Digital Commons Network^™

Hyaluronan 35 Prevents Endotoxin-Mediated Dysregulated Skeletal Muscle Proteostasis During Ethanol Exposure, Nicole Welch, Pugazhendhi Kannan, Gangarao Davuluri, Annette Bellar, Amy H. Attaway, Saurabh Mishra, Jasmin A. Cunningham, Avinash Kumar, Ryan Musich, Elif G. Ertugral, Vandana Agrawal, Isaac L. Hu, Terri J. Hartford, Noah L. Weisleder, Vidula T. Vachharajani, Chandrasekhar R. Kothapalli

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Sarcopenia in alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is of high clinical significance, but there are no effective treatments. Hyaluronan 35 kDa (HA35), a glycosaminoglycan polymer, modulates responses to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a lipopolysaccharide receptor, to improve hepatic and macrophage function in ALD. We evaluated skeletal muscle responses to HA35 in preclinical models of ALD. Responses to ethanol, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and HA35 were studied in differentiated murine C2C12/human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived myotubes, and wild-type/HA receptor CD44 knockout (CD44(-/-)) mouse models of ALD (mALD). Signaling molecules and measures of protein homeostasis (proteostasis) were quantified by immunoblots, mitochondrial oxidative function was determined …

Schwannomatosis Tumor Modeling: Progress And Prospects For Translational Research, Mackenzie S Madison, Huazhen Xu, Yarelis Gonzalez-Vargas, Marybeth G Yonk, Charee M Thompson, Hurley Haney, Danielle Babbitt, Yuhong Du, Angela C Hirbe, Nicholas M Boulis, Ren-Yuan Bai, Kecheng Lei

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Schwannomatosis (SWN) is a rare genetic condition characterized by the development of benign schwannomas along peripheral and spinal nerves, and this tumor development often results in chronic peripheral pain and significant neurological deficits. Despite surgical resection being the current standard of care for SWN-related pain, scientists are searching for accurate preclinical models that can be used for drug efficacy testing, but existing models often fail to fully recapitulate the complex genotypic diversity and tumor-nerve interface pathology seen in patients. MAIN TEXT: This review first summarizes the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of SWN subtypes resulting from key mutations in NF2, …

Energy And Fluid Balance During A 214-Km Winter Ultraendurance Race: A Case Study, Kyle W. Wehmanen, Brent C. Ruby, Timothy C. Shriver, Michele N. Ravelli, Shalaya Kipp, John Mcdaniel, Erich Petushek, Steven J. Elmer

Michigan Tech Publications

The upper limits for total energy expenditure (TEE) and water turnover (rHO) in humans have been reported during several continuous single-day ultraendurance races (running, cycling, and triathlon). Currently, the upper limits for TEE and rHO during continuous single-day activity in cold weather (< 0 °C) remain unknown. The Arrowhead Ultra is one of the coldest ultraendurance races in North America and provides a unique opportunity to answer these questions. Racers select a bicycle, cross-country skis, or foot travel to traverse a 214-km snow-covered trail (altitude range: 345-426 m, 2,030-m elevation gain). Historically, approximately one-half of the racers complete the event. In this case study, we assessed TEE and rHO from the racer [cyclist: age: 22 yr, height: 1.84 m, body mass: 87.7 kg, and maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o): 5.0 LO·min] who won the 2025 Arrowhead Ultra (17.9 h, -13 to -1 °C) using the doubly labeled water method. Total energy and fluid intake were recorded to assess energy and fluid balance. Mean heart rate was 141 beats·min (71% of maximum heart rate). TEE was 63.9 MJ (15,273 kcal, 9.6 times basal metabolic rate) while total energy intake was 33.2 MJ (7,941 kcal). Mean carbohydrate intake was 88 g·h. Water turnover was 17.7 L, yielding a rHO/TEE ratio of 0.28 L·MJ for the race. The cyclist demonstrated high TEE and rHO that were comparable to values from other ultraendurance athletes competing in a range of temperatures (3-34°C). Notably, rHO from this cyclist was higher compared to athletes performing other ultratype endeavors in cold weather conditions (-25 to -19 °C). Our observations shed light on energy and fluid demands during continuous single-day activity in the cold and have endurance training and performance implications. In this short report, we detail new data on the upper limits of human energy expenditure (9.6 times basal metabolic rate) and water turnover (10.5 L·12 h) during continuous single-day exercise in the cold. Our results indicated elevated energy use, and impressively, water turnover comparable to exercise in warmer conditions. These findings have implications for training and endurance performance of strenuous exercise in cold weather environments.

