Digital Commons Network^™

Panda-Plus-Bench: A Clinical Benchmark For Evaluating The Robustness Of Ai Foundation Models In Prostate Cancer Diagnosis, Joshua L. Ebbert, Dennis Della Corte

Faculty Publications

Artificial intelligence foundation models are increasingly deployed for prostate cancer Gleason grading, where GP3/GP4 distinction directly impacts treatment decisions (active surveillance vs. intervention). However, these models may achieve high validation accuracy by learning specimen-specific artifacts rather than generalizable biological features, limiting real-world clinical utility. We introduce PANDA-PLUS-Bench, a curated benchmark dataset derived from expertly annotated prostate biopsies designed specifically to quantify this failure mode. The benchmark comprises nine carefully selected whole slide images from nine unique patients containing diverse Gleason patterns, with non-overlapping tissue patches extracted at both 512 × 512 and 224 × 224-pixel resolutions across eight augmentation conditions. …

Wells Fargo Bank N.A. V Wright

All Decisions

In this post-foreclosure holdover, the court vacates a default judgment that had dismissed the proceeding, finding the landlord showed a reasonable excuse (one instance of law office failure) and a potentially meritorious claim. The court denies the tenants' cross-motion to dismiss, holding the foreclosure-sale purchaser adequately pled standing under RPAPL §§ 713(5) and 721(3) despite a prior judgment voiding an earlier deed.

Structure Of Ergosteryl-Aspartate Synthase Reveals How An Entrapped Trna Is Used Like A Prosthetic Swinging Arm In The Synthesis Of Aminoacylated Sterols, Hanako Murayama, Nathaniel Yakobov, Nassira Mahmoudi, Sasha Legrosdidier, Nicolas Fournier, Solène Zuttion, Kanata Matsumoto, Michihiro Nishimura, Jingwei Ji, Bruno Senger, Laurence Huck, Howard Gamper, Yoshiaki Kise, Ralph Kleiner, Mathieu Frechin, Ya-Ming Hou, Hubert Becker, Yuzuru Itoh, Frédéric Fischer, Osamu Nureki

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Ergosteryl-3β-O-L-aspartate synthase (ErdS) catalyzes tRNA-dependent aspartylation of ergosterol, a lipid essential for fungal cell membrane integrity. However, the functional significance of ergosteryl-aspartate and the molecular mechanisms underlying its synthesis remain unclear. Here, we show that ErdS localization is highly dynamic and that Erg-Asp is required for proper hyphal growth, sporulation, and spore germination, and likely influences stress tolerance. The cryo-electron microscopy structure of ErdS revealed an unprecedented sterol-binding pocket. In addition, the structures in complex with a non-hydrolyzable Asp-N-tRNAAsp show a tRNA-guided intramolecular aminoacyl transfer mechanism between two functional domains of the enzyme. The CCA end of tRNAAsp undergoes a …

Pregnancy Outcomes After In Utero Exposure To Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Morgan Bou Zerdan, Bruna Kfoury, Eliane Aoun, Sarah Diane Hmaidan, Roni Nitecki Wilke, Jeffrey A How, Terri L Woodard, Pamela T Soliman, Laurie J Mckenzie

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Importance: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the management of cancers affecting reproductive-age patients, yet their impact on pregnancy outcomes remains incompletely understood. We describe two cases of maternal and fetal outcomes associated with ICI exposure during pregnancy and present a comprehensive literature review.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted at MD Anderson Cancer Center (1 January 2015 to 31 December 2024) to identify patients exposed to ICIs during pregnancy. Clinical data including cancer type, treatment timing, pregnancy course, and maternal and neonatal outcomes were collected. A narrative literature review was also performed using PubMed to identify reported cases …

