Digital Commons Network^™

Age-Related Challenges Of Blood Pressure Management In Patients With Spinal Cord Injury, Brian Frost, Maclain Capron, Michael Stillman

Phase 1

Introduction/Purpose: Autonomic dysreflexia (AD), orthostatic hypotension (OH), and postprandial hypotension (PPH) are forms of dysautonomia that can affect people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Life expectancy for individuals with SCI has increased in recent decades, so it is critical to understand how triggers of these conditions change throughout the lifespan. This study will answer the question “What challenges do patients with SCI face regarding autonomic dysfunction as they age, and what are their perceptions of these challenges?”

Methods: This survey-based study aims to better understand dysautonomia in order to educate the medical community about specific challenges of growing older with …

Maternal Microchimerism In Cord Blood Of Neonates With Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, Saniya Lakhiani, Elizabeth Wright-Jin

Phase 1

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) affects three million neonates every year, often leading to conditions including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and motor or cognitive deficits. A risk factor for neonatal HIE is maternal inflammation; however, little is known about the mechanism behind this. Maternal inflammation may increase maternal microchimerism, maternal cells that enter the fetal compartment. Maternal microchimerism may change fetal inflammatory pathways, organ repair, and immune system development. We hypothesized that patients with HIE have a greater percentage of maternal cells in their cord blood or circulating postnatal blood than those without HIE. To test this hypothesis, fetal cord blood or early …

Effect Of Als-Associated Ubiquilin-2 Mutation On Autophagy In Ipsc-Derived Neurons, Marina Pilger, Dorothy Benton, Juliet Goldsmith

Phase 1

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative neuromuscular disease that progresses to respiratory paralysis and death. Defective protein homeostasis is a major driver of disease pathogenesis, and autophagy, a cellular recycling and degradation system, is often disrupted in disease. UBQLN2 mutation is linked to a small percentage of familial ALS. Despite UBQLN2’s known role in protein homeostasis, the effect of its ALS-associated mutation on neuronal autophagy remains unclear. This study used iPSC-derived excitatory cortical-like (iCN) and lower motor (iLMN) neurons to quantify the effects of the familial UBQLN2 mutation (P506T) on autophagic flux. Live cell imaging and ImageJ were used …

Cardiovascular Outcomes In Smoking And Nonsmoking Psoriasis Patients On Low- And Moderate-Intensity Statin Therapy, Eliana Khojasteh, Mahaa Ayub, Julianne Bartz, Matthew Keller, Md

Phase 1

Introduction: Psoriasis is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and smoking amplifies this burden by worsening cardiovascular outcomes and psoriasis severity. Statins are the cornerstone of cardiovascular risk reduction; however, their lipid-lowering effectiveness in psoriasis patients across smoking statuses remains incompletely understood. This study evaluated whether smoking status influences LDL-C before and after statin initiation in adults with psoriasis.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of adults with psoriasis treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital between 2014 and 2024 who were prescribed low- or moderate-intensity statins. Data collected included smoking status (current vs. former/never) and LDL-C values before and at …

Phase 1 Open-Label Study Of Asp9801, An Oncolytic Virus, In Patients With Advanced Or Metastatic Solid Tumors, John L. Villano, Jason J. Luke, Ricklie Julian, Christos Fountzilas, Manish R. Patel, Michael J. Chisamore, Pranob Bhattacharya, Shigeru Takeshita, Serguei Soukharev, Shunsuke Yamada, Leshi Zhang, Kristopher P. Wentzel

Neurology Faculty Publications

Purpose ASP9801, an oncolytic virus encoding interleukin-7 and interleukin-12, was assessed for safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors in a Phase 1 study. Methods The study comprised Part 1 ASP9801 monotherapy dose escalation and Part 2 dose expansion with ASP9801 monotherapy or plus pembrolizumab. Each part was divided into Groups A (ASP9801 injection into cutaneous/subcutaneous lesions) and B (ASP9801 injection into visceral lesions). Primary objectives were safety and maximum tolerated dose and/or recommended Phase 2 dose expansion (RP2D); secondary objectives included antitumor activity and pharmacokinetics. Results In dose escalation, 17 and 10 patients in …

Noninvasive Patient-Level Detection Of Nafld Using Mri Radiomics And Machine Learning, Vladimir Kirichenko, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli

Phase 1

Introduction— Current noninvasive assessment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) relies primarily on MRI-based fat quantification, such as proton density fat fraction (PDFF). This study explored the use of an MRI radiomics–based machine learning approach for accurate patient-level classification of NAFLD.

