Digital Commons Network^™

Ags3-Based Optogenetic Gdi Induces Gpcr-Independent Gβγ Signalling And Macrophage Migration, Waruna Thotamune, Sithurandi Ubeysinghe, Chathuri Rajarathna, Dinesh Kankanamge, Koshala Olupothage, Aditya Chandu, Bryan A Copits, Ajith Karunarathne

2020-Current year OA Pubs

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are efficient guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and exchange GDP to GTP on the Gα subunit of G-protein heterotrimers in response to various extracellular stimuli, including neurotransmitters and light. GPCRs primarily broadcast signals through activated G proteins, GαGTP and free Gβγ and are major disease drivers. Evidence shows that the ambient low threshold signalling required for cells is likely supplemented by signalling regulators such as non-GPCR GEFs and guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). Activators of G-protein signalling 3 (AGS3) are recognized as a GDI involved in multiple health and disease-related processes. Nevertheless, understanding of AGS3 is limited, …

Triacylglycerol Mobilization Underpins Mitochondrial Stress Recovery, Zakery N Baker, Yunyun Zhu, Rachel M Guerra, Andrew J Smith, Aline Arra, Lia R Serrano, Katherine A Overmyer, Shankar Mukherji, Elizabeth A Craig, Joshua J Coon, David J Pagliarini

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Mitochondria are central to myriad biochemical processes, and thus even their moderate impairment could have drastic cellular consequences if not rectified. Here, to explore cellular strategies for surmounting mitochondrial stress, we conducted a series of chemical and genetic perturbations to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and analysed the cellular responses using deep multiomic mass spectrometry profiling. We discovered that mobilization of lipid droplet triacylglycerol stores was necessary for strains to mount a successful recovery response. In particular, acyl chains from these stores were liberated by triacylglycerol lipases and used to fuel biosynthesis of the quintessential mitochondrial membrane lipid cardiolipin to support new mitochondrial …

Perinatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke Diagnosed In Infants Receiving Therapeutic Hypothermia For Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy, Fernando F Gonzalez, Sarah E Monsell, Marie-Coralie Cornet, Hannah Glass, Jessica Wisnowski, Amit Mathur, Robert Mckinstry, Yi Li, Tai-Wei Wu, Dennis E Mayock, Patrick J Heagerty, Sandra E Juul, Yvonne W Wu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Both perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (PAIS) and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) can present with neonatal encephalopathy. We hypothesized that among infants undergoing therapeutic hypothermia, presence of PAIS is associated with a higher risk of seizures and a lower risk of persistent encephalopathy after rewarming.

METHODS: We studied 473 infants with moderate or severe HIE enrolled in the HEAL Trial who received a brain MRI. We defined PAIS as focal ischemic infarct(s) within an arterial distribution, and HIE pattern of brain injury as central gray, peripheral watershed, or global injury. We compared the risk of seizures (clinically suspected or electrographic), and …

Two Cardinal Features Of Als, Reduced Stmn2 And Pathogenic Tdp-43, Synergize To Accelerate Motor Decline In Mice, Kelsey L Krus, Ana Morales Benitez, Amy Strickland, Jeffrey Milbrandt, A Joseph Bloom, Aaron Diantonio

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Pathological TDP-43 loss from the nucleus and cytoplasmic aggregation occurs in almost all cases of ALS and half of frontotemporal dementia patients. Stathmin2 (Stmn2) is a key target of TDP-43 regulation and aberrantly spliced Stmn2 mRNA is found in patients with ALS, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer's Disease. STMN2 participates in the axon injury response and its depletion in vivo partially replicates ALS-like symptoms including progressive motor deficits and distal NMJ denervation. The interaction between STMN2 loss and TDP-43 dysfunction has not been studied in mice because TDP-43 regulates human but not murine Stmn2 splicing. Therefore, we generated trans-heterozygous mice that …