Unbiased Niche Labeling Maps Immune-Excluded Niche In Bone Metastasis, Zhan Xu, Fengshuo Liu, Yunfeng Ding, Tianhong Pan, Yi-Hsuan Wu, Yujiao Han, Jun Liu, Igor L Bado, Weijie Zhang, Ling Wu, Yang Gao, Xiaoxin Hao, Liqun Yu, Xuan Li, David G Edwards, Hilda L Chan, Sergio Aguirre, Michael Warren Dieffenbach, Elina Chen, Siyue Wang, Yichao Shen, Dane Hoffman, Luis Becerra Dominguez, Charlotte Helena Rivas, Xiang Chen, Hai Wang, Yibin Kang, Zbigniew Gugala, Robert L Satcher, Xiang H-F Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metastatic cancer cell fate is shaped by the local microenvironment niches. To unbiasedly define the cellular and molecular features of metastatic niches, we developed sortase A-based microenvironment niche tagging (SAMENT), which selectively labels cells encountered by cancer cells during metastasis. Applying SAMENT across multiple cancer models and target organs revealed shared niche features, including macrophage enrichment and T cell depletion, alongside marked organ-specific phenotype heterogeneity in niche macrophages. In bone, metastatic niches are enriched for macrophages expressing estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) with active ERα signaling. Conditional deletion of Esr1 in macrophages significantly impaired bone colonization by enabling T cell infiltration. …

Icam1high Neutrophils Sculpt Tumor Evolution And Metastasis Through Symbiotic Adhesion And Reverse Migration, Ling Wu, Zhan Xu, Jun Wang, Fengshuo Liu, Yunfeng Ding, Yang Gao, Siyue Wang, Jun Liu, Hilda L Chan, Weiguo Wu, Yi-Hsuan Wu, Liqun Yu, Xiaoxin Hao, Xuan Li, David G Edwards, Cher Sha, Tobie D Lee, Nan Guan, Sergio Aguirre, Luis Becerra-Dominguez, Dane Hoffman, Xiang Chen, Charlotte Helena Rivas, Xiaoyuan G Yan, Igor L Bado, Weijie Zhang, Qian Zhu, Arun Sreekumar, Robert L Satcher, Xiang H-F Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Neutrophils are a prominent component of the tumor microenvironment that can have both pro- and anti-tumor functions. By analyzing neutrophils across different human cancers, we revealed an ICAM1high subset enriched in the tumor microenvironment, which were also observed in murine triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) models. ICAM1high neutrophils exhibited an enhanced capacity for cell-cell adhesion specifically with tumor cells retaining epithelial features, and this adhesion conferred mutual advantages to both cell types. In contrast, cancer cells with mesenchymal-like phenotypes were vulnerable to neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity due to decreased cell adhesion and elastase resistance. These opposite effects drove tumor evolution toward a …

An Ecological Survey Of Algal Species In The Sawyer River, Al-Muthanna Governorate, Iraq, Rasha.H. R. Al-Miawi, Hiafaa A.J. Al-Barakat, Alaa Jabar Mahmoud

Muthanna Medical Journal

Given the global changes in climate, especially the drought conditions Iraq has recently experienced, along with the severe water shortage, this study sought to develop both quantitative and qualitative methods and strategies for phytoplankton (excluding diatoms) as key indicators to protect ecosystems, boost their resilience, and promote sustainability. sites were chosen for the most prominent cities A number of samples were selected from three sites (Al-Dahara region, Al Jarukhi Bridge, Al-Ghanim area), located on the Al-Sawyer River, which is the most important branch of the Euphrates River in the Al-Muthanna Governorate in southern Iraq in 2024 the species that was …

Applicability Of Diatom Indices And Phytoplankton Functional Groups To Assessment Of Water Quality In The Coastal Egyptian Mediterranean Estuary, Fatma A. Zaghloul, Soha H. Shabaka

Blue Economy

This study provides the first application of diatom-based water quality and eutrophication assessments in Egypt, focusing on the El Mex Bay situated along the Mediterranean Coast of Egypt, providing a comprehensive evaluation of how diatom assemblages can serve as reliable bioindicators for ecological monitoring in this heavily impacted coastal system. It analyzes two distinct periods: monthly from 2003-2004 and seasonally from 2020-2021. Diatom community composition shifted significantly between the two decades. The earlier period hosted 109 diatom species, which declined to 69 species in the later period. Concurrently, overall abundance decreased from 1,071 x 10³ to 728 x 10³ cells/L. …

