Digital Commons Network^™

Systematic Targeting Of Gd2-Positive Neuroblastoma Tumors With A Photooncolytic Phage Nanovector Platform, Suleman Khan Zadran, Nicola Facchinello, Piergiuseppe De Rosa, Roberto Saporetti, Paolo Emidio Costantini, Luca Ulfo, Michela Nigro, Annapaola Petrosino, Lucia Pappagallo, Sara Aloisi, Giorgio Milazzo, Zainul Abe Din, Alberto Rigamonti, Leonardo Flora, Martina Santulli, Leonardo Cimadom, Giampaolo Zuccheri, Mattia Zangoli, Manuele Di Sante, Matteo Di Giosia, Francesca Di Maria, Roberto Bernardoni, Eveline Barbieri, Matteo Calvaresi, Alberto Danielli, Giovanni Perini

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Disialoganglioside-GD2 is a key molecular target for Neuroblastoma (NB) immunotherapy based on the employment of GD2-targeting antibodies. However, about 50% of treated patients can experience tumor relapse due to limited immune-mediated cytotoxicity and poor antibody penetration into tumors. To address this problem, a tumor-penetrating photo-oncolytic phage nanovector platform is genetically and chemically developed that selectively targets GD2-expressing NB cells. The phage bioconjugates, functionalized with different photosensitizers, result in specific and selective oncolysis of GD2-positive NB cells upon light irradiation, without affecting GD2-negative ones. The photo-oncolytic phage vectors are shown to deeply penetrate into GD2-positive tumor spheroids in vitro, and to …

Tigit Affects Car Nk-Cell Effector Function In The Solid Tumor Microenvironment By Modulating Immune Synapse Strength, Ishwar Navin, Matthew Dysthe, Prashant S Menon, Corrine Baumgartner, Tim Sauer, Navin Varadarajan, Robin Parihar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Therapies using NK cells that express chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-NK) have been successfully employed against hematologic malignancies. However, solid tumors resist CAR-NKs partly by enriching tumor microenvironments with ligands for NK cell inhibitory receptors. Although the NK inhibitory receptor T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) has been implicated in impaired antitumor activity of endogenous NK cells, the consequences of TIGIT expression on engineered CAR-NKs have not been explored. To address this gap, we compared TIGIT-expressing and TIGIT-deleted human CAR-NKs targeting the GD2 solid tumor antigen in tumor immune microenvironment co-cultures and in vivo tumor immune …

Cutaneous Tuberculosis With Multisystem Involvement In An Immunocompetent Refugee, Nabor S Mireles, Natalie Garcia, Omid Jalali

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) is an uncommon skin infection that can mimic other dermatologic conditions and delay recognition. Herein, we present a case of TB chancre, a form of CTB caused by exogenous inoculation. A 19-year-old immunocompetent male refugee from Sudan presented with a five-month history of non-healing wounds on his right shoulder and three weeks of bilateral lower extremity weakness. Diagnostic examination revealed the presence of a spinal epidural abscess and lung consolidation, with culture of the spinal abscess positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Skin biopsy of the shoulder lesion revealed granulomatous dermatitis, with subsequent culture confirming MTB from the …

Exploring Patients' Perceptions Of An Advance Care Planning Intervention In The Emergency Department: A Qualitative Study, Youkie Shiozawa, Saaya Morton, Nanako Shirai, Hannah Oelschlager, Lucy Kiernat, Anita N Chary, Anna C Revette, Adrian Haimovich, Smit Desai, Kai-Wei Chang, Shan W Liu, Maura Kennedy, Mara A Schonberg, Kei Ouchi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: Emergency department (ED) visits offer opportunities for seriously ill patients to formulate future medical care goals, yet ED clinicians lack practical strategies for these conversations. ED GOAL, a behavioral intervention, engages seriously ill yet clinically stable older adults in the ED to address advance care planning (ACP) with their outpatient clinicians. In a randomized trial, goals-of-care documentation was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to controls after three (24.3% vs. 9.9%, p = 0.03) and 6 months (31.4% vs. 12.7%, p < 0.01). This study is a sub-analysis to learn about intervention arm participants' perceived benefits and obstacles of the intervention.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews between October 2022 and August 2024 (N = 52) with intervention-arm patients …

