Digital Commons Network^™

Uptake And Outcomes Of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Among Us Patients With Less Common Epithelial Ovarian Carcinomas, Koji Matsuo, Shinya Matsuzaki, Michihide Maeda, Alesandra R Rau, Kosuke Yoshihara, Ryo Tamura, Muneaki Shimada, Hiroko Machida, Mikio Mikami, Maximilian Klar, Lynda D Roman, Jason D Wright, Anil K Sood, David M Gershenson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Randomized clinical trials examining the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced ovarian cancer predominantly included patients with high-grade serous carcinomas. The use and outcomes of NACT in less common epithelial carcinomas are understudied.

Objective: To investigate the uptake and survival outcomes in treatment with NACT for less common histologic subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Design, setting, and participants: A retrospective cohort study and systematic literature review with meta-analysis was conducted using the National Cancer Database from 2006 to 2017 and the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 2006 to 2019. Data analysis was performed …

Neuroaffective Reactivity Profiles Are Associated With Vulnerability To E-Cigarette Use, Francesco Versace, George Kypriotakis, Dustin Pluta

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: We tested whether neuroaffective responses to motivationally salient stimuli are associated with vulnerability to cue-induced e-cigarette use in e-cigarette naïve adults who smoke daily. We hypothesized that individuals with stronger neuroaffective responses to nicotine-related cues than to pleasant stimuli (the C>P reactivity profile) would be more vulnerable to cue-induced nicotine self-administration than individuals with stronger neuroaffective responses to pleasant stimuli than to nicotine-related cues (the P>C reactivity profile).

METHODS: We used event-related potentials (ERPs, a direct measure of cortical activity) to measure neuroaffective reactivity to pleasant, unpleasant, neutral, and nicotine-related cues indicating the opportunity to use an …

Integration Of Remote Symptom And Biometric Monitoring Into The Care Of Adult Patients With Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy-A Decentralized Feasibility Pilot Study, Anaeze C Offodile, Domenica Delgado, Yu-Li Lin, Danielle Geyen, Christopher J Miller, Sanchita Jain, Janice P Finder, Sanjay Shete, Frank V Fossella, Michael J Overman, Susan K Peterson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: Although electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) are efficacious in symptom management, much is unknown about the utility of vital signs surveillance. We examined the feasibility of a remote patient monitoring platform that integrates ePROs and biometrics into the ambulatory management of symptom burden.

METHODS: Using a decentralized workflow, patients with gastrointestinal or thoracic cancer were approached for a 1-month study. Patients reported symptom burden via ePROs and biometrics (blood pressure, oxygen saturation, pulse, weight, and temperature) using bluetooth-enabled devices daily. Alerts on the basis of prespecified thresholds were managed via nurse-led triage. Adherence was defined as the completion of > 70% …

An Fbn1 Deep Intronic Variant Is Associated With Pseudoexon Formation And A Variable Marfan Phenotype In A Five Generation Family, Dong-Chuan Guo, Xueyan Duan, Kathleen Mimnagh, Alana C Cecchi, Isabella C Marin, Yang Yu, Walter V Velasco, Kwanghyuk Lee, Xue Zhu, David R Murdock, Suzanne M Leal, Marsha M Wheeler, Josh Smith, Michael J Bamshad, Dianna M Milewicz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Exome sequencing of genes associated with heritable thoracic aortic disease (HTAD) failed to identify a pathogenic variant in a large family with Marfan syndrome (MFS). A genome-wide linkage analysis for thoracic aortic disease identified a peak at 15q21.1, and genome sequencing identified a novel deep intronic FBN1 variant that segregated with thoracic aortic disease in the family (LOD score 2.7) and was predicted to alter splicing. RT-PCR and bulk RNA sequencing of RNA harvested from fibroblasts explanted from the affected proband revealed an insertion of a pseudoexon between exons 13 and 14 of the FBN1 transcript, predicted to lead to …

