxanes. The elevated biomass and respiratory function of mitochondria in OXPHOS-high persistent cancer cells were associated with mitochondrial elongation and remodeling, …

Strengthening The Future: Sparking Growth And Connection Among Early Career Librarians, Alex Henigman, Brandon Kennedy

Library Staff Publications

Description: This presentation highlights innovative programming created to support early career librarians as they develop and grow in their professional roles. Using a case study of an Early Career Librarian Task Force specifically for medical librarians, led by early career librarians themselves, it will showcase the programs developed, share lessons learned, and offer preliminary insights into the unique needs of early career librarians. Learning Objectives: The audience will gain insight into the needs of the next generation of librarians, learn about ways to support early career librarians at their library, and leave with practical guidance for creating their own social …

Synthetically Expressive: Evaluating Gesture And Voice For Emotion And Empathy In Vr And 2d Scenarios, Haoyang Du, Kiran Chhatre, Christopher Peters, Brian Keegan, Rachel Mcdonnell, Cathy Ennis

Conference papers

The creation of virtual humans increasingly leverages automated synthesis of speech and gestures, enabling expressive, adaptable agents that effectively engage users. However, the independent development of voice and gesture generation technologies, alongside the growing popularity of virtual reality (VR), presents significant questions about the integration of these signals and their ability to convey emotional detail in immersive environments. In this paper, we evaluate the influence of real and synthetic gestures and speech, alongside varying levels of immersion (VR vs. 2D displays) and emotional contexts (positive, neutral, negative) on user perceptions. We investigate how immersion affects the perceived match between gestures …

Apostel-R Recommendations For Reporting Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography Studies In Rodents, Frederike Cosima Oertel, Delia Cabrera Debuc, Peter A. Calabresi, Mei Chen, Christian Cordano, Michael Dietrich, Nicolas Feltgen, Oliver Gramlich, Ari J. Green, Janos Groh, Su-Chun Huang, Benjamin Knier, Thomas Korn, Letizia Leocani, Anat Loewenstein, Christian Van Oterendorp, Tunde Peto, Sven Schippling, Leopold Schmetterer, Steffen Schmitz-Valckenberg, Mathias W. Seeliger, Kenneth S. Shindler, Joel Schuman, Mustafa Sindi, Adnan Tufail, Jui-Kai Wang, Sebastian Wolf, Yuyi You, Martin Zinkernagel, Wolf Lagrèze, Philipp Albrecht

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) in rodent models has been used to longitudinally image retinal changes, to define end points for more costly or time-consuming experiments, and to better understand the pathophysiology underlying OCT findings in human diseases. No standardization of rodent OCT reporting currently exists. Here, we aim to establish consensus recommendation for reporting results from retinal OCT studies in rodents.

METHODS: Initial recommendations were developed based on the APOSTEL criteria for quantitative OCT reporting in humans by a core team. Using a modified Delphi process, an expert panel of rodent OCT researchers (N = 31) …

Mechanistic Study Of Pexidartinib-Induced Toxicity In Human Hepatic Cells, Si Chen, Yuxi Li, Xilin Li, Nan Mei, Xiaobo He, Matthew S Bryant, Xuan Qin, Feng Li, Lei Guo

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Pexidartinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2019 for treating adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumors. Because of its hepatotoxicity risks, pexidartinib received a boxed warning; however, mechanistic studies on this hepatotoxicity remain limited. In this study, we demonstrate that pexidartinib decreases cell viability in primary human hepatocytes and hepatic HepG2 cells. A 24-h treatment with pexidartinib led to apoptosis in HepG2 cells, as evidenced by increased caspase 3/7 activity and the induction of cleaved PARP and γ-H2A.X. Pexidartinib-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was observed at early time points of …

Failure To Rescue After Surgery For Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review And Narrative Synthesis Of Risk Factors And Safety Strategies, Masashi Uramatsu, Yoshikazu Fujisawa, Paul Barach, Hiroaki Osakabe, Moe Matsumoto, Yuichi Nagakawa

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

Background: Failure to rescue (FTR), defined as death after major postoperative complications, is a critical quality indicator in pancreatic cancer surgery. Despite advances in surgical techniques and perioperative care, FTR rates remain high and vary across institutions. Methods: This systematic review uses a narrative synthesis followed by PRISMA 2020. A PubMed search (1992-2025) identified 83 studies; after screening, 52 studies (2010-2025) were included. Eligible designs were registry-based, multicenter, single-center, or prospective audits. Given substantial heterogeneity in study designs, FTR definitions, and outcome measures, a narrative synthesis was performed; no formal risk-of-bias assessment or meta-analysis was conducted. Results: …

Hydroxyapatite Microspheres Induce Durable Pleurodesis And Are Rapidly Cleared By Pleural Osteoclasts, Yusuke Tanaka, Yuki Takahashi, Yuma Shindo, Lori B. Pitstick, Steven L. Teitelbaum, Wei Zou, Xiangning Wang, Jason C. Woods, Kathryn A. Wikenheiser-Brokamp, Francis X. Mccormack

