Digital Commons Network^™

Post-Calcium Treatment Evolution Of Alumina (Al2o3) Inclusions Morphology, Naziru I. Fuseini, Ronald J. O'Malley, Todd P. Sander, Jeffrey D. Smith, Haiming Wen, Laura N. Bartlett

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The post-calcium morphological evolution of Al₂O₃ inclusions formed under high-oxygen supersaturation (~1000 ppm) was investigated through time-resolved sampling and quenching of aluminum-killed, calcium-treated steel. SEM-EDS analysis revealed the formation of angular two-phase CaO·Al₂O₃–CaS inclusions within 1 minute, gradually transforming into spherical liquid 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ and CaO·Al₂O₃ with a thin CaS layer around it. The 3D morphology of the CaS phase of the complex CaO·Al₂O₃–CaS inclusions observed at 1 minute appeared as a cone-cap attached to the partially modified CaO·Al₂O₃. This …

Thermodynamic Analysis Of Metal Segregation In Two Metal Boride-Carbide Ceramics Containing V With Cr, Hf, Ti, Or Zr, Ana C. Feltrin, Simon Divilov, Gregory E. Hilmas, Stefano Curtarolo, William G. Fahrenholtz

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Dual-phase carbide-boride ceramics in different vanadium-Me (Me = Cr, Hf, Ti, and Zr) binary systems were synthesized by boro/carbothermal reduction under stoichiometric and carbon-deficient conditions and densified by spark plasma sintering. Thermodynamic analysis was used to evaluate the influence of composition on the phase stability and metal segregation between phases, along with the resulting effects on microstructure and hardness. Pairing vanadium with Group IV elements (Hf, Ti, and Zr) consistently formed one boride and one carbide phase, while the Cr-V system formed a monoboride phase and a carbon-deficient carbide. Metal segregation trends depended on composition. Vanadium preferentially segregated to the …

Zirconium And Hafnium Interdiffusion Study In Zrb2–Hfb2 System, Yue Zhou, Ana C. Feltrin, William G. Fahrenholtz, Gregory E. Hilmas

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Interdiffusion of Zr and Hf in the diboride system was investigated. High-purity zirconium diboride (ZrB₂) and hafnium diboride (HfB₂) were prepared by a combination of boro-/carbothermal reduction synthesis and densification by spark plasma sintering. The bulk ceramics had relative densities of 99.3% for ZrB₂ and 99.7% for HfB₂, and both ceramics were phase-pure by x-ray diffraction analysis. Diffusion couples of ZrB₂ and HfB₂ were annealed at temperatures ranging from 2000°C to 2200°C for times from 4 to 12 h. Zr and Hf elemental concentration profiles were measured using energy dispersive spectroscopy …

Examining The Effect Of Newcomers’ Adaptability On Proximal And Distal Outcomes Of Organizational Socialization, Vahe Permzadian, Mishra Vipanchi

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

We investigate the role of individual adaptability (I-ADAPT) in newcomer socialization by exploring its effects on the proximal and distal outcomes of the work-role transition process. Based on I-ADAPT theory, our study assesses how I-ADAPT affects the three key indicators of newcomer adjustment (i.e., role clarity, task mastery, and social acceptance) and, in turn, their effect on the distal socialization outcomes of job satisfaction, turnover intention, and work withdrawal. Using a 2-wave prospective design, we collected data from 280 newcomers recruited through Prolific. Results indicated that I-ADAPT dimensions differentially predict newcomer adjustment, with learning adaptability affecting role clarity, uncertainty adaptability …

Novel Small-Molecule Analogues Of Iu1 Ameliorate Amyloid-Β Mediated Toxicity In Alzheimer’S Disease Cell And Worm Models, Ajish Ariyath, Fraulein Denise Arigo, Izhar Wallach, W. M.A.D.Binosha Fernando, Ralph N. Martins, Prashant Bharadwaj

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Dysregulation of the deubiquitinating enzyme Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 14 (USP14) is implicated in several neurodegenerative diseases, and IU1, an allosteric inhibitor, has shown neuroprotective effects by reducing protein aggregate toxicity. This study aimed to develop new IU1 analogues and evaluate their ability to mitigate amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and toxicity in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cell and Caenorhabditis elegans worm models. IU1 and 71 newly designed analogues identified using the AtomNet^® virtual screening platform were assessed in an amyloid precursor protein-C terminal fragment/amyloid-β (APP-C99/Aβ)-producing AD cell model using a high-throughput toxicity assay. Lead compounds were further evaluated for their effects on neurodegeneration, …

