Digital Commons Network^™

Prognostic Significance And Biologic Associations Of Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype Biomarkers In Heart Failure, Oday Salman, Ali Javaheri, Douglas L Mann, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The role of cellular senescence in human heart failure (HF) remains unclear. The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) is composed of proteins released by senescent cells. We assessed the prognostic significance and biologic pathways associated with the SASP in human HF using a plasma proteomics approach.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We measured 25 known SASP proteins among 2248 PHFS (Penn HF Study) participants using the SOMAScan V4 assay. We extracted the common variance in these proteins to generate SASP factor scores and assessed the relationship between these SASP factor scores and (1) all-cause death and (2) the composite of death or …

Flavonoid-Rich Foods, Dementia Risk, And Interactions With Genetic Risk, Hypertension, And Depression, Amy Jennings, Alysha S. Thompson, Anna Tresserra-Rimbau, Joshua K. O'Neill, Claire Hill, Nicola P. Bondonno, Tilman Kühn, Aedín Cassidy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Importance: A composite score of flavonoid-rich foods (flavodiet) may provide a clear public health message regarding the range of foods with the potential to lower dementia risk. Objective: To examine associations of flavodiet score and intakes of flavonoid subclasses with dementia risk according to genetic risk and presence of depression and hypertension. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective, population-based cohort study included dietary data from adults aged 40 to 70 years in the UK Biobank, recruited between 2006 and 2010, with a mean (SD) follow-up of 9.2 (1.5) years. The data analyses were conducted from September 1 to 30, 2023. …

A Critical Examination Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Disability Risk In Adolescent Mothers: A Systematic Review, Mariah Ulfah, Munawir Yusuf, Sri Mulyani, Widiyanto Widiyanto

Journal of Health Research

Background: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common condition in adolescent mothers and children. This systematic review examined specific disability risk associated with ADHD in adolescent mothers. The study provides a comprehensive review of related publications from 2013 to 2023 on various databases including EBSCO, Embase, Cochrane, Ovid, ProQuest, Web of Science, as well as PubMed.

Methods: The search strategy used keywords ‘adolescent,’ ‘pregnancy,’ and ‘ADHD’ aligning with the PRISMA guidelines. As many as 1,257 articles were identified and seven were incorporated in this scoping review. Six articles discussed maternal age, two reported socioeconomic factors, and one examined maternal psychopathology …

Navigating Mental Health Challenges: Influences And Paths To Wellness, Paul Ratanasiripong

Journal of Health Research

Background: In light of the growing mental health problems around the world, it is imperative to examine and understand the factors contributing to these problems along with ways to promote wellness and improved mental health.

Method: This is an invited commentary.

Results: Six contributing factors to mental health challenges are discussed, along with six paths to wellness and four policy recommendations.

Conclusion: A collaborative approach involving individuals, families, communities, and policymakers is crucial for improving mental health conditions globally, particularly among youths who are the future of all nations.

Keywords: Social media, Social isolation, Social injustice, Healthy relationship, Healthspan

Gender Bias Issues Among Women Dropping Out Of Tuberculosis Treatment In Batanghari Regency, Jambi, Indonesia, Guspianto Guspianto, Dessy Pramudiani, Ade Adriadi

Journal of Health Research

Background: One primary objective of a tuberculosis (TB) eradication program is the recovery of patients. Consistent medication intake is vital for TB sufferers to achieve recovery, as discontinuation or dropout can impede progress. Gender bias stemming from differences in social roles between men and women may influence the utilization of TB treatment programs. This study seeks to provide an overview of gender bias in the utilization of TB treatment programs.

