Digital Commons Network^™

Epigenetic Modulation Of Bard1 To Enhance Anti-Vegf Therapy, Emine Bayraktar, Cristian Rodriguez-Aguayo, Elaine Stur, Sudhir Kumar, Lingegowda S Mangala, Nicholas B Jennings, Nazende Nur Bayram, Sara Corvigno, Amma Asare, Cristina Ivan, Mark S Kim, Thanh Chung Vu, Pahul Hanjra, Sangbae Kim, Adrian Lankenau Ahumada, Weichem Wu, Sanghoon Lee, Anna Szymanowska, Hulya Oztatlici, Marcos R Estecio, Ju-Seog Lee, Abhinav K Jain, Nidhi Sahni, John P Hagan, Stephen Baylin, Jinsong Liu, Gabriel Lopez-Berestein, Sunila Pradeep, Anil K Sood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite the clinical use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies (AVAs) in cancer therapy, resistance frequently develops, leading to disease progression. To address this, we identify a previously unknown role for breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1)-associated RING domain 1 (BARD1) in modulating AVA sensitivity. Epigenetic modulation-via global and targeted DNA methylation-reveals BARD1 as a key regulator of angiogenesis. Sequential treatment with azacytidine overcomes AVA resistance in vivo. To enable precise epigenetic reactivation, we develop a liposomal CRISPR-deactivated Cas9 (dCas9)-TET1 system guided by BARD1-targeting single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs). This platform achieves CpG-specific demethylation of the BARD1 promoter, restores expression, …

Has Regional Hospital Autonomy Achieved Its Goals? Lessons Learned From Indonesia: A Systematic Review, Masyitoh Basabih, Indriaswari Widhakuswara

Kesmas

This study examined the impact of hospital autonomy implementation on the performance of regional public hospitals in Indonesia, particularly in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and governance. A systematic review of 32 peer-reviewed studies published between June 12 and September 6, 2023, was conducted using Garba Rujukan Digital and Google Scholar, following PRISMA guidelines. Studies addressing financial performance, service outcomes, and challenges related to implementing autonomy were included. The findings indicated that while autonomy led to improvements in infrastructure, service types, visit volumes, and hospital revenues, it had only a marginal impact on improving key health performance outcomes, such as service …

Understanding User Needs In Health Crisis Risk Monitoring Information System Development: A Lesson From Tasikmalaya District, Indonesia, Arief Tarmansyah Iman, Hari Kusnanto, Ariani Arista Putri Pertiwi

Kesmas

A health crisis risk monitoring information system needs to be developed, especially during the pre-disaster phase; therefore, understanding the needs of prospective users is crucial. This study aimed to investigate the needs of potential users regarding the development of this system. This study employed a qualitative, exploratory approach to gather user needs from stakeholders through interviews (n = 7) and one focus group discussion (n = 12). The data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then thematically analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The need for information was related to disaster preparedness and its preferred format. The system should be targeted, multiplatform, …

Experiences Of Elderly Living With Noncommunicable Diseases In Utilizing Health Services In Myanmar During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nway Eint Chei, Kwanjai Amnatsatsue, Natkamol Chansatitporn, Ariya Bunngamchairat

Kesmas

The COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflicts in Myanmar have intensified the challenges in accessing and utilizing health services, particularly for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among older adults. This qualitative study explored the experiences of the elderly with NCDs regarding health service accessibility and utilization in secure areas with fully operational health facilities by conducting in-depth interviews with 20 eligible older adults in Myanmar; data were analyzed using content analysis. Four key themes emerged: NCD service utilization patterns; unmet needs; preferences and hesitancy toward NCD services; and disparities, barriers, and opportunities. The findings revealed widespread underutilization of NCD services due to several …

Low Economic Level And The Risk Of Overweight Among Indonesian Junior And Senior High School Students, Ariyanto Nugroho, Purwo Setiyo Nugroho, Amarin Yudhana, Sri Sunarti

Kesmas

Overweight and obesity among Indonesian adolescents have emerged as a pressing public health issue, reflecting global trends. This study examines the relationship between economic status and overweight prevalence among junior and senior high school students in Indonesia, using secondary data from the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS). This study analyzed data from 9,977 students aged 11–18 years through a cross-sectional design and binary logistic regression, adjusting for dietary habits, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Overall, 14.7% of students were overweight; the prevalence was notably higher among low-income students (27.4%) compared to high-income groups (14.2%). Students from lower economic backgrounds were …

