Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Geographic Ranges, Climatic Niches And Temperature Fluctuations On Population Variability, Cleber Ten Canten, Lauren Holian, Tad Dallas

Faculty Publications

The existence of patterns in population dynamics across species geographic ranges and climatic niches is a pervasive idea in ecology. Population variability (i.e. temporal variability in population density) should hypothetically increase near range edges or niche limits because of less suitable environments in these areas, but the occurrence of such patterns remains largely unexplored. Further, fluctuations in temperature could pose demographic constraints on populations and also influence their variability. We used Breeding Bird Survey data to show that the population variability of 97 resident North American birds consistently increases towards their niche limits and in areas with more variable temperatures, …

Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 In Lung Diseases, Hongli Liu, Cristian Coarfa, Arzoo N Charania, Jennifer L Larson-Casey, Ivan O Rosas, Chao He

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1), also known as osteopontin (OPN) or early T lymphocyte activation protein 1 (ETA-1), is a multifunctional protein involved in numerous biological processes, including immune modulation, stress response, and tissue remodeling. The role of SPP1 in interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) has become an area of increasing interest, given its elevated expression in various ILDs such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD), and pneumoconiosis, especially with recent data derived from single-cell RNA sequencing. In addition to ILDs, SPP1 has been implicated in infectious granulomatous lung diseases, lung and pleural malignancies, airway diseases, and COVID-19. …

The Silk Butterfly Effect: Japan And The United States 1853-1941, Melodee Birlew

Dissertations and Theses

This study examines the rise and fall of the silk industry in both the United States and Japan in the first half of the twentieth century. While silk had been a valuable commodity for millennia for royalty, aristocrats, and the extremely wealthy, the opening of Japan's ports in 1853 soon made silk more accessible to lower classes around the world.

Consequently, Japan's newfound wealth catapulted her status among other rich and powerful nations. Japan's military might, financed in large part by the silk trade and displayed by her victory over Russia in 1905, earned her even more prestige on the …

Neovascular Pruning By Ido1 Inhibitors Can Potentiate Immunogenic Cytotoxicity Of Ischemia-Targeted Agents To Synergistically Enhance Anti-Pd-1 Responsiveness, Shih-Chun Shen, Souvik Dey, James B. Duhadaway, Erika Sutanto-Ward, Maurice T. Hampton, Serguei V. Kozlov, George C. Prendergast, Alexander J. Muller

Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Strategies for deploying indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1)-targeted therapies for use against cancer have focused on IDO1's role in promoting peripheral immune tolerance that shields tumors from effector T cells. However, preclinical investigation of both primary and metastatic tumor development in the lungs has uncovered a previously unappreciated role for IDO1 in directing a counterregulatory response to interferon (IFN)-γ that realigns the local inflammatory environment to promote tumor neovascularization. Understanding how to therapeutically leverage the ability of IDO1 inhibitors to subvert inflammatory neovascularization within the tumor microenvironment has potential ramifications for future clinical development of these compounds.

METHODS: Pulmonary metastases …

The Evidence Behind The Risk Of Fluoride Use, Margherita Fontana Dds, Phd, Carlos González-Cabezas D.D.S., M.S.D., Ph.D., Livia Tenuta D.D.S., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

This article explores the evidence behind the safety of community water fluoridation. The authors establish that no clear link to lower IQ has been proven at U.S. levels (0.7 ppm). Major health organizations, including the ADA and WHO, continue to support fluoridation as safe and effective for preventing tooth decay.

Articulator Q2 2025

Metro Denver Dental Society Articulator Magazine

The 2^nd Quarter 2025 issue focuses on new frontiers in dental research. Articles include:

• A feature from Dr. Manish Chopra on the ADA Forsyth Institute.
• Highlights from the University of Colorado’s School of Dental Medicine’s Research Day.
• The research behind the safety of community water fluoridation from Margherita Fontana, DDS, PhD; Carlow Gonzalez-Cabezas, DDS, MSD, PhD; and Livia Tenuta, DDS, MSc, PhD.

Plus, updates on local nonprofits, a reflection on leading with integrity and tips on maintain resilience in today’s volatile financial landscape.