Impaired Arginine, Citrulline And Glutamine Metabolism In Type 2 Diabetes: Insights From A Stable Isotope Study, Mustafa Tosur, Raven A Wierzchowska-Mcnew, Nicolaas E P Deutz, Mariëlle P K J Engelen

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Context: Arginine (Arg) is an important amino acid in T2D as a potent insulin secretagogue and precursor for nitric oxide (NO). Citrulline (Cit), the substrate for de novo Arg synthesis, is mostly produced from glutamine (Gln).

Objective: We aimed to investigate their metabolism in T2D using novel stable isotope tracer approach.

Methods: We studied 42 individuals (21 with T2D, 21 controls). After overnight fasting, blood samples were collected following pulse administration of stable amino acid tracers. Plasma concentrations and isotopic enrichments were measured by LC-MS/MS, and compartmental analyses were performed to calculate their whole-body production (WBP) rates and kinetics.

Results: …

Selective Reversal Of Cu-Amyloid Aggregation Monitored In Real Time By Fluorescence Anisotropy: Ni-Bme-Dach Vs Edta Benchmarks, Alyssa N. Schroeder, Eleanor K. Adams, Dane C. Frost, Erica Lopez, Jennie R. Giacomini, Marilyn R. Mackiewicz

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Metal dyshomeostasis, particularly involving Cu2+, is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregation and neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease, motivating the development of chelators capable of selectively disrupting pathogenic metal-Aβ interactions without perturbing essential biological metals. Here, we employ steady-state fluorescence anisotropy as a real-time probe of TAMRA-Aβ1–42 rotational mobility to quantify metal-induced aggregation and its reversibility by two chelators with distinct selectivities: EDTA, a broad-spectrum benchmark, and Ni-bme-dach, a sulfur-rich metallodithiolate with high Cu affinity. Cu2+ induces the most significant increases in anisotropy, consistent with rapid formation of large nanoscale aggregates, while Fe3+ produces moderate aggregation and …

Regulating Reader(S): Book People V. Wong, Compelled Speech, And Sexually Explicit Library Materials In The Fifth Circuit, Gray Wood

Texas A&M Law Review

This Note analyzes the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ recent holding in Book People, Inc. v. Wong, which struck down Texas Education Code Chapter 35. Passed under the 88th Texas Legislature’s READER Act in 2023, Chapter 35 instituted a mandatory rating system that required Texas book vendors to review the books they sold to district schools and open-enrollment charter schools for sexually explicit material. Book vendors banded together to oppose the law, arguing that it constituted compelled speech, a legal doctrine that has come to the forefront of First Amendment fights since the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in 303 …

In The Belly Of The Beast:The Struggle For Abortion Rights And Reproductive Freedom In El Salvador, Cho, Karen Hyunbee

Santa Clara Journal of International Law

El Salvador maintains one of the most restrictive abortion regimes globally. Abortion is prohibited in all circumstances, and women who undergo the procedure may face prosecution for aggravated homicide, punishable by sentences of up to fifty years’ imprisonment. Healthcare professionals who assist with such procedures can likewise face criminal liability, with penalties of up to twelve years of imprisonment. This article concerns the case of a woman named Beatriz (surname unlisted) in El Salvador who sought an abortion in 2013 when she was medically diagnosed with a high-risk condition and an anencephalic fetus during her pregnancy. She was denied her …

