Digital Commons Network^™

Mechanistic Insights Into Plant Community Responses To Environmental Variables: Genome Size, Cellular Nutrient Investments, And Metabolic Tradeoffs, Erika Hersch-Green, Philip A. Fay, Hailee B. Hass, Nicholas G. Smith

Michigan Tech Publications

Affecting biodiversity, plants with larger genome sizes (GS) may be restricted in nutrient-poor conditions. This pattern has been attributed to their greater cellular nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) investments and hypothesized nutrient–investment tradeoffs between cell synthesis and physiological attributes associated with growth. However, the influence of GS on cell size and functioning may also contribute to GS-dependent growth responses to nutrients. To test whether and how GS is associated with cellular nutrient, stomata, and/or physiological attributes, we examined > 500 forbs and grasses from seven grassland sites conducting a long-term N and P fertilization experiment. Larger GS plants had increased cellular …

Homosexuality And The Position Of Sharia On It: A Comparative Jurisprudential Study, Raghed Mahdi Abdul Ami

Uruk Journal of Human Sciences

The issue of homosexuality is a factor in the collapse of society, the insult to its dignity, and the spread of fatal diseases. For this reason, sound nature is repelled by an innate, not an immoral, aversion, because this nature is governed by God’s law in life, which makes natural pleasure while helping to grow life. Its spread was terribly in many societies, so it was necessary to research it to find out the reasons for its spread and treat it. There are many reasons that prompted me to choose the topic, including

Title: Sexual Problematic In The Books Of The Old And New Testaments: A Descriptive Analysis Of Narrative Discourse Features, Haider Majeed Hussein

Uruk Journal of Human Sciences

This research aims to examine texts related to behaviors, practices, or suggestive sexual elements that are abnormal or deviant, as found in the texts of the Old and New Testaments. This research sheds light on a sensitive topic due to its connection with religious sentiments. Hence, the researcher apologizes for the nature of the texts despite adhering to religious texts and focusing solely on descriptive analysis. The researcher refrains from adding interpretative comments and analyzes to leave room for the reader to update the nature of the discourse conveyed by these texts. This section serves to assist the reader in …

Conceptualizing Self-Reported Adverse Childhood Experiences: From Epidemiologic Exposure To Psychometric Latent Variable, Marianna D. Lanoue, Richard W. Hass

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

In this paper, we apply a measurement science perspective to explore both the epidemiologic and psychometric frameworks for the conceptualization, operationalization and assessment of self-reported adverse childhood experiences (srACEs). The epidemiologic paradigm suggests that srACEs are 'exposures', while the psychometric paradigm views responses on srACEs instrumentation as 'indicators'. It is the central premise of this paper that srACEs cannot be both exposures and indicators of scales. We review issues of reliability and validity from both perspectives, examine the degree of agreement between objective and subjective reports of childhood maltreatment and the implications of poor agreement, and conclude that the for …

High Peripheral T Cell Diversity Is Associated With Lower Risk Of Toxicity And Superior Response To Dual Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy In Patients With Metastatic Nsclc, Mehmet Altan, Ruoxing Li, Ziyi Li, Runzhe Chen, Ajay Sheshadri, Hai T Tran, Latasha Little, Joshua Baguley, Jefferson Sinson, Natalie Vokes, Saumil Gandhi, Mara B Antonoff, Stephen G Swisher, Greg Lizee, Alexandre Reuben, John V Heymach, Jianjun Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Despite significant successes, immune checkpoint blockade fails to achieve clinical responses in a significant proportion of patients, predictive markers for responses are imperfect and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are unpredictable. We used T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing to systematically analyze prospectively collected patient blood samples from a randomized clinical trial of dual immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy to evaluate changes in the T-cell repertoire and their association with response and irAEs.

METHODS: Patients with immunotherapy-naïve metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were treated with ipilimumab and nivolumab according to trial protocol (LONESTAR, NCT03391869). Blood samples were systematically obtained at baseline (n=107), …

Microbial Diversity And Biogeochemical Interactions In The Seismically Active And Co2-Rich Eger Rift Ecosystem, Daniel Lipus, Zeyu Jia, Megan Sondermann, Robert Bussert, Alexander Bartholomäus, Sizhong Yang, Dirk Wagner, Jens Kallmeyer

