Digital Commons Network^™

Climate And Gypsum Parent Material Shape Biocrust Communities And Moss Ecology In The Chihuahuan And Mojave Deserts, Nicole Pietrasiak, Katelyn G. Gobbie, Brian Jusko, Rebecca E. Drenovsky

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Biological soil crust communities (biocrusts) establishing on gypsum soils have been well-documented for their prolific appearance and rich diversity of lichens and bryophytes. However, studies characterizing gypsum biocrusts have occurred primarily outside of the U.S., most of which lack comparisons to other soil types. We conducted intensive field surveys to evaluate the ground cover and frequency of biocrust functional groups and moss species on gypsum and non-gypsum soils in the U.S. regions with the most extensive gypsum outcrops, the northern Chihuahuan and eastern Mojave Deserts. Study sites were stratified by geomorphology and paired, so that every gypsum site was matched …

​​Living With Parkinson’S During Covid-19: A Survey Of Parkinson’S Patients During Covid-19​, Sia Shaila Pilgaonkar

Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), raising concerns about exacerbation of symptoms and vulnerability of the patients. This project first reviews existing literature on the interconnections between COVID-19 and PD, focusing on the physiological, psychological, and treatment-related challenges faced by patients. Then it analyzes survey data examining increased severity of COVID-19 in individuals with PD, alongside the literature researching potential mechanisms linking the two, such as inflammation and neurodegeneration. The survey’s key areas of focus included symptom management, treatment satisfaction, the impact of PD on daily living, and the impact of COVID-19 on motor and …

Elucidating The Role Of Astrocytes In Norepinephrine Neuromodulation, Katheryn Bry Lefton

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Norepinephrine, a wakefulness-associated neuromodulator, profoundly reshapes neural systems, from synaptic circuits to behavior. Through decades of research, a substantial catalogue on the effects of noradrenergic signaling on behavior and networks has been generated. How norepinephrine remodels synaptic circuitry is widely thought to underlie the larger changes in neural networks and behavior, highlighting the need for a more thorough understanding of the circuit effects of norepinephrine neuromodulation. However, the mechanistic details of the norepinephrine on synapses are still unclear. In recent decades, a large body of work has shown that norepinephrine acts not just on neurons, but on glial cells including …

Ire1Α Silences Dsrna To Prevent Taxane-Induced Pyroptosis In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Longyong Xu, Fanglue Peng, Qin Luo, Yao Ding, Fei Yuan, Liting Zheng, Wei He, Sophie S Zhang, Xin Fu, Jin Liu, Ayse Sena Mutlu, Shuyue Wang, Ralf Bernd Nehring, Xingyu Li, Qianzi Tang, Catherine Li, Xiangdong Lv, Lacey E Dobrolecki, Weijie Zhang, Dong Han, Na Zhao, Eric Jaehnig, Jingyi Wang, Weiche Wu, Davis A Graham, Yumei Li, Rui Chen, Weiyi Peng, Yiwen Chen, Andre Catic, Zhibin Zhang, Bing Zhang, Anthony M Mustoe, Albert C Koong, George Miles, Michael T Lewis, Meng C Wang, Susan M Rosenberg, Bert W O'Malley, Thomas F Westbrook, Han Xu, Xiang H-F Zhang, C Kent Osborne, Jin Billy Li, Matthew J Ellis, Mothaffar F Rimawi, Jeffrey M Rosen, Xi Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Chemotherapy is often combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) to enhance immunotherapy responses. Despite the approval of chemo-immunotherapy in multiple human cancers, many immunologically cold tumors remain unresponsive. The mechanisms determining the immunogenicity of chemotherapy are elusive. Here, we identify the ER stress sensor IRE1α as a critical checkpoint that restricts the immunostimulatory effects of taxane-chemotherapy and prevents the innate immune recognition of immunologically cold triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). IRE1α RNase silences taxane-induced dsRNA through RIDD (Regulated IRE1-Dependent Decay) to prevent NLRP3 inflammasome–dependent pyroptosis. Inhibition of IRE1α in Trp53−/− TNBC allows taxane to induce extensive dsRNAs that are sensed …