Lp(A) Testing For The Primary Prevention Of Cardiovascular Disease In High-Income Countries: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Jedidiah I Morton, Florian Kronenberg, Magdalena Daccord, Nicola Bedlington, Marius Geanta, Tobias Silberzahn, Zhenyue Chen, Jean-Luc Eisele, Bogi Eliasen, Mariko Harada-Shiba, Marc Rijken, Albert Wiegman, George Thanassoulis, Pia R Kamstrup, Iñaki Gutierrez-Ibarluzea, Pablo Coral, Raul D Santos, Erik Stroes, Michal Vrablik, Gerald F Watts, Christie M Ballantyne, Samia Mora, Børge G Nordestgaard, Kausik K Ray, Stephen J Nicholls, Zanfina Ademi, Lp(A) International Taskforce (Itf) Initiative

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and aims: Cost-effectiveness of Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] testing is not established. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Lp(a) testing in the cardiovascular disease (CVD) primary prevention population from healthcare and societal perspectives.

Methods: We constructed and validated a multi-state microsimulation Markov model for a population of 10,000 individuals aged between 40 and 69 years without CVD, selected randomly from the UK Biobank. The model evaluated Lp(a) testing in individuals not initially classified as high-risk based on age, diabetes status, or the SCORE-2 algorithm. Those with an Lp(a) level ≥105 nmol/L (50 mg/dL) were treated as high risk (initiation of …

Pan-Uk Biobank Genome-Wide Association Analyses Enhance Discovery And Resolution Of Ancestry-Enriched Effects, Konrad J Karczewski, Rahul Gupta, Masahiro Kanai, Wenhan Lu, Kristin Tsuo, Ying Wang, Raymond K Walters, Patrick Turley, Shawneequa Callier, Nirav N Shah, Nikolas Baya, Duncan S Palmer, Jacqueline I Goldstein, Gopal Sarma, Matthew Solomonson, Nathan Cheng, Sam Bryant, Claire Churchhouse, Caroline M Cusick, Timothy Poterba, John Compitello, Daniel King, Wei Zhou, Cotton Seed, Hilary K Finucane, Mark J Daly, Benjamin M Neale, Elizabeth G Atkinson, Alicia R Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Large biobanks, such as the UK Biobank (UKB), enable massive phenome by genome-wide association studies that elucidate genetic etiology of complex traits. However, individuals from diverse genetic ancestry groups are often excluded from association analyses due to concerns about population structure introducing false positive associations. Here, we generate mixed model associations and meta-analyses across genetic ancestry groups, inclusive of a larger fraction of the UKB than previous efforts, to produce freely-available summary statistics for 7,266 traits. We build a quality control and analysis framework informed by genetic architecture. Overall, we identify 14,676 significant loci (p < 5 × 10−8) in the meta-analysis that were not found in the EUR genetic ancestry group alone, including novel associations for example between CAMK2D and triglycerides. We also …

Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Silencing Of Sox4 Leads To Long-Term Amelioration Of Liver Phenotypes In Mouse Models Of Alagille Syndrome, Duncan Fox, Jun Xie, Jennifer L Burwinkel, Josh M Adams, Kashish Chetal, Marzieh Keivandarian, Yaniv Faingelernt, Sanjay Subramanian, Mario F Lopez, Anna L Peters, Nathan Salomonis, Neda Zarrin-Khameh, Guangping Gao, Stacey S Huppert, Hamed Jafar-Nejad

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background & aims: In patients with Alagille syndrome (ALGS), bile duct paucity often leads to severe cholestatic phenotypes for which liver transplantation remains the only definitive treatment. No Food and Drug Administration-approved mechanism-based strategies exist to enhance biliary development in ALGS or other diseases with bile duct paucity. We aimed to identify a therapeutic target to address this unmet need.

Methods: Preclinical ALGS mouse models lacking 1 copy of Jag1 with or without conditional deletion of 1 or both copies of Sox9 were used. Sox4 levels were reduced genetically or with adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) vectors driving a Sox4-silencing sequence. …

Normal Urinary Oxalate Excretion In 4-Hydroxy-2-Oxo-Glutarate Aldolase 1 (Hoga1) Deficient Mice With Agt Expression In Peroxisomes And Not In Mitochondria, Iolanda Boffa, Rosa Ferriero, Mariarosaria Cancelliere, Edoardo Nusco, Leonardo Gatticchi, Donna Palmer, Philip Ng, Pasquale Piccolo, Barbara Cellini, Kyle Wood, John Knight, Nicola Brunetti-Pierri