Overtourism In Bali And Lombok: A Governance And Community Perspective On Challenges And Strategies For Sustainable Development, Rudy Pramono, Juliana Juliana, Meitolo Hulu, Arifin Djakasaputra, Ferry Jie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The rapid expansion of tourism in Bali and Lombok has precipitated a state of overtourism, critically challenging their ecological and socio-cultural carrying capacities. This study, conducted between 2023 and 2024, employs a qualitative case study approach to investigate the manifestations of overtourism and the efficacy of prevailing mitigation strategies. Data were collected through 32 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions, and extensive field observations across key destinations in both islands. The findings reveal that overtourism is not merely a function of high visitor numbers but a symptom of systemic governance failure. Key manifestations include acute environmental degradation, the commodification of …

A General Limit Theory For Nonlinear Functionals Of Nonstationary Time Series, Qiying Wang, Peter C. B. Phillips

Research Collection School Of Economics

New limit theory is provided for a wide class of sample variance and covariance functionals involving both nonstationary and stationary time series. Sample functionals of this type commonly appear in regression applications and the asymptotics are particularly relevant to estimation and inference in nonlinear nonstationary regressions that involve unit root, local unit root, or fractional processes. The limit theory is unusually general in that it covers both parametric and nonparametric regressions. Self-normalized versions of these statistics are considered that are useful in inference. Numerical evidence reveals interesting strong bimodality in the finite sample distributions of conventional self-normalized statistics similar to …

Are Cities Losing Innovation Advantages? Online Versus Face-To-Face Interactions, Ruben Gaetani, Naqun Huang, Jing Li, Yanmin Yang

Research Collection School Of Economics

How did COVID-19 affect the innovation advantages of dense locations? Using data on the universe of U.S. patent applications, we find that the density premium in the production of novel inventions declined by 18.5%-22.9% in 2020-2021 relative to its pre-pandemic level. Smartphone data on local mobility suggest that the drop in the frequency of local interactions can explain a significant portion of this effect. While COVID-19 resulted in a temporary setback in the innovation advantages of dense locations, the role of urban density in facilitating the exchange and recombination of ideas is unlikely to be persistently replaced by online communication.

Removed: When Taxi Drivers Meet Dynamic Pricing: A Lesson From Singapore's Justgrab Program, Shih-Fen Cheng, Wen-Tai Hsu, Jing Li

Research Collection School Of Economics

This paper studies how dynamic pricing influences taxi drivers’ behaviors using a unique event, the inception of the JustGrab program in Singapore in 2017, which introduces dynamic pricing to some, but not all, taxi drivers. This is the first time in history that traditional taxi drivers have access to dynamic pricing. Using data covering the universe of taxi trips before and after the inception of JustGrab, we find that there is spatial reallocation that directs more taxi drivers to the previously less-served areas, that there is also a temporal reallocation that directs more taxi drivers to rush hours, as well …

Efficient Bilateral Trade With Interdependent Values: The Use Of Two-Stage Mechanisms, Takashi Kunimoto, Cuiling Zhang

Research Collection School Of Economics

Efficient, voluntary bilateral trades are generally not implementable in an interdependent values environment with two-sided asymmetric information. To obtain more positive results, we consider two-stage mechanisms in which (i) the outcome (e.g., allocation of the goods) is determined first; (ii) the agents partially learn the state via their own outcome-decision payoffs; and (iii) transfers are finally made. We propose the approximate shoot-the-liar (AS) mechanism and identify Assumption 1, under which “approximately” efficient, voluntary trades are implementable. We further illustrate the permissiveness of the assumption, and characterize it in terms of the nature of interdependence in valuation functions – delineating the …

Prediction Of Methane Gas By Using Hyperspectral Imageries And Remote Sensing Techniques, Aysha Ali Alhajeri

Theses

Greenhouse gases is important for sustaining life on earth as well as in mitigating climate change. Methane (CH4) is considered as one of the most important critical gases for the global climate change and have significant influences on our life. Accordingly, the prediction of this greenhouse gas emissions is very important for avoiding the climate change effects and to maintain environmental sustainability. The objective of this study is to explore the potential applications for remote sensing to predict methane levels in the Earth’s atmosphere with a combination of local ground data and data from hyperspectral satellite imagery. By using hyperspectral …