Paying The Price For Beauty Abroad: Khoula Hospital’S Experience With Complications Following Aesthetic Procedures Performed Overseas, 2013–2023, Khalifa Al Alawi, Areej Al-Mamari, Maysa Al-Maawali, Ashima Alkabi, Al-Batul Al-Mufargi, Juhaina Al Tobi, Hoor Al-Khanjari, Yasmine Al Balushi, Rawan Al Mandhari, Rafal Aljadder, Sultan Al Shaqsi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the types and outcomes of complications arising from aesthetic surgeries performed abroad and subsequently managed at Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Methods: This retrospective study included patients who presented with post-aesthetic surgical complications after undergoing procedures outside Oman from January 2013 to December 2023. Data were extracted from Khoula Hospital’s electronic health records, focusing on demographics, procedures performed, types of complications and outcomes, including admissions and surgical interventions. Results: A total of 191 patients with 488 recorded encounters were included. The most common procedures done overseas were abdominoplasty (50.8%), lipectomy (29.3%) and …

Ai Integration In English Language Teaching: Exploring Efl Teachers’ Perceptions And Challenges In Saudi Universities, Waheeb Shadid Al-Biladi

UB Journal for Humanities

In response to the growing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English language education, this study explores how EFL educators in Saudi universities perceive and respond to the challenges associated with incorporating AI into their teaching practices. A quantitative study including 158 male and female EFL faculty members at Saudi institutions was executed using a standardized questionnaire to evaluate perceived barriers connected to AI and corresponding coping methods. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests were used to examine differences based on gender, teaching experience, and educational qualification. The findings indicate that educators somewhat recognize hurdles, including technological difficulties, inadequate training, and …

Paradox In The Characters Of Abdullah Thabit’S Novels: A Study In Vision And Form, Khalid Nasser Al-Jumaihi Al-Qahtani

UB Journal for Humanities

This research examines irony as an artistic and semantic mechanism that transcends the limits of apparent contradiction to express the depth of the psychological and intellectual conflicts experienced by characters within the novelistic text. In light of the intellectual and aesthetic transformations witnessed in Saudi narrative discourse, irony has emerged as one of the most effective narrative tools for uncovering the deep contradictions that govern the relationship between the individual, the self, and society. It is not merely an aesthetic device used to provoke surprise or astonishment, but rather a semantic structure that reflects a crisis-ridden consciousness caught between values …

The Impact Of Climate On Solar Panel Performance In Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Mounira Matthas Al-Qahtani

UB Journal for Humanities

This study aims to identify the most important climatic elements that must be considered when designing solar panels in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah for the period 1995–2024, as well as the impact of monthly and annual climatic variations on the efficiency of solar panel performance. The study relies on the following climatic elements: annual radiation, temperature, relative humidity, wind, rainfall, and dust, in order to understand the relationship between climatic elements and the performance of solar panels. The study employed an analytical and applied methodology. The results indicate that Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah enjoys high levels of solar radiation, with an overall average of …

David Hawkins’ Scale Of Consciousness: Its Origin, Contemporary Philosophical Principles, And Negative Impacts, Dr. Muzun Bint Yahya Al-Qahtani

UB Journal for Humanities

Research Topic: This research examines the ideas and philosophy of David Hawkins, which he establishes through his scale. It examines the scale and its levels in detail through his books, and the most important linear philosophies upon which Hawkins relied and disseminated in his courses and applications under the name “Consciousness Scale.”

Research Objectives: To highlight the seriousness of the scale and the philosophies upon which it is based, and the philosophies upon which the scale is based and disseminated.

