Digital Commons Network^™

The Association Between Leptin And Asprosin Levels In Men Patients With Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Duha Qahtan Bakr, Ahmed Y. Abed

Baghdad Science Journal

Leptin and Asprosin are adipokines secreted by Adipose tissue. The leptin and asprosin molecules have a number of functions in the central nervous system and other body systems: appetite, glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, and cellular death. The point of this study is to know the potential relationship between leptin and asprosin hormone in men patients with type II diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to conduct a comparative analysis of several essential biomarkers found in the sera of individuals with diabetes via estimating Leptin, Asprosin, Fasting blood Glucose, HbA1c, Body Mass Index, lipid profile as well as liver function …

A Correlation Between Leptin Hormone And Other Biochemical Parameters In Iraqi Women With Hepatitis C Virus (Hcv) In Thi-Qar Governorate In Iraq, Hadeel Rashid Faraj, Alyaa Majid, Sarah A Sayer

Baghdad Science Journal

Background: chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem. Females of childbearing age who are infected with hepatitis C are exposed to premature aging of the ovaries, which leads to an imbalance in the levels of sex hormones leptin hormone is associated with all stages of reproductive age. The aim of the present study is to observe levels the liver enzyme, Albumin, total bilirubin, estrogen, progesterone and leptin hormone. Also to evaluate the correlation between ( leptin hormone liver enzyme, Albumin, total bilirubin, estrogen and progesterone ).Methods: Serum liver enzyme, Albumin, total bilirubin, estrogen, progesterone and leptin …

Clinician Tele-Mental Health Attitudes In North American Indigenous Communities, Elleh A. Driscoll, Justin Douglas Mcdonald

Journal of Indigenous Research

This study examined mental health clinicians (n=104) serving North American Indigenous clients and how tele-mental health (TMH) factors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted future willingness to continue TMH. Results indicated predictors of future TMH usage were not statistically significant due to the high baseline of willingness to utilize TMH, regardless of factors. The goal of this study was to investigate awareness of clinician attitudes of TMH and promote continued research and training for tele-mental health care with Indigenous populations.

Dose-Dependent Ifn Programs In Myeloid Cells After Mrna And Adenovirus Covid-19 Vaccination., Giray N Eryilmaz, Yilmaz Yucehan Yazici, Radu Marches, Eleni P Mimitou, Lisa Kenyon-Pesce, Kim Handrejk, Sonia Jangra, Michael Schotsaert, Adolfo García-Sastre, George A Kuchel, Jacques Banchereau, Duygu Ucar

Faculty Research 2026

BACKGROUNDThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic provided a rare opportunity to study how human immune responses develop to a novel viral antigen delivered through different vaccine platforms. However, to date, no study has directly compared immune responses to all 3 FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines at single-cell multiomic resolution.METHODSWe longitudinally profiled SARS-CoV-2-naive adults (n = 31) vaccinated with BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or Ad26.COV2.S, integrating plasma cytokines, antibody titers, and single-cell multiomic data (DOGMA-Seq).RESULTSWe discovered a distinct, transient IFN program termed ISG-dim, which emerged specifically 1-2 days after the first mRNA dose in approximately 10% of myeloid cells. This state was characterized by ISGF3 complex activation and …

Role Of Piezo1 Channels Expressed In Pvn In Regulating Sympathetic Nerve Activity And Arterial Blood Pressure In Rats, Yue Chen, Wei Guo, Jichun Wang, Min Wang, Yuying Yang, Gregory Miodonski, Enshe Jiang, Qing Hui Chen, Yi Yang, Renjun Wang

