Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Teacher Social Support On Students’ Emotions And Learning Engagement: A U.S.-Chinese Classroom Investigation, Moyi Jia, Jiuqing Cheng

Faculty Publications

Psychological and instructional communication researchers increasingly recognize the significance of student emotions in determining their engagement in the classroom. Under the direction of Emotional Response Theory (Mottet, Frymier, & Beebe, 2006), this study aims to establish a model of a college instructor’s social support, student positive and negative emotions, and student engagement in learning. It also attempts to extend this research by examining cultural differences in U.S. and Chinese classrooms and how these factors influence teacher behavior and student emotions. The result demonstrates the mediating effects of student positive emotions between teacher support and student engagement in both cultures. In …

Building Research Capacity In Low- And Middle-Income Countries And Pandemic Preparedness: Lessons Learned And Future Directions, Peter H. Kilmarx, Karen A. Goralesk, Erum Khan, John F. Lindo, Nancy Gore Saravia

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Research capacity is a critical component of pandemic preparedness, as highlighted by the challenges faced during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Recent global initiatives, such as the Research & Development Task Force of the Global Health Security Agenda and the World Health Assembly's resolution on strengthening clinical trials, emphasize the need for robust research capabilities. This Perspective discusses the experiences of leaders in infectious disease research and capacity building in low- and middle-income countries, focusing on Colombia, Jamaica, and Pakistan. These case studies underscore the importance of collaborative efforts, interdisciplinary training, and global partnerships in pandemic response. The experiences …

Early Immersion In Team-Based Event Review: Experiential Patient Safety Education For Pgy 1 Internal Medicine Residents, Michelle Perkons, Alexis Wickersham, Sonia Bharel, Timothy Kuchera, Rebecca Jaffe

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, there has been a national push to incorporate high-fidelity quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) education into physician training programs. In fact, integration of robust patient safety education became an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Common Program Requirement for residency programs in 2017. We developed a curriculum to not only fulfill the ACGME's requirement but also provide PGY 1 internal medicine residents with the skills needed to become active participants in ongoing patient safety work throughout their training and careers.

METHODS: Our patient safety curriculum was woven into residents' existing protected educational time and …

Hybrid Electro-Plasmonic Modulation Of Neural Activity With Visible-Light-Sensitive Gold Nanotransducer Interface, Ratka Damnjanovic, Parveen Bazard, Robert Dana Frisina, Venkat Rama Bhethanabotla

USF Patents

A method of modulating neural activity using a combination of electrical and optical stimulation transmitted via a gold nanoparticle covered nanoelectrode is presented. The combination of short-duration green visible light optical pulses with the complementary sub-threshold level electric current pulses are capable of producing action potentials in neurons. Cells were found to have a greater than a 5× survival rate using this hybrid stimulation method as compared to pure plasmonic/optical stimulation. The cell stimulation success rate was 3× greater with hybrid stimulation.

Htra1 Prevents And Reverses Α-Synuclein Aggregation, Rendering It Non-Toxic And Seeding Incompetent, Sheng Chen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Protein misfolding and accumulation of misfolded species are associated with multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). α-Synuclein (α-Syn) misfolding and accumulation into Lewy bodies is closely linked to Parkinson’s disease. In ALS and FTD, TDP-43 and FUS are found to be aggregated in disease pathology. These proteins aggregate and associate with both a toxic gain of function of misfolded form and a loss of function due to misfolding. Therefore, it is critical to understand molecular mechanisms by which cells can prevent protein misfolding and how the cell can reverse the aggregation …

Individual And Structural Contributors To Implicit And Explicit Anti-Muslim Bias In The United States, Aeleah M. Granger

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation consists of two manuscripts addressing the multifaceted nature of Islamophobia in the United States by examining explicit and implicit anti-Muslim bias on individual and structural levels. The first manuscript tests an ideology-threat-attitude-behavior model by estimating the simultaneous mediating effects of threat perceptions on the relationships between individual differences in ideology, Islamophobia (fear of Muslims), and support for an anti-Muslim police surveillance policy. This study (N = 603) finds that individuals who are higher in Social Dominance Orientation (SDO), Right-wing Authoritarianism (RWA), and Nationalism are more likely to perceive Muslims as realistic (power), symbolic (value), and terroristic (safety) …