Effective Strategies For Developing And Implementing Metrics For Successful Social Marketing Campaign Performance, Annette M. Wolf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective use of marketing metrics by social marketers poses a risk of inconsistent and subjective interpretations of campaign success. Social marketing managers and stakeholders are concerned because unreliable metrics hinder their ability to evaluate performance, justify funding, and replicate effective strategies. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry, grounded in general systems theory and foundational social marketing literature, was to explore effective strategies that social marketing campaign managers use to implement metrics sufficient to measure successful campaigns. The participants were ten experienced members of the Social Marketing Association of North America, with effective strategies to implement marketing metrics to measure …

An Exploration Of Gender And Sexual Identity Development Within The School Environment Among Gender Sexual Minority High School Graduates, Kendra Dawn Rogers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Culturally responsive teaching in a global society is critical to students' success. Inclusion is an important part of the culturally responsive learning experience for all types of people. Because identity development takes place during the adolescent years, portrayals of various kinds of individuals throughout the environment and curriculum may support the confidence of students’ identity development. All students can experience improvements through inclusive teaching practices, but particularly students who identify as gender sexual minorities (GSM) can experience improved identity development with inclusive curricula in all areas of schooling. Grounded in identity process theory and sociocultural theory, the purpose of this …

Schwartz Values Of Active-Duty U.S. Soldiers: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of Refined Values, Kelcey Sihanourath

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Army is currently facing recruitment challenges due to a decrease in the number of qualified youths. When recruitment is low, reducing attrition becomes even more critical to maintaining force readiness. Research indicates attrition patterns may be influenced by interactions between personal characteristics and the unique culture of each military branch. One characteristic is personal values; however, the most widely used personal values framework, Schwartz’s values theory, has not been validated for the U.S. Army population. This study aimed to address this gap by empirically assessing Schwartz’s values using a nonexperimental cross-sectional quantitative design, collecting data from 273 active-duty …

Phenomenological Study Of Gender, Self-Esteem, And Anxiety As Factors Influencing Older Adult Technology Use, Nadine Prosper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increasing number of individuals 65 years of age and older are in the U.S. workforce. Many older workers are hesitant to learn new technology and adapt to digital innovation that may, in the future, automate jobs and abolish more traditional forms of employment. Organizational leaders need to understand the factors influencing older workers’ attitudes and adoption of new technology for greater productivity. The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine how gender, self-esteem, and anxiety influence workplace technology utilization among older workers between 66 and 76 years of age in their jobs. The study was grounded …

Food Hygiene And Sanitation Of The University Canteens In South Sumatra Province, Indonesia, Anita Rahmiwati, Fatmalina Febry, Fenny Etrawati, Indah Purnama Sari, Yeni Yeni, Virgina Putri Sabila, Erike Septa Prautami, Maretalinia Maretalinia

Kesmas

Food safety is a critical public health issue, especially in institutional settings such as university canteens, where large populations are served daily. Inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices by food handlers can lead to foodborne illnesses, placing students and staff at risk. This study evaluated hygiene and sanitation conditions in the canteens of a leading public university in South Sumatra Province, Indonesia, known for its active food service facilities. This study examined food handlers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices and assessed the microbiological safety of chicken curry by testing for Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination and total plate count. Using a cross-sectional …

Learning That Sticks: How Students Remember Invasive Species Through Different Learning Methods, Francesco L. Miniello

Honors College Theses

This study aimed to determine which learning methods are most effective at helping students learn about invasive species. Research through literature reviews showed that active learning methods can best help students learn and retain information regarding aspects of the natural environment. This includes hands-on activities such as participating in discussions, making observations, playing games, and interacting with objects like animals. The experiment tested different active and passive learning methods. This included watching presentations under passive learning or reviewing information online through active learning. Results showed that participants felt more confident about learning the material through active learning and were more …

Upward Mobility Of First-Generation Low-Income Dartmouth Students, Robin T. Frye

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

The most promising way for young people to achieve upward mobility, which at the most basic level means making more money than their parents, is to attend the best college possible. From its inception, Dartmouth College has been an institution set up to educate the children of the wealthiest and most powerful families. Over the last few decades, more and more promising students have come from families whose parents and grandparents did not attend college. When First-Generation Low-Income (FGLI) students arrive at Dartmouth, they encounter an institution set up for wealthy students. I aimed to discover how well Dartmouth supports …

