Digital Commons Network^™

Externally Validated Digital Decision Support Tool For Time-To-Osteoradionecrosis Risk-Stratification Using Right-Censored Multi-Institutional Observational Cohorts, Laia Humbert-Vidan, Serageldin Kamel, Andrew Wentzel, Zaphanlene Kaffey, Moamen Abdelaal, Kyle B Spier, Natalie A West, G Elisabeta Marai, Guadalupe Canahuate, Xinhua Zhang, Melissa M Chen, Kareem A Wahid, Jillian Rigert, Seyedmohammadhossein Hosseinian, Andrew J Schaefer, Kristy K Brock, Mark Chambers, Adegbenga O Otun, Ruth Aponte-Wesson, Vinod Patel, Andrew Hope, Jack Phan, Adam S Garden, Steven J Frank, William H Morrison, Michael T Spiotto, David Rosenthal, Anna Lee, Renjie He, Mohamed A Naser, Erin Watson, Katherine A Hutcheson, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Vlad C Sandulache, Lisanne V Van Dijk, Amy C Moreno, Teresa Guerrero Urbano, Clifton D Fuller, Stephen Y Lai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Existing studies on osteoradionecrosis of the jaw (ORNJ) have primarily used cross-sectional data, assessing risk factors at a single time point. Determining the time-to-event profile of ORNJ has important implications to monitor oral health in head and neck cancer (HNC) long-term survivors.

Methods: Data were retrospectively obtained for a clinical observational cohort of 1129 patients (198 ORNJ cases) with HNC treated with radiotherapy (RT) at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. A Weibull Accelerated Failure Time model was trained on previously identified dosimetric, clinical and demographic predictors. External validation was performed using an independent cohort of 265 …

Changes In The Fxr-Cistrome And Alterations In Bile Acid Physiology In Wilson Disease, Clavia Ruth Wooton-Kee, Hari K Yalamanchili, Islam Mohamed, Manal Hassan, Kenneth D R Setchell, Monica Narvaez Rivas, Ayse K Coskun, Vasanta Putluri, Nagireddy Putluri, Prasun Jalal, Michael L Schilsky, David D Moore

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder that results in excessive hepatic copper, causing hepatic steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Previous studies have revealed dysregulation of many farnesoid X receptor (FXR) metabolic target genes in WD, including the bile salt exporter pump, the major determinant of bile flow.

Methods: We tested the hypothesis that the FXR-cistrome is decreased in Atp7b-/- mice in accord with dysregulated bile acid homeostasis.

Results: FXR binding within Atp7b-/- mouse livers displayed surprising complexity: FXR binding was increased in distal intergenic regions but decreased in promoter regions in Atp7b-/- versus wild-type mice. …

A Multi-Site Study Of Clinician Perspectives In The Lifecycle Of An Algorithmic Risk Prediction Tool, Rita Dexter, Kristin Kostick-Quenet, Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Recent advancements in the performative capacities of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and algorithmic-based tools open up numerous applications in modern medicine. There are, however, few studies that track the whole lifecycle of a digital healthcare tool as it evolves from conception, to design, and deployment in real world settings-especially with a focus on the social dynamics amongst the end-users of the tool: clinicians. In this paper, we present data from a multi-site, 5-year study focused on the development and deployment of an algorithmic risk calculator (HeartMate 3 Risk Score) into a validated and efficacy tested clinical decision support …

Lse-Net: Integrated Segmentation And Ensemble Deep Learning For Enhanced Lung Disease Classification, Bhavan Kumar Basavaraju, Mohammad Masum

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Accurate classification of lung diseases is vital for timely diagnosis and effective treatment of respiratory conditions such as COPD, pneumonia, asthma, and lung cancer. Traditional diagnostic approaches often suffer from limited consistency and elevated false-positive rates, highlighting the demand for more dependable automated systems. To address this challenge, we introduce LSE-Net, an end-to-end deep learning framework that combines precise lung segmentation using an optimized U-Net++ with robust classification powered by an ensemble of DenseNet121 and ResNet50. Leveraging structured hyperparameter tuning and patient-level evaluation, LSE-Net achieves 92.7% accuracy, 96.7% recall, and an F1-score of 94.0%, along with improved segmentation performance (DSC …