Key Findings: This philosophical scale establishes the doctrine of spiritual atheism, the unity of being, and the pursuit of deification …

Using Generative Ai In Computer Science Internships; Implications For Career Readiness, Mitra Panahi, Lucas G. Zangari, Gaurang Kamat, Olufisayo Omojokun, Alejandra J. Magana, Ricardo Eiris, Pedro Guillermo Feijóo-García

Purdue Polytechnic Graduate Student Poster Symposium

This empirical study delves into how computer science interns use generative AI tools during their internship experience and shows how these technologies connect academic training with practical professional practice. Grounded on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), we examine how GenAI usage influences students' self-efficacy and internship outcomes during internships in fast-changing tech environments. Data were gathered via mixed-methods surveys from 40 undergraduate computer science students at a large Southeastern U.S. public university, with internship experience and also worked as teaching assistants. Findings show that while GenAI got the green light in 65.8% of internships, its use was cautious and infrequent …

Emotion Driven Rumor Detection And Analysis: An Llm(Large Language Model) Augmented Approach, Chinelo Njoku, Yingjie Chen

Purdue Polytechnic Graduate Student Poster Symposium

Misinformation and rumors during public health crises significantly affect lives and increases mistrust in government and public health institutions. The circulation and amplification of rumors often worsen disease transmission and impede effective interventions. Historically, rumor spread has been a recurring issue in public health emergencies. For example, during the Ebola outbreak, misinformation about the virus and its treatment created deep mistrust of health workers. Similarly, in the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread misinformation fueled public panic and vaccine hesitancy. Previous research has primarily identified social media as a channel for rumor dissemination and focused on automatic rumor detection for fact-checking using binary …

Black Women In Oregon Academia, Topanga Shakur-Freeman

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

Black women scholars are a powerful demographic of intellectuals navigating a haunted house of academia, a structure erected upon the bones of a grotesque past. Black women scholars navigate a complex and often hostile academic landscape, a realm marked by under representation and the insidious interplay of race and gender. Oregon, a state steeped in a sinister history of racial terror, casts a long shadow over its present. Its soil, contaminated by the blood of countless Black lives, serves as a fertile ground for the insidious growth of systemic racism. Until 1905, a malevolent decree barred Black individuals from even …

Assessing The Information Literacy Skills Of Faculty And Students In Using Open Educational Resources In Nigerian Universities, Adeniran Adetoro

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Access to Open Educational Resources (OERs) by university libraries and through online sources is trending among academics and students in Nigeria, particularly given the emphasis on it by the National Universities commission in recent times. Extant literature points to low level of use of OERs among faculty and students, and there is an urgent need to understand the extent to which their information literacy (IL)skills can explain this and how IL drives OERs practical use for academic purposes. Thus, the paper investigates the perceived information literacy of faculty and graduate students in using open educational resources in federal universities in …

The Essential Francisco Sosa, Or, Picadou's Mexico City, C.M. Mayo

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

From The Editor: Mexican Voices: Crónica De Crónicas, Lee Gutkind

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Interview With Diane Hume George

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

What's The Story #22, Lee Gutkind

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Cover To Cover: Reviews Of New Books, David Hayes

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Creative Nonfiction In The Crosshairs, Lee Gutkind

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Acknowledgement

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Back Matter

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Lessons From The Unlikely, Erin Newport

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Postpartum, Nancy Linnon

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

The Agony And The Agony, Deborah Mcdonald

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Rage And Reconciliation: Inspiring A Health Care Revolution, Lee Gutkind

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Creative Nonfiction Magazine

No abstract provided.

Recreating The Magic: Designing Serendipitous Discovery Experiences In 100% Online Libraries, Stephanie Garrett

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Traditional libraries excel at serendipitous discovery—patrons browse shelves, stumble upon unexpected titles, and make chance connections between materials. But how do we recreate this magic in purely digital environments? This presentation showcases a successful transformation of a 100% online library that achieved over 90% increased asset usage in just 12 months through strategic implementation of serendipitous discovery features.

Using Springshare's LibGuides CMS as the foundation, we redesigned the digital library experience around three core discovery spaces: Visual Course Reserve Guides that mirror physical browsing through thumbnail displays and thematic clustering, a comprehensive Reference Section that encourages exploration beyond immediate research …