Digital Commons Network^™

Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab In Localized Microsatellite Instability High/Deficient Mismatch Repair Solid Tumors, Kaysia Ludford, Won Jin Ho, Jane V Thomas, Kanwal P S Raghav, Mariela Blum Murphy, Nicole D Fleming, Michael S Lee, Brandon G Smaglo, Y Nancy You, Matthew M Tillman, Carlos Kamiya-Matsuoka, Selvi Thirumurthi, Craig Messick, Benny Johnson, Eduardo Vilar, Arvind Dasari, Sarah Shin, Alexei Hernandez, Xuan Yuan, Hongqui Yang, Wai Chin Foo, Wei Qiao, Dipen Maru, Scott Kopetz, Michael J Overman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Pembrolizumab significantly improves clinical outcomes in advanced/metastatic microsatellite instability high (MSI-H)/deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) solid tumors but is not well studied in the neoadjuvant space.

METHODS: This is a phase II open-label, single-center trial of localized unresectable or high-risk resectable MSI-H/dMMR tumors. Treatment is pembrolizumab 200 mg once every 3 weeks for 6 months followed by surgical resection with an option to continue therapy for 1 year followed by observation. To continue on study, patients are required to have radiographic or clinical benefit. The coprimary end points are safety and pathologic complete response. Key secondary end points are response …

Machine Learning-Based Routine Laboratory Tests Predict One-Year Cognitive And Functional Decline In A Population Aged 75+ Years, Karina Braga Gomes, Ramon Gonçalves Pereira, Alexandre Alberto Braga, Henrique Cerqueira Guimarães, Elisa De Paula França Resende, Antônio Lúcio Teixeira, Maira Tonidandel Barbosa, Wagner Meira Junior, Maria Das Graças Carvalho, Paulo Caramelli

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Cognitive and functional decline are common problems in older adults, especially in those 75+ years old. Currently, there is no specific plasma biomarker able to predict this decline in healthy old-age people. Machine learning (ML) is a subarea of artificial intelligence (AI), which can be used to predict outcomes Aim: This study aimed to evaluate routine laboratory variables able to predict cognitive and functional impairment, using ML algorithms, in a cohort aged 75+ years, in a one-year follow-up study.

METHOD: One hundred and thirty-two older adults aged 75+ years were selected through a community-health public program or from long-term-care …

Development And Validation Of A Prediction Model For Kidney Failure In Long-Term Survivors Of Childhood Cancer, Natalie L Wu, Yan Chen, Bryan V Dieffenbach, Matthew J Ehrhardt, Sangeeta Hingorani, Rebecca M Howell, John L Jefferies, Daniel A Mulrooney, Kevin C Oeffinger, Leslie L Robison, Brent R Weil, Yan Yuan, Yutaka Yasui, Melissa M Hudson, Wendy M Leisenring, Gregory T Armstrong, Eric J Chow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Kidney failure is a rare but serious late effect following treatment for childhood cancer. We developed a model using demographic and treatment characteristics to predict individual risk of kidney failure among 5-year survivors of childhood cancer.

Methods: Five-year survivors from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) without history of kidney failure (n = 25,483) were assessed for subsequent kidney failure (ie, dialysis, kidney transplantation, or kidney-related death) by age 40 years. Outcomes were identified by self-report and linkage with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network and the National Death Index. A sibling cohort (n = 5,045) served as a …

Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Versus Extreme Regimen As First-Line Treatment For Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Head And Neck: The Final Results Of Checkmate 651, Robert I Haddad, Kevin Harrington, Makoto Tahara, Robert L Ferris, Maura Gillison, Jerome Fayette, Amaury Daste, Piotr Koralewski, Bogdan Zurawski, Miren Taberna, Nabil F Saba, Milena Mak, Andrzej Kawecki, Gustavo Girotto, Miguel Angel Alvarez Avitia, Caroline Even, Joaquin Gabriel Reinoso Toledo, Alexander Guminski, Urs Müller-Richter, Naomi Kiyota, Mustimbo Roberts, Tariq Aziz Khan, Karen Miller-Moslin, Li Wei, Athanassios Argiris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: CheckMate 651 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02741570) evaluated first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus EXTREME (cetuximab plus cisplatin/carboplatin plus fluorouracil ≤ six cycles, then cetuximab maintenance) in recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN).

