Digital Commons Network^™

Molecular Profile Of Adult Primary Leptomeningeal Gliomatosis Aligns With Glioblastoma, Idh-Wildtype, Yi Zhu, Darin D Carabenciov, Derek R Johnson, Jorge A Trejo-Lopez, Aivi T Nguyen, Aditya Raghunathan, Giuseppe Lanzino, Cristiane M Ida, Cinthya J Zepeda-Mendoza, Surendra Dasari, Emilie Russler-Germain, Sonika Dahiya, Martha Quezado, Kenneth Aldape, Caterina Giannini

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Adult primary leptomeningeal gliomatosis (PLG) is a rare, rapidly progressive and fatal disease characterized by prominent leptomeningeal infiltration by a glial tumor without an identifiable parenchymal mass. The molecular profile of adult PLG has not been well-characterized. We report the clinical, pathological, and molecular findings of six adult PLG patients (five males and one female), median age 58 years. All cases exhibited pathological leptomeningeal enhancement at presentation. Leptomeningeal biopsy was diagnostic in five (of six) cases, revealing infiltration by an astrocytic glioma with mitotic activity, lacking microvascular proliferation or necrosis. One case was diagnosed at autopsy. All tumors were IDH-wildtype, …

Effect Of A Pay-It-Forward Strategy On Reducing Hpv Vaccine Delay And Increasing Uptake Among 15- To 18-Year-Old Girls In China: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Jing Li, Elvin H. Geng, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Catch-up human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is challenging in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Pay-it-forward offers an individual a subsidized vaccine, then an opportunity to donate to help others access vaccinations. Our randomized control trial assessed the effectiveness of pay-it-forward in improving HPV vaccination among girls aged 15-18 years in China.

METHODS AND FINDINGS: This study was conducted from July 6, 2022, to June 9, 2023, in four community health centers (CHCs) in Chengdu, western China. Eligible participants were unvaccinated girls living in the service areas of CHCs. Participants were initially recruited via telephone and, after providing verbal consent, …

First-Trimester Antibiotic Use For Urinary Tract Infection And Risk Of Congenital Malformations, Sarah S Osmundson, Katelin B Nickel, Susan M. Shortreed, Sascha Dublin, Dustin Stwalley, Michael J Durkin, Paige D Wartko, John M Sahrmann, Ryan Colvin, Anne M Butler

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Clinical guidelines recommend screening and treating bacteriuria in early pregnancy given that urinary tract infections (UTIs) can cause serious maternal and neonatal consequences. Evidence regarding antibiotic exposure during early pregnancy and risk of congenital malformations is limited and inconsistent.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of congenital malformations following first-trimester exposure to different antibiotic agents used to treat UTI.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This population-based cohort study included commercially insured pregnant individuals aged 15 to 49 years who were treated for UTI and linked liveborn infants in the Merative MarketScan Commercial Database (2006-2022).

EXPOSURE: First-trimester antibiotic prescription fill of nitrofurantoin, …

History Of Hypoxia Exposure Aids Future Cell Invasion According To Cell Type And Collagen Density, José A Almeida, Diego B Avila, Gregory D Longmore, Amit Pathak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In cancer progression, tumor microenvironments (TME) progressively become denser and hypoxic, and cell migrate toward higher oxygen levels as they invade across the tumor-stromal boundary. Although cell invasion dependence on optimal collagen density is well appreciated, it remains unclear whether past oxygen conditions alter future invasion phenotype of cells. Here, we show that normal human mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A) and leader-like human breast tumor cells (BT549) undergo higher rates of invasion and collagen deformation after past exposure to hypoxia, compared with normoxia controls. Upon increasing collagen density by ∼50%, cell invasion under normoxia reduced, as expected due to the increased …

Distinct Patterns Of Weight Gain, Age, And Subcortical Microstructure In Early Adolescence, Shana Adise, Zhaolong Adrian Li, Jonatan Ottino-González, Filip Morys, Peter A Chiarelli, Tamara Hershey

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Associations between childhood obesity and brain microstructural differences have been observed. It remains unknown whether these associations are driven by sex-specific excessive weight gain. Restriction spectrum imaging characterizes brain tissue microstructural health via water diffusion, where the restricted normalized isotropic (RNI) compartment assesses neuronal and glial cellularity, which may reflect neuroinflammation, synaptic pruning, or both.