Methods: This qualitative research study employed an exploratory descriptive approach to examine the experiences of gender bias among six women who withdrew from TB treatment in Batanghari regency, Jambi Province, …

Comparison Of Serum Butyrylcholinesterase Levels And Health Conditions Between Elderly Conventional And Organic Farmers In Prachinburi Province, Thailand, Jinjuta Chimpayab, Nutnicha Boonthong, Pornpimol Kongtip, Sukhontha Siri, Sumate Pengpumkiat

Journal of Health Research

Background : Organophosphates and carbamates exposure is typically gauged by serum Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity decline, reflecting their enzyme-inhibiting effects. This research aimed to compare differences in serum BChE activity and health conditions between elderly conventional and organic farmers.

Methods: A total of 147 conventional farmers and 81 organic farmers were purposively sampled from February to April 2022. Questionnaires and blood samples were collected from the farmers. Pre-pesticide exposure data was collected at start of the growing season. Post-exposure data was collected after pesticide spraying (conventional farmers) or cultivation (organic farmers). Serum BChE activities and metabolic indicators were determined in both …

Stress And Work-Related Accidents Among Food Delivery Riders In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Chadaporn Wanwaen, Parichat Ong-Artborirak, Sineenart Chautrakarn

Journal of Health Research

Background: The number of food delivery motorbike riders has increased with the growth of the food delivery industry amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The nature of this job may have an impact on riders’ stress, increasing the risk of road accidents. The purpose of this paper is to investigate stress- and work-related accidents among food delivery motorbike riders in Chiang Mai as well as the factors associated with road accidents during delivery.

Method: We used a self-administered questionnaire in a cross-sectional study between November 2021 and March 2022. A total of 253 food delivery riders in Chiang Mai were recruited for …

Enhlink Infers Distal And Context-Specific Enhancer-Promoter Linkages., Olivier Poirion, Wulin Zuo, Catrina Spruce, Candice N Baker, Sandra Daigle, Ashley A Olson, Daniel A Skelly, Elissa J Chesler, Christopher L. Baker, Brian S White

Faculty Research 2024

Enhlink is a computational tool for scATAC-seq data analysis, facilitating precise interrogation of enhancer function at the single-cell level. It employs an ensemble approach incorporating technical and biological covariates to infer condition-specific regulatory DNA linkages. Enhlink can integrate multi-omic data for enhanced specificity, when available. Evaluation with simulated and real data, including multi-omic datasets from the mouse striatum and novel promoter capture Hi-C data, demonstrate that Enhlink outperfoms alternative methods. Coupled with eQTL analysis, it identified a putative super-enhancer in striatal neurons. Overall, Enhlink offers accuracy, power, and potential for revealing novel biological insights in gene regulation.

A Comprehensive Guide To Removable Partial Dentures. Part 2: Impressions, Laboratory Procedures, Insertion And Case Studies, Deviprasad Nooji, Guy Lambourn, Himanshi Aggarwal, Kiran Kumar Krishnappa Salian, Ewen Mccoll, Prashanti Eachempati

Peninsula Dental School

This two-part series provides a comprehensive guide to fabricating definitive metal partial dentures, addressing the challenges dental practitioners face in mastering prosthesis design. It aims to equip dental professionals with a thorough understanding of the theoretical foundations and clinical methods for effective metal partial denture fabrication. Part 2 covers removable partial denture (RPD) design philosophies, tooth preparation, secondary impressions, laboratory procedures, trial and final insertions, as well as post-insertion complications and their management. Additionally, four case scenarios are included to help readers apply the knowledge gained from both parts to design a metal partial denture.

Developing Coexpression Systems To Introduce Hydroxyproline Into Protein Engineered Collagen Peptides Utilizing Hydroxylase From Acanthamoeba Polyphaga Mimivirus, Jennifer Soldatich

Theses and Dissertations

A major challenge of developing collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs) by bacterial expression is to include hydroxyproline for biomedical applications. Coexpression of Prolyl-4-hydroxylase from A.mimivirus with CMPs was investigated. Additionally, four expression designs were created for potential applications in mammalian cells to utilize their natural ability of proline-hydroxylation by post-translational modification.