G-Trac: Graph-Textual Representations Alignment For Cold-Start Recommendations, Li Yang Chang, Yuan Fang, Ming Feng Tsai, Chuan Ju Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The cold-start problem remains a significant challenge in recommendation systems, particularly for new users or unseen items with little to no historical data. Existing methods, including graph neural networks, often struggle in such scenarios. Inspired by the success of transformer models in natural language processing, we propose G-TRAC (Graph-Textual Representations Alignment for Cold-start Recommendations), a novel approach that integrates transformer-based textual modeling with graph neural networks. By effectively leveraging both textual and structural information, G-TRAC addresses cold-start challenges more effectively. Extensive experiments demonstrate its ability to enhance recommendation quality and generalize well across diverse scenarios.

Dynamic Spatial Panel Data Models With Interactive Fixed Effects: M-Estimation And Inference Under Fixed Or Relatively Small T, Liyao Li, Ke Miao, Zhenlin Yang

Research Collection School Of Economics

We propose an M-estimation method for dynamic spatial panel data models with interactive fixed effects based on (relatively) short panels. Unbiased estimating functions are constructed by adjusting the concentrated conditional quasi scores, given the initial values and with the factor loadings being concentrated out, to account for the effects of conditioning and concentration. Solving the estimating equations gives the M-estimators of the common parameters and common factors. Under fixed T, n-consistency and joint asymptotic normality of the M-estimators are established. Under T = o(n), the M-estimators of the common parameters are shown to be nT-consistent and asymptotically normal. For inference, …

Brand Switching Or Behavior Change: The 2023 Bud Light Boycott's Impact On Alcohol Purchases, Aljoscha Janssen

Research Collection School Of Economics

I study how the 2023 Bud Light boycott affected overall alcohol demand using household-level panel data and a set of difference-in-differences designs. Focusing on households that, before April 2023, regularly purchased Bud Light, I find a large drop in Bud Light volume (34%–37%), partial switching into other beer (＋70 to ＋90 ounces per month), and a net decline in total ethanol purchases of about 3–4 fl-oz per month, or roughly 5.5%–7.5% of pre-boycott intake. I detect no compensatory increase in wine or spirits. Scaled nationally, the quantity response is equivalent to roughly 150 million standard drinks per year; using CDC …

Cecil Taylor, 1950–1976: Theory & Practice In His Own Words, Michelle A. Yom

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cecil Taylor (1929–2018) was a poet, composer, pianist, and dancer who is widely regarded as one of the founding figures of Free Jazz. Despite this historical significance, Taylor has not been a subject of substantial archival research. Some scholars have written his name into music scholarship through explicitly or implicitly reiterating the notion of “freedom” that circulated among contemporary jazz critics of the late 1950s and the 1960s. Others have focused on analyzing Taylor’s solo piano music, often reducing Taylor’s musical theories and practices into the formal structures of the music itself. To date, the scholarship has simplified Taylor’s work …

Circulating Fatty Acid Binding Protein 4 (Fabp-4) Concentrations And Mortality In Individuals With Colorectal Cancer In The European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer And Nutrition Study, Thu Thi Pham, Katharina Nimptsch, Krasimira Aleksandrova, Mazda Jenab, Veronika Fedirko, Anja Olsen, Anne Tjønneland, Claire Cadeau, Gianluca Severi, Matthias B Schulze, Renée Turzanski Fortner, Verena Katzke, Claudia Agnoli, Carlotta Sacerdote, Rosario Tumino, Simona Signoriello, Camino Trobajo-Sanmartín, Jesús-Humberto Gómez, María-Dolores Chirlaque, Maria-Jose Sánchez, Marta Crous-Bou, Anne May, Alicia Heath, Dagfinn Aune, Elisabete Weiderpass, Tobias Pischon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Human fatty acid binding protein‐4 (FABP‐4), a protein elevated in obesity that promotes colon cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis, may be associated with higher mortality in individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC) and may serve as a mediator of the obesity–mortality association in these individuals. We used a causal diagram to inform covariate selection and applied Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for CRC‐specific, non‐CRC‐specific, and all‐cause mortality by FABP‐4 levels measured in baseline blood samples from 1371 incident CRC cases from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Competing risk analyses were adapted for CRC …