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

The Eger Rift subsurface is characterized by frequent seismic activity and consistently high CO2 concentrations, making it a unique deep biosphere ecosystem and a suitable site to study the interactions between volcanism, tectonics, and microbiological activity. Pulses of geogenic H2 during earthquakes may provide substrates for methanogenic and chemolithoautotrophic processes, but very little is currently known about the role of subsurface microorganisms and their cellular processes in this type of environment. To assess the impact of geologic activity on microbial life, we analyzed the geological, geochemical, and microbiological composition of rock and sediment samples from a 238 m deep drill …

Beyond Average Effects In Education Research Syntheses: Explaining Heterogeneity Of Concept Mapping Research In Science Education Through Meta-Regression Modeling, Aaron Wenger

Dissertations

Contemporary education research seeks causal inferences in order to guide policy and practice. Often well-controlled quasi-experimental and experimental designs are used as they are very useful for supporting and contextualizing causal inferences. Nevertheless, individual studies, even high-quality, resource-intensive randomized controlled trials, are not able to establish generalized claims. Because primary studies vary over dozens of variables (e.g., grade, subject, duration) simply conducting additional primary studies cannot change this. Furthermore, the informal assessments of primary studies common in literature reviews are unable to resolve certain challenges (e.g., publication bias) that are described in the emerging field of meta-research. These challenges require …

Changes In Climate And Their Implications For Cattle Nutrition And Management, Bashiri Iddy Muzzo, R. Douglas Ramsey, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Climate change is a global challenge that impacts rangeland and pastureland landscapes by inducing shifts in temperature variability, precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events. These changes alter soil and plant conditions, reducing forage availability and chemical composition and leading to nutritional stress in cattle. This stress occurs when animals lack adequate water and feed sources or when these resources are insufficient in quantity, composition, or nutrient balance. Several strategies are essential to address these impacts. Genetic selection, epigenetic biomarkers, and exploration of epigenetic memories present promising avenues for enhancing the resilience of cattle populations and improving adaptation to environmental stresses. …

From The Ocean To Our Kitchen Table: Anthropogenic Particles In The Edible Tissue Of U.S.. West Coast Seafood Species, Summer D. Traylor, Elise F. Granek, Marilyn Duncan, Susanne Brander

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microplastics (MPs) and other anthropogenic particles (APs) are pervasive environmental contaminants found throughout marine and aquatic environments. We quantified APs in the edible tissue of black rockfish, lingcod, Chinook salmon, Pacific herring, Pacific lamprey, and pink shrimp, comparing AP burdens across trophic levels and between vessel-retrieved and retail-purchased individuals. Edible tissue was digested and analyzed under a microscope, and a subset of suspected APs was identified using spectroscopy (μFTIR). Anthropogenic particles were found in 180 of 182 individuals. Finfish contained 0.02–1.08 AP/g of muscle tissue. In pink shrimp (Pandalus jordani), the average AP/g was 10.68 for vessel-retrieved and …

3d Printed Heart Model With Simulated Cardiac Stroke Volumes, Fadi Matar, Jonathan Michael Ford, Summer Joy Decker

USF Patents

Disclosed herein is a 3D printed heart model with simulated cardiac stroke volumes. It involves an inner membrane conforming to the shape of the inner lining of the ventricle. This results in the creation of a compression pouch with a potential space (compression sac) bordered by the inner surface of the simulated ventricle and the outer surface of the inner membrane. The inner membrane also defines a neo-ventricular chamber that is in contact with blood simulating fluid. A pulsatile flow pump can serve as a hydrodynamic driver for inflow and outflow into and out of the compression sac. This can …

Regulated Drug Delivery Via Controlled Degradable Chondroitin Sulfate Particles, Nurettin Sahiner, Ramesh Ayyala

USF Patents

Disclosed herein are crosslinked chondroitin sulfate particles crosslinked chondroitin sulfate particle polyelectrolytes. The particles are useful in drug delivery applications. The particles may be used to treat various conditions, including bacterial and fungal infections.

Loss Of Chop Prevents Joint Degeneration And Pain In A Mouse Model Of Pseudoachondroplasia, Jacqueline T Hecht, Alka C Veerisetty, Mohammad G Hossain, Debabrata Patra, Michele Carrer, Frankie Chiu, Dorde Relic, Paymaan Jafar-Nejad, Karen L Posey

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH), a severe dwarfing condition characterized by impaired skeletal growth and early joint degeneration, results from mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). These mutations disrupt normal protein folding, leading to the accumulation of misfolded COMP in chondrocytes. The MT-COMP mouse is a murine model of PSACH that expresses D469del human COMP in response to doxycycline and replicates the PSACH chondrocyte and clinical pathology. The basis for the mutant-COMP pathology involves endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling through the PERK/eIF2α/CHOP pathway. C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), in conjunction with a TNFα inflammatory process, upregulates mTORC1, hindering autophagy clearance of mutant COMP …