Smooth Muscle-Alpha Actin R149c Pathogenic Variant Downregulates Integrin Recruitment At Cell-Matrix Adhesions And Decreases Cellular Contractility, Krishna R Ojha, Hyoseon Kim, Samuel Padgham, Laura Hopkins, Robert J Zamen, Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Gang Han, Dianna M Milewicz, Michael P Massett, Andreea Trache

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Thoracic aortic aneurysm is found in patients with ACTA2 pathogenic variants. ACTA2 missense variants are associated with impaired aortic smooth muscle cell (SMC) contraction. This study tested the hypothesis that the Acta2R149C/+ variant alters actin isoform expression and decreases integrin recruitment, thus, reducing aortic contractility. Stress relaxation measurements in thoracic aortic rings showed two functional regimes with a reduction of stress relaxation in the aorta from Acta2R149C/+ mice at low tension, but not at high tension values. Contractile responses to phenylephrine and potassium chloride were 50% lower in Acta2R149C/+ mice than in wild-type (WT) mice. Additionally, SMC were immunofluorescently labeled …

A Century-Long Analysis Of Global Warming And Earth Temperature Using A Random Walk With Drift Approach, Leon Wang, Leigh Wang, Yang Li, John Wang

Department of Information Management and Business Analytics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Climate change poses the most significant threat to humanity today. This study examines the global warming trend by analyzing temperature changes over the past century, uncovering alarming results. Various models, including the Random Walk with Drift approach with R programming language, have been used to compare different time horizons and scenarios. This research demonstrates the importance of utilizing advanced analytical techniques to better understand climate change's impact. The findings underscore the urgency of implementing effective climate policies to mitigate the effects of global warming and safeguard our planet's future.

Thermoset Polymer Composites With Gradient Natural And Synthetic Fiber Reinforcement: Self-Healing, Shape-Memory, And Fiber Recyclability, Sakil Mahmud, John Konlan, Jenny Deicaza, Rachel Anna Schmidt, Guoqiang Li

Faculty Publications

Natural fibers have high potential as renewable reinforcement for polymers; however, their lower load-carrying capacity compared to synthetic fibers significantly limits the wide application in fiber-reinforced polymer composites. In laminated composite beams under bending load, the normal stress is the highest on the top and bottom layers but is zero at the mid-plane, with almost a linear normal strain distribution. Although the shear stress is the highest at the mid-plane, it may not be a major concern as most polymers can survive the high shear stress. Using this concept, we have designed a hybrid fiber reinforcement in a gradient manner: …

Wastewater Monitoring Can Anchor Global Disease Surveillance Systems, Aparna Keshaviah, Megan B. Diamond, Megan B. Diamond, Matthew J. Wade, Samuel V. Scarpino, Warish Ahmed, Fabian Amman, Olusola Aruna, Andrei Badilla-Aguilar, Itay Bar-Or, Andreas Bergthaler, Julie E. Bines, Aaron W. Bivins, Alexandria B. Boehm, Jean Martin Brault, Jean Baptiste Burnet, Joanne R. Chapman, Angela Chaudhuri, Ana Maria De Roda Husman, Robert Delatolla, John J. Dennehy, Celeste Donato, Erwin Duizer, Abiodun Egwuenu, Oran Erster, Despo Fatta-Kassinos, Aldo Gaggero, Deirdre F. Gilpin, Brent J. Gilpin, Tyson E. Graber, Christopher A. Green, Amanda Handley, Joanne Hewitt

Faculty Publications

To inform the development of global wastewater monitoring systems, we surveyed programmes in 43 countries. Most programmes monitored predominantly urban populations. In high-income countries (HICs), composite sampling at centralised treatment plants was most common, whereas grab sampling from surface waters, open drains, and pit latrines was more typical in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Almost all programmes analysed samples in-country, with an average processing time of 2·3 days in HICs and 4·5 days in LMICs. Whereas 59% of HICs regularly monitored wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 variants, only 13% of LMICs did so. Most programmes share their wastewater data internally, with partnering …