Methods— Liver MRI images from patients with suspected NAFLfD were retrospectively analyzed. Radiomics features were extracted using PyRadiomics from full-liver masks across 4–6 axial slices per patient. Slice-level features were aggregated to the patient level using summary statistics (mean, median, and standard deviation). To reduce redundancy and multicollinearity, features were pruned using Pearson correlation analysis with a threshold of …

The Correlation Between Pain And Placement Of The Jackson-Pratt Drain In Post-Mastectomy Patients, Krishna Koka, Bs, Elizabeth Simon, Bs, Spencer Haber, Bs, Devin Williams, Bs, Andrew Newman, Md

Phase 1

Introduction

The Jackson-Pratt Drain is a frequently used closed-suction, active drain system that prevents seroma and hematoma formation through negative pressure drainage. Prior research has revealed that some patients report increased surgical site pain that negatively impacts quality of life. We hypothesize that interpatient variability in pain may be associated with the location of drain placement relative to local innervation.

Methods

We are targeting 30 biologically female patients >30 years old undergoing bilateral mastectomy, excluding those with factors affecting chest wall innervation. Drain placement was measured bilaterally along an X-Y axis: X from the mid-axillary line (negative medial, positive lateral) …

"The Persistent And Muddy Dispute": How The Facial/As-Applied Distinction Creates Problems For Constitutional Litigants, Sean P. Wilson

Duke Law Journal

The distinction between facial and as-applied challenges continues to play a central role in constitutional litigation, including at the Supreme Court. Yet, the distinction and its related rules have long suffered from a lack of doctrinal clarity and consistency. This Note sets out a descriptive taxonomy of three problems facing constitutional litigants because of the murkiness surrounding the facial/as-applied distinction.

First, the “Doctrinal-Test Problem” refers to the fact that many constitutional doctrines appear to require the courts to engage in facial adjudication, even if a litigant wishes to bring an as-applied claim. Thus, as-applied litigants are forced into facial challenges, …

Association Between Environmental Exposures To Perfluoroalkyl And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances And Military Veterans Cancer Determination, Stephen A. Pereira Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study involved evaluating whether cumulative exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was associated with kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and adult leukemia among U.S. veterans. Pooled National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2005–2015 were analyzed for sample of 2,500 veterans with available serum PFAS measurements and physician-diagnosed cancer histories. This study employed a cross-sectional, correlational design grounded in a post-positivist paradigm. Inclusion required complete data for (a) serum PFAS concentrations, (b) kidney cancer, bladder cancer, and adult leukemia, and (c) covariates age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and body mass index. Cumulative PFAS was modeled as a …

Understanding Reporting Decisions: Qualitative Exploration Of Hate Crime Underreporting Among Minority Transgender Individuals, Shanise Anita Benitez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority transgender individuals experience disproportionately high rates of hate‑motivated violence, yet these incidents remain substantially underreported. This qualitative study examined the social, structural, and identity‑based factors that influence reporting decisions among minority transgender adults in the United States. Guided by Bandura’s social learning theory and Crenshaw’s intersectionality theory, the study examined how participants’ lived experiences, community-based observations, and intersecting marginalized identities influence their perceptions of safety, trust, and institutional legitimacy. Semi‑structured interviews with minority transgender participants were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns related to reporting behaviors, community‑driven coping strategies, and barriers to formal engagement with law enforcement. Findings …

Agent-Based Model Details For Quantifying Error In Drone-Based Animal Surveys: Animal Density, Distribution And Flight Patterns, Emma A. Schultz, Natasha Ellison-Neary, Landon R. Jones, Kristine O. Evans, Raymond B. Iglay

Research Data

The following dataset pertains to Python scripts of an agent-based model simulating various drone survey design and quantifying potential count bias of stationary animals in fixed landscapes as part of an accepted manuscript in Ecosphere. Simulated animals were distributed among five animal densities (n = 4, 9, 25, 49, 100 animals/survey area) and three distribution patterns (random, uniform, aggregated). Eight drone flight patterns surveyed a 4.16-km² landscape within constraints of real-world battery and line-of-sight limitations. The simplified landscape also provided 100% animal classification (i.e., all animals within image frame observed and identified).