Determination Of The Kinetic Parameters Of Cholesterol Oxidation Using Cholesterol Oxidase From Streptomyces Sp., Meka Saima Perdani, Heri Hermansyah, Muhamad Sahlan, Dwini Normayulisa Putri, Teguh Pambudi, Anggi Khairina Hanum Hasibuan

Makara Journal of Technology

Cholesterol oxidase (CO) was successfully produced from Streptomyces sp. via the submerged fermentation method, and 69 U/mL enzyme activity was obtained. This study aimed to determine cholesterol oxidation kinetics and the production of CO as a catalyst. The enzyme was diluted to 0.15, 0.075, and 0.00375 U/mL for the oxidation reaction. The substrate was also prepared in three concentrations: 3.23, 6.46, and 12.93 mM. The optimization of conditions for enzymatic cholesterol oxidation was investigated through measurement of the effect of initial cholesterol and enzyme concentrations. Cholesterol concentration was rapidly measured via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The kinetics of CO were …

Tacrolimus- And Mycophenolate-Mediated Toxicity: Clinical Considerations And Options In Management Of Post-Transplant Patients, Alan D. Kaye, Shivam S. Shah, Coplen D. Johnson, Adalyn S. De Witt, Austin S. Thomassen, Charles P. Daniel, Shahab Ahmadzadeh, Sridhar Tirumala, Kristin N. Bembenick, Adam M. Kaye, Sahar Shekoohi

Pacific Faculty Work

Tacrolimus and mycophenolate are important immunosuppressive agents used to prevent organ rejection in post-transplant patients. While highly effective, their use is associated with significant toxicity, requiring careful management. Tacrolimus, a calcineurin inhibitor, is linked to nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, metabolic disturbances such as diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular complications such as hypertension and arrhythmias. Mycophenolate, a reversible inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, frequently causes gastrointestinal disturbances, including diarrhea and colitis, as well as hematologic side effects like anemia and leukopenia, which increase infection risk. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and pharmacogenomics have emerged as essential strategies for mitigating these toxicities. TDM ensures …

Perceptions Of Early Childhood System Partners On Career Pathways, Melissa Larson Busby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found high-quality early childhood teachers are crucial to high-quality programs for young children. Despite this, there is a significant need for more highly qualified teachers in a southwestern state. The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of early childhood education (ECE) systems partners in one southwestern state regarding the current systems, structures, and policies related to career pathways through the high school, community college, and university levels. The conceptual framework for this study was based on von Bertalanffy’s general systems theory and systems thinkers such as Senge, who detail the complex interactions between systems …

Geneseo Authors Celebration 2024, Milne Library

Geneseo Authors Celebration

Milne Library began a tradition of celebrating faculty authorship in 2009 with a series of workshops and a celebration in collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Center. Over the years it has evolved to more accurately reflect on the variety of academic and creative work done here at Geneseo. The annual Geneseo Authors Celebration is an opportunity for the Library and the campus to celebrate the faculty and truly acknowledge the time and effort that faculty have invested into creating exceptional works that contribute to the scholarly discussions taking place in their disciplines.

In late fall 2024, when the Geneseo …

Epithelial Barrier Hypothesis: A Systematic Review, Krishna Patel, Peter Lio

Student Publications

Background

The epithelial barriers, which include the skin, the gut, and the respiratory lining, play a crucial role in protecting the body from pathogens and environmental threats. Many harmful toxins are increasingly part of modern life. The increase in usage of these damaging agents in conjunction with the increase in allergic inflammatory conditions suggests that the “epithelial barrier hypothesis”—the concept that damage to the epithelia by external agents can result in dysbiosis, inflammation, and allergy—may explain the rise in these conditions seen in the developed world.