Dataset And Analysis Of Automated And Manual Methods To Differentiate Wide Qrs Complex Tachycardias, Sarah Lococo, Anthony H Kashou, Abhishek J Deshmukh, Samuel J Asirvatham, Christopher V Desimone, Krasimira M Mikhova, Sandeep S Sodhi, Phillip S Cuculich, Rugheed Ghadban, Daniel H Cooper, Thomas M Maddox, Peter A Noseworthy, Adam M May

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The differentiation of wide complex tachycardias (WCTs) into ventricular tachycardia (VT) and supraventricular wide tachycardia (SWCT) via 12-lead ECG (electrocardiogram) interpretation is a crucial yet demanding clinical task. Decades of research have been dedicated to simplifying and improving this differentiation via manual algorithms. Despite such research, the effectiveness of such algorithms still remains limited, primarily due to reliance on user expertise. To combat this limitation, automated algorithms have been created that show promise as alternatives to manual ECG interpretation. However, direct comparison of the methods' diagnostic performances has not been undertaken. A recent publication (LoCoco et al., 2024) compared the …

Presentation And Surgical Outcomes Of Primary Hyperparathyroidism After Radioactive Iodine Therapy, Shaleen V Sathe, Blake Sparkman, Evan Bernard, Eileen R Smith, Kevin He, Alexander Chiu, Taylor C Brown

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Radioactive iodine (RAI) is a common treatment for various thyroid diseases. Previous studies have suggested susceptibility of parathyroid glands to the mutagenic effect of RAI and the development of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). We tested the possible link between prior RAI treatment, disease presentation, and treatment outcomes.

METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 704 individuals who underwent parathyroidectomy for PHPT at a tertiary care center between the years 2015 and 2023 was performed. Preoperative and postoperative parameters, including demographic characteristics, biochemical markers, imaging data, and surgical and pathology findings were collected and analyzed to compare differences in patients who had previous …

Using Integrin Αvβ6-Targeted Positron Emission Tomography Imaging To Longitudinally Monitor Radiation-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo, William C Y Lo, Cristian W Villas Boas, Truc T Huynh, Amanda Klaas, Felicia Grogan, Lori Strong, Pamela Samson, Clifford G Robinson, Buck E Rogers, Carmen Bergom

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis (RIPF) is a potentially serious and disabling late complication of radiation therapy. Monitoring RIPF progression is challenging due to the absence of early detection tools and the difficulty in distinguishing RIPF from other lung diseases using standard imaging methods. In the lungs, integrin αvβ6 is crucial in the development of RIPF, acting as a significant activator of transforming growth factor β after radiation injury. This study aimed to investigate integrin α

METHODS AND MATERIALS: We used a focal RIPF model (70 Gy delivered focally to a 3 mm spot in the lung) and a whole lung …

Cracking The Pericellular Matrix Code: Exploring How Mmp-2, -3, And -7 Influence Matrix Breakdown And Biomechanical Properties, Benjamin Tizian Baumann, Jule Nieuwstraten, Christian Konrads, Farshid Guilak, Marina Danalache

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: The intricate process of articular cartilage remodeling, pivotal for both physiological functions and osteoarthritis (OA) progression, is orchestrated through a balance of matrix synthesis and breakdown, which is mediated by matrix metalloproteinase enzymes (MMPs). At the heart of this remodeling lies the pericellular matrix (PCM), a specialized microenvironment encapsulating each chondrocyte and composed mainly of collagen type VI and perlecan. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of MMP-2, -3, and -7 on the structural integrity and biomechanical attributes of the PCM.