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Primary hyperoxaluria type 3 (PH3) is caused by mutations in Hoga1 gene. PH3 individuals develop nephrolithiasis, but the mechanism underlying hyperoxaluria is unclear and a mouse model recapitulating the human disease can provide insights into the pathogenesis of PH3. Hoga1−/− mice do not have increased urinary oxalate excretion, probably due to the murine mitochondrial alanine-glioxylate-aminotransferase (AGT) activity, which in humans is only expressed in peroxisomes. However, Hoga1−/−/Agxt−/− mice with AGT installed on peroxisome and not on mitochondria did not show increased urinary oxalate, suggesting that AGT expression in both cellular compartments is not an explanation for …

Molecular And Genetic Landscapes Of Retina And Brain Microglia In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Khang Ma, Rinki Ratnapriya

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Microglia-driven dysregulation has emerged as a significant underlying mechanism in many neurodegenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although both brain and retinal microglia originate from the yolk sac, it is uncertain whether they share molecular similarities or genetic and molecular foundations related to neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we examine the transcriptomic and epigenetic profiles of retina and brain microglia through integrative analyses of single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and single-nucleus ATAC sequencing (snATAC-seq) from 97 independent human samples across 11 different studies. Our findings reveal that retina and brain microglia share similar expression and …

0896: John F. Smith Collection, 1978-2017, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

John F. Smith was a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and former director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.

The collection includes records of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, research and papers of John F. Smith, and framed Marshall University basketball and football memorabilia.

Peritoneal Immunosurgery: Immunotherapy Augmented Surgery For The Treatment Of Peritoneal Cancers, Ada I Ozcan, Arianexys Aquino López, Mary K Mckenna, Malcolm K Brenner, Alastair M Thompson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Peritoneal malignancy often indicates disruptions in multiple physiological systems resulting from widespread cancer. The heterogenous origin and dynamic nature of peritoneal cancer make it difficult to treat with standard approaches that fit into guidelines. We describe how successful treatment should address the underlying pathology, the systemic response to surgical treatments and target the immune perturbations that facilitate the establishment and propagation of this multifaceted disease.

Cul3 Postnatal Homozygous Deletion In Forebrain Results In Behavioral Differences, Prathibha Sekar, Qiang‐Qiang Xia, Alex C. Stokes, Feiyu Quan, Jeffrey Singer, Craig M. Powell

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Large-scale human genetic studies implicate multiple genes that regulate protein ubiquitination in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). De novo loss-of-function mutations in the gene CULLIN3 (CUL3) are implicated in autism and intellectual disability (ID). CUL3 is an essential component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex required for ubiquitination of substrates, often a signal for proteasomal degradation. Homozygous deletion of Cul3 is embryonically lethal. Recent studies show heterozygous deletion of Cul3 results in phenotypes with some face validity for autism in constitutive and conditional Cul3 heterozygotes. To understand the function of Cul3 in late postnatal development and function in the brain, we …

Sustained Response To Pan-Braf Inhibitor Plixorafenib (Fore8394, Plx8394) In A Young Adult With Neurodegenerative Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, Joanna S Yi, Kathleen S Mccarthy, Kate Mazur, Rebecca Kudlaty, Terry Armstrong, Nilesh Desai, Stacie Peacock Shepherd, Daniel Zinn, Jessica Velazquez, Brooks Scull, Carl Allen, Kenneth Mcclain

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Student Thriving: A Comparative Analysis Of First-Generation And Continuing-Generation Undergraduate College Students At A Private, Faith-Based University, Melissa A. Maisenbacher

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This quantitative study explored the thriving of first-generation undergraduate students enrolled full-time at a mid-sized, private, faith-based, open-enrollment university in the southeastern United States. Using the validated Thriving Quotient™ instrument, this research measured thriving across five domains: engaged learning, academic determination, positive perspective, social connectedness, and diverse citizenship, along with three subscales: spirituality, sense of community, and institutional integrity. The study compared thriving perceptions of first-generation college students (FGCSs) and continuing-generation college students (CGCSs) to determine if generational status influenced students’ experiences of thriving. Despite documented challenges faced by FGCSs—including financial stress, limited familial guidance, and lower academic preparedness—this study …

Teachers As First Responders: Transferring Trauma-Informed Strategies Into The Classroom, Lauren A. Daley-Norris