Impact Of Social Media On Family Relations In The Arab Gulf Region, Radhi H. Al-Mabuk, Abdullah F. Alrebh

Faculty Publications

Social media use especially among children and adolescents has become a topic of concern in the Gulf region especially for parents. This chapter addresses the issue of social media use and its impact on family relations, and is comprised of six parts: (1) place of social media in sociology; (2) prevalence of social media in the Gulf region with an emphasis on how much use, nature of use and motivation for use; (3) positive and detrimental consequences of social media use; (4) impact of social media use, especially problematic social media, on family relations; (5) parents’ role in guiding their …

Characterizing Genetic, Epigenetic, Nutritional, And Clinico-Biochemical Profile Of Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Case-Control Study, Woroud M. Majd Chaker, Raghda Mohammed Adi, Mohamed Madkour, Nada Farhat, Dana N. Abdelrahim, Maha Saber-Ayad, Jibran Sualeh Muhammad, Ghada Mohammed, Noha Ahmed Mousa, Ameenah Saadi, Arathy Lakshmi, Mai Kazim, Nagla Elhadi Abdalla, Nariman Awad, Fatme Al Anouti, Moezalislam E. Faris

All Works

Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is among the most frequently encountered endocrinopathies in women. This study aimed to characterize the genetic (INSR, FTO, DENND1A, and Nrf2) expressions and epigenetic (DNA methylation) modifications, nutritional, metabolic, inflammatory, and hormonal markers for patients with PCOS in comparison with their age-matched healthy controls. Design & Methods: The study also aimed to assess the genetic expressions concerning vitamin D status. Sixty-six patients with PCOS and 69 age-matched healthy controls were recruited. Fasting blood samples were used to measure genetic and biochemical variables. Real-time PCR was used to assess gene expressions, the bisulfite conversion method was …

Exploration Of Radiotherapy-Related Insufficiency Fractures And Risk Factors Of Patients Diagnosed With Gynaecological Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy: A Service Evaluation, Vicki Hands

South West Clinical School Journal

#400WORDS: CHIEF NURSING OFFICER’S RESEARCH FELLOWS EVIDENCE IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS

Icam-1 Autoantibodies Detected In Healthy Individuals And Cross-React With Functional Epitopes, Marc L. Herman, Eric S. Geanes, Rebecca Mclennan, Gage J. Greening, Heather Mwitanti, Todd Bradley

Student Publications

Intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a cell surface glycoprotein that regulates cell-cell interactions, signaling, and immune processes. ICAM-1 expression has been shown to be elevated in many types of infections and inflammatory diseases. Strategies to block ICAM-1 function, including monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibodies, have been successful in treating the effects of chronic respiratory, autoimmune, and cardiovascular diseases. Naturally occurring autoantibodies targeting cytokines, endothelial cells, and other host receptors have been identified, and have been found to play a role in immunoregulation in health and disease. In this study, we determined the presence and levels of ICAM-1 autoantibodies across different age …

The Tweak/Fn14 Signaling Mediates Skeletal Muscle Wasting During Cancer Cachexia, Meiricris Tomaz Da Silva, Anirban Roy, Anh Tuan Vuong, Aniket S Joshi, Cristeena Josphien, Meghana V Trivedi, Sajedah M Hindi, Vihang A Narkar, Ashok Kumar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by progressive skeletal muscle wasting. The TWEAK-Fn14 system regulates muscle mass in diverse conditions. However, its role in the regulation of muscle mass during cancer cachexia remains less understood. Here, we demonstrate that the levels of Fn14 are induced in skeletal muscle of multiple mouse models of cancer cachexia. Muscle-specific deletion of Fn14 reduces myofiber atrophy in mouse models of pancreatic and lung cancer cachexia. Silencing of Fn14 in KPC pancreatic cancer cells prior to their implantation in mice attenuates tumor growth without affecting myofiber size. Muscle-specific deletion of Fn14 reduces the gene …