Government Health Spending And Life Expectancy: Evidence From Cities And Districts In Indonesia, Kurnia Sari, Budi Hidayat, Amal Chalik Sjaaf, Mardiati Nadjib

Kesmas

Life expectancy is widely recognized as a fundamental indicator of population health, and its improvement is often linked to government health spending, particularly in decentralized health systems. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between local government health expenditures and life expectancy in decentralized Indonesia. Data from 492 cities and districts, spanning from 2015 to 2019, were analyzed using a two-way fixed effects regression model to control for time-invariant district characteristics and common temporal shocks. The findings indicated that a 10% increase per capita in government health expenditure was associated with a 0.01% increase in life expectancy. This association was …

Excitotoxic Neuronal Death Requires Superoxide Entry Into Neurons Through Volume-Regulated Anion Channels, Kate Harris, Seok Joon Won, Gokhan Uruk, Nguyen Mai, Devran Ogut, Yonghui Zhao, Litao Xie, Paul Baxter, Katharina Everaerts, Rajan Sah, Raymond A Swanson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Neuronal death in stroke and other conditions stems in part from stimulation of

Opportunities For Using Generative Ai For Malevolent Creativity Information Gathering And Idea Generation, Alexis D'Amato, Emma Theobald, Ares Boira-Lopez, Joel Elson, Samuel Hunter

Reports, Projects, and Research

The success of terrorist and extremist organizations is dependent on their ability to be creative and innovative (e.g., Gill et al., 2013; Ligon et al., 2018; Logan et al., 2020). That is, these organizations are inherently focused on causing harm to their targets in ways that are novel, thus undetectable from threat assessment efforts. Homeland Security Enterprise can establish novel countermeasures to mitigate threats by engaging in the same creative problem-solving process as the terrorist and extremist organizations (e.g., d’Amato & Hunter, 2023). One way to do this is by using the same tools nefarious actors engage with for idea …

Whf Roadmap On Single Pill Combination Therapies, Enrico G Ferro, Mark Huffman, Orly Vardeny, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of mortality, with treatment adherence posing a major barrier to effective prevention and control. Single pill combinations (SPCs), also known as fixed-dose combinations, simplify treatment by combining multiple agents into one pill, improving adherence and reducing cardiovascular risk. This World Heart Federation Roadmap synthesizes the latest clinical evidence and identifies key barriers to SPC implementation, including limited manufacturing, affordability, regulatory complexity, and inconsistent guideline inclusion. Drawing on global expert input and health systems analysis, the Roadmap outlines practical, context-specific solutions to improve access, scale-up, and integration of SPCs into national strategies, especially …

Prefoldin Complex Promotes Interferon-Stimulated Gene Expression And Is Inhibited By Rotavirus Vp3, Yinxing Zhu, Yanhua Song, Dilip Kumar, Peter K Jackson, B V Venkataram Prasad, Siyuan Ding

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Timely induction of interferons and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) is critical for successful host defense against viral infections. VP3 encoded by rotavirus is implicated in interferon antagonism. However, the precise mechanisms remain incompletely understood. By conducting tandem-affinity purification coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identify the prefoldin complex as the top cellular binding partner of VP3. Rotavirus infection is significantly enhanced in prefoldin subunit knockout cells. Using proteome-wide label-free quantification, we find that prefoldin assists in folding ubiquitin-like-modifier-activating-enzyme-3 (UBA3), both of which positively regulate ISG expression. Through direct and competitive binding, VP3 interferes with the chaperone activity of prefoldin, leading to …

The Caribbean American Dementia And Aging Study: Protocol For A Population-Based Study Of Older Adult Health And Dementia In Cuba, The Dominican Republic, And Puerto Rico, Mao-Mei Liu, Jorge Llibre-Guerra, Chris Soria, Jing Li, Tania Zayas Llerena, Guillermina Rodriguez, Daisy Acosta, Ivonne Jiménez Velázquez, Juan J Llibre-Rodriguez, William H Dow