METHODS: Patients without prior systemic therapy for R/M SCCHN were randomly assigned 1:1 to nivolumab plus ipilimumab or EXTREME. Primary end points were overall survival (OS) in the all randomly assigned and programmed death-ligand 1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 20 populations. Secondary end points included OS in the programmed death-ligand 1 CPS ≥ 1 population, and progression-free survival, objective response rate, and duration …

Uab Students Named To The 2023-24 Schweitzer Fellowship Class, Adam Pope

Browse All News

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of Seasonal Diets Through Seasonal Diet Surveys In Sloth Bears (Melursus Ursinus): A Case Study At Idaho Falls Zoo, Noah Clever

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Wild sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) display seasonal diet preferences for insects and fruit during the dry and monsoon season respectively. To potentially utilize as a method for reducing abnormal behaviors and improving animal welfare, the purpose of the study is to survey zoos with captive sloth bears and determine if zoo-housed individuals display seasonal diet preferences. From May 18th, 2022 to March 2nd, 2023 data was collected on Priya, a sloth bear from Idaho Falls Zoo, and her preference for fruit and insects. Temperature, season, fruit choice based on sugar levels, and insect choice based on texture of …

Promoting Skills In Children And Teens With Autism Spectrum Disorder Through Play And Steam, Meaghan Mcleod Mozingo, Krzysztof J. Rechowicz

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a low employment rate. This is caused by a lack of support from employment resources and the negative stigma associated with common characteristics associated with ASD. With limited career-building activities and events, it is difficult for individuals with ASD to identify their skills, strengths, and career opportunities. Parental support is crucial when seeking employment opportunities for their children. Through the use of play, children with ASD engaged and explored their skills with science, technology, engineering, arts, and math-centered activities. This paper highlights the events and shows the proposed redesign for an additional workshop.

Enhancement Of Deep Learning Protein Structure Prediction, Ruoming Shen

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Protein modeling is a rapidly expanding field with valuable applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Accurate protein structure prediction facilitates drug design, as extensive knowledge about the atomic structure of a given protein enables scientists to target that protein in the human body. However, protein structure identification in certain types of protein images remains challenging, with medium resolution cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) protein density maps particularly difficult to analyze. Recent advancements in computational methods, namely deep learning, have improved protein modeling. To maximize its accuracy, a deep learning model requires copious amounts of up-to-date training data.

This project explores DeepSSETracer, a …

Review Of Nighttime Temperature Effects On Long-Term Health Condition Through Sleep Studies, Sydnie Matkins

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Over the past 40 years, there has been increasing interest in human sleep quality and duration. This nonsystematic review looked at over 80 peer-reviewed papers on the association among sleep, temperature, and long-term health conditions. Generally, warmer temperatures lend to poorer sleep quality, and poor sleep quality lend to mental illness and a higher risk of coronary heart disease and mortality. Future research should be to conduct a study that relies more on health records rather than questionnaires to accurately map current and future health quality.

A Comparison Of Nonverbal And Paraverbal Behaviors In Simulated And Virtual Patient Encounters, Sarah Powers, Mark W. Scerbo, Matthew Pacailler, Macy Kisiel, Baillie Hirst, Ginger S. Watson, Lauren Hamel, Fred Kron

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

The present study assessed whether trainees display similar nonverbal and paraverbal behaviors when interacting with a simulated (SP) and virtual patient (VP). Sixty second slices of time following four interactions were rated for the presence and frequency of three nonverbal and paraverbal behaviors. Results revealed that students exhibited fewer behaviors in the VP interaction, possibly due to differences social inhibition or fidelity between the two formats.