Michigan Tech Publications

Mechanosensitive Piezo1 channels participate in regulating pain sensitivity, insulin secretion, and vascular tension; however, their expression in the autonomic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and role in modulating sympathetic outflow and cardiovascular function remain unstudied. In this study, unilateral PVN microinjection of the Piezo1 channel blocker Dooku1 (0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 200 pmol) administered to anesthetized male rats increased renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and mean artery pressure (MAP) in a dose-dependent manner, with maximum increases of 93 ± 30% (p < 0.0001) and 21 ± 5 mmHg (p < 0.0001), respectively, elicited by Dooku1 at 100 pmol. Similarly, PVN microinjection of the peptide Piezo1 channel blocker GsMTx4 (1 nmol) significantly increased RSNA (p < 0.001) and MAP (p < 0.0001). Conversely, PVN-microinjected Piezo1 channel activators Yoda1 (5 nmol) and Jedi2 (5 nmol) did not significantly alter RSNA or MAP. Western blot and qRT-PCR analyses of the hypothalamic PVN showed abundant Piezo1 mRNA and protein expression. Immunofluorescence detection showed that Piezo1 was expressed in pre-sympathetic PVN neurons with axons projecting to the rostral ventrolateral medulla. We conclude that Piezo1 channels expressed in the autonomic PVN neurons play an important role in regulating sympathetic outflow and cardiovascular function.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, February 23, 2026, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Quenching-Based Electrochemiluminescence Detection Of Chlorpyrifos Using A Portable Sensor Platform, Emre Dokuzparmak

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate pesticide extensively used in agriculture, posing significant threats to human health due to its neurotoxic effects. Its presence in food products has raised considerable public health concerns, necessitating the development of rapid, sensitive, and reliable detection methods. This study aims to design and validate an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor platform operating via a quenching-based mechanism to enable ultrasensitive detection of CPF in food matrices.

Materials and methods: The sensing strategy exploits the coreactant mechanism between 2-(dibutylamino)ethanol (DBAE) and [Ru(bpy)₃]²+ (tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)), wherein CPF suppresses the ECL emission by interfering with the excited-state electron transfer pathway. The …

Transcriptomic Identification And Developmental Mapping Of Nrg3b Expression In Zebrafish, Elham Tarahomi, Nuray Soğünmez Erdoğan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: Neuregulin 3 (NRG3) is an epidermal growth factor-like ligand that is involved in neuronal circuit formation in mammals. However, the expression profile of its zebrafish ortholog, nrg3b, remains poorly defined. The transcriptomic analyses of zebrafish sco-spondin mutants, which display alterations in their neurodevelopmental pathways, have indicated potential dysregulation of Nrg3b. Guided by these insights, this study aimed to characterize the temporal and spatial expression patterns of nrg3b in vivo in embryonic and adult zebrafish.

Materials and methods: Publicly available RNA-seq data from heterozygous and maternal-zygotic zebrafish sco-spondin mutants at 5, 15, and 30 days postfertilization (dpf) were analyzed to …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Biology

No abstract provided.

Biological Evaluation Of Novel 6,9-Disubstituted Purine Analogues In High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines, Duygu Altiparmak, Deren Demi̇rel Yavuz, Pinar Kul Karadeni̇zli̇, İrem Durmaz Şahi̇n, Meral Tunçbi̇lek

Turkish Journal of Biology

Background/aim: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) remains one of the most aggressive forms of ovarian malignancy and frequently shows resistance to conventional therapies. This study aimed to synthesize a novel series of purine analogues, 6-[(4-substituted benzyl amine)/(4-substituted aniline)]-9-cyclopentyl purines, and evaluate their anticancer efficacy against HGSOC cell lines.

Materials and methods: We assessed the biological effects of the synthesized purine analogues on the OVCAR3, OVSAHO, and KURAMOCHI HGSOC cell lines using the sulforhodamine B assay. To investigate the mechanism of action, we conducted flow cytometry and western blot analyses, focusing on DNA replication and apoptosis.

Results: Among the tested compounds, …

Crow's Nest, February 23, 2026, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The February 23, 2026 issue of Crow's Nest.

