Digital Commons Network^™

Heart Village Gives Students Sustainability And Missions Experience, Taylor University

2023 Website News Stories

No abstract provided.

Medical School Watercooler Newsletter - November 10, 2023, Lindsey Lyle

Watercooler Newsletter

This is the November 10, 2023 edition of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine's newsletter - Watercooler.

Contents Include:

• Whiddon College of Medicine representatives host sessions at AAMC annual meeting
• Members of the USA SRFC present posters at national conference
• Bauer discusses potential of extracellular vesicles at international lung vascular biology conference
• Whiddon College of Medicine staff recognized for excellence
• Medical students educate Greek chapters about opioids
• Pierce awarded 2023 Mayer Mitchell Award for Excellence in Cancer Research
• Crews receives Marsha Raulerson Advocacy Award
• Miller to present Frazer/Leigh Memorial Lecture

Semantic Representation Of Neural Circuit Knowledge In Caenorhabditis Elegans., Sharan J Prakash, Kimberly M Van Auken, David P. Hill, Paul W Sternberg

Faculty Research 2023

In modern biology, new knowledge is generated quickly, making it challenging for researchers to efficiently acquire and synthesise new information from the large volume of primary publications. To address this problem, computational approaches that generate machine-readable representations of scientific findings in the form of knowledge graphs have been developed. These representations can integrate different types of experimental data from multiple papers and biological knowledge bases in a unifying data model, providing a complementary method to manual review for interacting with published knowledge. The Gene Ontology Consortium (GOC) has created a semantic modelling framework that extends individual functional gene annotations to …

Tilt Current Meter Measurements Near Straits Of Mackinac, Ana Dyreson, John Lenters, Xinyu Ye, Christopber Pinnow

Michigan Tech Research Data

We assess the unique water current velocities around the Straits of Mackinac between Lakes Michigan and Huron using a hydrodynamic model, observations from a buoy, and new measurements taken on the lakebed with tilt current meters.

Relation Between Halogen Bond Strength And Ir And Nmr Spectroscopic Markers, Akhtam Amonov, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The relationship between the strength of a halogen bond (XB) and various IR and NMR spectroscopic quantities is assessed through DFT calculations. Three different Lewis acids place a Br or I atom on a phenyl ring; each is paired with a collection of N and O bases of varying electron donor power. The weakest of the XBs display a C–X bond contraction coupled with a blue shift in the associated frequency, whereas the reverse trends occur for the stronger bonds. The best correlations with the XB interaction energy are observed with the NMR shielding of the C atom directly bonded …

Stem Lunch Series: Student Belonging In Stem, Rebecca Symula, Susan Pedigo, Jessica Osborne

Events

Date: Friday, November 10 Time: 12:00-1:00 pm Location: Johnson Commons East Banquet Room Panelists: Rebecca Symula, instructional associate professor of biology; Susan Pedigo, professor of chemistry and biochemistry; and Jessica Osborne, principal evaluation associate, Center for Research Evaluation The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) awards the University of Mississippi a grant to understand, promote, and evaluate inclusivity in STEM education. In this session, HHMI team members will share and discuss some of their initial research featuring student and faculty perspectives on belonging and inclusivity.

Improving Cervical Cancer Screening Rates In The Primary Care Setting, Esmeralda Young

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Cervical cancer screening with Pap is the recommended standard practice for women aged 21 to 65. The project aimed to increase low cervical cancer screening rates at a primary care clinic.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: (P) In women 21 to 65 years old in the primary care setting (I), does proactive pre-scheduling of cervical cancer screenings (C) compared to current standard practice (O) affect cervical cancer screening rates (T) over eight weeks?