December 2024 Graduate Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Women, Collective Creative Practice, And Community Health, Anne Hensley

Honors Theses

A growing body of research shows that art therapy yields positive outcomes for those experiencing stress and mood disorders. Creative arts therapies have been shown to lower cortisol, improve personal and universal outlook, decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, increase self-esteem and confidence, alleviate burnout, help individuals to cope with trauma, and support brain function through activity-dependent plasticity. However, little research has been done on collective and collaborative arts, and the enhanced benefits communal practice might bring. Additionally, art therapy is inaccessible to many, due to a dearth of practitioners and cultural and socioeconomic barriers to participation. Peri-, menopausal, and …

Gonadal Absence Of Pig-1: Exploration Of Pig-1 In The Gonad Of Caenorhabditis Elegans, Winston S. Bennah

Undergraduate Theses

Caenorhabditis elegans are model organisms frequently studied to better understand biological processes. They have short life spans and produce a large number of progeny. Additionally, many of their molecular development processes can be found in human, providing insight into cell death and cell fate. In this project, our research aims to create a triple mutant strain to test the importance of the pig-1 gene in the gonad of C. elegans. This strain carries the following alleles: ckb-3::degron; him-8; gfp::pig-1. The pig-1 gene has been previously studied in neuroblast cells in C. elegans and is required for …

Small Molecule With Big Impact: Metarrestin Targets The Perinucleolar Compartment In Cancer Metastasis, Vivek Kashyap, Bhuvnesh Sharma, Divya Pandey, Ajay K. Singh, Godwin Peasah-Darkwah, Bhupesh Singh, Kuldeep K. Roy, Murali Yallapu, Subhash Chauhan

School of Medicine Publications

Metarrestin (ML246) is a first-in-class pyrrole-pyrimidine-derived small molecule that selectively targets the perinucleolar compartment (PNC). PNC is a distinct subnuclear structure predominantly found in solid tumor cells. The occurrence of PNC demonstrates a positive correlation with malignancy, serving as an indicator of tumor aggressiveness, progression, and metastasis. Various promising preclinical results have led to the clinical translation of metarrestin into a first-in-human trial. This review aims to summarize (i) the current understanding of the structure and function of PNC and its role in cancer progression and metastasis, (ii) key findings from studies examining the effect of metarrestin on various cancers …

Review Of Human Anatomy: Self-Assessment Review Questions, Jorge L. Canchola

Open Educational Resources - Reviews

No abstract provided.

A Conjugate Of An Egfr-Binding Peptide And Doxorubicin Shows Selective Toxicity To Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Phi-Phung Than, Shih-Jing Yao, Emad Althagafi, Kamaljit Kaur

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Selective targeting of cancer cells via overexpressed cell-surface receptors is a promising strategy to enhance chemotherapy efficacy and minimize off-target side effects. In this study, we designed peptide 31 (YHWYGYTPERVI) to target the overexpressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Peptide 31 is internalized by TNBC cells through EGFR-mediated endocytosis and shares sequence and structural similarities with human EGF (hEGF), a natural EGFR ligand. Unlike hEGF, peptide 31 does not induce cell migration in TNBC cells. A novel conjugate of peptide 31 with doxorubicin (Dox) retains selectivity for TNBC cells and exhibits significant toxicity comparable …

Estimation Of Prevalence Of Autoimmune Diseases In The United States Using Electronic Health Record Data, Aaron H. Abend, Albert M. Lai, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUNDPrevious epidemiologic studies of autoimmune diseases in the US have included a limited number of diseases or used metaanalyses that rely on different data collection methods and analyses for each disease.METHODSTo estimate the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the US, we used electronic health record data from 6 large medical systems in the US. We developed a software program using common methodology to compute the estimated prevalence of autoimmune diseases alone and in aggregate that can be readily used by other investigators to replicate or modify the analysis over time.RESULTSOur findings indicate that over 15 million people, or 4.6% of …