Objective

We sought to assess the evidence for the epithelial barrier hypothesis, with particular …

Loss Of Chop Prevents Joint Degeneration And Pain In A Mouse Model Of Pseudoachondroplasia, Jacqueline T Hecht, Alka C Veerisetty, Mohammad G Hossain, Debabrata Patra, Michele Carrer, Frankie Chiu, Dorde Relic, Paymaan Jafar-Nejad, Karen L Posey

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH), a severe dwarfing condition characterized by impaired skeletal growth and early joint degeneration, results from mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). These mutations disrupt normal protein folding, leading to the accumulation of misfolded COMP in chondrocytes. The MT-COMP mouse is a murine model of PSACH that expresses D469del human COMP in response to doxycycline and replicates the PSACH chondrocyte and clinical pathology. The basis for the mutant-COMP pathology involves endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling through the PERK/eIF2α/CHOP pathway. C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), in conjunction with a TNFα inflammatory process, upregulates mTORC1, hindering autophagy clearance of mutant COMP …

Glucose-Lowering Agents Developed In The Last Two Decades And Their Perioperative Implications, Basavana Goudra, Geno Merli, Michael Green

Department of Anesthesiology Faculty Papers

The last two decades have provided far more options f both patients and their physicians in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. While dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have been approved for nearly two decades, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) are relatively new. Of interest to perioperative physicians, these drugs present specific perioperative concerns, prompting many societies to issue guidelines. Retained gastric contents due to slow gastric emptying is a significant drawback of GLP-1RAs, increasing the risk of aspiration. Recommendations include withholding GLP-1RAs for a predefined period of time, performing gastric ultrasound to evaluate gastric …

Perceptions Of Early Childhood System Partners On Career Pathways, Melissa Larson Busby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found high-quality early childhood teachers are crucial to high-quality programs for young children. Despite this, there is a significant need for more highly qualified teachers in a southwestern state. The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of early childhood education (ECE) systems partners in one southwestern state regarding the current systems, structures, and policies related to career pathways through the high school, community college, and university levels. The conceptual framework for this study was based on von Bertalanffy’s general systems theory and systems thinkers such as Senge, who detail the complex interactions between systems …

Targeted Degradation Of Oncogenic Krasg12v Triggers Antitumor Immunity In Lung Cancer Models, Dezhi Li, Ke Geng, Yuan Hao, Jiajia Gu, Saurav Kumar, Annabel T Olson, Christina C Kuismi, Hye Mi Kim, Yuanwang Pan, Fiona Sherman, Asia M Williams, Yiting Li, Fei Li, Ting Chen, Cassandra Thakurdin, Michela Ranieri, Mary Meynardie, Daniel S Levin, Janaye Stephens, Alison Chafitz, Joy Chen, Mia S Donald-Paladino, Jaylen M Powell, Ze-Yan Zhang, Wei Chen, Magdalena Ploszaj, Han Han, Shengqing Stan Gu, Tinghu Zhang, Baoli Hu, Benjamin A Nacev, Medard Ernest Kaiza, Alice H Berger, Xuerui Wang, Jing Li, Xuejiao Sun, Yang Liu, Xiaoyang Zhang, Tullia C Bruno, Nathanael S Gray, Behnam Nabet, Kwok-Kin Wong, Hua Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is the most frequently mutated oncogene in lung adenocarcinoma, with G12C and G12V being the most predominant forms. Recent breakthroughs in KRASG12C inhibitors have transformed the clinical management of patients with the G12C mutation and advanced our understanding of the function of this mutation. However, little is known about the targeted disruption of KRASG12V, partly due to a lack of specific inhibitors. Here, we leverage the degradation tag (dTAG) system to develop a KRASG12V-transgenic mouse model. We explored the therapeutic potential of KRASG12V degradation and characterized its effect on the tumor microenvironment (TME). …

Research Summaries: Access To Education, Erica Jensen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Full Issue: Access To Education, Angie Holzer

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

No abstract provided.

Functionalism, Algorithms And The Pursuit Of A Theory Of Mind For Artificial Intelligence, Victor Mureithi

Critical Humanities

Abstract.

The advancement of computing technology has given rise to an interesting thesis: the human brain can be studied and understood as operating on the principles of a digital computer. The claim later became a more substantial thesis: the Mind is a computer since the Mind is actualized in the brain. The recent success of large language models (LLMs) such as Bard (produced by Google), GPT3, ChatGPT (also known as GPT3.5, produced by OpenAI-Microsoft), and LLaMA (produced byMeta) has brought greater attention and focus to the discussion of human versus machine intelligence. The result has been a pursuit of a …

Farrowing Performance And Piglet Characteristics Of Highly Prolific Sows In A Tropical Environment, Yosua Kristian Adi, Roy N. Kirkwood, Padet Tummaruk