The Combined And Individual Effects Of Azadirachta Indica L. Oil And Nahco3 On The Inhibition Of F. Oxysporum, Neya Murugesan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

F. oxysporum is the causal agent of Fusarium wilt. This disease is known to penetrate the roots of plants and wilt the vascular system. The most common method for control is through the use of synthetic fungicides, which are known to cause adverse effects on the environment and human health. Thus, it is necessary that more methods of biocontrol be explored. Current literature shows that various salts and essential oils are effective for the biocontrol of F. oxysporum. However, the two types of substances have not yet been tested together, causing a gap in current research. Due to the antifungal …

The Effect Of The Addition Of Carrot Seed Oil And Raspberry Seed Oil On The Uv Intensity Of A Sunscreen, Isra Siddique

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

With continuous developments in research indicating the potential health risks of chemical sunscreen filters, the novel approach of incorporating natural oils with UV light blocking properties has been explored. Natural oils extracted from fruit and vegetables have been proven to possess photoprotective properties, but their effectiveness in combination with synthetic sunscreen filters has not been as thoroughly investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the addition of carrot and raspberry seed oil to an SPF 30 sunscreen would decrease the UV intensity of UVB light passing through the sunscreen and oil mixture. It was hypothesized that if …

The Effect Of Exposure To Lentinula Edodes And Flammulina Velutipes On The Biodegradation Of Crystallized Polylactic Acid, Iraine Taine

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Crystallized polylactic acid (CPLA) is a prevalent bioplastic which, despite being biodegradable, is extremely resistant to decomposition in natural environments. As a result, CPLA waste contamination is rapidly becoming a prevalent issue. Lentinula edodes and Flammulina velutipes are two widespread white-rot fungi whose capabilities for bioplastic degradation have not been examined. This study aimed to determine a natural approach for reducing plastic waste by evaluating the ability of L. edodes and F. velutipes to degrade CPLA bioplastic. It was hypothesized that CPLA samples would decrease in mass when individually treated with L. edodes and F. velutipes due to their similarities …

The Effect Of Various Polyphenols On Associative Memory Loss And Dementia In A Drosophila Melanogaster Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Anagha Gowda

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), a prominent neurodegenerative disease (NDD), is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States; however, little is known about prevention. As a result, polyphenols (plant-based compounds) and other natural substances have been studied for their therapeutic potential in improving cognition and memory in AD cases. While the impacts of each polyphenol (phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, and lignans) contain fundamental similarities, each varies slightly in its impacts on the brain.The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of polyphenol subgroups on associative memory in AD, tested by building an olfactory association, through the use …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Rosmarinus Officinalis And Trachyspermum Ammi On The Growth Of Eruca Vesicaria Ssp. Sativa In Hydroponics Versus Natural Soil, Emna Guedhami

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Despite technology being developed to address the food shortages due to increasing population, current methods of cultivating crops are not sufficient. Scientists are addressing this issue by researching biostimulants that stimulate plant growth without harming the environment and researching the use of hydroponics, a way of growing crops without soil. The purpose of this study was to combine the use of essential oils and growing methods (hydroponics and soil) and measure its impact on the height of E. sativa. It was hypothesized that if E. sativa was grown hydroponically with added Rosmarinus officinalis (REO) and Trachyspermum ammi (TEO) over time, …

The Comparative Impact Of Acesulfame-Potassium, Stevia Extract, And Monk Fruit On The Lifespan Of Drosophila Melanogaster, Beverly Holton

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), non-caloric sweetening devices, have been widely commercialized to reduce sugar consumption. This intent has associated NNS with health benefits, though reports have correlated the consumption of these substitutes with noncommunicable diseases. The interaction between NNS and distinct physiological processes has been examined, though research into the broader implications of these interactions, toward longevity, for instance, is lacking. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of three recently FDA-approved NNS - acesulfame-Potassium (ace-K), stevia, and monk fruit - on the survival of Drosophila melanogaster, a model species for longevity research, to discern the possible impacts …