December 12, 2024, The Dakota Student

The Dakota Student

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Witness To Neptune’S Inferno: The Pacific War Diary Of Lieutenant Commander Lloyd M. Mustin, Uss Atlanta (Cl 51), Jonathan Klug

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: David F. Winkler

Reviewed by Colonel Jonathan Klug (US Army), PhD, associate dean, associate professor, and Admiral William F. Halsey Chair of Naval Studies, US Army War College

Colonel Jonathan Klug (PhD), the US Army War College’s Admiral William F. Halsey Chair of Naval Studies, identifies David F. Winkler’s contribution to the field with this book. Klug writes, “Winkler adds tremendous value to [Lloyd M.] Mustin’s comments by placing them into their proper historical context and providing insight into the development of a mid-career naval officer into a strategic leader.” Klug also notes that “this book would be especially …

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 3Α1'S Role In Promoting Iron Loading, Tumorigenesis, And Metastasis In Colorectal Cancer, Luke B. Villareal

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

The interplay between hypoxia and iron metabolism drives colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. This dissertation investigates hypoxia-inducible factor 3α1 (HIF-3α1), a protein linked to poor CRC outcomes, focusing on its roles in metastasis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and iron loading via transferrin receptor (TFRC). HIF-3α1 promotes CRC cell migration by upregulating zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) and suppressing N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1), while TFRC-mediated iron accumulation supports tumor growth and survival. Iron chelation reduced EMT markers, migration, and tumor growth, highlighting iron's critical role. Additionally, HIF-3α1-induced TFRC expression altered nucleotide synthesis enzymes carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase-aspartate transcarbamoylase-dihydroorotase (CAD) and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate …

The Cowl - V. 88 N. 10 - December 12, 2024

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 88 No. 10 - December 12, 2024. 20 pages.

Analysis Of Natural Structures And Chemical Mapping Data Reveals Local Stability Compensation In Rna, Robert L. Cornwell-Arquitt, Riley Nigh, Michael T. Hathaway, Joseph D. Yesselman, David A. Hendrix

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

RNA molecules adopt complex structures that perform essential biological functions across all forms of life, making them promising candidates for therapeutic applications. However, our ability to design new RNA structures remains limited by an incomplete understanding of their folding principles. While global metrics such as the minimum free energy are widely used, they are at odds with naturally occurring structures and incompatible with established design rules. Here, we introduce local stability compensation (LSC), a principle that RNA folding is governed by the local balance between destabilizing loops and their stabilizing adjacent stems, challenging the focus on global energetic optimization. Analysis …

Social Worker Experiences Providing Mental Health Therapy To Iowa Lgbtq+ Youth, Kathy Jochims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High rates of untreated mental health issues and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth, exacerbated by isolation and rejection in rural areas, demonstrate an urgent necessity for preventive and responsive mental health care. However, access to these essential services remains limited in many rural areas. This study involved using a generic qualitative design to explore the experiences of social workers providing mental health therapy to LGBTQ+ youth in rural Iowa, and presence of cultural humility in social worker practices. The cultural humility theory was chosen as the theoretical framework. Semistructured interviews with 10 Iowa social workers were evaluated using thematic analysis. Study …

Comparative Efficacy, Safety, And Oncological Outcomes Of Percutaneous Thermal And Chemical Ablation Modalities For Recurrent Metastatic Cervical Lymphadenopathy From Thyroid Cancer, Eman A. Toraih, Siva Paladugu, Rami M. Elshazli, Mohammad M. Hussein, Hassan Malik, Humza Pirzadah, Ahmed Abdelmaksoud, Salem I. Noureldine, Emad Kandil

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Thermal and chemical ablation techniques may consolidate recurrent metastatic cervical lymph nodes as alternatives to repeat neck dissection in thyroid cancer patients. This meta-analysis aims to compare the efficacy and safety across modalities. Methods: Four databases were searched for studies on radiofrequency (RFA), microwave (MWA), laser (LA), and ethanol ablation (EA) treating metastatic cervical nodes from thyroid cancer. The outcomes analyzed included treatment response, oncologic control, and complications. Random effects meta-analytical pooling was conducted. Results: There were 25 studies (n = 1061 nodes) examining the four ablation methods. Patients showed comparable baseline characteristics and initial lymph node sizes ranging …