‘Making A Positive Environmental Impact’: Exploring The Role Of Volunteering At A Campus Community Garden, Dina Izenstark, Barbara Ann Boone

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Promoting sustainability in higher education is a social and environmental imperative. This paper explores how and why volunteering at a campus community garden (CCG) can serve as a unique context for promoting sustainability. Twenty-five undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 27, who had volunteered at a campus garden, participated in individual semi-structured interviews. A majority of participants identified as female (80%) and Asian American (52%). Using reflexive thematic analysis, we first found students were motivated to volunteer for personal and academic reasons as well as to learn more about gardening. Childhood gardening experiences influenced participants’ re-engagement as adults. …

On The Application Of Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network For Daily Forecasting Of Pm2.5 In Dakar, Senegal (West Africa), Ahmed Gueye, Serigne Abdoul Aziz Niang, Ismaila Diallo, Mamadou Simina Dramé, Moussa Diallo, Ali Ahmat Younous

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study aims to optimize daily forecasts of the PM2.5 concentrations in Dakar, Senegal using a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model. Particulate matter, aggravated by factors such as dust, traffic, and industrialization, poses a serious threat to public health, especially in developing countries. Existing models such as the Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) have limitations in capturing nonlinear relationships and complex dynamics in environmental data. Using four years of daily data collected at the Bel Air station, this study shows that the LSTM neural network model provides more accurate forecasts with a root mean square error (RMSE) of …

In Vitro Comparison Of Two Python-Based Programs For The Automated Analysis Of Tight-Junction Phenotype In Brain Endothelium During Bacterial Infection, Henry D. Mauser, Janessa Caroza, Shane Nicole Homez, Alyssa S. Arnett, William D. Cutts, Daryl W. Lam, Justin Thornton, Walter Adams, Brandon J. Kim

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Tight junction complexes are crucial features of brain endothelial cells, as they restrict the paracellular route across the blood–brain barrier. Tight junction disruption has been observed in conjunction with numerous diseases of the CNS. In such cases, the organization or integrity of cell–cell junctions may be analyzed with a variety of automated computer programs that quantitatively assess junction images. Here, we directly compare two previously developed python-based programs—JAnaP and IJOQ— for the semi- or fully automated analysis of tight junctions in human stem cell-derived brain-like endothelial cells. Cells were infected with S. pneumoniae and S. agalactiae to initiate junction disruption, …

The ‘Double-Exposure’ Of Riverine Communities In Northeast India To Dams And Climate Change, Costanza Rampini

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Engineering Microphysiological Systems To Investigate Cellular Responses To Biophysical Cues In Human Tissue Microenvironments, Mehran Mansouri

Theses

Cells constantly sense and respond to biophysical cues in their microenvironment. Understanding how they interpret these mechanical signals is essential for advancing tissue modeling, studying disease mechanisms, and developing more predictive in vitro platforms. This dissertation presents a series of engineered microphysiological systems (MPS) designed to investigate how mechanical stimuli shape cellular behavior in distinct human tissue microenvironments. In Aim 1, I developed a reconfigurable microfluidic platform that mimics key features of human vascular barriers. This system supports the integration of porous membranes, 3D hydrogels, and flow channels, enabling precise control over both mechanical and biochemical cues. The modularity of …

Protocol For A Multisite, Parallel-Group, Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing A Brief Tele-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention (Bright) With Attention Control For The Reduction Of Body Image-Related Distress Among Head And Neck Cancer Survivors, Evan M Graboyes, Jessica R Vanderlan, Patrik Pipkorn, Sidharth V Puram