Seaweed-Derived Bioactives: A Promising Source Of Novel Therapeutics, Aida H. Shobier, Sahar W.M. Hassan, Safaa A. Abdel Ghani

Blue Economy

The marine environment provides bioactive natural products with unique structures that are absent in terrestrial compounds. This review aims to provide a thorough overview of key studies on bioactives derived from seaweeds. It focuses on their potential to address common diseases such as microbial infections, diabetes, oxidative stress, inflammation, viral infections, cancer, immune disorders, and Alzheimer's disease as well as their potential use in drug delivery systems. The bioactive compounds found in seaweeds belong to various chemical classes, with the largest proportion being polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, phenolics, pigments, terpenoids, alkaloids, and sterols. These compounds possess significant pharmacological potential. …

From Double Absence To Double Presence: Video-Selfie As Empowerment In A Multicultural Italian Classroom, Maria Ranieri, Ilaria Bucciarelli, Giulia Cuozzo

Journal of Media Literacy Education Pre-Prints

This paper examines the video-selfie as a tool for empowerment in multicultural secondary school classrooms. We draw on data from the European ICME project, focusing on a vocational secondary school in Italy, where 17 of 18 first-year students – approximately half of whom had migration backgrounds – produced short videos presenting themselves through personally meaningful objects. Students then participated in a structured reflection activity after watching each other's videos in class. We combine three theoretical frameworks: critical media literacy, identity and self-representation studies, and Mezirow's transformative learning theory. Our argument is that the video selfie empowers in multiple ways: it …

Developing Scientific Article Writing Materials Using A Hybrid Learning Approach: Insights From An Indonesian Language For Foreign Speakers (Bipa) Program, Ah. Rofiuddin, Didin Widyartono, Gatut Susanto, David Pickus

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This study aims to develop learning materials for writing scientific articles for international students using the hybrid learning approach. This approach was chosen by utilizing the advantages of offline classes combined with online classes. This approach is in accordance with the characteristics of students as millennials. For product development, we used a method consisting of product design, product design, production, and product testing. In the end, we produced learning materials to write scientific articles packaged in the form of a module of writing process-genre-based scientific articles with a hybrid learning approach for international students. The module consists of the debriefing …

Mapping Arabic Calligraphy Education Research Structure: A Bibliometric Analysis Between 2016 And 2021 Using Vosviewer, Nurul Murtadho, Mohammad Dawood

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

The purpose of this study is to present a bibliometric analysis of Arabic calligraphy research from the Scopus database from 2016 to 2021. This study identified 43 English documents for further analysis based on the query used and the document screening stages. In this study, Vosviewer was used to visualize the data, and Harzing's Publish or Perish is used to harvest data, calculate metrics, and analyze citations. According to our findings, Arabic calligraphy research publications are increasing, with the peak occurring in 2019, including in terms of citations. The findings indicate that research in language and arts is closely related …

Modeling The Impact Of Treatment During An Ongoing Tuberculosis Outbreak, Bach Le, Anna Robicheaux, Jude Shive, Alana Wells, Erin N. Bodine

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

In response to a significant tuberculosis outbreak in Wyandotte and Johnson Counties, Kansas, this study presents a compartmental model of ordinary differential equations to evaluate the impact of standard antibiotic treatment. The model incorporates latent, active, and treated disease states. Parameter values were informed by epidemiological data and uncertain parameter value ranges were explored systematically through uncertainty analysis using constrained Latin hypercube sampling. Cumulative infections and deaths, and the basic reproduction number, were computed over a five-year simulation period. Sensitivity analyses using partial rank correlation coefficients identified symptomatic treatment rate and transmission rate as primary drivers of cumulative infections and …