The X-Ray Variation Of M81* Resolved By Chandra And Nustar, Shu Niu, Fu-Guo Xie, Q. Daniel Wang, Li Ji, Feng Yuan, Min Long

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite advances in our understanding of low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (LLAGNs), the fundamental details about the mechanisms of radiation and flare/outburst in hot accretion flow are still largely missing. We have systematically analysed the archival Chandra and NuSTAR X-ray data of the nearby LLAGN M81*, whose L_bol ∼ 10⁻⁵L_Edd. Through a detailed study of X-ray light curve and spectral properties, we find that the X-ray continuum emission of the power-law shape more likely originates from inverse Compton scattering within the hot accretion flow. In contrast to Sgr A*, flares are rare in M81*. Low-amplitude variation …

On The Characteristics Of Fatigue Fracture With Rapid Frequency Change, Mohammad A. Amooie, K. P. Lijesh, Ali Mahmoudi, Elaheh Azizian-Farsani, Michael M. Khonsari

Faculty Publications

The effect of sudden variations in working modes and fatigue behavior of CS 1018 is studied. A general model based on the framework of the fracture fatigue entropy (FFE) concept is developed to capture such changes. Fully reversed bending tests are performed on flat dog bone specimens with a series of variable frequency tests without turning the machine off to simulate fluctuating working conditions. The results are then post-processed and analyzed to assess how fatigue life changes when a component is subjected to sudden changes in multiple frequencies. It is demonstrated that regardless of the frequency changes, FFE remains constant …

Rapid Evaluation Of Fatigue Limit Using Energy Dissipation, Ali Mahmoudi, Michael M. Khonsari

Faculty Publications

Four different experimental approaches for rapid estimation of fatigue limit (endurance limit) based on energy dissipation during cyclic loading are discussed. The presented approaches use energy dissipation and thermography and can reliably evaluate the fatigue limit of material by conducting the fatigue test on a single specimen. Results show that the released energy due to damage accumulation at the stress levels above the fatigue limit changes the trend of energy dissipation and that this trend can be used to predict the fatigue limit. Experimental results on CS 1018 and SS 304 specimens are presented to illustrate the utility of the …

Fair + Equitable June/July 2023, International Association Of Assessing Officers

Fair + Equitable

The June and July issue cover story is preparing for the 2023 Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Court Document Translations, Valentina Concu, Steven Mcclain

The North Meridian Review

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, North Meridian Review Staff

The North Meridian Review

No abstract provided.

Wave Energy Converter For Marine Vessels And Isolated Communities, Leo Kirshenbaum, Owen Pyle, Gage Howard, Charlie Camilli, Jonathan Ma, Emigdio Islas, Joseph Bonafede

Mechanical Engineering

California Polytechnic State University’s 2023 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition team, Surf Supply, has developed a floating dock that transduces wave energy into electricity. The following report aligns with MECC requirements, and our design changes since CDR are present in the User Manual in Appendix F. Our primary market research of the Blue Economy identified electric marine vessel charging and isolated communities as early adopters that could benefit most from the first generation of our wave energy converter (WEC). Surf Supply’s design concept provides a reliable, affordable, and renewable energy source that reduces dependency on conventional fossil fuels, allowing blue economy …

Flexible Water Cooling, Joshua Terlaje, Andrew Lin, Nicholas Morales, Tanner Parrott

Mechanical Engineering

The goal of this project is to develop and deploy a water-cooling system to reduce the danger of heat exhaustion among communities of farmworkers. Currently, it is difficult to keep chilled water available throughout the workday when using portable water coolers. The idea uses a refrigeration system to chill the water supply by using the power take-off (PTO) on farm equipment and a corresponding generator to get around this restriction.