2020-Current year OA Pubs

One in four head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors experience clinically significant body image distress (BID), a devastating psychosocial morbidity that adversely affects quality of life. To date, effective interventions for these patients are lacking. BRIGHT (Building a Renewed ImaGe after Head and neck cancer Treatment), a brief cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT), has shown potential efficacy as a novel treatment paradigm for HNC survivors with BID. The primary objective of this randomized clinical trial (RCT) is to test the hypothesis that BRIGHT improves BID among HNC survivors relative to an Attention Control (AC) intervention. In this multisite RCT, N = …

White Matter Microstructure In School-Age Children With Down Syndrome, Dea Garic, Robert C Mckinstry, Natasha Marrus, Kelly N Botteron, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, but our understanding of white matter microstructure in children with DS remains limited. Previous studies have reported reductions in white matter integrity, but nearly all studies to date have been conducted in adults or relied solely on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which lacks the ability to disentangle underlying properties of white matter organization. This study examined white matter microstructural differences in 7- to 12-year-old children with DS (n = 23), autism (n = 27), and typical development (n = 50) using DTI as well as High Angular Resolution …

Developmental Lead Exposure And Aggression In Male Rats: Influences Of Maternal Care And Environmental Enrichment, Shamaila Zafar, Courtney K. Williams, Jaehyun Joo, Blanca E. Himes, Jay S. Schneider

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

Developmental lead (Pb) exposure results in a variety of cognitive deficits and behavioral issues including increased antisocial behavior and aggression. This study investigated the effect of developmental Pb exposure on aggression and violent behavior in male rats and the potential modulatory influences of quality of maternal care and enriched/non-enriched housing conditions. Long-Evans male rats with or without Pb exposure (perinatal or early postnatal) from low or high maternal care mothers (based on amounts of licking/grooming and arched- back nursing) were randomly assigned to live in enriched or non-enriched environments at weaning. At post- natal day 120–190, offensive aggression was assessed …

Bridging Gaps Between Training And Teaching Demands In The 21st Century Classroom: A Qualitative Study Of Principal Perceptions On The Quality Of Teacher Preparation Programs, Marvyn C. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined teacher preparation programs in K-12 public schools, focusing on principal perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of teacher preparation programs and their connections to teacher attrition. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with K-12 public school administrators to gain insight into the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs. The research highlighted the need for principals' perceptions of the quality of teacher preparation programs. Current literature indicates that these programs often lack adequate practical classroom experience, provide insufficient training for managing diverse student needs, and fail to equip teachers with effective classroom management strategies. Additionally, principals' insights could …

Dean's Update, June 2025, Neil W. Schluger

SOM Dean's Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Association Of Sars-Cov-2 With Health-Related Quality Of Life 1 Year After Illness Using Latent Transition Analysis, Lauren Wisk, Michael Gottlieb, Peizheng Chen, Huihui Yu, Kelli O'Laughlin, Kari Stephens, Graham Nichol, Juan Carlos Montoy, Robert Rodriguez, Michelle Santangelo, Kristyn Gatling, Erica Spatz, Arjun Venkatesh, Kristin Rising, Mandy Hill, Ryan Huebinger, Ahamed Idris, Michael Willis, Efrat Kean, Samuel Mcdonald, Joann Elmore, Robert Weinstein

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Long-term sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection may impact health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL), yet it is unknown how HRQoL changes during recovery. We compared patient-reported HRQoL among adults with COVID-19-like illness who tested SARS-CoV-2 positive (COVID+) with those who tested negative (COVID-).

METHODS: Participants in this prospective, multicenter, longitudinal registry study were enrolled from December 2020 through August 2022 and completed 3-month follow-up assessments until 12 months after enrollment. Participants were adults (≥18 years) with acute symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 who received a Food and Drug Administration-approved SARS-CoV-2 test. Participants received questions from PROMIS-29 (subscales: physical function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, social participation, …

Masthead

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Copyright

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

“As Judged By Themselves”: Freedom, Transformative Experiences, Law, And Testimony, L. A. Paul, Cass R. Sunstein