Evidence: The evidence strongly supported improving cervical cancer screening among the targeted population. Studies showed that Pap smear screening reduced the …

Transport Barriers Influence The Activation Of Anti-Tumor Immunity: A Systems Biology Analysis, Mohammad R. Nikmaneshi, James W. Baish, Hengbo Zhou, Lance L. Munn

Faculty Journal Articles

Effective anti-cancer immune responses require activation of one or more naïve T cells. If the correct naïve T cell encounters its cognate antigen presented by an antigen presenting cell, then the T cell can activate and proliferate. Here, mathematical modeling is used to explore the possibility that immune activation in lymph nodes is a rate-limiting step in anti-cancer immunity and can affect response rates to immune checkpoint therapy. The model provides a mechanistic framework for optimizing cancer immunotherapy and developing testable solutions to unleash anti-tumor immune responses for more patients with cancer. The results show that antigen production rate and …

Frontmatter For The Florida Bba Ii, Florida Ornithological Society

BBA II Frontmatter

No abstract provided.

Environmental And Natural Resources Law Symposium: Assessing The August 2023 Amendments To The Waters Of The United States Rule In The Wake Of Sackett V. Epa, Ryan Day

Maurer Law Events

In 1982, the Army Corps of Engineers adopted the EPA definition of “waters of the United States.” This brought an end to a smoldering interagency conflict over the definitions under the Clean Water Act. This relationship was formalized with a 1989 Memorandum of Agreement between the EPA and the Corps; the Corps has largely ceded definitional decision making to the EPA, which develops guidance and supporting materials, while the Corps is responsible for most case-specific jurisdictional determinations under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. In 2023, the agencies embarked on their latest round of rulemaking. In January, the Biden …

Faculty Feed November 10, 2023, College Of Arts & Sciences

News, Magazines and Reports

Recent student and faculty accomplishments.

Investigating The Impact Of Reticulate Evolution And Paralogy In Phylogenomic Studies Using The Complex Genus Packera (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), Erika Rae Moore-Pollard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Underlying discordance in phylogenomic studies is becoming more common, and the answer is not as simple as adding more data. Biological processes such as polyploidy, hybridization, and incomplete lineage sorting are main contributors to these issues and must be considered when generating phylogenies. Otherwise, phylogeny building in complex groups can lead to spurious results, and interpretations could be misleading. The genus Packera belongs to the sunflower family and contains an estimated 64 species and varieties endemic to North America. Packera is complex as most members are known to hybridize or exhibit polyploidy, making it difficult to reconstruct evolutionary relationships within …

Efficient Chemical-Free Degradation Of Waterborne Micropollutants With An Immobilized Dual-Porous Tio2 Photocatalyst, Daniel E. Willis, Ella C. Sheets, Mary R. Worbington, Madhusudan Kamat, Sarah K. Glass, Ma Cayla J. Caso, Tochukwu Ofoegbuna, Liz M. Diaz, Caleb Osei-Appau, Samuel D. Snow, Kevin M. Mcpeak

Faculty Publications

Photocatalytic advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) promise a chemical-free route to energy-efficient degradation of waterborne micropollutants if long-standing mass transfer and light management issues can be overcome. Herein, we developed a dual-porous photocatalytic system consisting of a mesoporous (i.e., 2-50 nm pores) TiO2 (P25) photocatalyst supported on macroporous (i.e., >50 nm pores) fused quartz fibers (P25/QF). Our reusable photocatalytic AOP reduces chemical consumption and exhibits excellent energy efficiency, demonstrated by degrading various pharmaceutical compounds (acetaminophen, sulfamethoxazole, and carbamazepine) in natural waters with electrical energy per order (EEO) values of 4.07, 0.96, and 1.35 kWh/m3, respectively. Compared to the conventional H2O2/UVC AOP, …

Uavs And Deep Neural Networks: An Alternative Approach To Monitoring Waterfowl At The Site Level, Zachary J. Loken

LSU Master's Theses

Understanding how waterfowl respond to habitat restoration and management activities is crucial for evaluating and refining conservation delivery programs. However, site-specific waterfowl monitoring is challenging, especially in heavily forested systems such as the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV)—a primary wintering region for ducks in North America. I hypothesized that using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) coupled with deep learning-based methods for object detection would provide an efficient and effective means for surveying non-breeding waterfowl on difficult-to-access restored wetland sites. Accordingly, during the winters of 2021 and 2022, I surveyed wetland restoration easements in the MAV using a UAV equipped with a dual …

