Digital Commons Network^™

‘They Say There’S More Equality…’: Women’S Perspectives On Progress And Setbacks In Gender Equality In Northern Iceland During Times Of Crisis, Marya Rozanova-Smith, Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Andrey N. Petrov

Faculty Publications

Enabling gender equality through the empowerment of women to fully participate in modern society is one of the most critical steps toward sustainable development. However, recent UN reports indicate that the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have jeopardized the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 by 2030 in many countries worldwide, including Iceland, which has consistently been ranked as a global leader in gender equality. The main objective of this qualitative study is to examine the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by exploring women’s lived experiences during the crisis and its aftermath across the primary domains of gender equality—personal …

Food Noise: Definition, Measurement, And Future Research Directions, Emily J Dhurandhar, Kevin C Maki, Nikhil V Dhurandhar, Theodore K Kyle, Sydney Yurkow, Misty A W Hawkins, Jon Agley, Emily H Ho, Lawrence J Cheskin, Thorkild I A Sørensen, Xi Rita Wang, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The term food noise has been recently popularized by individuals managing their weight or adhering to specific diets for health reasons. Anecdotal evidence from patients and clinical observations suggests that food noise involves constant preoccupation with food-related decisions-such as which foods to eat, caloric intake, macronutrient balance, and meal timing-which can become intrusive and unpleasant. Food noise also appears to affect cognitive burden and quality of life, and is being cited as one reason weight-loss attempts fail. The increase in public discourse about food noise has highlighted its potential significance, yet a formal clinical definition and method of measurement of …

Mtor Signaling Regulates The Development Of Airway Mucous Cell Metaplasia Associated With Severe Asthma, Katrina M. Kudrna, Luis F. Vilches, Evan M. Eilers, Shailendra K. Maurya, Steven L. Brody, Amjad Horani, Kristina L. Bailey, Todd A. Wyatt, John D. Dickinson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In asthma, airway epithelial remodeling is characterized by aberrant goblet cell metaplastic differentiation accompanied by epithelial cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy. These pathologic features in severe asthma indicate a loss of control of proliferation, cell size, differentiation, and migration. MTOR is a highly conserved pathway that regulates protein synthesis, cell size, and proliferation. We hypothesized that the balance between MTOR and autophagy regulates mucous cell metaplasia. Airways from individuals with severe asthma showed increased MTOR signaling by RPS6 phosphorylation, which was reproduced using an IL-13-activated model of primary human airway epithelial cells (hAEC). MTOR inhibition by rapamycin led to a decrease …

Long-Term Segregation And Seclusion For People With An Intellectual Disability And/Or Autism In Hospitals: A Critique Of The Current State Of Affairs: Commentary, Tromans Et Al, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

The Storm They Didn’T See Coming, Qamar Bazar

Publications and Research

The Storm They Didn’t See Coming is a personal story about what it feels like to chase success and still feel like it’s not enough. I discuss the pressure I put on myself, how difficult it is to slow down, and the fear of falling behind. It’s about trying to be proud of where I am while still wanting more, and learning that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. This piece is for anyone who's ever felt like they had to keep proving themselves just to feel worthy.

Developing Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Sustainability-Informed Entrepreneurial Education, Anna Zherdeva, Intesar Madi, Abrar Alzankawi, Deirdre Mcquillan, Lucía Morales

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

Strategic Innovation In The Dod Fy 2026 Rdte Budget: Leveraging Disruptive Technologies For Deterrence, Defense, And Command And Control, James Giordano

Strategic Insights

This commentary analyzes the Department of Defense FY 2026 Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDTE) budget and its strategic emphasis on convergent disruptive technologies. The author argues that expanded investment in artificial intelligence, quantum systems, hypersonics, and space capabilities reflects a doctrinal shift toward integrated, multi-domain deterrence and AI-enabled command and control. These technologies are described not merely as tools, but as operational paradigms reshaping force posture, battlefield tempo, and cross-domain warfare. The article also addresses ethical oversight, human–machine teaming, quantum resilience, hypersonic navigation, and the biological and cognitive implications of technological convergence. It concludes that sustained advantage will require …

Perceived Experiences Of Native American Men During Incarceration In Tribal Jail, Stacy Marie Becker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The subject of this dissertation is the Perceived Experiences of Native American Men during Incarceration in Tribal Jail. The reason for this research is to determine what practices are rehabilitative and what practices are detrimental to this population. This is important to learn so that criminal justice professionals will be able to consider possible changes that can be made to make recidivism less likely among this population while increasing practices that are conducive to rehabilitation. This work was researched using the Indigenous Standpoint Theory which is meant to reflect the experiences and views of the research participants without analysis through …