Icam-1 Autoantibodies Detected In Healthy Individuals And Cross-React With Functional Epitopes., Marc L. Herman, Eric S. Geanes, Rebecca Mclennan, Gage Greening, Heather Mwitanti, Todd Bradley

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a cell surface glycoprotein that regulates cell-cell interactions, signaling, and immune processes. ICAM-1 expression has been shown to be elevated in many types of infections and inflammatory diseases. Strategies to block ICAM-1 function, including monoclonal anti-ICAM-1 antibodies, have been successful in treating the effects of chronic respiratory, autoimmune, and cardiovascular diseases. Naturally occurring autoantibodies targeting cytokines, endothelial cells, and other host receptors have been identified, and have been found to play a role in immunoregulation in health and disease. In this study, we determined the presence and levels of ICAM-1 autoantibodies across different age …

Protecting Traditional Cultural Expressions: Law, Indigenous Protocols, Library Practices, Ulia Gosart, Valmaine Toki, Susan Townzen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study responds to contemporary international policy developments focused on protecting Indigenous creative work classified as Traditional Cultural Expressions. The study claims that states’ interests continue to guide policies in this area, compromising the relationship between regulations and the aspirations and needs of Indigenous communities. The study uses comparative methodology and content analysis to develop this argument. The study also highlights the significance of partnerships between Indigenous communities and cultural institutions that may function as alternative means to protect Indigenous creative works. The study explores cases from Indigenous communities and cultural institutions in New Zealand, the USA, and Mexico to …

Through The Four Truth Lens: Exploring Climate Change Communication At Joshua Tree And Glacier Bay National Parks, Heather A. Waterman, Amanda Berlinski

Dissertations

The climate crisis threatens our global communities, cultures, and futures. Communication that brings climate change into everyday conversations and galvanizes the public to respond to it collectively is needed. However, political divides in the United States make climate change a contested heritage topic that is challenging to address. The purpose of this applied, basic qualitative research study was to use the Four Truth Framework, developed by the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to investigate climate change communication at Joshua Tree National Park in California and Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. Climate change affects national parks more than other …

Exploring The Benefits Of A Virtual Reality Positive Psychological Intervention For Older Adults In Senior Living Communities, Christopher Reed

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The majority of psychological research has followed a disease model focusing on how we reduce factors associated with psychopathology. In the last few decades there has been a push to explore positive psychological traits as an avenue for intervention by fostering traits we already possess. Most of these interventions have targeted mental health across the life span with fewer examining their efficacy on cognitive change with even fewer utilizing immersive technologies like virtual reality. By 2050 over 20% of the world’s population will be over the age of 60 and with this aging population rates of neurocognitive disorders will increase. …

Assessing Niche Differences Across The Dwarf Salamander Species Complex Of The Southeast Us, Sarah Roy

LSU Master's Theses

Characterizing niche differences in closely related species can provide valuable insights into the extent of ecological divergence between species, and the potential evolutionary processes behind speciation. This study builds the first ecological niche models for the Eurycea dwarf salamander species complex, which includes five species with varying distributions across the southeastern United States. Ecological niche models (ENMs) were built for each species using the machine-learning algorithm, MaxEnt. We used pairwise niche overlap analyses and statistical validation techniques to investigate potential ecological drivers behind species divergence and the degree of niche overlap among the five Eurycea species. We found an overall …

Discovery Of Anisobas Irwini Claridge, New Species, And New Host And Distribution Records Of Anisobas Coloradensis (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae: Ichneumonini), Brandon R. Claridge, Kyri A. Forman

Insecta Mundi

Anisobas Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ichneumoninae: Ichneumonini) is a moderately diverse parasitoid wasp genus present in the Holarctic and Indo-Malaysian regions. Here, we advance taxonomic knowledge of western Nearctic Anisobas by documenting new rearing and distribution records for A. coloradensis (Cresson) and describe A. irwini Claridge, new species, from central Arizona. There are now seven known Nearctic Anisobas species.

Development And Validation Of The Immune Profile Score (Ips), A Novel Multiomic Algorithmic Assay For Stratifying Outcomes In A Real-World Cohort Of Patients With Advanced Solid Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Alia D Zander, Douglas Adkins, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed the oncology treatment landscape. Despite substantial improvements for some patients, the majority do not benefit from ICIs, indicating a need for predictive biomarkers to better inform treatment decisions.