Discovering How Exceptional Female Native Americans In Contemporary Educational Contexts Form Sustained Motivation, Vellena V. Howard

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This phenomenological study embarked on a journey with four Native American females to discover the lifelong and life-wide experiences that led to sustained motivation as evidenced through their extended careers in contemporary educational settings. Limited research exists on Native American-voiced perceptions surrounding issues pertinent to their success. A series of three life interviews afforded meaning-making of key moments, from earliest to current. A Two- Eyed Seeing approach centering Indigenous and Western knowledge systems viewed Indigenous motivation holistically through The First Nations Holistic Lifelong Learning Model, the study’s guiding framework. Influencing elements included teachers, mentors, experiential learning, and learning from self-revelation, …

Potential Nec2/Nek1 Inhibitor And Inh1 Analog N-[4-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-2-Thiazolyl]-4-Pyridinecarboxamide Via Hantzsch Thiazol Condensation, Robert E. Lee Sr, Isabella G. Mcdonald, Paige E. Heiple, Lukas D. Shelton

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The potential active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), N-[4-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl)-2-thiazolyl]-4-pyridinecarboxamide (6) is a cancer cell metabolism mitosis inhibitor via the Nek2 and Hec1 enzymes. The three-step synthesis starts with the bromination of 1-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)ethan-1-one (1) using CuBr₂ to produce 2-bromo-1-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)ethan-1-one (2) with a yield of 90%.[i]^,[ii],[iii] Followed by Hantzsch thiazol ring synthesis as (2) reacts with thiourea (3) and, resulting in 4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)thiazol-2-amine (4)[iv] in 80% yield. Finally, isonicotinoyl chloride hydrochloride (5) and (4) reacted to form the amide (6).[v]^{,[vi],[vii],[viii],[ix],[x]} Characterization of the final product was determined …

Length-Weight And Length-Length Relationships For Common Fish And Invertebrate Species In The North Inlet-Winyah Bay Estuarine System, South Carolina, Usa, Catherine A. Friedline, Matthew E. Kimball, Bruce W. Pfirrmann, In Cha, Kayleigh B. Wolstenholme, Ryan J. Rezek

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Establishing accurate weight-length relationships (WLR) and length-length relationships (LLR) is critical for effective fisheries management and ecological research. This study updates these essential metrics for commonly found fish and shrimp species in the North Inlet-Winyah Bay estuarine system, South Carolina, addressing gaps where previous data were unavailable, outdated, or sourced from other regions. Our research analyzed 7,874 specimens from 20 species across thirteen families, collected through trawl samples and bi-weekly seines from November 2022 to December 2023. The findings demonstrate robust WLRs with high coefficients of determination. Similarly, the LLRs confirmed reliable conversions between different length measurements. This study not …

Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) At Croft State Park In Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Jonathan J. Storm, Amelia R. Scollon, Melissa A. Storm, Briget C. Doyle

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Examination Of Oncogenic Effects Of Environmental Pollutants, Andrew Ackerman, Matthew Behling, Brock Earley, Janay Vacharasin

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Chemical byproducts produced by surrounding industrial complexes have polluted the local estuaries of Georgetown, South Carolina for several decades¹. Previous studies completed by the EPA and SCDNR showed that the estuaries contained carcinogenic pollutants released from the local manufacturing plants¹. One of the mentioned pollutants was dioxins which are produced during the paper bleaching process². Dioxins are highly toxic compounds that have various carcinogenic effects on the organisms that inhabit the area. These previous studies were conducted over thirty years ago. Therefore, a current study to determine if chemical byproducts are contaminating local estuaries …

Hpv Prevalence In A College-Aged Sample Group And Its Link To Sexual Behaviors And Attitudes, Emily E. Bishop, Rahjai Thomas, Katelyn Ambrose, Gabriela Lewczyk, Paul E. Richardson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