Prosecuting Attorneys’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Evidence That Most Often Leads To Wrongful Convictions At The Pretrial Stage, Shari Lee Barton Harrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Before trial, prosecuting attorneys obtain and review evidence, including the types of evidence (i.e., perjury/false accusations, official misconduct, mistaken eyewitness testimony, false/misleading forensic evidence, false confessions, and inadequate defense counsel) that most often lead to wrongful convictions. The role of the prosector after conviction has been explored. The scholarly community needed to understand how prosecuting attorneys view this evidence at the pretrial stage so some wrongful convictions may be prevented. The purpose of this study was to explore prosecuting attorneys’ experience and perceptions regarding the evidence that most often leads to wrongful convictions at the pretrial stage. As part of …

The Effect Of Temperature For Producing Thayer-Martin Agar Media Using Sheep Blood On Neisseria Gonorrhoeae Growth With Various Inoculums, Ika Ningsih, Kayla Adyapratista Sumadiyo

Indonesian Journal of Medical Chemistry and Bioinformatics

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative bacterium in the form of diplococci that infects mucous membranes through direct inoculation, is fastidious, and requires special media for growth because it is susceptible to heating and dryness, so it cannot survive long outside its host. Thayer-Martin agar media is a selective culture medium for the diagnosis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterial infections enriched with sheep blood. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum temperature for various temperature variations of making Thayer-Martin agar when mixing with sheep blood, compared to the temperature according to the manufacturer's procedure. Determining this ideal temperature may …

Enhancing Rural Teacher Training Using The Internet Backpack: Broadband Policy Implications, Jane Appiah-Okyere, Danielle Smith, Lee W. Mcknight

The Lender Center for Social Justice

This article examines how the Internet Backpack can enhance rural teacher training, with a focus on the broadband policy frameworks required to sustain its adoption. It highlights education policy in the context of digital equity.

The Impact Of High-Fidelity Urinary Catheterization Simulation On Occupational Therapy Students In A Graduate Curriculum: A Pilot Study, Haley Blaney, Reagan Schonhard, Maddie Spring, Rachael Eads, Claire Donahue

Masters Projects

The most recent estimate of the annual incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) in the United States is approximately 54 cases per one million people. Occupational therapy (OT) students may not feel adequately prepared to treat and educate clients with SCIs about bladder management if they are not exposed to real-life scenarios during their graduate curriculum. Using high-fidelity simulations (HFS) offers a high level of interactivity and realism for the learner, often using human patient simulators and taking place in realistic, mock clinical settings. This study aims to examine the effects of a HFS on OT student's confidence with urinary …

Classroom Occupational Performance Issues For A High School Student Following A Concussion: A Case Study, Cortney Day, Hannah Hall, Holly Treber, Clare Belkowski, Janel Ritt

Masters Projects

Abstract

Background: This study aims to understand any occupational performance issues experienced by a high school student in the classroom following a concussion. Concussion symptoms can include difficulty with vision and cognition, impacting a student’s ability to pursue their education. This information may lead to improved management of students following a concussion in support of their academic participation.

Methods: Using purposive sampling, researchers recruited potential participants by contacting athletic trainers affiliated with Grand Valley State University (GVSU) throughout the local Grand Rapids, MI area. Researchers first obtained written permission to recruit on campus from the principals of the …

The Impact Of Hands-On Learning Of Physical Agent Modalities In An Occupational Therapy Graduate Curriculum: A Pilot Study, Rachael Vance, Kaitlyn Kolk, Lauren Lesky, Jill Arends, Klaudia O'Malley

Masters Projects

Background: Physical agent modalities (PAMs) are used in preparation for or concurrently with occupational-based activities to facilitate a therapeutic response. It is valuable for OT practitioners to be confident and competent in the use of PAMs in healthcare settings. Nevertheless, there is a gap in proper education, creating a barrier to students' learning. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards have only enforced the education of PAMs in accredited programs since 2020. Purpose: This study aims to establish student’s satisfaction with their learning and confidence in using PAMs. It educates clinicians and academic instructors on the …

Health-Related Quality Of Life In Children With Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome, Mohamed Mahgoob, Marwa W.E. Ali

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is considered as a major global health concern, and a higher proportion of children with NS have steroid resistance (SR). This study aimed to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children with SRNS. Methods: This case-control study was conducted from January to June 2023 at University Children’s Hospital, Minia, Egypt. There were 160 participants in total who were divided into 3 groups: 60 participants with SRNS and 2 control groups (one of which had steroid-sensitive NS) that were matched appropriately. Each participant’s QoL was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0 …