The project places a strong premium on keeping the chilled water supply at a maximum temperature of 59°F to ensure compliance with the California Department of Industrial Relations' requirements. Each …

In-Situ Mechanical Tester, Andrrew Murach, Gustavo Marquez, Kosimo Tonn, Jake Vormbaum

Mechanical Engineering

Over the course of the 2022-23 Cal Poly SLO school year, a small tensile tester device was developed specifically for Dr. Long Wang to test thin film materials under a microscope and generate accurate force versus displacement graphs. A tensile tester was manufactured using purchased and machined components, electronics were consolidated in a separate box and connected, and a program and user interface were written to control the motion, provide custom inputs, and organize useful data for the researcher. Tests were conducted to compare the performance of the device to universal tensile testers available in the Composites lab. The device …

Microfabrication Lab Furnace Upgrade, Brooke Ann Benedict, Benjamin Ozer Fields, Nathaniel David Burtnett, Thomas Mackay Taylor

Mechanical Engineering

This project, undertaken by the Mechanical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University, aimed to upgrade the control system, user interface, and control software for Cal Poly's oxidation and diffusion furnaces. The upgrade was designed to enhance the usability of the furnaces for students learning in the microfabrication lab and improve the lab's image for prospective students. The project involved a comprehensive design process, including mechanical design, controls, software, human factors, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, electrical design, integration, and testing. The implementation phase entailed procurement of over 300 distinct components, manufacturing, and assembly.

The project's primary goal was to ensure …

Bespoke Bicycle Enclosure, Thomas Link, Kyle Mcafee, Marc Monier, Hunter Walden

Mechanical Engineering

Brian Higgins is an American veteran with retinitis pigmentosa who relies on cycling for transportation. The motivation for this project is to design and manufacture a refined prototype bicycle attachment to support him while biking in the rain and cold. The attachment will serve to enclose him for optimal protection from inclement weather, while maintaining sufficient mobility for daily cycling. Mr. Higgins’ bicycle is equipped with an attached sensor system which assists his visual impairment by using an ultrasonic sensor. Therefore, the attachment cannot adversely affect the function of the sensor system. The project timeline is set at approximately 7 …

Jane Crow Constitutionalism, Evan D. Bernick

Northern Illinois University Law Review

On June 24, 2022 The United States Supreme Court issued its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization; overturning Roe v. Wade, and destroying fifty years of precedent to protect the constitutional right to abortion in the United States. This overturning sets a dangerous, new precedent that reinforces the State’s control of reproduction, and criminalizes a woman’s right to choose, with very few exceptions. In states like Mississippi, Black women are already experiencing the highest rates of maternal mortality, incarceration, and poverty.

This article posits that Dobbs operates to maintain a racialized and gendered underclass, and names this phenomenon …

Editor's Note, John Rodriquez

Mercer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Labor And Employment, W. Jonathan Martin Ii, Patricia-Anne Brownback

Mercer Law Review

This Article focuses on recent cases concerning federal labor and employment laws. The following is a discussion of those opinions.

Trial Practice And Procedure, John O'Shea Sullivan, Leesa M. Guarnotta, Grace B. Callanan

Mercer Law Review

The 2022 Survey period yielded decisions involving issues of first impression relating to federal trial practice and procedure in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. This Article analyzes recent trial practice developments in the Eleventh Circuit, including significant rulings in the areas of consumer debt collections, arbitration, copyrights, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54, and a rule change regarding party disclosures.

Waiving Goodbye To Oil Spill Claims Against The United States: The Eleventh Circuit Creates A Narrow Exception To The Sovereign Immunity Waiver In The Suits In Admiralty Act Of 1920, Anika Akbar

Mercer Law Review

Costs related to oil spills can be extraordinary. Excluding the damage to the environment and to the vessel alone, a responsible party may incur containment costs, clean-up costs, cost of repairing public infrastructures, and fines and fees for causing the spill. Additionally, the owner of the spilling vessel also risks liability for lost profits to other businesses in the surrounding areas, including those that can no longer fish in the affected area. ...