METHODS: Human articular cartilage explants (N = 10 patients) were incubated with activated MMP-2, …

A Roadmap To Cysteine Specific Labeling Of Membrane Proteins For Single-Molecule Photobleaching Studies, Melanie Ernst, Robyn Mahoney-Kruszka, Nathan B Zelt, Janice L Robertson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Single-molecule photobleaching analysis is a useful approach for quantifying reactive membrane protein oligomerization in membranes. It provides a binary readout of a fluorophore attached to a protein subunit at dilute conditions. However, quantification of protein stoichiometry from this data requires information about the subunit labeling yields and whether there is non-specific background labeling. Any increases in subunit-specific labeling improves the ability to determine oligomeric states with confidence. A common strategy for site-specific labeling is by conjugation of a fluorophore bearing a thiol-reactive maleimide group to a substituted cysteine. Yet, cysteine reactivity can be difficult to predict as it depends on …

Development Of The Navigation Guide Evidence-To-Decision Framework For Environmental Health: Version 1.0, Nicholas Chartres, Max T. Aung, Sustan L. Norris, Courtney Cooper, Lia A. Bero, Roger Chou, Devon C. Payne-Sturges, Wendy E. Wagner, Jessica W. Reyes, Lisa M. Askie, Daniel A. Axelrad, Deysi Flores Vigo, Jill E. Johnston, Juleen Lam, Keeve E. Nachman, Eva Rehfuess, Rachel Rothschild, Patrice Sutton, Lauren Zeise, Tracey J. Woodruff

Articles

Environmental exposures, including widespread industrial pollution, impact human health and are amplified in more highly exposed communities. Policy and regulatory frameworks for making decisions and recommendations on interventions to mitigate or prevent exposures tend to narrowly focus on exposure and some health-related data related to risks. Typically, such frameworks do not consider other factors, including essentiality, health equity, and distribution of benefits and costs. Further, decisions and recommendations lack transparency regarding how they were developed. We developed the Navigation Guide Evidence-to-Decision Framework for Environmental Health (E2DFEH) to provide a structured and transparent framework incorporating a range of scientific information and …

Lumpy Heterogeneity In Groundwater Service Values And Time Preferences, Kent F. Kovacs, Heather Snell, Brandon R. Mcfadden, Rodolfo M. Nayga Jr.

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

From a choice experiment about groundwater management, we consider time preferences and groundwater service values through sociodemographic characteristics using a model called the discounted latent class model. A policy-motivated latent class has a higher income, greater familiarity with an aquifer, and more concern for the risks that groundwater decline poses to people and the environment. A business-as-usual latent class has a conservative ideology. Exponential discounting is preferred, and the discount rate is larger for the policy group than the business-as-usual group. Other models we use include the discounted mixed logit model and the discounted logit-mixed logit model.

Determinants Of Market Participation Among Milk Producers In Kyrgyzstan, Akhmadjon Nurullaev, Eunchun Park, Bruce L. Ahrendsen, Stijn Speelman, Lawson Connor

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Numerous studies have been conducted to comprehend the economic importance of market participation for producers. However, a significant gap remains, particularly in Central Asia. This study assesses market participation drivers for Kyrgyzstan's milk producers using the Life in Kyrgyzstan dataset, encompassing a comprehensive nationwide farm-level survey. Findings reveal that household assets boost market entry and sales volume, whereas distance from markets discourages participation but can increase sales for active sellers, reflecting transportation cost strategies. The insights inform policy interventions benefiting rural small-scale milk producers in Central Asian countries that share similar cultural backgrounds.

Response To A Political Critique And Personal Attack Against A United Nations Report That Presented New Evidence About Prostitution As A Cause And Consequence Of Violence Against Women And Girls, Reem Alsalem

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Reem Alsalem, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, Its Causes and Consequences, responses to the false and unfounded accusations and personal attacks on her Report on Prostitution and Violence Against Women presented before the 56^th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, 2024. I presented new evidence regarding the relationship between violence against women and girls and prostitution. Using human rights law, the Report described how prostitution is a system of abuse, exploitation, and violence against women and girls. The Report’s goal was to clarify concepts and terminology, …

A Personalized Periodontitis Risk Based On Nonimage Electronic Dental Records By Machine Learning, Laura Swinckels, Ander De Keijzer, Bruno G. Loos, Reuben Joseph Applegate, Krishna Kumar Kookal, Elsbeth Kalenderian, Harmen Bijwaard, Josef Bruers

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study aimed to develop a machine-learning (ML) model to predict the risk for Periodontal Disease (PD) based on nonimage electronic dental records (EDRs).