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The Hispanic Caribbean region is rapidly aging but national population-based aging surveys are rare. The Caribbean American Dementia and Aging Study (CADAS) is a multi-purpose household study of aging with a particular focus on the life course determinants and consequences of health and dementia in three countries with many similarities but divergent recent histories: Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Cuba. METHODS: CADAS will survey population-based samples of adults ages 65 and over. In Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic these will be nationally representative samples of 1,500 adults each; the Cuban survey will include 1,500 adults from purposively selected urban …

Spectrum Analysis Of Thermally Driven Curvature Inversion In Strained Graphene Ripples For Energy Conversion Applications Via Molecular Dynamics, James M. Mangum, Md R. Kabir, Tamzeed B. Amin, Syed M. Rahman, Ashaduzzaman, Paul M. Thibado

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

The extraordinary mechanical flexibility, high electrical conductivity, and nanoscale instability of freestanding graphene make it an excellent candidate for vibration energy harvesting. When freestanding graphene is stretched taut and subject to external forces, it will vibrate like a drum head. Its vibrations occur at a fundamental frequency along with higher-order harmonics. Alternatively, when freestanding graphene is compressed, it will arch slightly out of the plane or buckle under the load. Remaining flat under compression would be energetically too costly compared to simple bond rotations. Buckling up or down, also known as ripple formation, naturally creates a bistable situation. When the …

Adapt-3d: Accelerated Deep Adaptable Processing Of Tissue For 3-Dimensional Fluorescence Tissue Imaging For Research And Clinical Settings, Daniel D Lee, Kevin A Telfer, Deanna L Davis, Leon C D Smyth, Rahul Ravindran, Rafael S Czepielewski, Christopher G Huckstep, Siling Du, Kento Kurashima, Ajay K Jain, Jonathan Kipnis, Bernd H Zinselmeyer, Gwendalyn J Randolph

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Light sheet microscopy and preparative clearing methods that improve light penetration in 3D tissues have revolutionized imaging in biomedical research. Here we present ADAPT-3D, a streamlined 3-step approach to turn tissues optically transparent while preserving tissue architecture with the versatility to handle diverse tissue sizes and types across species. Unlike extensive lipid removal utilized by existing protocols, ADAPT-3D only partially removes lipids to preserve cell membranes, yet the non-toxic aqueous refractive indexing solution still rapidly turns tissues transparent while preserving the fluorescence of endogenous and antibody conjugated fluorophores. ADAPT-3D prepares whole mouse brains for light sheet microscopy in a 4-hour …

Governance Of Polygenic Embryo Screening: A Qualitative Study On The Perspectives Of Clinicians And Patients, Jason Bach, Jonathan Frumovitz, Dorit Barlevy, Rémy A Furrer, Abigail Martinez, Ana Battaglino, Shai Carmi, Todd Lencz, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Stacey Pereira

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Objective: To investigate the perspectives of stakeholders on their attitudes toward potential regulation of polygenic embryo screening (PES), a new form of preimplantation genetic testing that is used to screen embryos for the genetic chances of developing medical conditions and nonmedical traits involving hundreds or thousands of genes.

Design: We conducted individual, semistructured interviews and analyzed transcripts using thematic analysis.

Subjects: Twenty-seven US-based reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialists and 26 patients who were currently undergoing in vitro fertilization or had within the past five years.

Main outcome measures: Repeating ideas and patterned responses were organized into themes and subthemes.

Results: …

Staged Reconstruction And Salvage Of A Small Finger With A Corticocancellous Distal Radius Autograft: A Case Report, Emmanuel Franco, Zayd Ayas, Frank Gerold

School of Medicine Publications

Finger reconstruction in the aftermath of severe trauma poses significant challenges in restorative surgery, particularly when addressing extensive soft tissue damage, comminuted fractures, and simultaneous neurovascular complications. This study presents a case of a patient with a complicated proximal phalangeal fracture who pursued digit salvage.