The 2024 Nobel Prize In Physiology Or Medicine: Microrna Takes Center Stage, George A. Calin, Florent Hubé, Michael R. Ladomery, Nicholas Delihas, Manuela Ferracin, Laura Poliseno, Luca Agnelli, Suresh K. Alahari, Ai-Ming Yu, Xiao-Bo Zhong

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The Non-coding Journal Editorial Board Members would like to congratulate Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who were jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNAs and the role of microRNAs in post-transcriptional gene regulation, uncovering a previously unknown layer of gene control in eukaryotes [...].

Predictive Modeling And Sustainability Assessment Of Hydrothermal Liquefaction Of Seaweeds: A Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Analysis Approach, Micheal O. Asama

Mechanical Engineering Theses

This study presents comprehensive predictive models and an economic and environmental assessment of HTL for converting macroalgae into biofuels and valuable co-products. Predictive models were developed based on experimental kinetic data to simulate batch HTL of brown seaweed, capturing the yields of biocrude, gas, biochar, and water-soluble compounds as functions of key process variables, including temperature, time, pressure, and water-to-biomass ratio. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) confirmed that temperature and residence time significantly affect biocrude yield, with an optimal yield of 23% achieved at 283°C, 200 bar, 54 minutes, and a 10:1 water-to-biomass ratio. The model’s predictive accuracy was validated with …

Onycholysis In An Elderly Woman: Proposal For Treatment With Coix Seed Extract Administration, Yasuhiro Horiuchi

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: The exact etiology of onycholysis, which is characterized by the painless separation of the nail from the nail bed, remains unclear. Currently, there are no established effective treatments for this condition. Coix seed extract (C-S extract), a traditional Chinese medicine, is recognized for its various biological properties.

Case Illustration: This report describes a case of onycholysis affecting the left index finger of a 62-year-old female patient, with initial symptoms appearing three months prior. Despite ongoing internal administration of C-S extract, the patient experienced a recurrence of onycholysis on both the index finger and pinky finger of the left hand …

Systemic Antibiotic Selection In Skin And Soft Tissue Infections, Shafira Anindya Purnawan, Windy Keumala Budianti, Sandra Widaty

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Antibiotics are used in daily practice. To properly select antibiotics, it is important to pay attention to the definitive diagnosis, class of antibiotic, dose, interval, route of administration, and exact duration of use.

Discussion: The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes antibiotics into three groups: Access, Watch, and Reserve—known as the AWaRe classification—to help guide appropriate usage and combat antibiotic resistance. The Gyssens flowchart serves as a valuable tool for clinicians to qualitatively evaluate antibiotic utilization. In skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), treatment strategies are tailored according to the characteristics of the infection, including purulence, necrosis, and overall severity. …

Predictors Of Reported Serious Health Outcomes And Death A After Covid-19 Vaccine In The United States, Jean Amost Cadet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

COVID-19 vaccines have been available in the United States since December 2020. However, very few studies have looked at the serious health outcomes reported by those who received a COVID-19 vaccine. Guided by the social ecological model, factors associated with reported serious health outcomes and deaths within the first 2 months after taking a COVID-19 vaccine were examined. A total of 720,210 cases from the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System data from December 2020 to December 2022 were analyzed using multiple logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression to determine if medical conditions predict the number of reported deaths and …

Social Worker Experiences Providing Mental Health Therapy To Iowa Lgbtq+ Youth, Kathy Jochims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High rates of untreated mental health issues and suicidality among LGBTQ+ youth, exacerbated by isolation and rejection in rural areas, demonstrate an urgent necessity for preventive and responsive mental health care. However, access to these essential services remains limited in many rural areas. This study involved using a generic qualitative design to explore the experiences of social workers providing mental health therapy to LGBTQ+ youth in rural Iowa, and presence of cultural humility in social worker practices. The cultural humility theory was chosen as the theoretical framework. Semistructured interviews with 10 Iowa social workers were evaluated using thematic analysis. Study …

Kenyon Collegian - December 12, 2024

The Kenyon Collegian

No abstract provided.