UC Law Journal

One way to evaluate various legal interventions in people’s lives is to ask whether they make choosers better off by their own lights, or “as judged by themselves.” This criterion can be understood to borrow from the liberal political tradition insofar as it makes the judgments of choosers authoritative. If lawyers, judges, and policymakers give ultimate authority to choosers, this might be taken as respecting choosers’ own judgments and promoting their welfare (insofar as people are uniquely situated to know whether choices make them better off). But for certain decisions, the “as judged by themselves” criterion is indeterminate. In these …

In Place Of Prison, Grace Y. Li

UC Law Journal

A new, previously unstudied institution is addressing felonies, including violent felonies of the highest levels, without imposing incarceration as the sanction. Attempts to abolish prisons, or at least reduce racialized mass incarceration, must consider how to respond to serious and violent crimes. This Article offers an analysis of a real-world, ongoing experiment in doing so.

The Manhattan Felony Alternative-to-Incarceration Court (“ATI Court”) is the first and, thus far, the only court in the country that systematically offers defendants of any demographic and any charge the opportunity to be diverted from the traditional criminal legal system and to avoid prison. Defendants …

The Law Of Killing For Biodiversity, David Takacs

UC Law Journal

In the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere, people kill sentient creatures—by the millions every year—in the crusade to conserve biodiversity.

I explain how laws permit, and in some instances require, killing to save nonhuman species and to keep ecosystems functioning. In Australia, the nation with the worst record of mammalian extinctions, the government has tagged various invaders as “Key Threatening Processes.” In 2023, it laid out elaborate plans to rid the nation of as many feral cats as poison and hunters could kill. Similarly, “Predator Free New Zealand 2050” is the New Zealand government’s elaborate plan to trap …

Artificial Intelligence & Defamation Law: An Excuse To Do Away With The Infamously Controversial Section 230?, Kathryn Binder

UC Law Journal

With the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in various aspects of our lives, it is not surprising that it has become a subject of legal disputes and controversy. In 2023, an individual filed the first defamation lawsuit against AI company, OpenAI, for its ChatGPT service, leaving many to speculate how the court will proceed. This Note assesses the viability of defamation actions against generative AI platforms and their broader effect on defamation law. Particularly, this Note considers how courts may characterize these platforms and how specific characterizations could further the controversy over an already polarizing and hotly debated piece …

Upstander Behaviors To Combat Implicit Bias, Jakob J. Wilkins

Construction Management

This project investigates how individuals across different experience levels in the construction industry respond to workplace bias, exclusion, and unfair treatment. Rather than focusing on the often-ambiguous term “ally,” this study explores the role of an “upstander,” someone who takes thoughtful, proactive action to support fairness and inclusion. Using a combination of survey data, industry interviews, academic literature, and a participatory workshop at the 2025 Women in Construction Symposium, the study identifies effective upstander behaviors and evaluates their impact. Survey findings revealed that a majority believe implicit bias influences jobsite dynamics and that intervention can shift workplace culture. The workshop …

Son Care Foundation - Pergola Preconstruction, Samuel J. Peters

Construction Management

This paper discusses the design and preconstruction aspects of a pergola constructed at Thousand Hills Pet Resort, supporting a non-profit organization called the Son Care Foundation. Founded in 1994 by Jack Gould, the foundation is committed to fostering hope through various programs including mentorship for students, service dog training for PTSD victims, basic pet training, vehicle repair and turnaround, and dog daycare and lodging. This project serves Son Care Foundation’s dog daycare and lodging program, called Thousand Hills Pet Resort. The program was established in 2005, and all profits are used to fund the other programs operated by the Son …

R.A.C.E. Matters Precast Concrete Bench Construction, Camryn E. Berger

Construction Management

This paper presents a narrative detailing the design and construction process undertaken by an interdisciplinary team of students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, representing the Construction Management, Architecture, and Architectural Engineering departments. The team collaborated to design, fabricate, and install three precast concrete benches for the nonprofit organization R.A.C.E. Matters. The project began in Fall 2024 and culminated in the installation of the benches at sites managed by the San Luis Obispo Conservancy: Pismo Preserve, the Octagon Barn, and Kathleen’s Overlook. Each bench will serve as a platform for murals, visually depicting diverse racial experiences. This paper …