Documenting A Changed Campus, Kevin Bain, Srijita Chattopadhyay, Hunt Mercier

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. — Four weeks ago, winter storm “Fern” brought more than just a freeze; it left the University of Mississippi fractured. As the ice slowly thawed, it revealed an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of debris across campus.

Optimizing Patient Adherence Through Improved Technology-Based Communication By Enhancing Staff Efficiency At An Opiate Treatment Program Clinic, Jennifer Parsons

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

High rates of missed appointments and unreliable follow-up remain a problem in outpatient opioid treatment clinics. This project improved the communication workflow at a methadone maintenance clinic by strengthening reminder systems and staff coordination. A needs assessment found several problems: appointment reminders were inconsistent, tracking was unreliable, and staff communication often relied on manual handoffs. The project was to test a technology-based workflow designed to improve staff communication and reduce missed appointments. The Technology Acceptance Model and Lewin’s Change Theory guided the change. The clinic implemented automated reminders, secure messaging, and clearer documentation to support daily communication. A pre-post evaluation …

Mcsa Forum Minutes 02/23/2026, Morris Campus Student Association

Morris Campus Student Association

No abstract provided.

Economic Evaluation Of Perioperative Pembrolizumab Plus Standard Of Care As Treatment For Resectable Locally Advanced Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma In The United States, Feng Qian, Arielle G Bensimon, Anjela Tzontcheva, Kimberly Benjamin, Ravindra Uppaluri, Douglas Adkins, Geoffrey Johnson, Catherine Fernan, Dandan Zheng, Yuexin Tang, Biruk Chafamo, Dominic Muston

2020-Current year OA Pubs

AIMS: In the phase 3 KEYNOTE-689 trial (NCT03765918) among patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA HNSCC), perioperative pembrolizumab (pembrolizumab before surgery, then continued with standard-of-care [SOC] radiotherapy +/- cisplatin after surgery followed by pembrolizumab alone) significantly prolonged event-free survival vs. SOC alone, both in the intention-to-treat population and PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥1 subgroup. Perioperative pembrolizumab + SOC received Food and Drug Administration approval in June 2025 for resectable LA HNSCC expressing PD-L1 (CPS ≥ 1). The present study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of perioperative pembrolizumab + SOC versus SOC in this indication, from …

Stereotactic Adaptive Radiation Therapy For Borderline Resectable Or Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer To Minimize Gastrointestinal Toxicity (Artia-Pancreas): Protocol For A Single-Arm Prospective Trial, Lauren E Henke, Hyun Kim, Eric Laugeman, Steven Kohlmyer, Claire Mccann, Kate Pietrovito, Kenneth Russell, Jennifer Woo, Alex T Price

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography (CT)-guided online stereotactic adaptive radiotherapy (CT-STAR) allows for ablative radiation doses to be delivered to selected patients with borderline resectable (BR) or locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) or unresectable pancreatic cancer. However, the use of CT-STAR to deliver an ablative dose to the pancreas while minimizing gastrointestinal (GI) side effects to reduce acute and late toxicity rates compared to historic controls has yet to be prospectively evaluated.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this prospective, single-arm, multicenter phase 2 clinical trial (Adaptive Radiation Therapy Individualized Approach [ARTIA]-Pancreas) is to evaluate the rate of acute grade 3+ GI toxicity …

Positional Differences In Internal And External Match-Play Loads Among Njcaa Division Ii Women's Soccer Players, Shannon Baisden

Doctorate in Kinesiology

This study quantified and compared the internal and external match-play demands of female community college soccer players by position during competitive match play. Using a retrospective observational design, GPS- and heart-rate–derived data were analyzed across eight regular-season matches from one NJCAA Division II women's soccer team. Nineteen outfield players were classified as defenders, midfielders, or forwards. Internal load was assessed using heart-rate metrics and time spent in intensity zones, while external load was measured using total distance and proprietary workload metrics. Linear mixed-effects models were employed to evaluate positional differences while accounting for repeated measures. Results revealed clear positional trends …

Shifting Focus: Youth Sports And Mental Health, Tara Boer

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Ultimately, athletes should be encouraged to develop their identity holistically. They are athletes, but they are first and foremost children of the King."