A 31-year-old Hispanic woman sustained severe injury to her right fifth digit during an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rollover resulting in an exposed, comminuted fracture of the proximal phalanx with extensive structural and neurovascular compromise. She pursued digit salvage despite a high risk of failure and complication. The patient underwent four operations over a six-month period, …

Symmetrically Threaded Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices As Next-Generation Kerr-Cat Qubits, Bibek Bhandari, Irwin Huang, Ahmed Hajr, Kagan Yanik, Bingcheng Qing, Ke Wang, David I. Santiago, Justin Dressel, Irfan Siddiqi, Andrew N. Jordan

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Kerr-cat qubits are bosonic qubits offering autonomous bit-flip protection, traditionally studied using driven superconducting nonlinear asymmetric inductive element (SNAIL) oscillators. Here, we theoretically explore an alternative circuit for Kerr-cat qubits based on symmetrically threaded superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). The symmetrically threaded SQUID (STS) architecture employs a simplified flux-pumped design that suppresses two-photon dissipation, a dominant loss mechanism in high-Kerr regimes, by engineering the drive Hamiltonian’s flux operator to generate only even-order harmonics. By fulfilling two critical criteria for practical Kerr-cat qubit operation, the STS emerges as an ideal platform: (1) a static Hamiltonian with diluted Kerr nonlinearity (achieved via …

Sharing And Preserving Sociolinguistic Corpora On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Katherine Christoffersen, Isabella Calafate, Julio Ciller, Ana M. Carvalho, Ryan M. Bessett, Brandon J. Martínez, Hannia Rojas Barreda, William Flores, Richard Quiroz

Writing and Language Studies Faculty Publications

Since William Labov outlined the methodology for the sociolinguistic interview in 1972, sociolinguistic corpora have been used widely in the field of sociolinguistics to study diverse speech communities and linguistic features. However, most of these invaluable sociolinguistic collections have been available only to the individual researcher or research group, and these data sets usually disappear from use with that individual scholar. More recently, there has been a push towards data sharing in sociolinguistics, reflective of data sharing and the open science movement in other fields. Still, accessible online sociolinguistic corpora are few and far between, in part due to the …

Identifying Factors Associated With Subsequent Diagnosis Of Adrenal Adenoma: A Population-Based Historical Case-Control Study, Irina Bancos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify social/metabolic risk factors associated with subsequent diagnosis of adrenal adenoma.

Design: The design is a population-based historical case-control study.

Methods: Cases were adult patients diagnosed with an adrenal adenoma between 2005 and 2017 with no overt hormone excess. Controls were age- and sex-matched individuals with (1) no diagnosis of adrenal adenoma and (2) no diagnosis of adrenal adenoma with cross-sectional imaging of the chest/abdomen performed within 5 years prior to index date. The frequency of various social/metabolic risk factors present 5-10 years prior to index date and odds ratios (ORs) for …

Development Of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia In Young Infants With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Preterm Birth, And Typical Development, Jessica Bradshaw, John E. Richards, Julia Yurkovic-Harding, Eilis Mclaughlin

Faculty Publications

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a key index of parasympathetic function and environmental adaptability. Lower resting RSA has been linked to preterm (PT) birth in infancy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in childhood, yet RSA across the first 2 years in young infants born PT or later diagnosed with ASD remains unknown. This study examined resting RSA and mean interbeat interval (IBI) development from 1 to 24 months in infants at varying ASD likelihoods, including infant siblings of children with ASD and those born PT. A longitudinal design tracked resting RSA and mean IBI in 137 infants from 1 to …

A Lesson In Balance: The Duality Of Stat4 In Atherosclerosis And Survival, Alina Moriarty, W. Coles Keeter, Shuchi Vachhani, Natalie Stahr, Cassandra Hyde, Kelly Wai, Shelby Ma, Larry Sanford, Elena Galkina

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Investigating Extracellualr Vesicles Role In The Pathogenesis Of Acute Lung Injury, Ruben Manuel Luciano Colunga Biancatelli, Pavel Solopov, Tierney Day, Anca Dobrian, John D. Catravas

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small lipid-bound particles containing proteins and RNAs, whose role in intercellular communication and signaling is critical for homeostasis or inflammatory responses. Patients with acute lung injury display changes in EVs number, cargo content and signature compared to healthy individuals.

Hypothesis: We have hypothesized that EVs may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute lung, by transferring harmful mediators of inflammation and disrupting recipient cells homeostasis.