An Overview Of Elements And Relations: Aspects Of A Scientific Metaphysics, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

A talk on my book, Elements and Relations: Aspects of a Scientific Metaphysics. Book description:

This book develops the core proposition that systems theory is an attempt to construct an “exact and scientific metaphysics,” a system of general ideas central to science that can be expressed mathematically. Collectively, these ideas would constitute a non-reductionist “theory of everything” unlike what is being sought in physics. Inherently transdisciplinary, systems theory offers ideas and methods that are relevant to all of the sciences and also to professional fields such as systems engineering, public policy, business, and social work. To demonstrate the generality …

Finite Element Analysis Comparing A Peek Posterior Fixation Device Versus Pedicle Screws For Lumbar Fusion, Robert Eastlack, Pierce Nunley, Kornelis Poelstra, Alex Vaccaro, Marcus Stone, Larry Miller, Pierre Legay, Julien Clin, Aakash Agarwal

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Pedicle screw loosening and breakage are common causes of revision surgery after lumbar fusion. Thus, there remains a continued need for supplemental fixation options that offer immediate stability without the associated failure modes. This finite element analysis compared the biomechanical properties of a novel cortico-pedicular posterior fixation (CPPF) device with those of a conventional pedicle screw system (PSS).

METHODS: The CPPF device is a polyetheretherketone strap providing circumferential cortical fixation for lumbar fusion procedures via an arcuate tunnel. Using a validated finite element model, we compared the stability and load transfer characteristics of CPPF to intact conditions under a …

Repeated Multi-Domain Cognitive Training Prevents Cognitive Decline, Anxiety And Amyloid Pathology Found In A Mouse Model Of Alzheimer Disease, Jogender Mehla, Scott H Deibel, Hadil Karem, Nancy S Hong, Shakhawat R Hossain, Sean G Lacoursiere, Robert J Sutherland, Majid H Mohajerani, Robert J Mcdonald

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Education, occupation, and an active lifestyle, comprising enhanced social, physical, and mental components are associated with improved cognitive functions in aged people and may delay the progression of various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. To investigate this protective effect, 3-month-old APP

Racial And Ethnic Differences In The Usage Of Opioids To Treat Chronic Pain, Char Ong, Adam Fink, Tian Yu, Nebojsa Nick Knezevic

Advocate GME

No abstract provided.

Factors Affecting Forage Quality And The Subsequent Response In Production And Energy Metabolism In Lactating Jersey Cows, Kassidy Kate Buse

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Forage quality is the potential of a forage to produce a production response in animals. Because of how essential they are in dairy cattle rations, forages can have major influence on the behavior and production of dairy cattle. In experiment 1, the effect of forage fragility on the rumen environment and digestibility was evaluated. Increasing the inclusion of a less fragile forage led to greater rumen retention time, which resulted in lower rumen pH and greater NDF digestibility. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of diets high in either corn silage or alfalfa haylage supplemented with either corn- or soy-based protein …

Role Of Soluble Urokinase Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor (Supar) In Predicting Mortality, Readmission, Length Of Stay And Discharge In Emergency Patients: A Systematic Review And Meta Analysis, Syeda Tayyaba Rehan, Hassan Ul Hussain, Eman Ali, Kanwal Ashok Kumar, Shehroze Tabassum, Muhammad Hasanain, Asim Shaikh, Gibran Ali, Zohaib Yousaf, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar

Section of Internal Medicine

Background: Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is an inflammatory biomarker that is used to predict mortality, readmission, early discharge, and LOS, thus, serves as a useful tool for ED physicians. Our study aims to analyze the efficacy of suPAR in predicting these prognostic markers in ED.
Methods: We performed a comprehensive search on 6 databases from the inception to 30th November 2022, to select the following eligibility criteria; a) observation or triage trial studies investigating the role of suPAR levels in predicting: 30 day and 90-day mortality, 30-day readmission, early discharge (within 24hr), and LOS in patients coming to …

Feasibility Of A Text Messaging-Integrated And Chatbot-Interfaced Self-Management Program For Symptom Control In Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy: Pilot Mixed Methods Study, Sameh Gomaa, James Posey, Babar Bashir, Atrayee Mallick, Eleanor Vanderklok, Max Schnoll, Tingting Zhan, Kuang-Yi Wen

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Outpatient chemotherapy often leaves patients to grapple with a range of complex side effects at home. Leveraging tailored evidence-based content to monitor and manage these symptoms remains an untapped potential among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to bridge the gap in outpatient chemotherapy care by integrating a cutting-edge text messaging system with a chatbot interface. This approach seeks to enable real-time monitoring and proactive management of side effects in patients with GI cancer undergoing intravenous chemotherapy.

