Digital Commons Network^™

Full Issue, Arianna Medina

Western Journal of Orthopaedics

No abstract provided.

Peripheral Nerve Repair And Reconstruction: Current Techniques, Adjuncts, And Emerging Therapies, Niklaus Skipp, Lana Dokic, Christina Wassef, Jazzlyn Gonzalez, Ana Love, Heather Mercer, Deana Mercer

Western Journal of Orthopaedics

Peripheral nerve injuries require reconstruction when direct, tension-free repair is not possible. A range of reconstructive strategies are used to restore continuity and promote axonal regeneration, including graft-based reconstruction, nerve transfers, conduit-based repair, supercharged end-to-side augmentation, and emerging regenerative therapies. Autologous interfascicular nerve grafts and vascularized grafts remain established techniques, whereas processed nerve allografts provide a donor-sparing alternative. Nerve transfers are increasingly used for proximal injuries with long regeneration distances, and conduits are an option for gaps shorter than 5 mm. Nerve-wrapping techniques are used to reduce perineural scarring and preserve gliding in complex or revision cases. Emerging adjunctive therapies, …

Facial Expression With Type Of Eye Opening Associates With Multi-Organ Failure: An Observational Prospective Icu Cohort Study, Talal Ibrahim Mostafa Hagag

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Title Facial expression with the type of eye opening associates with multi-organ failure: an Observational prospective ICU cohort study Background Accurate prognostication in the intensive care unit (ICU) remains a challenging task. Conventional severity scores such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) quantify physiological derangement but overlook real-time neurological and affective responsiveness. Behavioral indicators—particularly facial expressivity and eye-opening response—may reflect cortical and brainstem integrity, offering a simple, non-invasive adjunct for bedside mortality prediction. Methods In this single-center, prospective observational study, 210 adult patients in the ICU were assessed within 24 hours of admission. Two blinded …

Are The Risks Of Asthma And Allergic Diseases In Children Born By Cesareansection (Cs) Influenced By Maternal Factors (E.G., Maternal Asthma, Diet, Antibiotic Use During Pregnancy)?, Rehab Fawzy Abdel Mohsen Soliman, Samar Mahmoud Ahmed, Yasmen Ahmed Said, Shaimaa Mohamed Hassan, Dalia Hassanin Hussin, Dina Gaber Soliman, Zeinab Abdalla Ali

Journal of Medicine in Scientific Research

Background and Aim The increase in the number of Cesarean Section deliveries (CS) in the world has triggered questions about the possible long-term health consequences for the children being delivered, particularly the chances of being affected by asthma and other allergic ailments. Some prior studies suggested that CS deliveries may negatively influence immune system development due to altered microbial colonization and an increased risk of respiratory morbidities. However, trying to separate the impact of delivery methods and the maternal as well as the surroundings is a hard nut to crack. The present study aims to establish whether maternal asthma, diet, …

Excess Nitric Oxide Alters Cellular Ph To Restrict Salicylic Acid Movement And Systemic Immunity, Fan Xia, Huazhen Liu, Keshun Yu, Xinyu Yuan, Aardra Kachroo, Pradeep Kachroo

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Plants carrying a mutation in S-nitrosoglutathione reductase 1 (GSNOR1) accumulate high nitric oxide (NO) and exhibit impaired immunity characterized by reduced pathogen-responsive salicylic acid (SA) accumulation and failure to activate normal SA signaling. We show that this reduced SA responsiveness in gsnor1 plants arises from impaired vascular-associated movement of SA, thereby compromising systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Elevated NO perturbs cellular pH homeostasis, acidifying the apoplast and alkalinizing the cytosol, which likely interferes with phloem-associated SA movement and renders gsnor1 plants unresponsive to foliar SA. In contrast, SA supplied via root drench restores SA signaling and SAR in gsnor1, …