Extracellular Vesicles In Cancer: From Isolation And Characterization To Metastasis, Drug Resistance, And Clinical Applications, Ancuta Jurj, Doru Paul, George A Calin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer progression, along with other hallmarks of cancer, is sustained through bidirectional cell-to-cell communication. This function is primarily facilitated by lipid-rich nanoparticles expelled into the extracellular matrix by stromal and/or malignant cells. These entities, known as extracellular vesicles, contain a vast repertoire of bioactive molecules and hold promise as potential biomarkers and nanovehicles for drug delivery. Intriguingly, the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the functions of extracellular vesicles remain poorly understood. In the present manuscript, we highlight the intracellular and intercellular journey of extracellular vesicles, from their inception to the present day, their implications in various hallmarks of cancer, and …

Pi(4)P Recruits Cide Proteins To Promote The Formation Of Unilocular Lipid Droplets During Adipogenesis And Hepatic Steatosis, Jin Wu, Mingming Gao, Xiaoqin Wu, Yang Liu, Taiping Zhang, Yan Liang, Haixia Yang, Chengxin Ma, Youpi Ye, Chunmei Chang, Peng Li, Feng-Jung Chen, Hongyuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lipid droplets (LDs) are evolutionarily conserved organelles that play important roles in metabolism. Each LD is enclosed by a monolayer of phospholipids, distinct from bilayer membranes. The composition of LD surface phospholipids and their impact on LD growth and function remain to be defined. Phosphoinositides mark cellular organelles and regulate organellar function. Here, we demonstrate that PI(4)P decorates a subset of LDs to recruit and activate CIDE proteins. Enhanced expression of ORP2 and ORP5, LD-associated lipid transfer proteins that remove PI(4)P from LDs, abolished the localization and function of CIDE proteins. Blocking the synthesis of PI(4)P on the LD surface …

Opposing Roles For Myeloid And Smooth Muscle Cell Sting In Pulmonary Hypertension, Ann T Pham, Shiza Virk, Aline C Oliveira, Matthew D Alves, Chunhua Fu, Yutao Zhang, Jimena Alvarez-Castanon, Brian B Lee, Keira L Lee, Radwan Mashina, Katherine E Ray, Patrick Donabedian, Elnaz Ebrahimi, Harsh Patel, Reeha Patel, Duncan Lewis, Zhiguang Huo, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Li Chen, Lei Jin, Andrew J Bryant

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

There is an emerging role for stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling in pulmonary hypertension (PH) development. Related to this, prior research has demonstrated the relevance of immune checkpoint protein programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression by immunoregulatory myeloid cells in PH. However, there remains a need to elucidate the cell-specific role of STING expression, and the STING/PD-L1 signaling axis in PH, before readily available disease-modifying therapies can be applied for patients with the disease. Here, through generation of bone marrow chimeric mice, we show that STING-/- mice receiving WT bone marrow were protected against PH secondary to chronic hypoxia. …

Nivolumab Plus Relatlimab For Patients With Relapsed Or Progressed B-Cell Malignancies In Relativity-022, Ajay K Gopal, Philippe Armand, Sattva S Neelapu, Nancy L Bartlett, Stephen E Spurgeon, John Kuruvilla, Kerry J Savage, John P Leonard, Arnold B Gelb, Nasir Ahmed, Shiqi Dong, Sai Praneeth Bathena, Rasika Suryawanshi, Jenny Qun Wu, Sheen Wang, Douglas E Gladstone

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite high response rates, anti-programmed death 1 (anti-PD-1) monotherapy eventually fails in most patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and is ineffective in most other B-cell malignancies. The lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3) cell-surface receptor represents another immune checkpoint that can be targeted to induce remissions in these diseases; dual inhibition of PD-1 and LAG-3 is approved in advanced melanoma. We performed a multicenter phase 1/2a open-label study of the anti-LAG-3 antibody relatlimab (RELATIVITY-022) administered as monotherapy or in combination with nivolumab in patients with R/R B-cell malignancies. We treated 106 patients and no dose-limiting toxicities were observed during …

Breastfeeding Continuation At One Month Postpartum Among Women In Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder Who Initiated Breastfeeding: Prevalence And Determinants, Julia Eisenberg, Meghan Gannon, Kim Mclaughlin, Diane J. Abatemarco, Vanessa L. Short

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

Objective: To describe breastfeeding behaviors and determinants in the 1-month postdelivery period among women in treatment for opioid use disorder.

Study Design: Participants completed one questionnaire during pregnancy and one questionnaire at 1 month postpartum. Those who reported on the postpartum questionnaire that they had initiated breast- feeding were included in this analysis (N = 31). Infant feeding practices, receipt of lactation support, and demographic, psychosocial, and infant birth characteristics were compared between those who breastfed for at least 1 month and those who did not.