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The swine industry has witnessed a remarkable increase in average litter size in recent decades, driven by genetic advancements and breeding programs aimed at enhancing prolificacy. This rise in hyperprolificacy has presented both opportunities and challenges, particularly in tropical environments where factors such as ambient temperature and humidity can influence reproductive performance. This review synthesizes current knowledge on farrowing performance and piglet characteristics of highly prolific sows in tropical settings. Studies have reported a consistent increase in litter size globally, leading to challenges in farrowing management and piglet survival. Factors such as elevated ambient temperatures and extended farrowing durations have …

Racism, Depression, And The Superwoman Schema: A Narrative Inquiry With Fourth-Grade Black Girls, Athena Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, racism has been labeled a public health emergency. Amid rising rates of racism reported in schools, many Black girls aged 5 to 12 have severe and persistent symptoms of depression. Although Woods-Giscombé’s Superwoman Schema (SWS) is an acknowledged coping mechanism that Black women and adolescent girls can use to fight and transcend interconnected systems of racial and gender oppression, it has rarely been studied among pre-adolescent girls. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the lived experience of the SWS among fourth-grade Black girls in Detroit, Michigan. The theoretical framework was the SWS. …

Examination Of Mgmt As A Risk Gene For Dementia In The Amish, Leighanne R. Main, Yeunjoo E. Song, Audrey Lynn, Renee A. Laux, Kristy L. Miskimen, Michael D. Osterman, Paula K. Ogrocki, Alan J. Lerner, M. Denise Fuzzell, Sarada L. Fuzzell, Sherri D. Hochstetler, Jonathan L. Haines

Researchers, Instructors, & Staff Scholarship

INTRODUCTION: Recently, the O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) locus was proposed as influencing the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in women who did not carry the apolipoprotein E ε4 allele. We examined an Amish founder population for any influence of genetic variation in and around the MGMT locus on the risk for dementia. METHODS: Genetic association was performed for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) surrounding the MGMT locus. A total of 946 individuals of Amish descent between the ages of 76 and 95 who were classified as cognitively impaired or cognitively unimpaired were included. Multiple statistical models were applied to test for replication. …

Latitudinal Clines In An Ectothermic Vertebrate: Patterns In Body Size, Growth Rate, And Reproductive Effort Suggest Countergradient Responses In The Prairie Lizard, Travis R. Robbins, Tiffany Hegdahl

Biology Faculty Publications

Although we have evidence that many organisms are exhibiting declines in body size in response to climate warming, we have little knowledge of underlying mechanisms or how associated phenotypic suites may coevolve. The better we understand coadaptations among physiology, morphology, and life history, the more accurate our predictions will be of organismal response to changing thermal environments. This is especially salient for ectotherms because they comprise 99% of species worldwide and are key to functioning ecosystems. Here, we assess body size, growth rates, and reproductive traits of a vertebrate ectotherm, the prairie lizard, Sceloporus consobrinus, for multiple populations along …

Optimizing Transport Predictive Modeling With Simulation-Based Statistical Inference Authors, Mamunur Rashid, Quyen Tran

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Simulation-based statistical inference (SBI) leverages computer simulations to help scientists understand and analyze complex data. This paper explores how SBI techniques can be used to analyze transportation data. We use modern computational methods, including machine learning models, to improve the accuracy of predictions and decision-making in transportation planning. Our study focuses on two SBI methods, Approximate Bayesian Computation - Markov Chain Monte Carlo and Synthetic Likelihood, to create synthetic data for training machine learning models. These models show the potential of SBI to handle uncertain transportation data. It also highlights the practical benefits of SBI in making better decisions for …

An In Vitro Comparative Assessment Of Antidiabetic Efficacy: Abroma Augusta Q, Gymnema Sylvestre Q, Cephalandra Indica Q, Momordica Charantia Q, Syzygium Jambolanum Q In Comparison To Metformin, Mary Adharshna S.P., Vettrivel Arul

Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy

Background: Homoeopathic mother tinctures are gaining attention for managing diabetes by inhibiting key enzymes in glucose metabolism.

Objective: This study aimed to compare popular homoeopathic mother tinctures Abroma augusta Q (AAQ), Cephalandra indica Q (CIQ), Gymnema sylvestre Q (GSQ), Momordica charantia Q (MCQ) and Syzygium jambolanum Q (SJQ) with Metformin (MET) in inhibiting diabetes associated α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes.

Methods: Mother tinctures AAQ, CIQ, GSQ, MCQ, SJQ and MET of concentrations 10 μL/mL, 50 μL/mL, 100 μL/mL, 250 μL/mL, and 500 μL/mL were assessed through α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory assay.

Results: All mother tinctures show significant inhibitory action at …