The Effect Of Crystalline Phase On The Toxicity Of Tio2 Nanoparticles To Chlorella, Jisoo Lee

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Nanoparticles (NPs), or particles with dimensions that go below 100 nanometers, can be released into the environment in various ways, such as through cosmetic products like sunscreen. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is a commonly used nanoparticle in sunscreen, and it has the potential to be harmful to various aquatic organisms including algae. The purpose of this study was to examine how the crystalline phase of TiO₂ NPs (brookite or rutile) influenced their toxicity to the microalgae species Chlorella. It was hypothesized that brookite phase TiO₂ NPs would inhibit the growth of Chlorella more than rutile phase TiO …

Increased Chemokine Production Is A Hallmark Of Rhesus Macaque Natural Killer Cells Mediating Robust Anti-Hiv Envelope-Specific Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity., Junsuke Nohara, Tyler Evangelous, Madison Berry, Whitney Beck, Sarah Mudrak, Shalini Jha, R Keith Reeves, Kevin J. Wiehe, Justin Pollara, Georgia D. Tomaras, Todd Bradley, Guido Ferrari

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic (ADCC) response mediated by natural killer (NK) cells correlates with decreased infection risk in studies involving simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccine candidates. Currently, the heterogeneities of the functional subset of rhesus macaque natural killer (RMNK) cells are under-characterized.

METHOD: We engaged the RMNK cells with ADCC-mediating anti-HIV-1 monoclonal antibodies (ADCCAbs) or anti-CD16 antibodies and used CD107a expression as the surrogate marker for RMNK cells actively involved in ADCC. CD107a⁺ and CD107a- populations were analyzed individually using single-cell RNA sequencing.

RESULTS: Subsets of CD107a⁺ RMNK cells produced …

Public Law 86-272 And The Texas Margin Tax, Marvin J. Williams

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Cracking Down On Egg Law: Legal Discrepancies Impacting Sales Of Ungraded Eggs In Texas, Parker Benton

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Right To Procreate By Nontraditional Methods, Elizabeth Kreager

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Why Is Food Insecurity High Among U.S. Grandparents Who Are Caring For Grandchildren?, Madonna Harrington Meyer, Anna Delapaz

Population Health Research Brief Series

One in four grandparent-headed families report food insecurity, compared to one in seven among all families with children. Generally, the more care grandparents provide for their grandchildren, the more likely they are to be food insecure. This brief summarizes finding from interviews conducted in 2021 with U.S. adults ages 60 and older who are caring for their grandchildren. The authors summarize the factors contributing to food insecurity among grandparents and call for better policies to assist food-insecure grandparents providing care for their grandchildren as they grapple with inadequate funds, burdensome food assistance programs, inadequate transportation, shortages of fresh foods, and …

Exploring Factors For Implementation Of Epas In Pediatric Subspecialty Fellowships: A Qualitative Study Of Program Directors., Angela S. Czaja, Richard B. Mink, Bruce E. Herman, Pnina Weiss, David A. Turner, Megan L. Curran, Diane E J Stafford, Angela Myers, Melissa L. Langhan

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To understand fellowship program directors' (FPDs) perspectives on facilitators and barriers to using entrustable professional activities (EPAs) in pediatric subspecialty training.

METHODS: We performed a qualitative study of FPDs, balancing subspecialty, program size, geographic region and current uses of EPAs. A study coordinator conducted 1-on-1 interviews using a semistructured approach to explore EPA use or nonuse and factors supporting or preventing their use. Investigators independently coded transcribed interviews using an inductive approach and the constant comparative method. Group discussion informed code structure development and refinement. Iterative data collection and analysis continued until theoretical sufficiency was achieved, yielding a thematic …