METHODS: A de-identified pan-cancer cohort from the Tempus multimodal real-world database was used for the development and validation of the Immune Profile Score (IPS) algorithm leveraging Tempus xT (648 gene DNA panel) and xR (RNA sequencing) (N=1,707 development cohort; N=1,600 validation cohort). The cohort consisted of patients with advanced stage cancer with solid tumor carcinomas across 16 cancer types treated with any ICI-containing regimen as …

Bridging The Gap: College Readiness And The Influence Of School Leadership, Sharonda Pruitt, Sharon Ross, Stephanie Atchley, Jesse Brock

School Leadership Review

This quantitative study examined the relationship between school leadership experience and African American students’ completion of Texas Education Agency-approved college readiness courses. Using 2021–2022 data from the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) in Region 7, the study analyzed average years of experience for principals and assistant principals across high schools. Pearson correlation analysis, with Holm correction and effect size calculations, was used to explore potential relationships. Results showed no significant correlation between principal experience and course completion, but a statistically significant positive correlation was found for assistant principal experience (r = .26, p = .034), indicating a small effect size. …

Plm-Dbps: Enhancing Plant Dna-Binding Protein Prediction By Integrating Sequence-Based And Structure-Aware Protein Language Models, Suresh Pokharel, Kepha Barasa, Pawel Pratyush, Dukka B. Kc

Michigan Tech Publications

DNA-binding proteins (DBPs) play a crucial role in gene regulation, development, and environmental responses across plants, animals, and microorganisms. Existing DBP prediction methods are largely limited to sequence information, whether through handcrafted features or sequence-based protein language models (PLMs), overlooking structural cues critical to protein function. In addition, most existing tools are trained for general DBP predictions, which are often not accurate for plant-specific DBPs due to the unique structural and functional properties of plant proteins. Our work introduces PLM-DBPs, a deep learning framework that integrates both sequence-based and structure-aware representations to enhance DBP prediction in plants. We evaluated several …

The Impact Of Substance Use Disorder And Drug Transfer Into Breast Milk: Implications For Maternal And Infant Health, Yongzong Yang, Bofang Yi, Tao Zhang

Pharmacy Faculty Scholarship

Breast milk provides significant health benefits to both infants and mothers, offering protection against infections and enhancing cognitive development. This paper examines the complex effects of substance use disorder (SUD) during pregnancy and lactation, focusing on the pharmacokinetics of drug transfer into breast milk. It highlights the mechanisms by which drugs enter milk, emphasizing the roles of passive diffusion and active transport, particularly through breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). The study explores the impact of various substances on fetal and infant health, with a focus on the relative infant dose (RID) and milk-to-plasma (MP) ratio as key metrics for assessing …

Associations Between Breastfeeding Duration And Weight Status Transitions In Early Childhood, Hyojun Park, Eric N. Reither

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Empirical evidence with respect to the protective effect of breastfeeding on childhood obesity remains inconclusive, and studies on sex-specific associations are sparse. We investigated whether (H1) longer breastfeeding duration reduces the risk of entry into elevated body mass (EBM); and (H2) longer breastfeeding duration increases the likelihood of exit from EBM. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), our sample comprised 10,550 mother-child pairs after excluding 100 non-biological pairs. The ECLS-B assessed children from 9 months of age through kindergarten, spanning infancy through 7 years of age. We used two transitions in weight status (i.e., entry to EBM …

Lost In Transition: An Examination Of The Burden Of Choice In Samuel Beckett's Dramatic Works, Sam Parrish

English Theses

Samuel Beckett's plays, Waiting for Godot and Endgame, provide ample room for applying existential and speech act theories to examine the goals of the characters. In analyzing the exchanges between these characters, the audience becomes aware of the phenomenon of miscommunication and how it alienates the characters. This thesis furthers the discussion of Beckett's intentions regarding the human experience as embodied on stage by examining the text of the plays, rather than any specific performances. Specifically, I develop a framework that identifies a main character within each of the plays discussed, and how the interactions between that main character and …