Belonging As The Bedrock Of Learning, Gloria Mcdaniel-Hall, Nina Weisling

i.e.: inquiry in education

The reasons why we teach are intensely personal. We give our hearts and souls to “the work,” though it is so much more than work to us. It is a calling, felt deep in our souls, to correct wrongs, to bend the “arc of the moral universe” all the way to justice, to realize the dreams that have been deferred at best and stamped out and denied at worst. Because at the core of each day, we find humans, students, families, and colleagues who are inherently worthy of learning, loving, and living a fulfilling life. Yet, for far too many …

Teachers’ Action Research Knowledge: From Knowing To Doing, Firdissa J. Aga Dr.

i.e.: inquiry in education

This quantitative study investigated the action research (AR) knowledge of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors at three Ethiopian public universities. Data collected via questionnaire from 57 instructors revealed that EFL instructors had respectively high and medium theoretical and practical knowledge of AR. Their theoretical knowledge and practical skills demonstrated a significant positive correlation (r = 0.43, p < 0.01). Furthermore, instructors’ preferences showed strong alignment with reflective rationality (context-specific, practitioner-led inquiry) over technical rationality (externally imposed, top-down approaches). While reported levels of reflection-on-action and reflection-in-action were high, tacit knowing-in-action-the deep, personal, often unarticulated professional knowledge-was notably low. This gap suggests that instructors’ AR understanding remains largely externalized, not yet internalized as embodied, intuitive practice. The findings suggest that empowering instructors to convert their tacit knowledge into explicit understanding through sustained, hands-on AR engagement is critical for authentic professional development and transformative classroom practice.

Ai Need Not Make One Slothful, Roy A. Kaelin Jr

i.e.: inquiry in education

As National Louis University seeks to plan and advance its way amid the potential perils and pitfalls of so-named artificial intelligence, one finds that with reasonable workflows and guard rails, the use of AI proposes both potential promise and prospect, to assist and augment the natural intelligence that students and teachers bring to the classroom, encouraging them to pursue STEM-related activities with the preparation and deployment of focused and directed AI-bots. This paper presents examples and a case study of that directed and focused approach, the incremental lessons learned to date, and a proposed path to advance worthwhile AI …

Living With Ai Within The Context Of Higher Education, Terry Jo Smith

i.e.: inquiry in education

This autoethnographic study examines how generative AI has entered higher education, reshaping teachers’ and students’ inner lives, relational practices, and institutional ecologies. Drawing on the author’s embodied experiences within the higher education landscape, the analysis consists of plugging in theory, research, policy, and current events as a means to connect individual experience with broader concepts, events, and structures (Jackson & Mazzei, 2022). The paper maps affective responses such as awe and anxiety, pedagogical tensions such as assessment, transparency, and trust, and political-economic drivers such as capitalism and policy. The study foregrounds methodological reflexivity, arguing that critical autoethnography can surface situated …

Exploring Ai In Higher Education: Reflections On Research-Informed Practices For Teaching And Learning, Angela Elkordy, Stuart I. Carrier, Jack Denny, Donna Wakefield, Ayn F. Keneman

i.e.: inquiry in education

This article examines how faculty at a college of education are integrating generative AI tools into graduate and doctoral educator preparation programs. Drawing on faculty inquiry and course-based observations across multiple contexts — including early childhood education, secondary education, special education, and doctoral programs in education — the article synthesizes emerging lessons and practices of  AI literacy development, pedagogical approaches, and instructional design. We present an evidence-informed, reflective account of faculty practice through the lens of the scholarship of teaching, exploring how educators are navigating AI content, literacy, and practices in real courses, what students are learning, and what instructional …