Linking Local Ecological Knowledge And Management Perspectives On Oyster Predation In Mississippi And Alabama, Cynthia Lupton, Eric Sparks, Mark Woodrey, James M. Drymon, Nigel Temple, Steven Scyphers

Research Data

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) provide critical ecosystem services, yet populations along the northern Gulf Coast are declining due to environmental stressors, such as water quality issues and predation. To evaluate how threats to oysters are perceived across stakeholder groups, we surveyed oyster Farmers and Resource professionals in Mississippi and Alabama about predator impacts, seasonal patterns, and mitigation strategies. Survey responses (n = 21) were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher’s Exact tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and t-tests. Farmers and Resource professionals identified multiple predators as important sources of mortality, but their relative rankings differed across groups. Resource professionals consistently viewed southern …

Invisible Man: Mental Health Providers And How Implicit Bias Manifests When Treating African American Men, Jamila Kali Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American men continue to face disproportionate barriers to engagement, accurate diagnosis, and equitable nonbiased treatment in mental health settings. The purpose of the qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore how implicit bias and sociocultural assumptions manifest among mental health providers who diagnose and treat African American men. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which considers the influences of all the systems that shape an individual’s lived experiences, was the study’s theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five licensed mental health providers who worked in large hospital systems, private practice, or community-based clinics. The interview data were analyzed using Braun and …

Immediate Skin-To-Skin Contact At Very Preterm Birth And Effect On Infant Socio-Emotional Stress Response And Mother–Infant Cortisol Co-Regulation: Secondary Outcomes From The Randomised Clinical Immediate Parent-Infant Skin-To-Skin Study (Ipistoss), Karoline Lode-Kolz, Siri Lillieskold, Hanne Brit Hetland, Eleonora Mascheroni, Stina Klemming, Hanne Pike, Agnes Linner, Nils J. Bergman, Bjorn Westrup, Ulrika Ådén, Evalotte Morelius, Rosario Montirosso, Wibke Jonas, Siren Rettedal

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective To explore the effects of immediate parent–infant skin-to-skin contact (iSSC) at very preterm birth on maternal–infant behavioural responses and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity to age-appropriate socio-emotional stress at 4months corrected age. Design Two secondary outcomes from a multicentre randomised controlled trial with two non-blinded parallel groups. Setting Three Scandinavian neonatal intensive care units, level 2 and level 3. Participants 91 infants born at gestational age 28+0to 32+6 from April 2018 to June 2021. Singletons and twins with a second caregiver present were included, regardless of mode of birth. Higher-order births, infants with congenital infections and major malformations were excluded. …

Identification Of Gene Signatures Of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease In Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Via Whole Transcriptome Sequencing, Chaitanya Karimanasseri Bse, Pongsakorn Choochuen Md, Phd, Yotsawat Pomyen Phd, Hien Dang Phd

Phase 1

Introduction
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. While the only curative treatment for PDAC is surgical excision of the tumor, often surgery is ineffective due to early metastasis to other organs. A better understanding of PDAC’s risk factors would contribute to earlier PDAC diagnoses and thus more effective surgical resections before metastasis occurs.

One pathology related to PDAC is metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a metabolic disease leading to triglyceride accumulation in the liver. MASLD is known to cause worse PDAC outcomes versus non-MASLD PDAC. Further elucidating the mechanism through which MASLD increases …

Agent-Based Modeling Of Cellular Dynamics In Adoptive Cell Therapy, Yujia Wang, Stefano Casarin, May Daher, Vakul Mohanty, Merve Dede, Mayra Shanley, Eleonora Dondossola, Ludovica La Posta, Rafet Başar, Katayoun Rezvani, Ken Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Adoptive cell therapies (ACT) leverage tumor-immune interactions to cure cancer. Despite promising phase I/II clinical trials of chimeric-antigen-receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapies, molecular mechanisms and cellular properties required to achieve clinical benefits in broad cancer spectra remain underexplored. While in vitro and in vivo experiments are essential, they are expensive, laborious, and limited to targeted investigations. Here, we present ABMACT (Agent-Based Model for Adoptive Cell Therapy), an in silico approach employing agent-based models (ABM) to simulate the continuous course and dynamics of an evolving tumor-immune ecosystem, consisting of heterogeneous "virtual cells" created based on knowledge and omics data observed …