Posting about protecting mental health while participating in sports from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Shifting Focus

The Echo: February 23, 2026, Taylor University

2025-2026 (Volume 113)

No abstract provided.

Experienced Nurses: Improving Retention By Implementation Strategies Found In Research And Those Applied In Practice, Hemilla Raju Matta

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background & Purpose: The lack of literature focused on retention of experienced nurses reflects the need for more research in this area to help develop retention strategies and decrease turnover. Literature notes nurses want a safe work place, collegial relationships, supportive leadership and organization, and professional development. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week educational intervention aimed at professional development.

Methods: The quality improvement project was implemented at a community teaching medical center with outpatient services, located on the east coast post IRB approval. A pre/post educational interventional design method …

A New Nurse’S Journey: How To Increase Retention By Providing The Resiliency Tools Nurses Need, Jocelyn E. Marx, Sara Humeny

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

In a recent study, 68% of nurses put their patient's health, safety, and wellness before their own (Linton, M. & Koonmen, J. 2020). This presentation will take you on a journey beginning from the minute a nurse starts in our organization. We believe nurses caring for themselves so they can care for others is a priority. New nurses begin to learn on their very first day of employment at our network how self-care and well-being are a part of our nursing mission, vision, and philosophy, as supported by the chosen nurse theorist Jean Watson. It is encouraged for nurse leaders …

Individual And Workplace Environmental Predictors Of Intent To Leave Current Nursing Job, Kathryn Joyce Leep-Lazar

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Background: High rates of registered nurse (RN) turnover in hospitals strain their ability to keep fully staffed. Poor nurse staffing leads to poor patient, nurse, and organizational outcomes (Rae et al., 2021; Shin et al., 2018, 2019). High rates of RN turnover are also costly for healthcare organizations (NSI Nursing Solutions, 2023). While RN turnover rates in US hospitals have increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic (22.5% in 2022 compared with 15.9% in 2019), historically, newly licensed RNs have even higher rates of turnover than their more experienced counterparts (Kovner et al., 2016). It is critically important to understand the …

The Impact Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin, And Interleukin-38 Food And Air Allergy Patients Following The Pandemic Of Covid-19 In Iraq, Esraa Hameed Khamees, Zaizafoon N. Nasif

Baghdad Science Journal

Allergies are a common health issue where the immune system reacts to substances in the environment that are normally harmless. This study further investigates the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin-38 (IL-38), immunoglobulin E (IgE), and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in these individuals, offering insight into the probable processes behind allergic responses following the pandemic. The study comprised 120 non-vaccinated females with previous COVID-19 infection. Groups included controls and food and air (F&A) allergic patients, with 60 individuals matched for age and gender. Serum levels of IL-38, VEGF, IgE, and NGLA were assessed using …

The Secret Garden: Staff Caring For Staff, Erin Quinlan, Jennifer Schlebusch

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Healthcare workers provide for others in thoughtful, therapeutic ways, which becomes problematic if their mental and emotional resources are depleted. When healthcare workers experience a self-care deficit, their well-being and patient care are compromised. Recent factors contributing to staff stress include the impact of COVID-19 and the Pediatric Behavioral Health Crisis. An identified need to improve staff well-being was visible. The purpose of this quality improvement project, using the Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology, was to develop and implement the Secret Garden to improve the health of the work environment. The Secret Garden is a staff-only respite space, operationalized and managed to support …

Addressing Faculty Gaps In The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program, Shea Brock