Scaffolded Generative Ai In Instructional Planning: Supporting Teacher Candidates’ Culturally Responsive Teaching, Dr. Eun Kyung Ko, Xiaoning Chen, Vishodana Thamotharan, Julie Sidarous

i.e.: inquiry in education

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) becomes increasingly embedded in instructional planning, teacher education programs must move beyond efficiency-oriented adoption toward equity-centered, pedagogically grounded integration. This mixed-methods longitudinal study examines a year-long, scaffolded approach to integrating GenAI within an early childhood teacher residency program, with a specific focus on culturally responsive teaching (CRT) instructional planning. Guided by the AI/I-TPACK and CRT frameworks, fourteen bilingual teacher candidates (TCs) participated in this study. Data sources included pre- and post-surveys of CRT self-efficacy, lesson plans and instructional artifacts, reflective coursework, and focus group interviews. Quantitative analyses revealed statistically significant gains in TCs’ CRT self-efficacy …

When The Output Looks Like Learning: Tertiary Algorithmicity, Unproductive Success, And The Case For Pedagogical Friction In K–12 Schools, Micah J. Miner

i.e.: inquiry in education

The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence in K–12 schools has outpaced educators' capacity to evaluate its effects on learning. This conceptual article argues that the dominant institutional responses treating AI as either an integrity threat or a productivity tool share an unexamined assumption that the fundamental nature of learning remains unchanged. Drawing on Walter Ong's media ecology and extending it through the concept of tertiary algorithmicity, the article offers a theoretical framework for understanding generative AI as a qualitative shift in the symbolic environment of schooling. For the first time, the prevailing communication technology ctively generates symbolic content, enabling …

Making Ai An Intelligent Tool For Our Schools: Using The Perceptions Of Administrators And Teachers In A Midwestern School District To Help Shape Our Educator Preparation Program, John A. Huss

i.e.: inquiry in education

This qualitative practitioner research study explored the attitudes and perceptions of administrators and teachers in a high-performing Midwestern school district regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 education. While AI has rapidly emerged as a transformative force in society, its implementation in schools remains inconsistent, with limited policies, training, and usage. Semi-structured interviews with nine educators (three principals and six experienced teachers) revealed widespread interest in AI, but also significant uncertainty and uneven adoption. Educators reported using AI for administrative and instructional tasks, such as grading and resource generation, yet expressed concern over student overreliance and diminished critical …

Book Review: Hicks, T., & Turner, K. H. (2025). Teaching Writing In The Age Of Ai: Strategies For Teachers Of Secondary Students. Solution Tree., Benjamin N. Lathrop

i.e.: inquiry in education

Teaching Writing in the Age of AI: Strategies for Teachers of Secondary Students (Hicks & Turner, 2025) is written for an audience of secondary teachers and teacher educators, but any instructor who teaches or assigns writing will benefit from its insights. While the book's overall stance toward generative AI might be overly optimistic, it effectively addresses key concerns many instructors have about writing with AI, encouraging a critical stance and presenting some out-of-the-box ideas for writing instructive who want to be proactive about AI use in their courses.

Are We Up For An Adventure? Musings On Ai And Beyond, Antonina Lukenchuk

i.e.: inquiry in education

No abstract provided.

Privacy-Preserving Vpn With Zero Knowledge Proofs (Zkps), Niranjan M M, Medini Narasimha Bailkeri

Defensive Publications Series

Traditionally, VPN (both RA-VPN and S2S-VPN) uses username/password (eg., with EAP, RADIUS etc.), certificates, PSK, mac-address, auth-token etc., for authentication and later extended with Multi-Factor Authentication.

In general, to prove (especially as part of authentication), usually user need to reveal some of the information. The sharing of such information can reveal the identity, in-turn reveal the privacy information of the user. Hence we need a method, where-in user can prove that, they know the secret without even transmitting it. Such method should enhance privacy by having no password leaks, no key sharing, resistant to MITM attacks etc.,

Similarly, for the …

Open Amd Delivery Testbed (O‑Amd‑Dt V1.0), Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

O‑AMD‑DT v1.0 is a fully open, modular, benchtop‑only testbed for evaluating drug penetration into posterior ocular analogs under ultrasound stimulation.

The system uses standardized, layered ocular phantom cartridges with microfluidic sampling ports, enabling quantitative measurement of drug transport through cornea, sclera, and choroid/retina analogs.