Lidar Buoy Detection For Autonomous Marine Vessel Using Pointnet Classification, Christopher Adolphi, Dorothy Dorie Parry, Yaohang Li, Masha Sosonkina, Ahmet Saglam, Yiannis E. Papelis

Modeling, Simulation and Visualization Student Capstone Conference

Maritime autonomy, specifically the use of autonomous and semi-autonomous maritime vessels, is a key enabling technology supporting a set of diverse and critical research areas, including coastal and environmental resilience, assessment of waterway health, ecosystem/asset monitoring and maritime port security. Critical to the safe, efficient and reliable operation of an autonomous maritime vessel is its ability to perceive on-the-fly the external environment through onboard sensors. In this paper, buoy detection for LiDAR images is explored by using several tools and techniques: machine learning methods, Unity Game Engine (herein referred to as Unity) simulation, and traditional image processing. The Unity Game …

Elementary School Parent Perceptions Of “Critical Race Theory” In The Curriculum, Helen Wallace

Honors Theses

Critical Race Theory (CRT) implementations within educational settings is a controversial and polarizing concept in the American political climate. Many Americans are strongly opposed to the idea of CRT within the classroom due to a misguided belief that children have no idea what race or racism is until it is taught to them explicitly. On the other hand, proponents of CRT argue that teaching children to ignore race further perpetuates racial discrimination and prevents children from adequately understanding racial injustice. There is currently a lack of research investigating perceptions of CRT implementations in education among parents. This research aimed to …

Factors That Influence The Recruitment And Retention Of Civil Engineers, Gina Young Souriac

Theses and Dissertations

With a growing demand for civil engineers in the United States, understanding factors that influence students to choose civil engineering (CE) as a major in college, pursue an M.S. degree in CE, and persist in the CE industry can lead to valuable insights for recruitment and retention of future and current civil engineers. Additionally, understanding factors that prominently influence male and female civil engineers to persist in and depart from CE, separately, can lead to valuable insight towards improving focused recruitment and retention of both genders. This thesis includes three research studies that identify, analyze, and discuss these important factors. …

Using Electronic Reminders To Improve Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccinations Among Primary Care Patients, Kathleen Hanley, Tong Han Chung, Linh K Nguyen, Tochi Amadi, Sandra Stansberry, Robert J Yetman, Lewis E Foxhall, Rosalind Bello, Talhatou Diallo, Yen-Chi L Le

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic led to delays in routine preventative primary care and declines in HPV immunization rates. Providers and healthcare organizations needed to explore new ways to engage individuals to resume preventive care behaviors. Thus, we evaluated the effectiveness of using customized electronic reminders with provider recommendations for HPV vaccination to increase HPV vaccinations among adolescents and young adults, ages 9-25. Using stratified randomization, participants were divided into two groups: usual care (control) (N = 3703) and intervention (N = 3705). The control group received usual care including in-person provider recommendations, visual reminders in exam waiting rooms, bundling of vaccinations, …

Dorothy Wordsworth, Religion, And The Rydal Journals, Emily Stephens Kasper

Theses and Dissertations

Dorothy Wordsworth’s religious practices continued to evolve throughout her life. She was baptized Anglican, but after her mother’s death she resided with her mother’s cousin, where she practiced Unitarianism. When she later moved in with her uncle, she embraced evangelical Anglicanism. Records of her religious beliefs in her twenties are scarce, as after moving to Racedown with her brother William in 1795 and throughout her years living in Alfoxden, she rarely wrote of her involvement with organized religion. Only in the 1810s while at Grasmere did Dorothy Wordsworth begin to record a gradual return to church attendance. Concerning her religious …

Consensus On The Ras Dimerization Hypothesis: Strong Evidence For Lipid-Mediated Clustering But Not For G-Domain-Mediated Interactions, Dhirendra K Simanshu, Mark R Philips, John F Hancock

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

One of the open questions in RAS biology is the existence of RAS dimers and their role in RAF dimerization and activation. The idea of RAS dimers arose from the discovery that RAF kinases function as obligate dimers, which generated the hypothesis that RAF dimer formation might be nucleated by G-domain-mediated RAS dimerization. Here, we review the evidence for RAS dimerization and describe a recent discussion among RAS researchers that led to a consensus that the clustering of two or more RAS proteins is not due to the stable association of G-domains but, instead, is a consequence of RAS C-terminal …