Results: In all, 45% of the participants were breastfeeding at 1 month post delivery. …

The Impact Of Insufficient Sleep On Dietary Choices And Physical Activity Behaviors: Evidence From A Randomized Cross-Over Trial, David L. Dickinson, Naomi Kakoschke, Sean P. A. Drummond

ESI Publications

The current study aimed to identify how manipulated sleep restriction affects dietary choices and physical activity (PA). Young adults were administered one week of well-rested sleep levels (WR: 8–9 h/night) and sleep-restriction (SR: 5–6 h/night) in their (naturalistic) at-home setting, using a randomized cross-over design. Participants made consequential bids for snacks/beverages following SR and WR in an auction task. Other primary outcome measures included daily self-reported dietary intake and actigraphy-measured PA. Multivariate regression analyses examined main and moderator impacts of SR on primary outcome measures. In total, 118 treatment participants completed the study (M = 20 years old, n = …

Haploblocks Contribute To Parallel Climate Adaptation Following Global Invasion Of A Cosmopolitan Plant, Paul Battlay, Brandon T. Hendrickson, Jonas I. Mendez-Reneau, James S. Santangelo, Lucas J. Albano, Jonathan Wilson, Aude E. Caizergues, Nevada King, Adriana Puentes, Amelia Tudoran, Cyrille Violle, Francois Vasseur, Courtney M. Patterson, Michael Foster, Caitlyn Stamps, Simon G. Innes, Rémi Allio, Fabio Angeoletto, Daniel N. Anstett, Julia Anstett, Anna Bucharova, Mattheau S. Comerford, Santiago David, Mohsen Falahati-Anbaran, William Godsoe, César González-Lagos, Pedro E. Gundel, Glen Ray Hood, Christian Lampei, Christian Lampei

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The role of rapid adaptation during species invasions has historically been minimized with the assumption that introductions consist of few colonists and limited genetic diversity. While overwhelming evidence suggests that rapid adaptation is more prevalent than originally assumed, the demographic and adaptive processes underlying successful invasions remain unresolved. Here we leverage a large whole-genome sequence dataset to investigate the relative roles of colonization history and adaptation during the worldwide invasion of the forage crop, Trifolium repens (Fabaceae). We show that introduced populations encompass high levels of genetic variation with little evidence of bottlenecks. Independent colonization histories on different continents are …

Ehealth Technologies In Transitional Care Interventions For Stroke Survivors And Caregivers: A Scoping Review, Orachorn Lumprom, Charuwan Kritpracha, Cansel Kocakabak, Jos M. Latour

School of Nursing and Midwifery

The high rate of stroke disability necessitates extensive care during transitions between hospitals and homes. While many transitional care interventions have emerged, no explicit evidence illustrates the details of those combining or integrating eHealth. The aim of this scoping review was to comprehensively map the literature on eHealth technologies within transitional care interventions for stroke survivors and their caregivers. Studies were included if they focused on transitional care interventions that combined or integrated eHealth technologies for adult and elderly survivors of post-hyperacute stroke, as well as for caregivers aged 18 years and older. A systematic search was conducted from inception …

Mechanism Of Ph-Sensitive Amphiphilic Endosomal Escape Of Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles For Cytosolic Nucleic Acid Delivery, Zheng Rong Lu, Da Sun

Faculty Scholarship

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are among the most successful classes of nonviral delivery systems for nucleic acid-based therapeutics in treating human diseases. One of the key challenges in achieving efficient cytosolic delivery of nucleic acids is overcoming endosomal entrapment within cells. Conventional lipid bilayer-forming cationic and amino lipids mediate endosomal escape via the mechanism of lamellar-to-inverted hexagonal phase transition, resulting in suboptimal cytosolic cargo delivery. pH-sensitive amphiphilic cell membrane disruption and endosomal escape have emerged as a strategy for designing protonatable or ionizable lipids, especially nonlamellar lipids, for efficient cytosolic nucleic acid delivery. Nonlamellar amino lipids possess a large wedge-shaped tail …