HPV, or Human Papilloma Virus, is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). It is the number one STI in men and women. There are over 460 subtypes; a majority of the subtypes are able to be cleared by the human immune system within 3 years after initial infection. However fifteen of these subtypes have been classified as ‘high-risk’ for carcinoma development, accounting for almost 100% of cervical cancers. This STI has an age prevalence starting at 19 for oral and genital infections. The overall goal of this research is to provide students with an equally represented and unbiased database …

A Triumph Of Conservation: The University Of South Carolina Aiken’S Bluebird Trail, Alyssa Godfrey, Emory Owens, Quinn Schreiber, Michelle L. Vieyra

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) was once an endangered species, with over 90% of its population declining in the early 1900s (Ritchison, 2000). These birds play a crucial role in regulating insect populations and maintaining the safety of food sources, making them important both economically and environmentally. Eastern Bluebirds are proof that conservation efforts work, as they are now a species of least conservation concern in the United States. Since 2020, undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina Aiken have collaborated with the South Carolina Bluebird Society to establish and monitor 31 nesting boxes across the main campus …

Striatal Beat Frequency Interval Timing Model With Microgravity Stressor, Jason Michael Fitzgerald, Sorinel Oprisan

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Striatal Beat Frequency (SBF) model of interval timing uses frontal cortex (FC) neural oscillations to record the state of the brain at the reinforcement time Tc during fixed interval (FI) procedures in the long-term memory (LMEM). The state of the FC oscillators at any given time is stored in a short-term memory (SMEM) buffer. The SBF model uses the spiny neurons of the basal ganglia (BG) as coincidence detectors to produce beats between the content of the SMEM and LMEM. Across multiple species that can perform interval timing, there are two invariant properties: (a) the timing is precise, and …

Growth And Mobility Of Physella Acuta Under Individual And Combined Acetaminophen And Salinity Exposure, Rhea Wilder, Jason Doll, Daniel Elias

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Global climate change, driven by rapid population growth and anthropogenic activities, presents an urgent challenge to aquatic ecosystems. Salinity intrusion threatens water quality and availability for human and wildlife populations. At the same time, due to the demand for pharmaceuticals, these pollutants are increasingly detected in freshwater environments, with acetaminophen being one of the most prevalent. This research analyzed the individual and combined effects of salinity (2.5 g/L) and acetaminophen (488 μg/L) on Physella acuta. Overall, we observed reduced snail movement under elevated salinity and no effects on growth or movement with acetaminophen alone or in combination with salinity. …

Movement And Diving Behavior Of Satellite-Tagged Male Sperm Whales In The Gulf Of Alaska, Lauren A. Wild, Franz J. Mueter, Janice Straley, Russ D. Andrews

Faculty

Male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are known to interact with and depredate from commercial longline fishing vessels targeting sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This study aims to better understand their movement patterns and diving behavior in this region, and in relation to depredation behavior. Between 2007 and 2016 a total of 33 satellite tags were deployed on sperm whales interacting with fishing vessels in the eastern GOA. A subset of these tags also collected dive characteristics. We used state space models to interpolate hourly positions from tags and estimate behavioral state from 29 usable tag records, …

Nitrogen Credits After Peanut (Arachis Hypogaea L.), Michael J. Mulvaney, Joseph E. Iboyi, Kipling S. Balkcom, David Jordan, Brendan Zurweller, Arun Jani

Biology, Agriculture and Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

State-level cooperative extension services provide fertilizer recommendations for row crops in the United States. Of these, nitrogen (N) recommendations are arguably the most important because N is the most common yield-limiting nutrient in nonlegume crop production systems. Throughout the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) growing region of the United States, Cooperative Extension Services generally recommends 22–67 kg N/ha credit to crops following peanut, likely due to the assumption that peanut, being a legume, contributes N to the following crop. The body of peer-reviewed literature indicates that N credits from peanut to the subsequent crop are negligible. Recent literature indicates that …

Microrna-532-3p Modulates Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation And Invasion Via Suppression Of Foxm1, Ketakee Mahajan, Ani V. Das, Suresh K. Alahari, Ramesh Pothuraju, S. Asha Nair