OBJECTIVE: To identify associations among RNI scaling factor values, normal neurodevelopment, and weight gain during early adolescence.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a 10-year, ongoing, multisite longitudinal cohort study conducted among youths …

Using Meta-Analysis: What Exercise Helps Kids With Excess Weight The Most?, Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The State Of The Science Of Natural Family Planning: A Report From Nfp Scientists’ Meeting Held In Orlando, Fl, September 4, 2024, Michael D. Manhart, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

A one-day meeting was held as a pre-conference to the Catholic Medical Association Annual Educational event in 2024. A panel of eighteen physicians, scientists, and researchers involved in NFP work was convened to review the available evidence in four topical areas: (i) evidence for effectiveness of NFP methods to postpone and achieve pregnancy, (ii) evidence for effectiveness in the postpartum and perimenopause transition periods, (iii) evaluate the current state of technology in NFP (specifically app and quantitative hormone monitoring), and (iv) evidence examining the impact of NFP on marital relations. In each topical area, the panel worked to reach a …

Childhood Asthma Biomarkers Derived From Plasma And Saliva Exosomal Mirnas, Abdelnaby Khalyfa, Mohit Verma, Meghan M. Alexander, Zhuanhong Qiao, Tammy Rood, Ragini Kapoor, Trupti Joshi, David Gozal, Benjamin D. Francisco

Biomedical Sciences

Asthma, the most common chronic respiratory condition in children, involves airway inflammation, hyper-responsiveness, and frequent exacerbation that worsen the airflow and inflammation. Exosomes, extracellular vesicles carrying microRNAs (miRNAs), play a key role in cell communication alongside other types of communication and are promising markers of asthma severity. This study compares exosomal miRNA and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) profiles in boys with asthma, focusing on differences between those with normal lung functions and those with severe airflow obstruction. This study enrolled 20 boys aged 9–18 years with asthma, split into two groups based on their lung function. Ten had normal lung …

Robust Photogrammetric Scalp Morphology Estimation For Functional Optical Neuroimaging, Abigail L Magee, Calamity Svoboda, Tessa G George, Alvin A Agato, Edward J Richter, Joseph P Culver, Adam T Eggebrecht

2020-Current year OA Pubs

SIGNIFICANCE: Optical functional neuroimaging relies upon accurate anatomical models to provide optimal data registration and image reconstruction.

AIM: We establish and validate a robust photogrammetric algorithm for scalp morphology that utilizes 3-dimensional (3D) imaging with a photogrammetric cap to provide individualized scalp morphology estimation through hair in the absence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

APPROACH: The scalp morphology estimation uses a flexible, neoprene cap and 3D-printed photogrammetric modules with fiducials. We create a sparse scalp sampling and align the MNI152 atlas to generate the scalp morphology estimation. We used the international 10 to 20 electroencephalogram positions for alignment and calculated …

Reduced Risk Of Cesarean Delivery With Oxytocin Discontinuation In Active Labor: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Julia Whitley, Julia Burd, Michelle Doering, Jeannie Kelly, Antonina Frolova, Nandini Raghuraman

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine if oxytocin discontinuation in the active phase of labor impacts the rate of cesarean delivery compared to continuation of oxytocin.

DATA SOURCES: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. A research librarian performed a database search using a combination of standardized terms and keywords related to oxytocin discontinuation and stages of labor from database inception until February 2024. This protocol was registered in The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO).