METHODS: Real-Time Chemotherapy-Associated Side Effects Monitoring Supportive System (RT-CAMSS) was developed iteratively, incorporating patient-centered inputs and evidence-based information. It …

Employing A Fractional Basis Set To Solve Nonlinear Multidimensional Fractional Differential Equations, Md. Habibur Rahman, Muhammad I. Bhatti, Nicholas Dimakis

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Fractional-order partial differential equations have gained significant attention due to their wide range of applications in various fields. This paper employed a novel technique for solving nonlinear multidimensional fractional differential equations by means of a modified version of the Bernstein polynomials called the Bhatti-fractional polynomials basis set. The method involved approximating the desired solution and treated the resulting equation as a matrix equation. All fractional derivatives are considered in the Caputo sense. The resulting operational matrix was inverted, and the desired solution was obtained. The effectiveness of the method was demonstrated by solving two specific types of nonlinear multidimensional fractional …

Locomotor Kinematics On Sand Vs. Vinyl Flooring In The Sidewinder Rattlesnake Crotalus Cerastes, Jessica L. Tingle, Brian M. Sherman, Theodore Garland Jr

University Research

For terrestrial locomotion of animals and machines, physical characteristics of the substrate can strongly impact kinematics and performance. Snakes are an especially interesting system for studying substrate effects because their gait depends more on the environment than on their speed. We tested sidewinder rattlesnakes (Crotalus cerastes) on two surfaces: sand collected from their natural environment and vinyl tile flooring, an artificial surface often used to elicit sidewinding in laboratory settings. Of ten kinematic variables examined, two differed significantly between the substrates: the body's waveform had an average of ∼17% longer wavelength on vinyl flooring (measured in body lengths), and snakes …

The Discussion – Conclusion Section Of Quantitative Versus Qualitative Research Articles In Second Language Writing: Rhetorical Structure And Interactional Metadiscourse, Oksana Bomba

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed and compared the rhetorical structure of the Discussion – Conclusion sections from quantitative versus qualitative research articles (RAs) in the interdisciplinary field of Second Language Writing (SLW). Although Discussion and Conclusion sections are critical components in the RA genre that present a challenge to novice writers, little is known about the rhetorical organization of RA Discussion – Conclusion sections and how quantitative and qualitative research paradigms may shape the ways RA writers present and discuss their findings.

This corpus-based study analyzed the rhetorical structure of the SLW RA Discussion – Conclusion sections from quantitative and qualitative research …

In Silico And In Vitro Drug Discovery Strategies And The Chemical Investigation Of Endophytic Fungi, Sarah Grace Dietrick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The biodiversity of our global marine ecosystems provides substantial treasure to discover: chemistry. Marine organisms that live in proximity to one another use their unique chemistry to compete with one another and thrive in their environment. Benthic invertebrates, specifically, that lack physical means of protection will produce secondary metabolites as a means of defense from their surroundings and predators. The compounds which they produce are ordinarily species-specific, highly diverse biomolecules. Biosynthetic processes within an organism construct these secondary metabolites from fragments of primary metabolites (amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, and so on). Their roles in protection have antibiotic, toxic, and …

Syntheses, Photophysics, & Application Of Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks, Zachary L. Magnuson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycles that play crucial roles in various biological processes such as electron transfer, catalysis, and sensing. Hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of mammals, and chlorophyll, which drives photosynthesis in plants and algae, are both porphyrins. The ability of porphyrins to bind metal ions and their unique electronic and photophysical properties make them an excellent platform for designing functional materials for various applications, often drawing inspiration from their function in nature. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials that have been extensively studied in recent years due to their high surface …