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Talc pleurodesis is highly effective for preventing recurrence of pneumothorax and pleural effusion, but it can be complicated by dissemination, acute lung injury, lead exposure, and foreign body-induced chronic inflammation and pain. Our objective is to develop a safe, biodegradable, contaminant-free particle for pleurodesis. We used mouse models of pneumothorax and malignant pleural effusion to compare the efficacy and safety of pleurodesis with talc and hydroxyapatite microspheres (HAM). Intrapleural instillation of microspheres induced pleural adhesions, fibrosis, and symphysis as effectively as talc and resulted in more durable protection from experimental pneumothorax. HAM and talc both induced an osteoclastogenic, inflammatory, and …

潜剖面分析中顺序量表的处理：基于蒙特卡罗模拟的比较, Chongming Yang, Joseph Olsen, Caleb Carlyle, Yanni Shen

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

以个体为中心的分析/建模方法具备一定优势，且在方法学层面提供了更多可能性。在潜剖面分析 (Latent Profile Analysis, LPA) 中，顺序心理量表有不同的处理方式，包括总分、平均值、标准化分数、以及因子/潜变量得分。然而，目前尚不确定这些处理方式在多大程度上能得出等效的类别比例与单变量差异。本研究采用极大似然 (Maximum Likelihood, ML) 估计和贝叶斯估计的方法，基于不同样本量 (N = 240/300 或 600) 与不同作答选项数量 (2、3、5 和 7 个)，对潜剖面分析中顺序量表的不同处理方式 (未加权和加权的均值与总分、标准化总分以及潜在因子分) 进行了模拟分析。研究结果表明，相较于顺序量表的其他处理方式，基于因子分的潜剖面分析在复现总体类别比例和单变量差异方面略有优势，尤其在小样本和两或三个作答选项的情况下更为明显。研究结论指出，当样本量充足时，使用贝叶斯估计的因子混合分析(Factor Mixture Analysis, FMA) 可较好地替代基于顺序量表均值和总分 (无论是否加权) 的潜剖面分析；当样本量未达理想水平时，更适合基于两步法因子分的潜剖面分析。

Treatments Of Ordinal Scales In Latent Profile Analyses: A Comparison With Monte Carlo Simulations, Chongming Yang, Joseph Olsen, Caleb Carlyle

Chinese/English Journal of Educational Measurement and Evaluation | 教育测量与评估双语期刊

Person-centered approaches to analysis/modeling provide certain advantages and methodological possibilities. Ordinal psychological scales have been used differently in latent profile analysis (LPA), including sums, means, standardized scores, and factor/latent scores, meanwhile it was uncertain to what extent these treatments would yield equivalent class proportions and univariate differences. This study simulated LPA of different treatments of ordinal scales (unweighted and weighted means, sums, standardized sums, and latent factor scores) with different response options (2, 3, 5, and 7) at different sample sizes (N = 240/300 or 600) under maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian estimations. Compared to other treatments of ordinal …

Developing Civic Competence With Educative Curriculum Materials Featuring A Historical Photograph Of Antarctica, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here the author advocates for an innovative teaching approach synthesizing three research-based, instructional strategies: promoting civic competence within international and global contexts, planning with educative curriculum materials, and exploring historical photographs for higher-order thinking. He traces the crafting of an exemplary lesson through this approach and discusses its underpinning rationale. The lesson helps students and teachers think deeply about land claims and resource disputes in Antarctica while addressing a persistent value conflict throughout history: balancing national sovereignty and international law. A teacher-friendly narrative constitutes the lesson plan; however, it is not teacher-proof, as teachers are encouraged to make instructional decisions …

What Can Bird Poop Teach Us About The History Of U.S. Imperialism?: Guano Islands And Manifest Destiny Beyond Continental Borders, Eliot Fackler

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

In high school and college history courses, Manifest Destiny is often taught as a period when the United States expanded across the North American continent in the decades before the Civil War. This article outlines an inquiry-driven lesson examining the Antebellum guano rush and its devastating consequences to show that Manifest Destiny was also characterized by extracontinental imperial ambitions. It highlights the lasting impacts of the 1856 Guano Islands Act and links the guano rush to subsequent empire-building efforts, U.S. militarism, and ecological destruction. The article provides relevant background history, descriptions of possible class activities and assessments, and options for …

Teaching Inquiry: A Guiding Template Fosters Critical Thinking, Barbara D. O'Donnell, Abigail C. Schwent

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

This article provides a supportive way to address the marginalization of social studies by teaching inquiry through the use of a template. Inquiry based learning encourages students to make real-world connections by engaging in problem solving and exploration through research. It fosters higher level skills like critical thinking, evaluation, and synthesis of knowledge through experiential learning (Bell, Urhahne, Schanze and Ploetzner 2009). Using inquiry to investigate social studies topics encourages the use of sources from diverse perspectives to understand the complete picture of the event being researched. Teaching social studies through inquiry is a daunting task due to multiple obstacles …

A Deep Dive Into The Nazis’ Animal World: Facilitating The Holocaust Through Symbolization, Filippa V. Frogner

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

This paper examines the use of animal symbolism in Nazi propaganda as a tool to dehumanize Jewish individuals and facilitate the Holocaust. Through an analysis of propaganda posters, films, and literature, it highlights how Jews were consistently depicted as animals such as rats, cockroaches, and monkeys—symbols associated with filth, disease, and inferiority. These portrayals, often reinforced by explicit textual messages, stripped Jews of their humanity and encouraged widespread acceptance of their persecution and extermination.