Methods: By using EDRs collected in the BigMouth repository, dental patients from the US were included. Patients were labeled as cases or controls, based on PD diagnosis, treatment and pocketing. By learning from their data, a model was trained. The ability of the developed model to predict PD was evaluated by the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUROC) and the most important features were determined. The best-performing model was applied …

The Influence Of A Deep Learning Tool On The Performance Of Oral And Maxillofacial Radiologists In The Detection Of Apical Radiolucencies, Manal Hamdan, Sergio E. Uribe, Lyudmila Tuzova, Dmitry Tuzoff, Zaid Badr, Andre Mol, Donald A. Tyndall

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the impact of a deep learning model on oral radiologists’ ability to detect periapical radiolucencies on periapical radiographs. The secondary objective was to conduct a regression analysis to evaluate the effects of years of experience, time to diagnose, and specialty.

Methods

This study used an annotated dataset and a beta version of a deep learning model (Denti.AI). The testing subset comprised 68 intraoral periapical radiographs confirmed with cone-beam computed tomography for the presence/absence of apical radiolucencies. Four oral radiologists participated in a cross-over reading scenario, analysing the radiographs under 2 conditions: initially without AI …

The Social Interpretation Of Surat Al-Balad And Its Impact On Addressing Poverty, Dr. Ali Abdul Aziz Sayour

Faculty Peer-Reviewed Papers | بحوث هيئة التدريس المحكمة

This research is titled The Social Interpretation of Surat Al-Balad and Its Impact on Addressing Poverty answers a question: How does Surat Al-Balad, through its interpretation from a social perspective, provide solutions to the phenomenon of poverty prevalence? The research has two topics: the first is indicating the research terminology, and the second is dividing Surat Al-Balad into Four Sections; each section contains several verses presenting a method that contributes to addressing poverty. In this research, both descriptive and deductive methodology was used. It concluded with several results, including: proving that Surat Al-Balad provides us with a model that is …

Revisiting What Constitutes A Neglected Tropical Disease?, Paul J Brindley, Peter J Hotez, Shaden Kamhawi

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases (PLOS NTDs) publishes research devoted to pathogenesis and other clinical aspects, epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), as well as work relevant to public health policy. We define NTDs as poverty-promoting infectious diseases that can negatively impact the quality of life in rural areas and poor urban areas of low- and middle-income countries but which can also affect specific communities within high-income countries. The poverty-inducing effects of the NTDs operate by impairing child health and development, pregnancy outcomes for both mother and child, worker productivity, and quality of life. The …

Association Between Maternal Stress And Child Sleep Quality: A Nationwide Echo Prospective Cohort Study, Sarah Dee Geiger, Aruna Chandran, Marie L Churchill, Maxwell Mansolf, Cai Zhang, Salma Musaad, Courtney K Blackwell, Stephanie M Eick, Dana E Goin, Susan Korrick, Akram Alshawabkeh, Patricia A Brennan, Carrie V Breton, Jose F Cordero, Sean Deoni, Viren D'Sa, Anne L Dunlop, Amy J Elliott, Assiamira Ferrara, Arlene Keddie, Monique Lebourgeois, Kaja Z Lewinn, Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, Maristella Lucchini, Sara S Nozadi, Thomas O'Connor, Yeyi Zhu, Emily Zimmerman, Susan L Schantz

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Childhood sleep quality is associated with physical, cognitive, and behavioral health and predicts later sleep quality; it has many determinants, including developmental exposures.

Objectives: To examine associations between maternal stress during pregnancy and childhood sleep quality and determine whether postnatal stress mediates the association.