Precision Chemotherapy In Biliary Tract Cancer Moving From Empiric Intensification To Biomarker-Guided Treatment: Editorial On "Molecular Determinants Of Outcome To Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, And Nab-Paclitaxel In Patients With Advanced Btc", Sung Hwan Lee, Ahmed O Kaseb, Ju-Seog Lee

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Prevalence Of Premenstrual Syndrome, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, And Dysmenorrhea In Nursing Students: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, And Evidence-Based Recommendations, Sabyasachi Maity, Bharathi Gadad, Hansapani Rodrigo, Seham Noorani, Ayesha Usman, Chloe Lark, Mona Attarpour, Ivy Mageto, Lucas Schwartz, Nikhilesh Anand

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Menstrual disorders—including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and dysmenorrhea—are highly prevalent among women of reproductive age and are associated with impaired academic performance, psychological distress, and reduced social functioning. Nursing students are particularly vulnerable due to the combined demands of intensive academic schedules and clinical training, yet prevalence estimates and institutional responses remain inconsistent.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251109363). PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL Ultimate, and APA PsycINFO were searched for studies published between 2016 and 2025. Eligible studies reported prevalence or …

Bioprinting: Revolutionizing Biology With 3d Innovation, Gopalarethinam Janani Ms, Naven Kumar Rk, Agnishwar Girigoswami Prof, Koyeli Girigoswami Prof

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

3D bioprinting is an innovative technology that enables the creation of bioengineered structures through computer-guided processes. This technique has been in use for more than 35 years and has made a huge contribution in the biomedical field. Utilizing biomaterials with regenerative properties has significantly impacted tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and pharmaceutical research. Various bioprinting techniques, including inkjet, extrusion, laser-assisted, and stereolithography, offer unique advantages for precise tissue construction. Bioinks used for printing, can be derived from natural and synthetic sources. It ensures biocompatibility, mechanical integrity, and controlled degradation. Advanced bioinks—such as nanoengineered, biomolecular, multimaterial, self-assembling, and stimuli-responsive variants—enhance applications in …

Elucidation Of Hub Genes And Pathway Associated With Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis And Alzheimer’S Disease Via Data Analytic Approaches, Premaanand Rawi, Ying Pei Wong, Ee Xion Tan, Anna Pick Kiong Ling

Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Background: Recent studies have highlighted the relationship between gut microbiome and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), revealing the ways of how gut microbial balance impacts conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel diseases to neurological disorders. The emerging field of the gut-brain-axis suggests production of microbial metabolites influences AD progression. However, there is limited understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in neurological disease when gut microbiome dysbiosis occurs. This study aimed to identify hub genes and pathways associated with gut microbiome dysbiosis and AD through data analytics approaches.

Methods: Public gene expression datasets on gut microbiome dysbiosis, and AD were obtained from the GEO and …

New Century, Natalie Goldberg

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Money For Nothing, Kevin Holdsworth

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Magnesium Intake And Periodontal Health In Adults, Dana Faghih, Man Hung, Amir Mohajeri

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

From Image To Chairside Decision-Making: Unsupervised Morphological Clustering Of Carious Lesions Aligned With Clinical Severity, Bailey Axelrad, Shilpa Bhandi, Shankargouda Patil, Sydney Sorensen

Annual Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Computational Network Biology Of Host Microbe Crosstalk In Persistent Endodontic Inflammation, Janaki O’Callaghan, Shilpa Bhandi, Shankargounga Patil, Frank W. Licari

Annual Research Symposium

Persistent endodontic infections can endure despite technically adequate root canal treatment, reflecting a biological transition from microbial invasion to a host-driven chronic inflammatory state. This study applied a computational network biology approach to model host–microbe molecular interactions in chronic apical periodontitis and to identify key network hubs sustaining inflammation and periapical bone resorption.

Mississippi Libraries Volume 87, Number 3 And 4

Mississippi Libraries

Complete issue of Volume 87, Number 3 and 4 of Mississippi Libraries.

News Briefs, Marvin H. Jeter Iii, Joyce Shaw

Mississippi Libraries

News updates from Gunter Library at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and from the Mississippi Library Commission.

Gray Area: Thinking With A Damaged Brain, Floyd Skloot

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Notes From A Difficult Case, Ruthann Robson

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Shunned, Meredith Hall

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.