The platform integrates capabilities from UAAP v1.0, GCI‑267, GCI‑v3.1, VMR v2.5‑T “Titan”, and VABR‑v2.0, providing acoustic control, microfluidic sampling, and nano‑/micro‑carrier preparation.

This disclosure includes complete mechanical blueprints, phantom construction methods, ultrasound coupling geometry, microfluidic architecture, assembly instructions, and test protocols, enabling any laboratory to fabricate and use the system.

Non‑Invasive Ultrasound‑Enhanced Macular Drug Delivery Platform (Onrs‑Amd V1.0), Michael Victor Caldwell Mr.

Defensive Publications Series

ONRS‑AMD v1.0 is a fully open, build‑ready, non‑invasive macular drug‑delivery platform using low‑intensity focused ultrasound, acoustic vortex field shaping, and a periocular drug/gel reservoir to drive therapeutic molecules across the cornea, sclera, and choroid toward the macula.

The system uses a 12‑element ultrasound ring with independent phase control, programmable delivery modes, and integrated safety logic.

This disclosure provides complete mechanical blueprints, electronics, firmware logic, assembly steps, phantom testbeds, validation protocols, and safety requirements, enabling any research group to fabricate and test the system without licensing barriers.

Multi-Layer Agentic Manifold For Autonomous Recursive Economic Threat Modeling And Dynamic Baseline Normalization, N/A, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

Cybersecurity risk analysis often faces challenges integrating diverse financial and engineering data to quantify economic threat and may rely on probabilistic models. Additionally, static risk baselines may not adapt to evolving system environments and threat landscapes, resulting in outdated assessments. A multi-layered autonomous agentic system, the cyber threat and risk quantification agentic manifold (CRAM), is presented to address these challenges. The system autonomously ingests and correlates heterogeneous financial and engineering data to generate a revenue at risk (RAR) model that performs deterministic computations without relying on probabilistic inputs. For dynamic baseline normalization, a drift normalization agent continuously recalibrates risk baselines …

Dynamic Gateway Assignment For A Programmable Core In Any-G Networks, Anthony Maswan Fajri, Anders Askerup

Defensive Publications Series

Described herein is a Session Management Function Management Function (SMF-MF) that can provide a unified, intelligent system for optimizing performance across Any-G networks. By leveraging subscriber-level data and real-time network analytics, the SMF-MF can enable AI-driven load balancing and seamless session management while significantly reducing signaling overhead. The disclosed architecture may provide a centralized and future-ready approach to gateway selection that bridges operational differences between Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and Fifth Generation (5G) environments.

Food, Crisis And Hope: Three Conflicts, Three Approaches, Johanna Mendelson Forman, Michael Shaikh, Joan Nathan, Yeheniia Yemshenetska, Andrea Borghini

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

Plenary Session: Food, Crisis and Hope: Three Conflicts, Three Approaches

Panel hosted by Johanna Mendelson Forman

Michael Shaikh - "Saving Cuisine Is the Same As Saving a People"

Joan Nathan - "The Edible DNA: Jewish Food as a Bond through Crisis and War"

Johanna Mendelson Forman and Yevheniia Yemshenetska - "Hope and Crisis in War: Ukraine’s Deployment of Food as Soft Power during Conflict"

Andrea Borghini - "Food in Times of Crisis: A Leadership Perspective"

Originalisms' Indifferences?: Friendly Amendments To Professor Girgis's "Originalism's Difference?", Jed Handelsman Shugerman

Florida Law Review

In this Essay, the author begins by summarizing their many areas of agreement with Girgis’s Dunwody Lecture, Originalism’s Difference?. Then they turn to each of Girgis’s three differences to ask a question and perhaps pose a critique. Has Girgis placed too much emphasis on “constraint”? Is “intensity” a virtue without sufficient care, balance, and open-mindedness, and perhaps a vice if it is a tendentiously intense control-f search? Is avoiding “palpable” moral reasoning a virtue if the Court is using historical evidence to cover for ideological motives and cognitive biases? This Essay turns to some of Girgis’s own examples of …