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials of pregnant patients who received oxytocin for induction or augmentation of labor, …

Kpna2 Promotes Osteosarcoma Progression By Regulating The Alternative Splicing Of Ddx3x Mediated By Ybx1, Li Cao, Ke Jia, B A Van Tine, Yihan Yu, Yizhong Peng, Xuanzuo Chen, Qing Pan, Wenbo Yang, Zhicai Zhang, Zengwu Shao, Wei Wu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rapidly progressive primary malignant bone tumor that occurs in children and adolescents aged between 15 and 19 years and adults aged over 60 years. As alternative splicing (AS) changes caused by abnormal splicing factors contribute to tumor progression, gene expression and AS analyses were performed on 44 osteosarcoma patients to create a genome-wide co-expression network of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), AS events, and AS genes. A gain- or loss-of-function osteosarcoma cell model was established, and an interactive network analysis and enrichment analysis were performed. Karyopherin Subunit Alpha 2 (KPNA2) negatively correlated with patient survival. KPNA2 transports splicing …

Soft Tissue Stabilization Of Midcarpal Instability In Ehlers-Danlos Patients Using A Cadaveric Tendon Graft, Mohammed Muneer, Fadi Bouri, Kjell Van Royen, Saif Badran, Jorge I. Quintero, Tuna Ozyurekoglu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of hereditary disorders that affects collagen synthesis. In the wrist, pain and midcarpal laxity may affect up to 70% of EDS patients. The mainstay treatment of midcarpal instability in patients with ligamentous injury but not EDS includes orthotics, physiotherapy, and activity modification. These methods of conservative treatment may be unsuccessful in controlling instability in the longer term. Using autologous tendon for reconstructing midcarpal instability in patients with EDS carries the risk of loosening over time due to intrinsic abnormalities in collagen metabolism. In this article, we present a novel surgical technique using a cadaveric …

Native Nucleosomes Intrinsically Encode Genome Organization Principles, Sangwoo Park, Raquel Merino-Urteaga, Violetta Karwacki-Neisius, Gustavo Ezequiel Carrizo, Advait Athreya, Alberto Marin-Gonzalez, Nils A Benning, Jonghan Park, Michelle M Mitchener, Natarajan V Bhanu, Benjamin A Garcia, Bin Zhang, Tom W Muir, Erika L Pearce, Taekjip Ha

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The eukaryotic genome is packed into nucleosomes of 147 base pairs around a histone core and is organized into euchromatin and heterochromatin, corresponding to the A and B compartments, respectively

Molecular Mechanisms Of Inverse Agonism Via Κ-Opioid Receptor-G Protein Complexes, Aaliyah S Tyson, Saif Khan, Zenia Motiwala, Gye Won Han, Zixin Zhang, Mohsen Ranjbar, Daniel Styrpejko, Nokomis Ramos-Gonzalez, Stone Woo, Kelly Villers, Delainey Landaker, Terry Kenakin, Ryan Shenvi, Susruta Majumdar, Cornelius Gati

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Opioid receptors, a subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), are key therapeutic targets. In the canonical GPCR activation model, agonist binding is required for receptor-G protein complex formation, while antagonists prevent G protein coupling. However, many GPCRs exhibit basal activity, allowing G protein association without an agonist. The pharmacological impact of agonist-free receptor-G protein complexes is poorly understood. Here we present biochemical evidence that certain κ-opioid receptor (KOR) inverse agonists can act via KOR-G

Sleep Variability And Time To Achieving Pregnancy: Findings From A Pilot Cohort Study Of Women Desiring Pregnancy, Peinan Zhao, Emily S Jungheim, Bronwyn S Bedrick, Leping Wan, Patricia T Jimenez, Ronald Mccarthy, Jessica Chubiz, Justin C Fay, Erik D Herzog, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Sarah K England

2020-Current year OA Pubs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether chronodisruption is associated with achieving pregnancy.

DESIGN: Pilot prospective cohort study.

SETTING: Academic Medical Center.

SUBJECTS: One hundred eighty-three women desiring pregnancy were recruited from the local community of an academic medical center located in the Midwest and provided sleep information between February 1, 2015, and November 30, 2017.