Selection, Initiation, Continuation, And Efficacy Of Reversible Contraception Among Enlisted U.S. Service Women In Their First Term Of Service From 2012 To 2020., Christina M. Roberts, Joshua M. Smalley, William P. Adelman, Larissa F. Weir, Elisabeth Hisle-Gorman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy is the second most common cause of limited duty days among active duty service members in the U.S. Military. Pregnancy accounts for 10% of all days on restricted duty, despite impacting a minority of active duty service members. One out of five service women will experience an unintended pregnancy every year despite the availability of no-cost contraception and reproductive healthcare. Young, single, junior enlisted service women experience the highest rate of unintentional pregnancy. Previous studies have demonstrated service branch-based variability in selection, initiation, and continuation of specific contraceptive methods related to service branch culture and access to contraception …

Application Of Learning Processes For Improving Last-Mile Logistics Optimization At Scale, Seyedeh Shaghayegh Rabbanian

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The escalating demands of omnichannel retailing, rapid urbanization and shifting customer behaviors have propelled last-mile vehicle routing logistics to the forefront of research. This last-mile phase, recognized as a significant contributor to costs and pollution in the supply chain, necessitates efficient route optimization to minimize expenses and environmental impact. This research delves into machine learning based techniques for solving large-scale Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), a fundamental concern in last-mile logistics, aiming to optimize delivery vehicle routing amidst diverse customer nodes and operational constraints. Three primary research subproblems are analyzed: utilizing machine learning for constructive solutions, Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) metaheuristic, …

Acetic Acid: An Underestimated Metabolite In Ethanol-Induced Changes In Regulating Cardiovascular Function, Andrew D. Chapp, Zhiying Shan, Qing Hui Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

Acetic acid is a bioactive short-chain fatty acid produced in large quantities from ethanol metabolism. In this review, we describe how acetic acid/acetate generates oxidative stress, alters the function of pre-sympathetic neurons, and can potentially influence cardiovascular function in both humans and rodents after ethanol consumption. Our recent findings from in vivo and in vitro studies support the notion that administration of acetic acid/acetate generates oxidative stress and increases sympathetic outflow, leading to alterations in arterial blood pressure. Real-time investigation of how ethanol and acetic acid/acetate modulate neural control of cardiovascular function can be conducted by microinjecting compounds into autonomic …

Taxation And Corporate Governance, Reuven S. Avi-Yonah, Ariel Siman

Law & Economics Working Papers

In recent years, legal and economic research has shown a growing interest in the interaction between corporate governance and taxation. Some specific aspects have drawn more interest, particularly the tax rules related to the remuneration of directors, measures taken by management in the context of market for corporate control, and the double taxation of inter-corporate dividends. However, there is still little legal literature on many other aspects of the interplay between the two systems, and several authors have identified this gap in the literature and the dire need for further study in this “fertile area of research.” The aim of …

Crispr Screening Identifies Bet And Mtor Inhibitor Synergy In Cholangiocarcinoma Through Serine Glycine One Carbon, Yan Zhu, Dengyong Zhang, Pooja Shukla, Young-Ho Jung, Prit Benny Malgulwar, Sharmeen Chagani, Medina Colic, Sarah Benjamin, John A Copland, Lin Tan, Philip L Lorenzi, Milind Javle, Jason T Huse, Jason Roszik, Traver Hart, Lawrence N Kwong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Patients with cholangiocarcinoma have poor clinical outcomes due to late diagnoses, poor prognoses, and limited treatment strategies. To identify drug combinations for this disease, we have conducted a genome-wide CRISPR screen anchored on the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) PROTAC degrader ARV825, from which we identified anticancer synergy when combined with genetic ablation of members of the mTOR pathway. This combination effect was validated using multiple pharmacological BET and mTOR inhibitors, accompanied by increased levels of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. In a xenograft model, combined BET degradation and mTOR inhibition induced tumor regression. Mechanistically, the 2 inhibitor classes converged …

Hedgehog Activation Promotes Osteogenic Fates Of Growth Plate Resting Zone Chondrocytes Through Transient Clonal Competency, Shion Orikasa, Yuki Matsushita, Hiroaki Manabe, Michael Fogge, Zachary Lee, Koji Mizuhashi, Naoko Sakagami, Wanida Ono, Noriaki Ono