Hypoglossal Neuropathy In The Pathogenesis Of Fibrosis-Related Late-Radiation Associated Dysphagia: A Correlative Analysis Utilizing Electromyography To Explore The Frequency Of Clinical And Subclinical Neuropathy In A Pilot Dysphagia Trial, Holly Mcmillan, Christine Okoro, Sheila Buoy, Karin Woodman, Nicolaas Anderson, Clifton Fuller, Stephen Y Lai, Katherine Hutcheson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Late radiation-associated dysphagia (late-RAD) commonly presents in patients with signs of hypoglossal neuropathy, with hallmark clinical features including lingual atrophy, deviation, and fasciculation. Gold-standard electromyography (EMG) has not been used to explore the frequency of hypoglossal neuropathy in patients with late-RAD.

Methods: Exploratory post hoc secondary analysis of MANTLE trial (NCT03612531) was completed. The presence of cranial nerve XII (CN XII) neuropathy was classified by (1) features of clinical assessment as well as (2) intramuscular genioglossus EMG pre-MANTLE intervention in disease-free HNC survivors ≥ 2 years post-radiotherapy (RT) with grade ≥ 2 fibrosis and dysphagia.

Results: All …

Impact Of Treatment Interruption On Outcomes In Head And Neck Cancer: Nrg/Rtog Secondary Analysis, Laila A Gharzai, Emily Morris, Matthew J Schipper, Kelley M Kidwell, Phuc Felix Nguyen-Tân, David I Rosenthal, Maura L Gillison, Richard C Jordan, Adam S Garden, Shlomo A Koyfman, Jimmy J Caudell, Dukagjin M Blakaj, Neal E Dunlap, Greg A Krempl, John M Longo, Christopher U Jones, Michael F Gensheimer, Thomas J Galloway, Lyudmila Demora, Quynh-Thu Le, Jennifer L Shah, Krithika Suresh, Michelle Mierzwa

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Historical evidence demonstrated that delays or interruptions in radiotherapy (RT) are associated with poorer oncologic outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Substantial concerns arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, when treatment schedules were frequently disrupted.

Objective: To determine the association of RT interruptions with locoregional failure (LRF) and overall survival (OS).

Design, setting, and participants: This retrospective review and secondary analysis of 3 randomized clinical trials (NRG/RTOG 0129, 0522, and 1016) included patients enrolled in the trials who were treated with RT. Patients with HNSCC were grouped as (1) p16-positive oropharynx (p16+ OPSCC) and (2) p16-negative oropharynx …

Introducing A New Frontier In The Journal Of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine: An Interdisciplinary Approach Throughout The Lifespan: The Pediatric Brain Injury Section, Michael Green, Glendaliz Bosques, Kimberly Davis, Brenda Eagan-Johnson, Carty Husted

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Performing Cancer Metabolism Research Using Custom-Made Media, Sophie Seifert, Francisco Yanqui-Rivera, Tim Kühn, Lena Elise Høyland, Toman Borteçen, Bella Agranovich, Lara Elea Eckhardt, Martin Herdt, Alessa Henneberg, Verena Panitz, Faisal Hayat, Marie Migaud, Gernot Poschet, Ifat Abramovich, Eyal Gottlieb, Jeroen Krijgsveld, Mathias Ziegler, Mirja Tamara Prentzell, Christiane A Opitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The preparation of custom-made media offers precise control over nutrient composition, enabling detailed studies of cellular metabolism. We demonstrate how self-made media formulations enable diverse assay designs and readouts to assess cancer metabolism. Self-made media can be used in Seahorse assays to measure mitochondrial respiration under defined conditions. In nutrient deprivation experiments, amino acid or vitamin removal can uncover how cancer cells adapt to metabolic stress. Using labeled amino acids enables analysis of nascent protein synthesis and translational regulation, while stable-isotope tracing reveals metabolic fluxes through key pathways. This guide presents a suite of metabolic assays using custom-made media, covering …

Melody: Mediation Analysis In Logistic Regression For High-Dimensional Mediators And A Binary Outcome, Sunyi Chi, Xingyu Li, Peng Wei, Xuelin Huang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mediation analysis is a pivotal tool for elucidating the indirect effect of an environmental factor or treatment on disease through potentially high‐dimensional omics data, such as gene expression profiles. However, traditional mediation analysis methods tailored for binary outcomes often rely on the rare disease assumption in logistic regression and provide inadequate measures of total mediation effect when multiple mediators have effects in different directions. In this paper, we develop a MEdiation analysis framework in LOgistic regression for high‐Dimensional mediators and a binarY outcome (MELODY). It leverages a second‐moment‐based measure analogous to the ��2 for linear models to quantify the total …