Method: Data from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes cohort were used. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) T-scores were the exposure measure. Outcome measures were preschool Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) sleep syndrome scale and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep Disturbance Parent Proxy short form 4a (PSD4a) T-scores at ages 4-8 years. Linear mixed-effects regression …

Leptin Receptor Neurons In The Dorsomedial Hypothalamus Require Distinct Neuronal Subsets For Thermogenesis And Weight Loss, Marie Francois, Laura Kaiser, Yanlin He, Yong Xu, J Michael Salbaum, Sangho Yu, Christopher D Morrison, Hans-Rudolf Berthoud, Heike Münzberg

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) receives inputs from the preoptic area (POA), where ambient temperature mediates physiological adaptations of energy expenditure and food intake. Warm-activated POA neurons suppress energy expenditure via brown adipose tissue (BAT) projecting neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus/dorsal hypothalamic area (dDMH/DHA). Our earlier work identified leptin receptor (Lepr)-expressing, BAT-projecting dDMH/DHA neurons that mediate metabolic leptin effects. Yet, the neurotransmitter (glutamate or GABA) used by dDMH/DHALepr neurons remains unexplored and was investigated in this study using mice. We report that dDMH/DHALepr neurons represent equally glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Surprisingly, chemogenetic activation of glutamatergic and/or GABAergic dDMH/DHA neurons were capable …

Trends In Terrorism Recruitment: Examining Recruitment Patterns Among 250 Armed Groups Using Terrorism, Evan Perkoski, Meredith Maloof Loken, Alec Worsnop

Reports, Projects, and Research

Violent non-state actors (VNSAs) that use terrorism recruit a wide range of people and draw upon distinct features to entice them. They recruit men and women, the highly educated and undereducated, military veterans, and police officers. They sometimes reach these people with religious, racial, or ideological rhetoric. What do we know about VNSA’s global recruitment patterns? How widespread are different recruitment choices (e.g. military veterans), and which recruitment characteristics are likely to co-occur? Based on the 2019 National Strategy for Counterterrorism priorities 1.1, 3.2, and 3.3 to understand and establish prevention architecture to thwart terrorist radicalization and recruitment, this report …

Demographics Of Student Enrollment In National Security Simulation Course At Duke University, David Schanzer, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Jessica Sperling

Reports, Projects, and Research

OverviewThis project is designed to assess the benefits that students accrue from participating in a seven-week, active learning course at Duke University, the main part of which is a national security-related simulation exercise or “war game” called Acceleration. The course was offered in the spring and fall semesters of 2024.

Eng 1091g-099 College Composition I Critical Reading & Source-Based Writing, Honors, Randall Beebe

Fall 2024

No abstract provided.

Research Note: Reduction Of Salmonella Enterica In Simulated Wastewater Using Electrochemical And Photochemical Processes, Sai Aneesh Reddy Cheruvu, Eniola Betiku, Mark Calson, Nicolay Barashkov, Casey Owens, Tomi Obe

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Salmonella is a poultry-borne pathogen causing numerous human outbreaks in the U.S. Consequently, Salmonella, along with other pathogens, can be found in wastewater generated from poultry processing. It is essential to treat this wastewater before discharge, recycle, or reuse. Hence, this study investigated the utility of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) like electrochemical (EC) and photochemical processes (PC) to disinfect Salmonella in simulated wastewater (contaminated water). Three Salmonella serotypes: Kentucky (SK), Infantis (SI), and Typhimurium (ST) were chosen based on their ability to persist in poultry processing environments and cause infection. These serotypes, prepared in water at 6 …

Research Note: Evaluation Of Selected Chlorhexidine Salts/Product And/Or Cetylpyridinium Chloride As Potential Pre-Slaughter Crop Disinfection Agents Using An In Vitro Assay Simulating Crop Contents, L. M. Laverty, K. Martin, Juan D. Latorre, Billy Hargis