Synthetic Studies Of Potential New Ketogenic Molecules, Mohammad Nazmus Sakib

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity in the past few decades among people and physicians due to its various health benefits. A significant amount of research has been done for the modification of the original ketogenic diet and investigation of its potential health benefits. However, synthesis of novel ketogenic compounds as a dietary supplement has not received the same level of attention. That is the primary objective of this research project. The first chapter of this manuscript describes the synthesis of various short and medium chain esters of different polyols that have been done so far, and areas of their …

Correlations Between Mental Health, Physical Activity, And Body Composition In American College Students After The Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown, Luis Torres, Manuela C Caciula, Alin S Tomoiaga, Carmen Gugu-Gramatopol

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had forced American college students to significantly reduce their daily energy expenditure and increase their sedentary behaviors, thus presumably increasing mental health symptoms, decreasing physical activity levels, and enhancing the promotion of unhealthy eating habits. This study aimed to explore the correlations between mental health symptoms, physical activity levels, and body composition in college students in the years following the pandemic, focusing on the lingering effects of lockdown measures. American college students completed pre-existing, well-validated surveys for both mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Long Form). Body …

Biom-55. Targeted Gene Expression Profiling Predicts Meningioma Outcomes And Radiotherapy Responses, William Chen, Abrar Choundhury, Narj W. Youngblood, Mei-Yin Polly, Calixto-Hope Lucas, Kanish Mirchia, Sybren Maas, Abigail Suwala, Minhee Won, James Bayley, Akdes Harmanci, Arif Marmanci, Tiemo Kilsch, Minh Nguyen, Harish Vasudevan, Katy Mccortney, Tai-Chung Lam, Jenny Kan-Suen Pu, Lai-Fung Li, Gilberto Ka-Kit Leung, Jason Chan, Haley Perlow, Joshua Palmer, Anna Berghoff, Matthias Preusser, Theodore Nicolaides, Christian Mawrin, Jacob Young, Lauren Boreta, Steve Braunstein, Jessica Schulte, Nicolas Butowski, Sandro Santagatta, Nancy Ann Oberheim Bush, Javier Vallaneuva-Meyer, James P. Chandler, David Solomon, Leland Rogers, Stephanie Pugh, Minesh Mehta, Penny Sneed, Michael Berger, Craig Horbinski, Michael Mcdrmott, Arie Perry, Wenya Linda Bi, Akash Patel, Felix Sahm, Stephen Magill, David Raleigh

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION

Improvements in meningioma risk stratification are needed and current indications for postoperative radiotherapy are controversial. Here we report multicenter clinical and analytical validation of a gene expression biomarker using clinical and genomic data from 1856 meningiomas from 12 institutions across 3 continents. METHODS

A previously-developed 34-gene expression biomarker was applied to 3 validation cohorts: (1) a multicenter retrospective clinical validation cohort (N = 6 centers, N = 866 meningiomas, median follow-up 5.2 years), (2) a prospective investigator-blinded clinical validation cohort from RTOG 0539 (N = 103 meningiomas, median follow-up 8.4 years), and (3) an analytical validation cohort for test/re-test …

Recurrent Somatic Copy Number Alterations And Their Association With Oncogene Expression Levels In High-Grade Ovarian Serous Carcinoma, Hillary P Esplen, Richard K Yang, Awdhesh Kalia, Zhenya Tang, Guilin Tang, L Jeffrey Medeiros, Gokce A Toruner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) are frequently observed in high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma (HGOSC). However, their impact on gene expression levels has not been systematically assessed. In this study, we explored the relationship between recurrent SCNA and gene expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas Pan Cancer dataset (OSC, TCGA, PanCancer Atlas) to identify cancer-related genes in HGOSC. We then investigated any association between highly correlated cancer genes and clinicopathological parameters, including age of diagnosis, disease stage, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). A total of 772 genes with recurrent SCNAs were observed. SCNA and mRNA expression levels were highly …