Cardiometabolic Indicators Of Cognitive Impairment In The Cameron County Hispanic Cohort, Fadi I Musfee, Seema Agarwal, Vahed Maroufy, Chelsea Liu, Joseph B Mccormick, Susan Fisher-Hoch, Sean I Savitz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background

Objective

Methods

Venous Thromboembolism In Aggressive B-Cell Lymphoma Patients Treated With Cd19 Car-T Therapy: Single-Institution Study, Neha Venkatesh, Kevin Milligan, Julia Parrish, Yun Qing, Ryan Sun, Paolo Strati, Jeremy Ramdial, Amy Ayers, Sairah Ahmed, Cristhiam Rojas Hernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Large B-cell lymphomas (LBCLs) are a common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized LBCL treatment, with high remission rates but also significant toxicities, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Venous thromboembolism (VTE) in CAR-T therapy patients is understudied.

Objective: This study aims to determine the incidence and characteristics of acute VTE in LBCL patients treated with CAR-T therapy and identify baseline clinical features associated with VTE. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 172 adult LBCL patients treated with CAR-T therapy from January 2018 to November 2019 at MD …

Leveraging Large Language Models For Heuristic Usability Assessment Of Medical Software: Insights With The Radiation Planning Assistant, Laurence E Court, Jacobus Smit, Lourens Strauss, William Shaw, Andrea Marais, Christoph Trauernicht, Nanette Joubert, Elaine Smith, Shona Badre, Graeme L Lazarus, Thekiso Khotle, Lauren Netherton, Wanda Van Heerden, Carlos Cardenas, Monica Serban, Jan Seuntjens, Christine V Chung, Pavel Govyadinov, Meena Khan, Saurabh Nair, Tucker Netherton, Lifei Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Usability engineering is essential for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medical software, as design-related issues are a leading cause of use errors in clinical settings. Heuristic evaluation provides a practical approach to identifying usability problems, but its outcomes depend heavily on expert interpretation. Large Language Models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, offer a potential means to augment heuristic evaluation by generating structured, context-aware usability feedback. This study explored the use of ChatGPT to support heuristic assessment of the Radiation Planning Assistant (RPA), a web-based radiotherapy planning tool designed to support clinical teams in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods: ChatGPT …

The American College Of Radiology Diagnostic Fluoroscopy Dose Index Registry Pilot: Dosimetric Performance And Benchmarking Challenges, Steve D Mann, Donald L Miller, Grant Fong, Allen R Goode, Emily L Marshall, Thomas Nishino, Pavlina Boxx, Liqiang Ren, Celalettin Topbas, Alan H Schoenfeld, Vivek Singh, Jie Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The ACR Diagnostic Fluoroscopy Dose Index Registry (DIR-Fluoro) is expanding to include diagnostic fluoroscopy. Variations in dose reference points and overhead radiography events may introduce unique challenges for benchmarking.

Purpose: To survey the technological status and dosimetric performance of fluoroscopes participating in the DIR-Fluoro pilot project, focusing on longitudinal stability and variability of fluoroscopic dose reporting accuracy across multiple institutions and vendors.

Methods: Sixty-six fluoroscopic systems from nine institutions (24 facilities) were surveyed for facility type, fluoroscope type, image receptor type, age, dose reporting capabilities, and other key features. Of these, 56 were evaluable. Semi-annual measurements assessed reference air …

Convolutional Neural Networks For Automatic Tuber Segmentation And Quantification Of Tuber Burden In Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Iván Sánchez Fernández, Matheus D Soldatelli, Gillian N Miller, Catharina F Gout, Ellen C Broekhuizen, Iris C J Den Hertog, Daan A Pijs, Errol Apostolopoulos, Prabhjot Kaur, Abdelhakim Ouaalam, Martina E Bebin, Hope Northrup, Darcy A Krueger, Joyce Y Wu, Alexander L Cohen, Mustafa Sahin, Davood Karimi, Simon K Warfield, Jurriaan M Peters

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This study was undertaken to develop a fully automated algorithm for tuber segmentation and quantification of tuber volume that performs similarly to the gold standard human neuroradiologist.