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The resting zone of the postnatal growth plate is organized by slow-cycling chondrocytes expressing parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), which include a subgroup of skeletal stem cells that contribute to the formation of columnar chondrocytes. The PTHrP-Indian hedgehog feedback regulation is essential for sustaining growth plate activities; however, molecular mechanisms regulating cell fates of PTHrP+ resting chondrocytes and their eventual transformation into osteoblasts remain largely undefined. Here, in a mouse model, we specifically activated Hedgehog signaling in PTHrP+ resting chondrocytes and traced the fate of their descendants using a tamoxifen-inducible Pthrp-creER line with patched-1-floxed and tdTomato reporter alleles. Hedgehog-activated PTHrP+ chondrocytes …

Integrative Genomic Analyses Reveal Putative Cell Type-Specific Targets Of The Drosophila Ets Transcription Factor Pointed, Komal Kumar Bollepogu Raja, Kelvin Yeung, Yoon-Kyung Shim, Graeme Mardon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Ets domain transcription factors direct diverse biological processes throughout all metazoans and are implicated in development as well as in tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. The Drosophila Ets transcription factor Pointed (Pnt) is the downstream effector of the Epidermal growth factor receptor (Egfr) pathway and is required for cell cycle progression, specification, and differentiation of most cell types in the larval eye disc. Despite its critical role in development, very few targets of Pnt have been reported previously. Here, we employed an integrated approach by combining genome-wide single cell and bulk data to identify putative cell type-specific Pnt targets. …

Neuronal Deletion Of The Circadian Clock Gene Bmal1 Induces Cell-Autonomous Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration, Michael K. Kanan, Patrick W. Sheehan, Jessica N. Haines, Pedro G. Gomez, Adya Dhuler, Collin J. Nadarajah, Zachary M. Wargel, Brittany M. Freeberg, Hemanth R. Nelvagal, Mariko Izumo, Joseph S. Takahashi, Jonathan D. Cooper, Albert A. Davis, Erik S. Musiek

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Circadian rhythm dysfunction is a hallmark of Parkinson disease (PD), and diminished expression of the core clock gene Bmal1 has been described in patients with PD. BMAL1 is required for core circadian clock function but also serves nonrhythmic functions. Germline Bmal1 deletion can cause brain oxidative stress and synapse loss in mice, and it can exacerbate dopaminergic neurodegeneration in response to the toxin MPTP. Here we examined the effect of cell type-specific Bmal1 deletion on dopaminergic neuron viability in vivo. We observed that global, postnatal deletion of Bmal1 caused spontaneous loss of tyrosine hydroxylase+ (TH+) dopaminergic neurons in the substantia …

Synergistic Protection Of Retinal Ganglion Cells (Rgcs) By Sarm1 Inactivation With Cntf In A Rodent Model Of Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, Yan Guo, Zara Mehrabian, Jeffrey Milbrandt, Aaron Diantonio, Steven L Bernstein

2020-Current year OA Pubs

We evaluated whether inhibiting sterile alpha and (Toll/interleukin receptor (TIR)) motif-containing 1 (SARM1) activity protects retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following ischemic axonopathy (rodent nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: rNAION) by itself and combined with ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). Genetically modified SARM1(-) rats were rNAION-induced in one eye and compared against equivalently induced wild-type animals of the same background. Optic nerve (ON) diameters were quantified using optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). RGCs were quantified 30 d post-induction using retinal stereology for Brn3a(+) nuclei. ON sections were analyzed by TEM and immunohistochemistry. SARM1(-)(-) and WT animals were then bilaterally sequentially rNAION-induced. One eye …

Amber Montgomery, An Individual, Appellant/ Cross-Appellee V. Dr. Jeffrey P. Gardiner, D.O., An Individual, And Utah Valley Eye Center, Inc., A Utah Corporation, Appellees/ Cross-Appellants : Brief Of Appellant, Utah Court Of Appeals

Utah Court of Appeals Briefs (2020 –)

Appeal from a Final Order and Judgment of the Fourth Judicial District Court in and for Utah County, State of Utah Trial Judge Robert Lund

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT, Justin D. Heideman, Justin R. Elswick

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEES, Kirk G. Gibbs, Gary T. Wight