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease and classified into various subtypes, among which transcriptional alterations result in CRC progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Forkhead-box M1 (FOXM1) is a proliferation-associated transcription factor which is overexpressed in CRC and the mechanisms of FOXM1 regulation have been under investigation. Previously, we showed that FOXM1 binds to promoters of certain microRNAs. Database mining led to several microRNAs that might interact with FOXM1 3’UTR. The interactions between shortlisted microRNAs and FOXM1 3’UTR were quantitated by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. MicroRNA-532-3p interacted with the 3’UTR of the FOXM1 mRNA transcript most efficiently. MicroRNA-532-3p was ectopically …

Setrusumab For The Treatment Of Osteogenesis Imperfecta: 12-Month Results From The Phase 2b Asteroid Study, Francis H Glorieux, Bente Langdahl, Roland Chapurlat, Suzanne Jan De Beur, Vernon Reid Sutton, Kenneth E S Poole, Kathryn M Dahir, Eric S Orwoll, Bettina M Willie, Nicholas Mikolajewicz, Elizabeth Zimmermann, Seyedmahdi Hosseinitabatabaei, Michael S Ominsky, Chris Saville, James Clancy, Alastair Mackinnon, Arun Mistry, Muhammad K Javaid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder commonly caused by variants of the type I collagen genes COL1A1 and COL1A2. OI is associated with increased bone fragility, bone deformities, bone pain, and reduced growth. Setrusumab, a neutralizing antibody to sclerostin, increased areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in a 21-week phase 2a dose escalation study. The phase 2b Asteroid (NCT03118570) study evaluated the efficacy and safety of setrusumab in adults. Adults with a clinical diagnosis of OI type I, III, or IV, a pathogenic variant in COL1A1/A2, and a recent fragility fracture were randomized 1:1:1:1 to receive 2, 8, or …

Glycemic Control In Diabetic Patients Improved Overall Lung Cancer Survival Across Diverse Populations, Wayne Y Wu, Brian Luke, Xiao-Cheng Wu, J Jack Lee, Yong Yi, Samuel C Okpechi, Barry Gause, Paras Mehta, Steven I Sherman, Augusto Ochoa, Ethan Dmitrovsky, Xi Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The consequence of diabetes on lung cancer overall survival (OS) is debated. This retrospective study used 2 large lung cancer databases to assess comprehensively diabetes effects on lung cancer OS in diverse demographic populations, including health disparity.

Methods: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center database (32 643 lung cancer patients with 11 973 patients with diabetes) was extracted from electronic health records (EHRs) using natural language processing (NLP). Associations were between diabetes and lung cancer prognostic features (age, sex, race, body mass index [BMI], insurance status, smoking, stage, and histopathology). Hemoglobin A1C (HgbA1c) and glucose levels assessed …

Scintruler: Guiding The Integration Of Multiple Single-Cell Rna-Seq Datasets With A Novel Statistical Metric, Yue Lyu, Steven H Lin, Hao Wu, Ziyi Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Motivation: The growing number of single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) studies highlights the potential benefits of integrating multiple datasets, such as augmenting sample sizes and enhancing analytical robustness. Inherent diversity and batch discrepancies within samples or across studies continue to pose significant challenges for computational analyses. Questions persist in practice, lacking definitive answers: Should we use a specific integration method or opt for simply merging the datasets during joint analysis? Among all the existing data integration methods, which one is more suitable in specific scenarios?