High-Affinity Cd16a Polymorphism Associated With Reduced Risk Ofsevere Covid-19, Anita E Qualls, Tasha Tsao, Irene Lui, Shion A Lim, Yapeng Su, Ernie Chen, Dylan Duchen, Holden T Maecker, Seunghee Kim-Schulze, Ruth R Montgomery, Florian Krammer, Charles R Langelier, Ofer Levy, Lindsey R Baden, Esther Melamed, Lauren Ir Ehrlich, Grace A Mccomsey, Rafick P Sekaly, Charles B Cairns, Elias K Haddad, Albert C Shaw, David A Hafler, David B Corry, Farrah Kheradmand, Mark A Atkinson, Scott C Brakenridge, Nelson I Agudelo Higuita, Jordan P Metcalf, Catherine L Hough, William B Messer, Bali Pulendran, Kari C Nadeau, Mark M Davis, Ana Fernandez-Sesma, Viviana Simon, Monica Kraft, Christian Bime, Carolyn S Calfee, David J Erle, Joanna Schaenmann, Al Ozonoff, Bjoern Peters, Steven H Kleinstein, Alison D Augustine, Joann Diray-Arce, Patrice M Becker, Nadine Rouphael, Impacc Network, Jason D Goldman, Daniel R Calabrese, James R Heath, James A Wells, Elaine F Reed, Lewis L Lanier, Harry Pickering, Oscar A Aguilar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

CD16A is an activating Fc receptor on NK cells that mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a key mechanism in antiviral immunity. However, the role of NK cell-mediated ADCC in SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear, particularly whether it limits viral spread and disease severity or contributes to the immunopathogenesis of COVID-19. We hypothesized that the high-affinity CD16AV176 polymorphism influences these outcomes. Using an in vitro reporter system, we demonstrated that CD16AV176 is a more potent and sensitive activator than the common CD16AF176 allele. To assess its clinical relevance, we analyzed 1,027 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from the Immunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 …

The Co-Occurrence Of Autism Spectrum Disorder And Aarskog-Scott Syndrome In An Accomplished Young Man, Raisa S Romanova, Oksana I Talantseva, Katerina V Lind, Victoria A Manasevich, Julia E Kuznetsova, Elena L Grigorenko

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives/Background: Aarskog-Scott syndrome (AAS), also known as faciogenital dysplasia, is a rare X-linked genetic disorder primarily characterized by its diverse physical manifestations. Previous evidence suggests a potential association between AAS and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: This case study presents a male adolescent with ASD and a novel genetic variant in FGD1 underlying AAS. We conducted comprehensive clinical, genetic, and behavioral assessments to characterize the neurodevelopmental presentation. Moreover, we examined the existing literature on AAS and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders.

Results: The patient demonstrated features consistent with both AAS and ASD, presenting with characteristic physical features of AAS …

Younger Haplo-Donors Improve Older Patient Survival Outcomes, Ahmad Ghorab, Leo Luznik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Psilocybin Treatment Extends Cellular Lifespan And Improves Survival Of Aged Mice, Kosuke Kato, Jennifer M Kleinhenz, Yoon-Joo Shin, Cristian Coarfa, Ali J Zarrabi, Louise Hecker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received attention due to considerable clinical evidence for its therapeutic potential to treat various psychiatric and neurodegenerative indications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain enigmatic, and few studies have explored its systemic impacts. We provide the first experimental evidence that psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) treatment extends cellular lifespan and psilocybin treatment promotes increased longevity in aged mice, suggesting that psilocybin may be a potent geroprotective agent.

The Benefits Of Exercise Training In Combination With Weight Loss Therapies, Bryan C Jiang, Dennis T Villareal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The primary treatment for obesity involves calorie restriction (CR) to promote dietary weight loss achieved through interventions including behavioral modification, bariatric surgery, and antiobesity medications. In adults with obesity, CR-induced weight loss enhances physical function and improves quality of life, while also reducing the burden of various obesity-related chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, and atherosclerotic heart disease. However, it is also associated with a decline in lean mass and bone mineral density, which increases the risk of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. When performed alongside CR, progressive resistance training (RT) attenuates this loss of lean mass and bone mass, …

Infantile Pyknocytosis Revisited: Possible Familial Trend In A Study Of 9 Patients, Aileen Y Hu, Amy M Coffey, Jyotinder N Punia, Andrea N Marcogliese, Choladda V Curry, M Tarek Elghetany

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Context.—: Infantile pyknocytosis (IP) is an uncommon cause of transient neonatal hemolytic anemia and hyperbilirubinemia occurring in approximately 10% of cases of unexplained neonatal hemolytic anemia.

Objective.—: To study cases of IP with focus on long-term follow-up, perinatal events, and family history.

Design.—: Cases were prospectively identified during review of peripheral blood smears for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia during an 11-year period. Clinical and laboratory parameters, follow-up data, and family history were recorded.

Results.—: Nine cases of IP were identified from the morphologic recognition of pyknocytes and clinical and laboratory evidence of hemolysis, and included 6 males and 3 females. Age at …