Preoperative Mri Delays Surgery In Pediatric Patients With Infectious Atraumatic Extremity Pain, Ethan Englert, Collin Braithwaite, Aaron Lam, Mohamed Sarraj, Maria Aguirre-Flores, Abigail Kumagai, Amr Abdelgawad, Ahmed Thabet Hagag, Waleed Kishta, Ehab Saleh

Conference Presentation Abstracts

INTRODUCTION: Management of atraumatic extremity pain in a pediatric patient often poses a dilemma to the treating orthopedic surgeon. The benefits of timely intervention must often be weighed against the utility of preoperative MRI to better characterize the responsible infection or other pathology. To determine if outcomes were superior for patients who underwent preoperative vs. postoperative MRI, this multicenter study reviewed the hospital courses of pediatric patients who presented with atraumatic extremity pain, underwent irrigation and debridement, and received at least one preoperative or postoperative MRI during their admission. METHODS: This study is a multi-institution retrospective review from four pediatric …

Public Perception Of Robotic-Assisted Total Hip Replacement Surgery, James E. Feng, Marvee Espiritu, Phillip Vartanyan, Drew Moore, Robert Runner, Mark Karadsheh

Conference Presentation Abstracts

PURPOSE: Computer-assisted and robotic (CA/R) total hip arthroplasty (THA) has gained considerable attention due to its superior accuracy and precision. However, few studies have evaluated the public’s understanding and appraisal of this technology. Here, we evaluate the public’s initial perception of technology-assisted compared to traditional THA, and if interactive education may alter an individual’s preferences. MATERIALS & METHODS: A prospective cohort study was developed utilizing a 48-question, paid survey distributed via a clinically validated, public, online marketplace in April 2022. After collecting baseline demographics and knowledge regarding THA, participants were queried whether they would prefer a CA/R THA or traditional …

2023 Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Transition Experiences Of African American Males Who Participate In Dual Enrollment, Kenderek Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Dual enrollment continues to expand nationally, allowing high school students the opportunity to enroll simultaneously in college courses while earning credits toward graduation requirements. Despite the positive outcomes of dual enrollment, African American males remain underrepresented and less likely to participate. The problem addressed in this study involved the need to give African American males a voice to elucidate their experiences as they completed dual enrollment coursework. This case study aimed to understand the experiences of African American male students that participated in dual enrollment and transitioned to college upon graduation. The study was guided by two research questions: 1) …

Application Of Batman In The Analysis Of Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra Of Urine Samples To Determine Metabolite Concentrations Of Diabetes Susceptible Rats, Gabrielle Aline Morris

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Twenty Years Of Change In A Southeast Florida Acropora Cervicornis Thicket, Daniel Perez

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Acropora cervicornis is a species of stony coral that can exist in large thickets that provide functionally unique habitat. However, populations have declined by 98% in some areas of the Caribbean. Even in death, the structure from an A. cervicornis thicket provides surface area for the attachment of benthic organisms. Broward County Acropora (BCA) is an A. cervicornis thicket, located off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which has been monitored since 2003. The objective of this study was to describe the temporal changes in community structure in response to 20 years of disturbances affecting BCA. Data was collected by taking images along …

Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Versus Extreme Regimen As First-Line Treatment For Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Head And Neck: The Final Results Of Checkmate 651., Robert I. Haddad, Kevin Harrington, Makoto Tahara, Robert L. Ferris, Maura Gillison, Jerome Fayette, Amaury Daste, Piotr Koralewski, Bogdan Zurawski, Miren Taberna, Nabil F. Saba, Milena Mak, Andrzej Kawecki, Gustavo Girotto, Miguel Angel Alvarez Avitia, Caroline Even, Joaquin Gabriel Reinoso Toledo, Alexander Guminski, Urs Müller-Richter, Naomi Kiyota, Mustimbo Roberts, Tariq Aziz Khan, Karen Miller-Moslin, Li Wei, Athanassios Argiris

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Purpose: CheckMate 651 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02741570) evaluated first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus EXTREME (cetuximab plus cisplatin/carboplatin plus fluorouracil ≤ six cycles, then cetuximab maintenance) in recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN).