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Research suggests that nearly two-thirds of students experience a traumatic event by the age of 16 (Elmore et al, 2023; Wall, 2021). Despite this prevalence, a standardized training module for trauma-informed care (TIC) in K-12 education remains absent. Existing studies primarily focus on school or district-wide implementations (Avery et al, 2020; Champine et al., 2022; Plumb et al., 2016). The quantitative, quasi-experimental within-subjects repeated measures research design was used to address the study’s topic. Two research questions were formally stated to address the study’s purpose. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyze study data. Teachers (N = 12) …

Chemical And Sensory Attributes Of Different Ethanol Reduction Methods In Muscadine Wine Production, Alexandra A. Escalera, Patricia C. Patricio Morillo, Drew Budner, Katherine A. Thompson-Witrick, Andrew J. Macintosh

Chemistry

There has been a recent shift in the global wine market towards reduced-alcohol wines. Muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) have become a popular choice in many emerging markets; however, their suitability in reduced-alcohol wine production has not been extensively tested. In this study, methods to reduce ethanol in muscadine wine were compared to determine differences in chemical and sensory attributes and consumer preference. The methods evaluated included full fermentation time with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (control), reduced fermentation time with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (stopped fermentation), fermentation with Saccharomycodes ludwigii yeast (instead of Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and vacuum distillation. The control and distilled wines were fermented …

A Tribute To Emeritus Professor David Tall: A Mentor, Scholar, And Academic Father, Kin Eng Chin

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This tribute reflects on the life and contributions of Emeritus Professor David Tall, a distinguished scholar in Mathematical Thinking and Mathematics Education, who passed away on July 15, 2024. David Tall’s groundbreaking ideas, such as concept image, procept, and the three worlds of mathematics, have profoundly influenced the mathematics education community. His philosophy of reciprocal learning and encouragement of innovative research shaped many scholars, including the author, who considers him not only a supervisor but an academic father. David's legacy will continue to inspire future generations in academia.

Navigating Law And Taboo: Sexual Expression And Healthcare Access Among Tunisian Women, Serafina Sqatrito

Tunisia and Italy: Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean

Women’s sexual health within Tunisia exists at an intersection between progressive legal frameworks, while also reversely experiencing modesty linked to gendered expectations, as well as enduring sexuality expression as a cultural taboo. This study aims to investigate how Tunisian women across generations understand as well as navigate intimacy, healthcare access, sexual education, sexual expression, within this complex social and legal context. Using a qualitative method, this study conducted four semi-structured interviews with women aged between 18-65 living in urban areas of Tunis and La Marsa. The interviews focused on experiences of shame and openness surrounding sexual life, societal sexual pressure …

Dental Fluorosis As A Biomarker Of Environmental And Regulatory Failure In Tunisia’ S Gafsa Valley, Kenzy Aldaher

Tunisia and Italy: Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean

No abstract provided.

Navigating Survival Without Rights: The Case Of Sub-Saharan And Sudanese Migrants In Tunisia, Amel Mohdali

Tunisia and Italy: Politics and Religious Integration in the Mediterranean

This study examines irregular migration and the lived experiences of migrants and asylum seekers in Tunisia, focusing on how individuals navigate prolonged transit in the absence of legal status, protection, and formal rights. Based on qualitative interviews with eight migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, and Sudanese refugees displaced by mass violence, the research approaches migration not as a single act of movement but as an extended condition shaped by housing, employment, mobility, and access to safety. Across interviews, Tunisia is described as a transit country that unexpectedly became a site of residence due to expired visas, exit fines, and restricted onward …

Assessing The Role Of Ocean Literacy In Liberia's Blue Economy : Pathway To Sustainable Blue Ocean Development In Liberia, Precious Tete Nah

Ocean Sustainability, Governance & Management Dissertations

Ocean literacy involves understanding the fundamental concepts of the ocean's functioning, leading to informed and responsible decisions about the ocean. This understanding is vital for developing responsible ocean citizenship and implementing measures to sustain the ocean, as it highlights the ocean's influence on humans and the impact of human activities on it. Using a qualitative research method with a purposive sampling approach, the research asks focus group representatives from New Kru Town and Westpoint, both closed- and open-ended questions, on the importance of ocean literacy, challenges, prospects, and recommendations to promote sustainable blue ocean development.