Novel Spatial Approaches To Dissect The Lung Cancer Immune Microenvironment, Idania Lubo, Sharia Hernandez, Ignacio I Wistuba, Luisa Maren Solis Soto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Lung cancer is a deadly disease with the highest rates of mortality. Over recent decades, a better understanding of the biological mechanisms implicated in its pathogenesis has led to the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapy, resulting in improvements in patient outcomes. To better understand lung cancer tumor biology and advance towards precision oncology, a comprehensive tumor profile is necessary. In recent years, novel in situ spatial multiomics approaches have emerged offering a more detailed view of the spatial location of tumor and tumor microenvironment cells, identifying their unique composition and functional status. In this sense, novel multiomics platforms have …

Design, Synthesis, And Nmr-Guided Characterization Of A Targeted Covalent Inhibitor-Like Molecule Against Ivyp1 From P. Aeruginosa, Samuel Taylor Moore

Master's Theses

Multi-drug resistance poses a serious threat to future generations and historical antibiotic pipelines; consequently, the medical and economic burdens associated with treating multidrug-resistant bacteria are substantiated. In this context, P. aeruginosa (PA) emerges as one of the most significant healthcare challenges, being a leading cause of resistance-associated mortality worldwide. Despite modern efforts to combat these poor outcomes, drug-resistant cases continue to rise, and the need for novel antibiotic treatment is apparent. To this end, we investigated relevant resistance mechanisms and past antibiotic targets within PA, and in doing so, we identified relationships between peptidoglycan biology and a periplasmic protein, Inhibitor …

A Survey Of Several Python Libraries Foe Computational Geometry, Meghana Kolluru

Masters Projects

This project delves into computational geometry, a crucial area of computer science, by

implementing algorithms to solve geometric problems using Python libraries like Shapely, SciPy,

and Triangle. It begins with foundational tasks such as creating geometric objects (points, lines,

polygons) and performing operations like calculating distances, intersections, and unions. These

basics lay the groundwork for tackling more advanced applications.

Key implementations include the Convex Hull, which computes the smallest convex

polygon enclosing a set of points, aiding in applications like collision detection and GIS. The

project also explores Voronoi Diagrams, which partition a plane into regions based on proximity,

and …

The 2024 Nobel Prize In Physiology Or Medicine: Microrna Takes Center Stage, George A Calin, Florent Hubé, Michael R Ladomery, Nicholas Delihas, Manuela Ferracin, Laura Poliseno, Luca Agnelli, Suresh K Alahari, Ai-Ming Yu, Xiao-Bo Zhong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Non-coding Journal Editorial Board Members would like to congratulate Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, who were jointly awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discovery of microRNAs and the role of microRNAs in post-transcriptional gene regulation, uncovering a previously unknown layer of gene control in eukaryotes [...].

Sulfhydryl-Containing Compounds And Iron Homeostasis: Mechanisms Of Labile Iron Pool Dysregulation And Consequences For Cellular Health, Steven Lowell Mann Christiansen

Theses and Dissertations

While iron's unique coordination chemistry and redox activity have resulted in its broad incorporation into biological systems, dysfunction in key iron-regulating mechanisms can transform these biochemical advantages into factors that contribute to several pathological conditions. This dissertation explores the complex interactions between iron and sulfhydryl-containing compounds (SCCs), with particular focus on glutathione's (GSH) role in stabilizing iron reactivity juxtaposed with homocysteine's (Hcy) ability to disrupt iron homeostasis and promote disease progression. Through rigorous biochemical analysis and experimentation, we demonstrate that Hcy disrupts iron regulation through several mechanisms: (1) Hcy competitively displaces protective iron-binding molecules in the Labile Iron Pool (LIP), …