On September 8, 2019, the M/V Savage Voyager (the Vessel) was pushing two tank barges laden with oil along the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (the Waterway) when it approached …

Doubling Down: Supreme Court Of Georgia Allows For Seemingly Double Recovery Of Attorney’S Fees, Katie Anderson

Mercer Law Review

Never settle. Good words to live by, unless you are a civil defendant living in the state of Georgia. Following the Supreme Court of Georgia’s decision in Junior v. Graham, defendants in civil actions might have more of an incentive to settle their cases after the court allowed for a seemingly double recovery of attorney’s fees.

Georgia courts have consistently upheld the public policy of barring double recovery. Damages in civil actions are intended to make a plaintiff whole, not punish a defendant. However, in Junior, the court held that two statutory provisions, despite their similar measure of damages, did …

Reformed Worship (Rw) 148 - Justice (June 2023), Reformed Worship Editors

Reformed Worship Magazine

Editorial: It Starts with the Land by Joyce Borger....2

Worship Series: The Art of Neighboring by Laura de Jong....3

Creation Care, Coal, and the Greatest Commandment by Kyle Meyaard-Schaap....11

A Prayer for the Flourishing of Bees by Joyce Borger....14

The Season of Creation by Rachel Mash and Suzana Moreira....15

Singing Creation by Debra and Ron Rienstra....20

Being a Good Guest by Adrian Jacobs....26

The Land We Stand On by Sam Cooper, Janina Krabbe, Silas Krabbe, and Jacqui Mignault....33

God Is a Homemaker by Jessica Maddox....40

For Pastors: To Preach Justice by …

Home Based Business Ordinance For The City Of Reno, Maxwell Hp Johnson

City and Regional Planning

Home based businesses allow for some commercial and business activities to occur within private residences by residents without the need of commercially zoned properties or structures. Home based businesses provide affordable accommodation for less impactful small businesses, but can additionally impact neighbors and communities with negative externalities when not properly regulated. The City of Reno, Nevada currently faces rising land prices and limited availability of commercial properties. Such conditions increase the adoption of home based businesses, and combined with the lack of regulation can create nuisances within communities.

The ordinance proposal analyzes relevant legal cases, case study ordinances, and the …

Frontier - A Bus Rapid Transit System In Frisco, Tx, Matthias Berry

City and Regional Planning

This study explores the increasing inaccessibility produced by reliance and catered infrastructure to mass ownership of personal vehicles. Accessing employment, service, and activity destinations has become extremely difficult for those who cannot possess, afford, or operate personal vehicles; even cyclists have a more difficult time navigating roads due to limited infrastructure and accommodations. Public transit has often become an afterthought within cities, with local routes competing with other cars on the road and adding to overall traffic volume. Bus-Rapid Transit (BRT) systems are an expanding concept within car-centric regions, often being called the "subways, but on wheels", that not only …

Postoperative Radiotherapy And Facial Nerve Outcomes Following Nerve Repair: A Systematic Review, Hannah L. Kenny, Rachel H. Jonas, Samuel L. Oyer

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes of facial nerve repair or grafting following facial nerve-sacrificing procedures among patients treated with and without postoperative radiotherapy (RT).

DATA SOURCES: PubMed, OVID, Conference Papers Index, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov.

REVIEW METHODS: Databases were searched using terms including "facial nerve," "graft," "repair," and "radiotherapy." Abstracts mentioning facial nerve repair and evaluation of facial nerve function were included for full-text review. Studies that utilized the House-Brackmann or similar validated scale for evaluation of postoperative facial nerve function were selected for review. All identified studies were included in a pooled t test analysis.

RESULTS: Twelve studies with 142 patients …

Family Research 101: Where To Start Looking, Frederick Dingledy

Library Staff Publications

No abstract provided.