Generative Imaging For Computational Pathology, Md Jillur Rahman Saurav

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations

Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining remains central to cancer diagnosis, providing morphological information essential for pathological assessment. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and newer multiplexed imaging technologies complement H&E by revealing molecular information critical for accurate tumor subtyping and treatment decisions. In practice, however, H&E and IHC are obtained from different consecutive sections that are not spatially aligned, comprehensive multiplexed panels are expensive and tissue-consumptive, and not all stains are available at every clinical site, limiting comprehensive molecular profiling and the full diagnostic potential of these technologies in clinical practice. This dissertation addresses these gaps through three complementary generative deep learning studies in …

Awakening The Mind: How Secure Attachment Impacts Language Acquisition In Charles Dickens's Literary Orphans, Alaina Gray

Master of Arts in Classical Studies

As a young child, Charles Dickens attached securely to his family. Through his strong literary relationship with his mother, Dickens learned to read well yet experienced a period of parental separation during his blacking factory employment, providing many opportunities to meet and interact with abandoned children, who pervade his novels. Baruch Hochman and Ilja Wachs describe the negative impacts of orphanhood in Dickens: The Orphan Condition. While Hochman and Wachs address the social and economic difficulties faced by Dickens’s literary orphans, they did not connect the orphan condition to impaired cognitive development. Experiencing an excellent literary relationship with his mother, …

Density And Fiber Alignment Of The Fibrous Extracellular Matrix In Ovarian Cancer Metastases, Rachel Glantzberg, Aditi Singh, Mohammad Asghar Qanit

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

The primary aim of this project is to improve and justify biophotonic approaches to label-free, non-invasive cancer detection, particularly within the context of peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer often metastasizes to the peritoneum, resulting in microanatomical changes in collagen and elastin fiber direction and density. While prior research has provided insights regarding collagen density changes in other types of cancer, peritoneal metastases from ovarian cancer remain minimally characterized, particularly in regards to elastin fibers. Preliminary results suggest that there is a difference in the elastin and collagen contents of healthy and cancerous tissues and that these contents differ …

Effects Of In Utero Alcohol Exposure On Migration Of Postmitotic Projection Neurons In Somatosensory Cortex And Medial Prefrontal Cortex In Postnatal Day 0 Mice, Erika Huston, Hermes H. Yeh, Pamela W.L. Yeh

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

Delatour et al. concluded that TBR1-expressing cell bands were diffused due to pre-natal ethanol exposure in embryonic day 16.5 mice. I hypothesized that this effect would also be observed in post-natal day 0 mice. Calculating the length of the lower cortical plate compared to the entire cortical plate, comparing the fluorescence intensity of the upper and lower cortical plate, and mapping the progression of fluorescence intensity through the cortex were methods used to evaluate this hypothesis. With consideration for the limited sample size, significant results were not obtained. However, effect sizes for the overall and progressive somatosensory cortex fluorescence intensity …

Litigating The "Forever Chemical" Problem Through The Endangered Species Act, Charlotte A. Ramirez

Emory Law Journal

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of man-made, resiliently bonded chemicals, cause harm to both humans and animals. These “forever chemicals” can compromise immunity, increase cancer risks, and cause reproductive harm. Addressing the harms caused by PFAS variants is crucial to protect public health, environmental health, and biological diversity. However, the United States’ current regulatory scheme takes a disjointed approach to PFAS regulation. This is complicated by the frequent development of new PFAS variants, whose effects and environmental presence are largely unknown and understudied. While even the protections provided for humans under the current regulatory scheme fall short of …

When Machines Collude: Rebooting Antitrust Law For The Age Of Algorithmic Markets, William K. Knight

Emory Law Journal

Increasingly, our lives are being dominated by algorithms. From social media feeds to credit scoring, algorithms play a major role in our day-to-day lives, whether we recognize it or not. An emerging issue in the modern technology landscape is the potential for algorithms to cause anticompetitive harm to free markets. As pricing algorithms become more advanced and more widespread, they could facilitate collusive arrangements in a manner that bypasses antitrust laws, thereby adversely impacting consumers through higher prices. American competition law, primarily governed by the Sherman Antitrust Act, suffers from glaring deficiencies and ambiguities that remain unresolved, leaving it manifestly …

Exercise Science Pre-Pt, Kinesiology, Sport, And Recreation

Program Revisions/Additions

No abstract provided.