Result: To fill the gap, we introduce SCIntRuler, a novel statistical metric for guiding the integration of …

Optimizing Tigertriever Adjustable Stentriever Technique: Operators’ Experience, Brian Jankowitz, Eitan Abergel, Ronit Agid, Abdul Rahman Al-Schameri, Krzysztof Bartosz Kądziołka, Allan Brook, Michael Diepers, Jeffrey Farkas, Johanna Fifi, Sebastian Fischer, Chirag Gandhi, Reid Gooch, Ramesh Grandhi, Guglielmo Pero, Guy Raphaeli, Sudipta Roychowdhury, Shahram Majidi, Christian Paul Stracke, Nader Sourour, Omar Tanweer, Satoshi Tateshima, Phil Taussky, Martin Wiesmann, Albert Yoo, Daniel W Zumofen, Justin Singer

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Tigertriever is a novel, radially adjustable stentriever that addresses limitations in traditional mechanical thrombectomy devices by providing enhanced user control over clot integration. This provides the ability to adapt to patient-specific factors such as varying vessel sizes and clot compositions and may be particularly crucial for ensuring efficacy and safety in distal locations. This consensus paper synthesizes the clinical techniques from a consortium of experienced international operators. It outlines the current data on the Tigertriever, discusses the new operator-controlled capabilities, and provides a recommended approach for both proximal and distal mechanical thrombectomy, emphasizing the "FLEX" approach (Fast Controlled Expansion …

Fetal Mavs And Type I Ifn Signaling Pathways Control Zikv Infection In The Placenta And Maternal Decidua, Yael Alippe, Leran Wang, Reyan Coskun, Stéfanie P Muraro, Fang R Zhao, Michelle Elam-Noll, J Michael White, Daiana M Vota, Vanesa C Hauk, Jeffrey I Gordon, Scott A Handley, Michael S Diamond

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The contribution of placental immune responses to congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) syndrome remains poorly understood. Here, we leveraged a mouse model of ZIKV infection to identify mechanisms of innate immune restriction exclusively in the fetal compartment of the placenta. ZIKV principally infected mononuclear trophoblasts in the junctional zone, which was limited by mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS) and type I interferon (IFN) signaling mechanisms. Single nuclear RNA sequencing revealed MAVS-dependent expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) in spongiotrophoblasts but not in other placental cells that use alternate pathways to induce ISGs. ZIKV infection of Ifnar1-/- or Mavs-/- placentas was associated with greater …

Overcoming Disparities In Hepatocellular Carcinoma Outcomes In First Nations Australians: A Strategic Plan For Action, Jessica Howell, Troy Combo, Paula Binks, Kylie Bragg, Sarah Bukulatjpi, Kirsty Campbell, Paul J. Clark, Melissa Carroll, Jane Davies, Teresa De Santis, Kate R. Muller, Bella Nguyen, John K. Olynyk, Nicholas Shackel, Patricia C. Valery, Alan J. Wigg, Jacob George, Stuart K. Roberts

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Serum Levels Of Interleukin-18, And C-Reactive Protein In Iraqi Patient With Diabetic Nephropathy, Ali Hussein Jabbar, Dhifaf Zeki Aziz

Al-Ameed Journal for Medical Research and Health Sciences

Background: chronic renal failure is a public health issue worldwide. It is arising due to various factors, including genetic predisposition, increased life expectancy and lifestyle-related elements. Diabetes is the primary cause of end-stage renal disease, and diabetic nephropathy occurs in 30 to 40% of patients.

Aims: the objective of this research is to provide insight into the evaluation of the serum levels of IL18 and CRP in Iraqi patient with diabetic nephropathy.

Procedure: This study conducted as a case-control study of Iraqi patients with diabetic nephropathy, the study comprised 40 patients with an equal number of healthy …

A Century In Stockton: Celebrating University Of The Pacific’S Central Valley Campus, Ken Albala, Lisa Cooperman, Lydia Fox, Paul Ustach, William Swagerty, Phillip Merlo, Martin Camps, Mark Brunell, Mike Wurtz

University of the Pacific Books

A Century in Stockton is a place-based history book of Pacific’s Stockton campus written by Pacific faculty experts. A Century in Stockton focuses on the place, with faculty experts writing about the geography, native history, trees, wildlife, architecture and more.