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Graduate nursing programs increasingly rely on adjunct faculty to sustain enrollment growth; however, inconsistent onboarding processes may contribute to variability in faculty preparedness and job satisfaction. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a standardized adjunct faculty education program and evaluate its impact on adjunct faculty knowledge and job satisfaction within an online Psychiatric–Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program. A quantitative, quasi-experimental one-group pre–post design was utilized. Six adjunct faculty members (n = 6) completed a 10-item EXXAT Knowledge Survey and a 10-item Faculty Satisfaction Survey before and after participation in a structured one-hour education session focused …

Upper Extremity Return To Sport Functional Testing: A Systematic Review, Marisa Pontillo, Eric Bellm, Patrick Barber, Matthew L. Gauthier, Casey A. Unverzagt, George J. Davies

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Upper extremity return to sport (RTS) assessments are not standardized with respect to which metrics to use, if the metrics are appropriate for all populations and levels of competition, and what constitutes good or poor test performance. Subsequently, clinicians may utilize suboptimal metrics to evaluate RTS readiness, or forgo objective criteria altogether. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties (reliability, agreement/measurement error, hypothesis testing/construct validity, criterion/predictive validity, responsiveness) of upper extremity functional tests used to assess RTS readiness.

Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines, with all studies included assessed via the PEDro scale. Literature …

Breast Cancer Mortality In Memphis: A Holistic Approach - Research Findings And Strategies For Improved Outcomes In Segregated Communities, The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute For Social Change

The Hooks Institute Policy Papers

The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change (Hooks Institute) is pleased to present its tenth edition of the policy papers, which focuses on breast health outcomes for women living in racially segregated commu-nities. The research that informed the articles in this publication, as well as this volume of the policy papers itself, was funded by a 2022 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The grant was awarded to a team of researchers that included Shelley White-Means, PhD (Principal Investigator); Arash Shaban-Nejad, MSc, MPH, PhD and Minghui Li, MSc, PhD (Co-Investigators) at University of Tennessee Health Science Cen-ter …

Short-Term Spark Or Long-Term Flame? Sustaining Academic Psychiatric Departments, Rohit Shankar, Richard Laugharne, Derek K. Tracy, Dinesh Bhugra

Peninsula Medical School

SummaryOver the past two decades, the number of academic psychiatrists in the UK has declined by more than a third, despite an expansion in medical schools and growth in most other medical academic specialties. Drawing on direct experience of establishing a new academic unit, we argue that the long-term sustainability of academic psychiatry departments is critical for service quality, innovation and talent development. This paper outlines the structural, cultural and strategic factors needed to create academic units that endure and flourish beyond individual careers, enabling better integration of research and clinical practice.

Diversifying Students’ Perception Of Foreign Cultures Through The Global Classroom In Psych Mental Health Nursing, Chidiebele Constance Obichi

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Lack of collaborative relationships, teamwork, and respectful communication foster unhealthy work environments. To further equip nursing students with transferable skills to help them maintain healthy work environments as they transition into practice and as part of our commitment to global education, we organized psych-mental health nursing students from our university in the Midwest and a foreign university to collaborate in providing health teaching to 20 community members through a Global Classroom project.

The project was a funded foreign partner collaboration to encourage students and faculty pursue international knowledge and become engaged global citizens. The specific aim was to enhance the …

“Promoting Civility And Anti-Bullying Behaviors In The Workplace” Initiatives Driven By The Nurse Residency Program, Leilanie Gacayan Apana

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

To alleviate the fear of “nurses eating their young” and impede disruptive behaviors, incivility, and bullying in the workplace, newly graduate nurse residents (NGNRs) learn strategies to promote a civil work environment upon hire into the Nurse Residency Program (NRP). Setting the expectation of acceptable workplace behaviors early in their nursing careers empowers NGNRs to advocate for and exhibit professional conduct fostering civility in the workplace. The necessity to provide NGNRs the resources to deflect detrimental attitudes in patient care areas was essential to ensure safe patient care and outcomes. During role transition discussions, NGNRs expressed insecurity, distress, and high …