Dim Light At Night Impacts Circadian Rhythms And Alzheimer’S Disease-Like Neuroinf Lammation And Neuropathology In Humanized App Saa Knock-In Mice, Marilyn J. Duncan, Margaret R. Hawkins, Leke Bytyqi, Haleigh R. Whitlock, Savannah M. Shepard, Makayla F. Cox, Esther G. Drinkard, Teresa Macheda, Kelly N. Roberts, Katharina Kohler, Mary-Claire Schmidt, Carrie E. Johnson, Sridhar Sunderam, Bruce F. O'Hara, Michael Paul Murphy, Adam D. Bachstetter

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Artificial light at night (light pollution) is widespread but understudied in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Sleep and circadian disruption have been linked to amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and neuroinflammation, but whether dim light at night (dLAN) modifies these processes remains unclear. We tested whether chronic dLAN exposure (8 lux during the dark phase, 8 weeks) alters circadian rhythms, amyloid pathology, and neuroinflammation in 12–13 month-old humanized APP knock-in (KI) mice. hAPP^SAA KI mice, which develop plaques, were compared with hAPP^WT KI controls carrying only a humanized APP sequence. dLAN reduced circadian rhythm amplitude and stability while increasing …

Endocranial Morphological Affinities Of The Early Holocene Individuals From Lagoa Santa And Implications For The Peopling Of The Americas, María Clara López-Sosa, Hugo Reyes-Centeno, Lumila Paula Menéndez, Rodrigo Elias Oliveira, Claudio Campi De Castro, André Strauss

Anthropology Faculty Publications

The ectocranial morphology of early Holocene humans from Lagoa Santa, Brazil has been described as exhibiting a ‘Paleoamerican’ form with affinities to African and Australasian individuals, in contrast to past and present Native Americans, who predominantly exhibit ‘Amerindian’ form. While this interpretation remains disputed, its led to the ‘Two Main Biological Components Model’, which proposes separate dispersals from Asia into the Americas. This study aims to assess whether the endocranial morphology of Lagoa Santa individuals similarly reflects these affinities. For this study, the overall endocranial morphology, as well as the temporal bones of the crania of twenty individuals from Lagoa …

Carrots, Not Sticks: A Contingency Management Model For Rural Methamphetamine Recovery, Ella House

Scripps Senior Theses

Rates of methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) have risen sharply across the United States, with rural Appalachia experiencing the steepest mortality increases. Contingency management (CM) is among the most effective treatments for stimulant use, yet implementation is constrained by cost, logistics, and clinician shortages. Utilizing digital CM platforms and peer recovery support specialists, who are central to addiction support in rural regions, may reduce these barriers. This thesis proposes a 16-week, three-arm randomized controlled trial (N ≈ 300) comparing: (1) Digital Abstinence CM Only (remote saliva toxicology and monetary vouchers for stimulant-negative tests); (2) Digital + Peer-Goal CM (digital abstinence-based CM …

Who We Are Together: Identity Negotiation In Different-Orientation Relationships, Justin Tackett

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

viii Abstract This qualitative study explored how partners in different-orientation (dif-orientation) relationships experienced and navigated identity across the five frames of the Communication Theory of Identity (CTI): personal, enacted, relational, communal, and material. Dif-orientation relationships, romantic partnerships where individuals identify with different sexual orientations, represent a form of intercultural communication involving partners from distinct sexual orientation communities who must negotiate different cultural frameworks regarding sexuality, relationships, and identity expression. Despite growing recognition of diverse relationship configurations, little research currently examines how partners in these relationships manage identity gaps, or misalignments between different frames of identity, and what communication strategies they …