EXPOSURE: Sleep and activity data were obtained via actigraphy watches worn continuously for 2 weeks to assess measures of chronodisruption, including sleep period onset, offset, midtime, and duration; as well as variability in each of these measures.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Time to becoming pregnant over 1-year of …

Where Should The Cancer Control Interventions Target: A Geospatial Hotspot Analysis For Major Cancer Mortality 2018 To 2022 In The United States, Chongliang Luo, Saira Khan, Liyan Jin, Aimee S James, Graham A Colditz, Bettina F Drake

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Identifying changes in geographic disparities of cancer mortality reveals locations where cancer prevention and control efforts should be focused/targeted. We use recent cancer surveillance data to demonstrate the geographic disparity of major cancer mortality rates in the United States and its shift compared with previous data.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the 2018 to 2022 county-level mortality rates of colorectal, lung, breast, and prostate cancers from the Centers for Disease Control mortality data. Counties with suppressed death counts were imputed by spatial regression models. Getis-Ord Gi* statistics were used to evaluate the spatial clustering of county mortality. Identified hotspot …

Dna Methylation Epitypes Of Burkitt Lymphoma With Distinct Molecular And Clinical Features, Nicole Thomas, Nancy L Bartlett, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: The genetic subtypes of Burkitt lymphoma have been defined, but the role of epigenetics remains to be comprehensively characterized. We searched genomic DNA from 218 patients across four continents for recurrent DNA methylation patterns and their associations with clinical and molecular features. We identified DNA methylation patterns that were not fully explained by the Epstein-Barr virus status or mutation status, leading to two epitypes described here as HypoBL and HyperBL. Each is characterized by distinct genomic and clinical features including global methylation, mutation burden, aberrant somatic hypermutation, and survival outcomes. Methylation, gene expression, and mutational differences between the epitypes …

Integrating Nonindividual Patient Features In Machine Learning Models Of Hospital-Onset Bacteremia, M Cristina Vazquez-Guillamet, Jingwen Zhang, Alice Bewley, Andrew Atkinson, Heidi Holtz, Ziqian Wang, Nicole Brougham, Chenyang Lu, Marin H Kollef, Philip Payne, David Warren, Victoria J Fraser

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Hospital-onset bacteremia and fungemia (HOB) are common and potentially preventable complications of hospital care.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether nonindividual patient features, which summarize interactions with other patients and health care workers (HCWs), can contribute to predictive and causal machine learning models for HOB.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prognostic study included adult patients admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, an academic hospital in St Louis, Missouri, in 2021. Analyses were developed between October 2023 and August 2024 and in April 2025.

EXPOSURE: Individual patient features were extracted from electronic health records and used to engineer nonpatient features, including interactions with HCWs …

Phospho-Rpa2 Predicts Response To Platinum And Parp Inhibitors In Homologous Recombination-Proficient Ovarian Cancer, Angela Schab, Amanda Compadre, Rebecca Drexler, Megan Loeb, Kevin Rodriguez, Joshua Brill, Carmen Sandoval, Brooke Sanders, Lindsay Kuroki, Carolyn Mccourt, Andrea R. Hagemann, Premal Thaker, David Mutch, Matthew Powell, Ian S. Hagemann, Lulu Sun, Priyanka Verma, Elena Lomonosova, Dineo Khabele, Mary M. Mullen, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUNDTreatment of tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) includes cytoreductive surgery, platinum-based chemotherapy, and often poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. While homologous recombination (HR) deficiency is a well-established predictor of therapy sensitivity, over 50% of HR-proficient HGSCs also exhibit sensitivity. Currently, there are no biomarkers to identify which HR-proficient HGSCs will be sensitive to standard-of-care therapy. Replication stress may serve as a key determinant of response.METHODSWe evaluated phospho-RPA2-T21 (p-RPA2) foci via immunofluorescence as a biomarker of replication stress in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded HGSC samples collected at diagnosis from patients treated with platinum chemotherapy (discovery cohort, n = 31; validation cohort, n = 244) …

Examination Of An Experimental Paradigm Of Impaired Control Over Alcohol Use, Emily K. Junkin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Alcohol use disorders peak during young adulthood with nearly 27% of individuals aged 18 to 30 meeting diagnostic criteria. Impaired control, or difficulty limiting alcohol use, has been identified as one of the earliest symptoms of an alcohol use disorder and is predictive of alcohol use severity. Despite the relevance of impaired control for identifying and preventing hazardous drinking behaviors, there is a dearth of research that exists on this critical risk factor. The current study tested an experimental paradigm of impaired control whereby participants self-administered alcohol following guidelines to limit consumption to a low level. It was hypothesized that …

Towards Efficient Privacy-Preserving Deep Learning: He-Friendly Structures, Flexible Pruning, He-Efficient Architectures, And Secure Transformer Token Drop, Yifei Cai