The results of the research …

Growth Measurements In Ugandan Children With Sickle Cell Anaemia From A Hydroxyurea (Hydroxycarbamide) Treatment Trial Relative To Unaffected Sibling Controls, Dennis Kalibbala, Vincent Mboizi, Grace Nambatya, Susan Murungi, Joan Ashaba, Catherine Nabaggala, Lynnth Turyagyenda, Deogratias Munube, Phillip Kasirye, Robert Opoka

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Sjsu Erfa News, Fall 2025, San Jose State University, Emeritus And Retired Faculty Association

Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association (ERFA) Newsletter

Volume 39, No 1

Salud Mental Intercultural En Un Entorno Urbano: Experiencias De Vista Mapuche Y Biomédico En La Pintana, Santiago, Jane Wu

Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment

Historical migration from ancestral territories in La Araucanía has brought a large portion of the Mapuche population to Santiago, where La Pintana now hosts one of the city’s most concentrated Indigenous communities. These movements, shaped by discrimination, loss of language, and cultural displacement, have had lasting effects on mental health and identity for Mapuche residents living in an urban environment. This study asks how intercultural perspectives of healthcare influence the ways Mapuche and non-Mapuche populations navigate mental health in La Pintana. It analyzes the urban factors in La Pintana that influence mental health and the level of intercultural mental health …

A Word From The Writing Team (October 2025), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

This issue includes:

• Publications Spotlight
• Wiley is Hosting Two Workshops
• Join us for the Launch Party of Evanescent Issue 6: Growing. Learning. Aging.
• Pam is Out of the Office until October 14^th!
• October 3rd is our First Friday Writing Retreat!

Profiles Of Academic Majors - 2025, Office Of Institutional Research And Effectiveness

Profiles of Academic Majors

The Profiles of Academic Majors (PAM) is an annual publication that provides a ten-year longitudinal snapshot of enrollments, degrees awarded and student demographics arranged by fall term or academic year as appropriate

The Public Health Cost Of Online Behavioral Targeting, Arthi Annadurai

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Behavioral targeting is an increasingly popular marketing technique that utilizes users’ online activity to personalize advertisements aimed at consumers. However, since personalized advertisements aim to influence individual consumers, behavioral targeting can negatively impact vulnerable users. For instance, it may reinforce harmful behaviors—like showing alcohol advertisements to individuals with alcohol dependency—or worsen mental health struggles, such as prolonging grief by continuing to serve parenting advertisements to those mourning the loss of a child. These practices can perpetuate harmful behaviors, such as relapse or heightened psychological distress, and contribute to long-term health problems, such as addiction or other mental health problems, creating …

Private Equity’S Viable Path To College Athletics Investment: Potential Entity Mechanisms And Antitrust Considerations, Michael Llg

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

The recent House settlement with the National Collegiate Athletic Association was another blow to traditional collegiate governance in an age of uncertainty in college athletics. In the wake of the House settlement and other recent decisions, multiple private equity funds have shown interest in investing on a school-by-school basis or buying out dozens of teams to form a new commercialized league in select sports. Many questions remain with the viability of private investment in college athletics. Unlike traditional private equity investment, schools are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations typically operating within an athletic conference. This creates an additional hurdle to for-profit investing …

Agentizing Privacy Preferences Without Privatizing Data Protection Policy, Frank Pasquale, Vanna Carter

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

This essay explores how consumers might exercise newly restored agency in a digital environment increasingly shaped by generative AI. Rather than expecting consumers to read privacy-related terms of service, policymakers should encourage the emergence of Automated Consumer Agents (“ACAs”) capable of interpreting privacy provisions and acting on behalf of users according to their stated preferences. These systems could automatically reject objectionable forms of data extraction, translating consumer values into actionable decisions in online transactions.

Despite this promise, the rise of ACAs would also present new problems. Without supportive policy and legal frameworks, agentization of privacy preferences could itself reproduce or …

Circulation Of Respiratory Viruses From Air And Human Specimens In A Pre-Kindergarten-12th Grade School District In Kansas City, Mo, Nicole Neeley, Brian Lee, Brittney Fritschmann, Luke Gard, Nibha Sagar, Dithi Banerjee, Anjana Sasidharan, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Olivia Almendares, Hannah L. Kirking, Jennifer Goldman, Jennifer E. Schuster

Posters

Background: Air sampling with respiratory virus testing in community settings may be a potential non-invasive, scalable method to monitor respiratory viruses. We performed an ecological analysis to describe the correlation between respiratory virus detections in air and human samples across all schools to evaluate the potential for air sampling as a tool for community-level surveillance. Methods: Knowledge of Infectious Diseases in Schools (School KIDS) is a voluntary respiratory virus surveillance program in a pre-kindergarten-12th grade public school district in Kansas City, MO. In 10 schools, students and staff collected anterior nasal swabs while at school, with optional on-demand swabbing when …