Methods: C57BL/6j mice (8-10 weeks old, 25g BW) were intratracheally instilled with 50µL of 5*1010- 11 EVs isolated from Human Lung Microvascular Endothelial cells (HLMVEC) exposed to 1 µg …

The Role Of Iga In Atherosclerosis, Basudha Habisyasi, Alina Moriarty, Shelby Ma, Kathleen Coleman, Sejal Sinha, Jonee Lilliard, Kelly Wai, J. Baodan Collins, Elena Galkina

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Characteristics And Outcomes Of Axillary And Subclavian Artery Injuries, Benjamin Samberg, Nicholas Bandy, Michael Martyak

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

INTRODUCTION: Subclavian and axillary artery injuries are rare but life-threatening. Optimal management strategies remain debated. This study compares injury characteristics and outcomes.

METHODS: Retrospective analysis was conducted on 181 PROOVIT Database patients categorized by injury location, mechanism, and treatment (open, endovascular, nonoperative). Collected data includes ISS, PRBC, mortality, hospital and ICU LOS, and hard signs.

RESULTS: Subclavian injuries had higher ISS (μ=25, 19; p=0.004) and mortality (18%, 3.4%; p=0.004), but fewer hard signs (41%, 63%; p=0.004) than axillary. Axillary injuries were more frequently treated with open repair (51%, 32%; p=0.016), while subclavian injuries were more often managed nonoperatively (45%, 29%; …

B Cell Subset Specific Regulation Via Desmosterol In An Atherosclerotic Environment, Shelby Ma, Alina Morty, Kathleen Coleman, Basudha Habisyasi, Elena Galkina

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Real-World Interventional Outcomes For Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction, Zachary Bouker, John E. Brush Jr., Ann M. Harper, Luke C. Kohan, Kaivalya Dandamudi, Deepak R. Talreja

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Concurrent Valve-In-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement And Complex Multivessel Percutaneous Coronary Intervention In A Patient With Prior Redo-Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement, Raymond Lee Hogge, Aryn Alanizi, Katie Mclaughlan, Matthew R. Summers

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Palliative Inotropic Support In A Patient With End-Stage Systolic Heart Failure, Christiana King, Justin Hayes

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

New Onset Heart Failure Of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 (Sglt2) Inhibitors In Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease (Esrd) And Dialysis, Daiwik Munjwani, Amin Yehya

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

Introduction: Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have demonstrated cardioprotective and renoprotective benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the effects of these agents in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or on dialysis remain underexplored, as previous clinical trials often excluded this population. With the recent removal of ESRD as a contraindication by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, understanding the cardiovascular risks of SGLT2 inhibitors in this group is imperative. This study aimed to assess the incidence of new onset heart failure (HF), including HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and …

"Lost To Follow Up:" A Case Of An Adult Congenital Heart Defect Patient Who Faced Morbidity In Adulthood After Lacking Transitional Care Following Medical Intervention In Childhood, Mackenzie Kelley, Ashish Saini

Cardiovascular Research Symposium

CASE PRESENTATION: This patient is a 40 y.o. male with a BMI of 46.2 kg/m2 who presented to the ED with fluid overload, shortness of breath, and orthopnea. The patient was tachycardic and physical exam revealed anasarca and ascites. The patient reported chronic lower extremity and scrotal edema so severe that he had been unable to walk and was mainly homebound for the past two years. The patient’s past medical history was significant for hypertension, alcohol use disorder with history of withdrawal, and a cardiac murmur which the patient attributed to a “hole in the heart” for which he had …

A Dual-Model Machine Learning Framework For Predictive Maintenance Of Industrial Digital Press Components, Richmond Darko, Emmanuel Adabor

African Conference on Information Systems and Technology

This study presents a novel dual-model predictive maintenance framework designed to improve maintenance scheduling for components in industrial digital presses. The framework integrates two complementary approaches: a Threshold-Based Maintenance Approach (TBMA) for components operating within acceptable usage limits, and an Overdue Severity-Based Maintenance Approach (OSBMA) for those that have exceeded their expected lifespans or show signs of critical degradation. This study uses real-world operational data from a Konica Minolta C6000 press. It applies advanced machine learning models, including Gradient Boosting Machines and Random Forest for classification, and Generalized Additive Models (GAM) for Remaining Useful Life (RUL) prediction. The goal is …