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Deep learning (DL) has become a powerful tool for solving complex problems, but developing DL models typically requires vast datasets, high computational resources, and expert knowledge—barriers that limit accessibility. Machine Learning as a Service (MLaaS) addresses this challenge by allowing resource-rich providers to deliver pre-trained DL models as services. However, privacy concerns arise: clients hesitate to share sensitive data, while providers protect their proprietary models. To address this, privacy-preserving MLaaS integrates cryptographic techniques into DL computations, as seen in frameworks like Cryptonets, SecureML, GAZELLE, CrypTFlow2, Cheetah, and BOLT. Among them, Homomorphic Encryption (HE) enables computation on encrypted data but remains …

An Agricultural Needs Assessment In The Tri-County Area Of Utah, Cheyenne Reid, Lendel K. Narine, Brooke Holgate

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

An agricultural needs assessment was conducted in the Tri-County area, i.e., Uintah, Daggett, and Duchesne counties, to inform extension programming. Results showed that profitability, business development, and land use were high-priority needs. Gaps in producers’ access to information were found, highlighting the need for targeted education programs to address agricultural challenges.

The Untapped Power Of Citizen Science: A Survey Of Utah Residents, Wesley Crump, Elizabeth Cohen, Shital Poudyal

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Citizen Science is an approach to involve the public in the scientific process to address locally relevant needs. A survey was conducted to explore Utahns’ relationship with citizen science. Results show a gap between respondents’ past participation and willingness to participate in citizen science, indicating an opportunity for USU Extension to strengthen its relationship with the public through citizen science.

Translating The Hba1c Lab Test Name And Results From English To Arabic For Enhanced Patient Access And Workflow Efficiency, Aiman M. Alrawabdeh

Translational Projects (Open Access)

In Jordan, where the healthcare system primarily operates in English, Arabic-speaking patients encounter significant challenges in understanding laboratory test names and results, including Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), an essential diagnostic indicator for diabetes management. The lack of multilingual access to medical information limits health literacy and patient autonomy, increasing dependence on healthcare staff for translation assistance. This translational informatics project addressed these challenges by developing and implementing an Arabic translation process for the HbA1c lab test name and results. HbA1c was selected as it is a standard lab test among patients with diabetes in Jordan; nearly 30% of Jordanians had type …

Artificial Intelligence In Ethics And Society, Amy B. Cyphert, Sally Brown

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section explores the ethical dilemmas, social impacts, bias and fairness of AI use.

Artificial Intelligence Introduction Section, Seth Newell, Sally Brown

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

The introduction gives an overview of the exhibition, along with an explanation of AI literacy, AI vs. Google, and a basic AI timeline.

Artificial Intelligence In Healthcare And Science, Sally Brown, Catherine Gouge, Anurag Srivastava

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section explores AI's impact on science and healthcare, including medical diagnostics and treatments, and scientific research.

Artificial Intelligence In Education, Sally Brown, Jill Woods, Mohamed Hefeida, Jennifer Sano-Franchini, Megan Vendemia, Erin Brock Carlson, Megan Leight, Gangqing Hu, Nicole Fuller

Artificial Intelligence Exhibit

This section explores the intersection of AI and education, including an overview of WVU's AI statement and submissions from WVU faculty, classes, students, and staff on AI related projects.

Earth Day 2025: Albuquerque, Nm, Clifford Villa

Faculty Scholarship

This Earth Day 2025, I was at home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was born and raised, where we measure time in family generations. For too long, I’ve been away. But returning home, I have new perspectives—and new technology. You may laugh, but I’ve discovered Merlin.

From "Proletariat" To President:The Educational History Of Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr., Franklin J. Gause

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of my study is the life of Dr. Cleveland L. Sellers, Jr. as a Black activist educator. Using oral history interviews, autobiographical, and biographical resources, alongside a thorough examination of Sellers’ (1973) published works, speeches, and archival materials, I explore how his formative experiences and his experiences as a student activist during the 1954 - 1968 Civil Rights Movement shaped his understanding of education as a tool for liberation. Sellers was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. He later became a faculty member in the History department and the chair of the …