Parent Involvement In Urban Schools: Principal Leadership And Instructional Practices, Tiffany M. Fincher

All Capstone Projects

National research shows that one-third of parents participate in their child's school. However, in urban and low-income schools that serve African American students, parent participation rates are even lower. The African American family's low participation in the educational process has long been an issue in education. For this reason, Epstein's Theory of Overlapping Spheres is used to explore the perceptions of school leadership regarding parental involvement in urban schools. A qualitative research methodology was used, and data were collected through structured interviews with school principals and teachers. The population for this study consisted of three principals and five teachers from …

Phonology, Geoffrey S. Nathan

English Faculty Research Publications

This paper explores the ways in which phonology is both structured by the same principles as other aspects of language but is also different, because the interaction between the substance of phonology and the human bodies used to produce and perceive it are much more tightly integrated than is the case with the structures of words, sentences and other aspects of language. Cognitive Grammar holds that the structure of language is abstracted from its use (the theory is ‘usage-based’), and this has resulted in views of the nature of language that differ radically from the dominant generative paradigm. However, the …

Charge‐Governed Mechanistic Evaluation Of Aav2 Clarification Via Functionalized Flat Sheet And Hollow Fiber Deconstructed Depth Filters, Mara Baughman‐Leach, Mattie Brock, Malgorzata Chwatko, Dibakar Bhattacharyya

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The expansion of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based therapeutics has increased the demand for efficient clarification. In this study, a functionalized deconstructed depth filtration platform was developed to dissect how membrane–virus charge, modulated by pH, influences separation. Three charge regimes, positive (pH 4), neutral (pH 6), and negative (pH 8) between the membranes and AAVs, were examined. The flat-sheet system, composed of sequential 1.2, 0.8, 0.45, and 0.1 µm membranes, enabled the first layer-by-layer analysis of depth filtration behavior. This revealed that Stage 1 and Stage 4 dominate clarification. Remarkably, substantial DNA capture (> 75%) was observed even in the largest-pore stage, …

Religious And Cultural Dimension Of The "Ringing Cedars Of Russia" Movement In The Context Of Hybrid Warfare, Oleksandr Lukyanenko, Vitaly Dmytrenko, Vita Dmytrenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to a comprehensive religious analysis of the neo-religious movement “The Ringing Cedars of Russia,” based on the works of Vladimir Megre and the image of the prophetess Anastasia. The study covers the ideological and doctrinal foundations of the movement, its socio-cultural practices, the functioning of tribal settlements, as well as mechanisms of influence on individual and collective consciousness. Particular attention is paid to the concepts of “Vedrussia”, the sacralization of “Russian space” and the mythologization of Russia’s calling to revive the “primitive civilization of harmony.” The analysis shows that the movement, while declaring ecological and humanistic …

Brain-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Potentially Mediate Crosstalk With Peripheral Organs In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Ramzi H. Hamdalla, Vibha B. Bhaskar, Changhai Tian

Toxicology and Cancer Biology Faculty Publications

Brain-Derived Extracellular vesicles (BDEVs) are emerging mediators of intra- and interorgan communication in neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). A growing body of evidence suggests that BDEVs play an important role in modulating intercellular communication within the central nervous system in the pathogenesis of many NDs. By transporting non-coding RNAs (e.g., miRNAs) and important pathological proteins, BDEVs also influence peripheral organs and contribute to the progression of disease in the central nervous system (CNS). This review extends the understanding of NDs beyond solely brain dysfunction and gives a novel framework for the progression of …

Traumatic Brain Injury Exacerbates Mitochondrial Dysfunction In App/Ps1 Knock-In Mice Through Time-Dependent Pathways, Elika Z. Moallem, Hemendra J. Vekaria, Teresa Macheda, Margaret R. Hawkins, Kelly N. Roberts, Samir P. Patel, Patrick G. Sullivan, Adam D. Bachstetter