Methods: We used brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) to train and validate a convolutional neural network (CNN), which was evaluated on segmentation with the Dice-Sørensen similarity coefficient (DSSC) and on tuber burden quantification with Spearman correlation coefficient against a neuroradiologist's gold standard in the test set.

Results: We collected 263 MRIs from 196 patients (57% males) with median (25th percentile-75th percentile) age of 4.3 (3.0-10.1) …

Retrospective Analysis Of Cutaneous Immune-Related Adverse Events Following Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy In Melanoma Patients Reveals Increased Risk Associated With The Hla-B*51:01 Allele, Mckenzie Dileo, Samantha Oglesby, Cheuk Hong Leung, Kristen E Pauken, Sahira Farooq, Lauren E Haydu, Shelby L Kubicki, Rebeca Martinez, Macartney Welborn, Sana Zahiruddin, Jun Zou, Kai Cao, Anisha B Patel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown significant efficacy, a common side effect is cutaneous immune-related adverse events (irAEs). This study focuses on exploring the association between specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and the development of cutaneous irAEs in melanoma patients undergoing ICI monotherapy and combination therapy. As certain HLA types are indicative of susceptibility to autoimmune diseases, it was hypothesized that HLA typing could serve as a potential screening tool for identifying patients at increased risk for developing irAEs.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of 515 patients with melanoma who underwent ICI therapy, either as …

Presenilin L166p Mutation, A Model Of Familial Alzheimer's Disease, Leads To Early Onset Bone Loss, Vidyani Suryadevara, Connor J Krehbial, Anuradha K Valiya, Melinda Vang, Julian Balanta-Melo, Pierre P Eleniste, Sumana Posritong, Jung Min Hong, Katie Chester, Gabriel M Pagnotti, Teresita Bellido, Monte S Willis, Angela Bruzzaniti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Accelerated bone loss has been reported in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as indicated by reduced bone mineral density and increased fracture risk in these patients, compared to healthy individuals. In the present study, we investigated bone loss in mouse models of familial Alzheimer's disease harboring the Presenilin 1 (L166P) knock-in mutation (PSEN1 KI), with or without the human amyloid precursor protein transgene (hAPP Tg+) known to induce brain amyloid pathology by 6 months. Female and not male 12-month PSEN1/hAPP Tg+ mice exhibited reduced whole-body bone mineral density and bone mineral content, compared to sex-matched controls. Consistent with …

Acta2 Pathogenic Variants Activating Heat Shock Factor 1 And Increasing Cholesterol Biosynthesis In Smooth Muscle Cells Predispose To Early Onset Atherosclerosis, Maura L Boerio, Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Xue-Yan Duan, Aamuktha Karla, Ernesto Calderon Martinez, Amelie Pinard, Andrew K Morse, Darshan Reddy, Sree Dharma, Walter Velasco-Torrez, Julien Marcadier, Siddharth K Prakash, Sherene Shalhub, Julie De Backer, Richmond Jeremy, Shaine A Morris, Anji T Yetman, Alan C Braverman, Dianna M Milewicz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: ACTA2 pathogenic variants predispose to thoracic aortic disease, and a subset of variants lead to early onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The molecular pathway linking misfolded SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) monomers to augmented atherosclerosis-associated smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation can be modeled in vitro by stably expressing the ACTA2 p.R149C variant in Acta2-/- smooth muscle cells.

Methods: The Montalcino Aortic Consortium patient registry was used to identify cases with ACTA2 pathogenic/likely pathogenic missense variants. These patients were surveyed, and medical records were reviewed, to identify cases with early onset ASCVD. The variants for these cases, as well as …

Quantitative Analysis Of Robustness-Based Versus Let-Based Optimization In Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy For Pediatric Brain Tumors, Fariha Kabir Torsha, Gino Lim, Hadis Moazami Goudarzi, Radhe Mohan, David Grosshans, Wenhua Cao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: To perform a quantitative analysis of the trade-off between robustness-based and linear energy transfer (LET)-based optimization of intensity-modulated proton therapy for anatomically challenging pediatric brain tumor cases.

Methods: Three pediatric brain tumor patients were included in this study. Three plans were generated for each case based on: (1) nominal optimization, without considering uncertainties and LET; (2) robust optimization, including proton range and patient setup uncertainties; and (3) LET optimization, considering increasing LET in the target and reducing LET in normal tissues. All plans were optimized with individually fine-tuned objective weighing to obtain highest achievable target coverage and meet dose …