Methods: Patients without prior systemic therapy for R/M SCCHN were randomly assigned 1:1 to nivolumab plus ipilimumab or EXTREME. Primary end points were overall survival (OS) in the all randomly assigned and programmed death-ligand 1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 20 populations. Secondary end points included OS in the programmed death-ligand 1 CPS ≥ 1 population, and progression-free survival, objective response rate, and …

Student And Employee Mental Health In The Financial Services Setting, Benjamin Jackson

Faculty and Staff Publications & Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Kenyon Collegian - April 20, 2023

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

Measuring Perceived Stress Levels And Adaptive Coping Strategies In Undergraduate College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Sarah Milner

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study aimed to analyze changes in perceived stress and physiological variables in undergraduate students and identify preferred adaptive coping strategies utilized over one semester. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the impact of demographic factors on the students' perception of stress. A quasi-experimental study was conducted using non-random convenience sampling with 30 undergraduate students enrolled in an Introduction to Stress Management class at a small, regional institution in the upper Midwest in the fall of 2022.

Data collection included the use of the Perceived Stress Scale (i.e., PSS-10), stress physiological variables (e.g., heart rate), demographic characteristics (e.g., sex, relationship …

Evaluating Pulp Therapy Provided By Medicaid-Participating Pediatric And General Dentists In Georgia From 2010-2019, Michelle Zin, Beau Meyer, Michael Milano

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate reimbursable pulp therapy trends in primary teeth performed by general and pediatric dentists.

Methods: Aggregate Medicaid claims data from 2010-2019 were obtained from the state of Georgia’s Department of Community Health. Two different primary dentition pulp therapy rates were compared between general and pediatric dentists: procedures per provider and children treated per provider. Descriptive statistics, poisson regression, and correlational analysis were performed.

Results: Pulp therapy utilization for procedures per provider and children treated per provider decreased (Incidence rate ratio (IRR)=0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95 to 0.99; …

Techno-Economic Security: Key Issues, Evolution Mechanism And Evaluation Framework, Yanlin Cheng, Tao Dai, Yuye Ding, Danyang Zhao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In the context of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the related issues of techno-economic security have become the focus of major countries and regions. From the perspective of discipline construction, basic theory has been studied on key questions such as why, what, and how to evaluate. This study analyzes the importance and urgency, puts forward key issues of techno-economic security that should be paid attention to at different levels, such as technology, enterprise, industry, and country or region. A mechanism framework of the occurrence and evolution of techno-economic security is constructed, which is composed …

Research On Risk Identification Framework Of Future Technology—Based On Perspective Of Techno-Economic Security, Jie Chen, Zhongqi Wu, Tao Dai

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Under the background of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the future technology represented by disruptive technology and emerging technology has become the focus of attention and game among countries. The future technology is not only related to taking the lead in future development, enhancing national strength and competitiveness, but also related to whether the economy and national security can be maintained. Based on the perspective of techno-economic security, this study analyzes the connotation and characteristics of future technology, puts forward the ‘three stages and three levels’ economic security influential mechanism of future technology, and …

Industrialization Of Tall Wheatgrass For Construction Of “Coastal Grass Belt”, Hongwei Li, Qi Zheng, Jianlin Wang, Hongyong Sun, Kexin Zhang, Hongman Fang, Xuerong Xing, Weicai Yang, Xiaofeng Cao, Xiaojing Liu, Haichun Jing, Kang Chong, Zhensheng Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Tall wheatgrass (Elytrigia elongata) is a perennial cool-season bunchgrass with high productivity and tolerance to salt and alkali, waterlogging, and drought. Since first introduced into China in 1950s, tall wheatgrass has long been used as a wild parent for distant hybridization with wheat (Triticum aestivum). During 1980s─1990s, a few tall wheatgrass varieties were introduced to China as forage grass, nonetheless, currently they are still not widely cultivated and no variety was certificated. In 2020, Zhensheng Li put forward a proposal to construct “Coastal Grass Belt” on saline and alkaline soils in the Circum-Bohai sea region, which provides an opportunity for …