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Cerebral hypometabolism occurs in both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but whether these conditions act through distinct or overlapping mechanisms is unclear. TBI disrupts cerebral metabolism via blood–brain barrier damage, altered glucose transporter expression, calcium buffering abnormalities, and oxidative damage to metabolic enzymes. AD-related hypometabolism is linked to amyloid-β (Aβ) effects on mitochondria, including impaired respiration, oxidative stress, and altered mitophagy, fusion, and fission. We tested whether TBI-induced mitochondrial dysfunction exacerbates Aβ-mediated impairment using a closed-head injury (CHI) model in APP/PS1 knock-in (KI) mice. Injuries were delivered at 4–5 months of age, before plaque formation and mitochondrial …

Current Concepts In Hip And Core Assessment To Reduce The Risk Of Acl Injury, Jeremy M. Burnham, Anthony T. Drazick, Ghislain Aminake, Darren L. Johnson, Mary Lloyd Ireland, Brian W. Noehren

Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Hip and trunk (“core”) muscle dysfunction has emerged as a modifiable contributor to lower-limb biomechanics linked with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Clinicians increasingly target core stability and control during injury-prevention screening and post-operative rehabilitation programs; however, the literature lacks a focused synthesis of core-directed strategies for ACL injury mitigation. The purpose of this current concepts review is to synthesize current evidence on hip- and core-focused assessment and rehabilitation strategies that may mitigate ACL injury risk.

Design: Current Concepts Review.

Methods: A narrative search of PubMed and Google Scholar (January 2000 – April 2025) identified biomechanical, prospective, interventional, …

Candidate Interaction Partners Of Calpain-5 Suggest Clues To Its Involvement In Neovascular Inflammatory Vitreoretinopathy, Jozsef Gal, Vimala Bondada, Rachel Crasta, Dorothy E. Croall, Calvin P. Vary, James W. Geddes

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Although calpain-5/CAPN5 is widely expressed in mammals, little is known regarding its functions. Pathogenic mutations of CAPN5 are causal for a devastating autoimmune eye disease, neovascular inflammatory vitreoretinopathy (NIV). To provide insight into both the physiological and pathological roles of CAPN5, it is essential to identify candidate interaction partners and possible substrates. Human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, transfected with full-length catalytically dead (Cys81Ala) CAPN5-3×FLAG, were used for anti-FLAG co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and quantitative proteomics using Sequential Window Acquisition of all THeoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS). Fifty-one proteins were enriched at least four-fold, p < 0.01, relative to cells transfected with an empty FLAG vector. A high proportion (24/51) of candidate CAPN5 interaction partners are associated with protein quality control, including components of the chaperonin, chaperone, and ubiquitin–proteasome systems. Additional candidate interactors include tubulins, kinases, phosphatases, G proteins, and mitochondrial proteins. CAPN5 interactions for 14 of the candidate proteins were confirmed by co-IP and immunoblotting. Of these 14 proteins, 11 exhibited in vitro calcium-induced proteolysis following co-IP with WT CAPN5-3×FLAG. Impaired calcium-induced proteolysis of co-IP proteins was observed for the pathogenic CAPN5 variants R243L and R289W. Further studies are needed to validate the association of candidate CAPN5 interactors with proteins and complexes suggested by the SWATH-MS and co-IP results, and the possible role of CAPN5 within such complexes. The possible involvement of CAPN5 in protein quality control is relevant to NIV, as defects in protein quality control have been implicated in inherited retinal disorders. Proteomic data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD068008.