By exploring the methods, extent, and consequences of this dehumanizing propaganda, the paper sheds light on the critical role of animal symbolism in shaping public perception …

Diverse Presentations Of Aphasia: A Comparative Analysis Of Polysynthetic And Analytic Languages Through Kanien'keha (Mohawk) And English Morphology And Syntax, Halle L. Elder

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

This paper looks to compare two linguistically diverse languages, English and Kanien'keha, a native American language commonly known as Mohawk. The comparison will revolve around the morphology and syntax typologies of these two languages. In addition to the morphological and syntactic comparison, I will discuss how aphasia presents itself in different language typologies, placing this comparison onto English and Kanien'keha. The research questions I look to answer are: How does word formation and sentence structure differ between English and Kanien'kéha? Does aphasia present differently in analytic and polysynthetic languages like English and Kanien'kéha? The morphological data and syntactic data are …

Review Of Foodtopia: Communities In Pursuit Of Peace, Love & Homegrown Food, Etta M. Madden

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Review Of Morganeering, Or The Triumph Of The Trust: A Satirical Burlesque On The Worship Of Wealth, Jonathan Baldwin

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Early Latter-Day Saint Communalism And The Joseph Smith Papers, Matthew J. Grow

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Interpersonal Elements Of Social Sustainability In Intentional Communities, Caitlyn R. Charles, Alison A. Ormsby

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Hematologic Recovery In Ehrlichia-Infected Dogs: A Meta-Analysis Of Doxycycline’S Therapeutic Impact, Mahmoud Kandeel, Mohamed Marzok, Maryam Mahmoud, Khalid M. Al Khodair

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), caused by Ehrlichia canis, is a globally prevalent tick-borne disease with significant hematologic manifestations, including anemia and thrombocytopenia. Doxycycline is the first-line treatment, but its effects on hematologic recovery remain inconsistently reported. This meta-analysis evaluates the impact of doxycycline on hematologic parameters in E. canis-infected dogs. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE. Five studies (one randomized controlled trial, four non-randomized trials) involving 116 dogs were included. Data on erythrocytes, leukocytes (neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes), platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were extracted. Heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics, …

Front Matter

Communal Societies

No abstract provided.

Training Artificial Intelligence Agents To Compress Web Page Actions Into Url Rewrites, Duc-Hieu Tran, Florian Hartmann

Defensive Publications Series

Computer-control agents are artificial intelligence (AI) tools that automatically perform user-defined tasks over the user interface (UI) of a computer. UI-control-based agents can be slow because they involve the agent interacting with the web page via elementary actions such as clicks and text-fills, waiting for web-page loads, and processing the web-page state and calling the AI model to predict the next elementary action(s), all of which introduce delays. This disclosure describes techniques that improve the efficiency of task performance via computer-control agents by training the agents to bundle multiple web interactions into a single, compact web-service interaction via uniform resource …

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

Program Agenda 10-7-25, Angela Brock

Programs Committee (PC)

No abstract provided.

Alumni Association Announces 2025 Award Recipients, Jim Urbanek

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss Alumni Association will recognize eight distinguished University of Mississippi alumni with its highest annual awards as part of Homecoming activities.

Reading Romance As An Act Of Resistance, Amy K. Krug

English Faculty Publications

A podcast discussion about how popular romance represents many different populations, including people of color, people with disabilities, and people who are LGBTQ+. Reading these romances with diverse characters can be a powerful mode of resistance against current anti-diversity efforts becoming more prevalent in society.

Listen to the episode. The transcript is available for download.

How Free Should Campus Speech Be?, Heidi M. Hurd, Michael S. Moore

The Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues

The general topic to which this piece is devoted concerns how non-governmental entities and individuals may and should respond to the speech of other non-governmental entities and individuals. The emphasis on private, non-governmental actions removes the discussion from the ambit of the First Amendment’s constitutional right of free speech and, indeed, removes the discussion from issues of legality, more generally. Although such normative discussions can result in recommended legal actions, in the first instance at least such discussions are about the morality—as opposed to the legality—of the negative responses by private persons to the speech of others.

The particular focus …

Should Private Universities Tie Themselves To The First Amendment?, Keith E. Whittington

The Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues

Private colleges and universities are generally free to depart from First Amendment standards regarding their own regulation of speech on campus and among campus community members. They may adopt more restrictive speech regimes that would sharply separate them from their public university counterparts which are bound by First Amendment requirements. In the modern era, private universities have nonetheless generally chosen to voluntarily embrace something like First Amendment principles to guide their own internal governance. Some would prefer that they shed those commitments and adopt some alternative speech regime. In this Article, I argue that private universities generally should adopt free …