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Salmonellae remain a prominent issue for poultry products regarding food safety. A predominant source of broiler carcass contamination at processing is from crop rupturing and subsequent contamination of the carcass during evisceration. Chlorhexidine (CHX) salts are commonly used in dental products for their antimicrobial capabilities. We evaluated CHX gluconate and CHX digluconate alongside cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), a common disinfectant to test their antimicrobial properties and any possible synergistic effects between the two. These effects were evaluated using an in vitro assay simulating the crop contents of poultry. CHX digluconate, CHX gluconate, commercially available CHX gluconate and CPC were tested …

How Partisanship Conditions The Attitudinal Policy Feedback Process, Chris Faricy, Christopher Ellis

Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Guardrails Needed For Social Science Research, James G. Dwyer

Faculty Publications

In an article written for a legal audience, The Most Dangerous Branch of Science?: Reining in Rogue Research and Reckless Experimentation in Social Welfare, (Dwyer, 2022), I illustrated this phenomenon by describing what has happened in the child welfare world in recent decades. In the article, I recommend legal reforms to address the problems, including mandating a more robust IRB [institutional review board] review, broadening the concept of unethical research, treating policy experimentation as research subject to ethical rules, and authorizing lawsuits against those who purchase or conduct intentionally skewed studies that result in harmful policy innovations. I offer here …

A Plea For Private International Law (Conflict Of Laws), Michael S. Green

Faculty Publications

In this essay, author Michael S. Green discusses private international law and its importance in a law school's curriculum. After a brief summary of the history of private international law, the essay traces the disappearance of private international law courses in American law schools and proposes reasons as to why this trend may be occurring. The essay closes with reasons why it is a mistake to remove private international law from course offerings and requests that law schools reintroduce the topic.

Ethical Governance For Genomic Data Science In The Cloud, Vasiliki Rahimzadeh, Sarah C Nelson, Adrian Thorogood, Jonathan Lawson, Stephanie M Fullerton

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Cloud platforms offer distinct advantages, but questions remain about how to ethically and efficiently manage human genomic data in the cloud. Data governance needs to be adapted to ensure transparency and security for research participants, as well as equitable and sustainable access for researchers.

Trastornos Neurocognitivos, Depresión Y Factores Sociodemográficos En Habitantes De La Orinoquía-Amazonía De Colombia: Análisis Secundario Del Estudio Sabe [Neurocognitive Disorders, Depression, And Sociodemographic Factors In Residents Of The Orinoquia-Amazon Region Of Colombia: Secondary Analysis Of The Sabe Study], Maria Del Pilar Santacruz-Ortega, Bertha Lucia Avendaño-Prieto, Sonia Gisela Rios Cruz, Silvia Mejia-Arango

School of Medicine Publications

A partir de un análisis secundario de los datos derivados del estudio SABE Colombia 2015, con 1394 adultos de 60 años o más, se identificó el papel mediador de diferentes variables sociodemográficas y de calidad de vida en la relación entre depresión y trastornos cognoscitivos (leve y demencia) en el adulto mayor residente en la región de la Orinoquía-Amazonía de Colombia. Las asociaciones entre las variables de estudio (depresión y trastornos cognoscitivos) se establecieron con la prueba chi cuadrado, cuyo valor y significancia fueron χ² = 230.2 y p = .00. Los análisis de mediación se realizaron con el programa …

Struggles Around Transgenderism In Hungarian Feminism: An Autoethnographic Account, Dalma Feró

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

In this autoethnography, I am using my personal experiences as data to examine the inextricable personal, political, social, and cultural aspects of one of the most decisive ruptures in Hungarian “progressive” activism of the second half of the 2010s. In the mid-2010s, I was part of an informal collective of women that started to outline a feminist approach critical of mainstream individualistic renditions of women’s rights as social progress, thereby diverging fundamentally from the country’s institutionalised feminism. As I and the circle of women I worked with focused on women’s reproductive autonomy, we encountered central feminist questions about sex and …