Difficult-To-Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis With Concomitant Yao Syndrome With Response To Dual-Inhibitor Therapy, Nawar Aljundi, Paramarajan Piranavan

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Unbiased Molecular Characterization Of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Hearts Identifies Mast Cell Chymase As A New Diagnostic Candidate, J. F. Mulvey, C. Sailer, J. S. Achter, Gregory Nathaniel Milburn, R. C. Bretherton, K. Kahnert, S. Erbil Bilir, H. Hvid, C. Pyke, F. Gustafsson, L. Adamo, Kenneth S. Campbell, K. M. Herum, A. Lundby

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare form of acute heart failure that develops in women toward the end of pregnancy or early postpartum. No effective, specific treatment for PPCM is available and heart transplantation or mechanical circulatory support may be required in severe cases where drug treatment for heart failure is insufficient. The mechanisms through which the disease progresses are not well understood, and despite similar clinical characteristics to dilated cardiomyopathy of other etiologies (nonperipartum cardiomyopathy; NPCM) it is not known how the molecular remodeling differs between these groups. We aimed to provide insight into the human PPCM heart using …

Anatomical Atlas Of Kinase Responsiveness To Weight Gain: Adipose Depot Reprogramming In Diet-Induced Adiposity, Wang-Hsin Lee, Zachary A. Kipp, Sally N. Pauss, Genesee J. Martinez, Mei Xu, Terry D. Hinds, Jr.

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Adipose tissue depots located at different anatomical sites exert differential functions in response to adiposity and glucose intolerance. These fat depots exhibit distinct metabolic signaling patterns that may influence pathological fat accumulation, thereby affecting the efficacy of anti-obesity interventions. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underpinning depot-specific signaling and pathway responsiveness remain insufficiently understood.

Methods: Kinase activity was characterized during the progression of adiposity across five adipose tissue depots in obese versus lean mice using the advanced PamGene kinome technology. Furthermore, kinase pathways in human preadipocytes and mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were analyzed and compared with those in their differentiated, mature adipocytes. The …

Social Engagement Moderates The Relationship Between Cognitive Functioning, Depressive Symptoms, And Restless Sleep In Older Black Adults, Sunkanmi Folorunsho, Olufunmilola Abraham, Darlingtina K. Esiaka

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Older Black adults face higher dementia risk, but it is unclear whether social engagement offsets the effects of depression and restless sleep.

METHODS: We analyzed 1,905 Black adults aged 50+ from the 2016-2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Linear mixed-effects models tested how depressive symptoms, restless sleep, and social engagement predicted baseline cognition and cognitive decline.

RESULTS: Higher depressive symptoms and restless sleep were associated with lower baseline cognition (about 0.2 and 0.5 points lower) and faster decline (β×time ≈ −0.07 and −0.05). Greater social engagement predicted higher baseline cognition (about 0.6 points higher) and slower decline (β×time ≈ …

Developing Curcumin Analogues For Treating Breast Cancer, Tulasi Laxmi Nutalapati

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Breast cancer is still one of the most common types of cancer and one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in women around the world. Despite significant advances in early detection and treatment strategies, drug resistance, systemic toxicity, and poor outcomes in aggressive subtypes continue to limit the overall effectiveness of cancer therapy. Natural compounds have become promising anticancer agents because they can target many different things and are not very toxic. Curcumin has shown promise as an anticancer drug, but it cannot be used in the clinic because it does not absorb well, breaks down quickly, and …

Dino-Lg: Enhancing Vision Transformers With Label Guidance For Coronary Artery Calcium Detection, Mahmut Selman Gokmen, Caner Ozcan, Moneera N. Haque, Steve W. Leung, Seth Parker, Brent Seales, Cody Bumgardner

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Coronary artery disease (CAD), one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, necessitates effective risk assessment strategies, with coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring via computed tomography (CT) being a key method for prevention. Traditional methods, primarily based on UNET architectures implemented on pre-built models, face challenges like the scarcity of annotated CT scans containing CAC and imbalanced datasets, leading to reduced performance in segmentation and scoring tasks. In this study, we address these limitations by introducing DINO-LG, a novel label-guided extension of DINO (self-distillation with no labels) that incorporates targeted augmentation on annotated calcified regions during self-supervised pre-training. Our three-stage …