Creating An Off-Site Construction Course, Tyler Steven Meehleis

Construction Management

The construction industry is undergoing a transformation as prefabrication and modular methods become more common across project types. From residential homes to large-scale commercial buildings, offsite construction offers faster timelines, improved quality control, and reduced environmental impact of construction. Despite these advantages, off -site construction has historically been underrepresented in the Construction Management (CM) curriculum at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). While students are well-prepared for traditional project delivery in residential, commercial, and heavy civil sectors, they often graduate with limited exposure to more modern building systems and off-site production techniques. This off-site construction course addresses this gap by …

Assessing Fire Risks In San Luis Obispo: The Impact Of Building Construction And Landscaping On Wildfire Vulnerability, Zachary A. Pollock

Construction Management

As wildfires grow in frequency and intensity across California, understanding and mitigating residential fire risk has become a public safety priority. Communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), such as San Luis Obispo, are especially vulnerable due to their proximity to natural vegetation and the prevalence of older housing stock. While state and local agencies have introduced regulations and educational campaigns, there remains a need for accessible, scalable tools that help identify fire risks at the individual home level. This project assessed wildfire vulnerability across 140 homes in San Luis Obispo, California, using a custom visual grading rubric informed by academic …

Assessment Of Mental Wellbeing Programs In The Construction Industry, Evan James Olszak

Construction Management

Mental health problems are very prevalent within the construction industry, and there is not enough attention put towards the mental wellbeing of employees in the industry. The construction industry is ranked #2 for deaths by suicide, and #1 when mining and extraction are included (CDC, 2021). Previous research has been done to understand the severity of the issue, and some programs have been started to spread awareness and train employees. The issue arises in a lack of analysis of these programs. The programs that are being used are still in their infancy and require a comprehensive review to understand the …

Exploring Who, Where, And When: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of A New Study Abroad Program, Garrett Schoep, Elijah Duane Blake

Construction Management

Study abroad programs can have a significant impact on the lives of college students. These programs create opportunities for students to experience the world, while earning college credit. As Cal Poly is transitioning from the quarter system to the semester system, there is an increase demand for a new study abroad program that is tailored to students’ preferences. Understanding what students want from a study abroad program is extremely important. To better understand student preferences, a survey was created and distributed to Cal Poly students. The goal of the survey was to identify trends amongst students to get a better …

Skip The Grid: Installing Solar Panels Within The Navajo Nation, Hayden A. Wanamaker

Construction Management

Skip the Grid is an initiative aimed at providing off-the-grid power, in a sustainable manner, to underserved communities within the Navajo Nation. The Skip the Grid program is led by an interdisciplinary team from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), in collaboration with SOLV Energy and Heart of America (HOA). This ongoing project addresses the lack of electricity for many young families within the Navajo Nation due to a variety of reasons, and the need to remedy this problem to allow for young students within the reservation to succeed. To combat this issue, Skip the Grid in …

Increasing Soil Respiration In A Northern Hardwood Forest Indicates Symptoms Of A Changing Carbon Cycle, Angela R. Possinger, Charles T. Driscoll, Mark B. Green, Timothy J. Fahey, Chris E. Johnson, Mary Margaret K. Koppers, Lisa D. Martel, Jennifer L. Morse, Pamela H. Templer, Angelina M. Uribe, Geoffrey F. Wilson, Peter M. Groffman

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Soil carbon dioxide (CO2) flux, or soil respiration, is a critical control on net ecosystem carbon (C) balance. Using long-term (2002-2020) measurements at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (New Hampshire, U.S.), we show that soil respiration rates have notably increased since ~2015. In 2020, cumulative summer respiration flux was approximately 90% higher than the average summer flux over the 2002–2015 period. The increase in soil respiration cannot be explained directly by temperature or pH change alone. We also found that heterotrophic microbial C mineralization and microbial biomass C have also increased rapidly since ~2015, pointing towards an increase in the …