Digital Commons Network^™

Head-To-Head Comparison Of Aptamer- And Antibody-Based Proteomic Platforms In Human Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples From A Real-World Memory Clinic Cohort, Raquel Puerta, Yun Ju Sung, Carlos Cruchaga, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

High-throughput proteomic platforms are crucial to identify novel Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and pathways. In this study, we evaluated the reproducibility and reliability of aptamer-based (SomaScan

Saponin Tql1055 Adjuvant-Containing Vaccine Confers Protection Upon Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Challenge In Mice, Mushtaq Ahmed, Eric Farris, Rosemary V Swanson, Shibali Das, Yan Yang, Tyler Martin, Shabaana A Khader

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the intracellular pathogen

The Association Of Caregiver Attitudes, Information Sources, And Trust With Hpv Vaccine Initiation Among Adolescents, Akila Anandarajah, Thembekile Shato, Sarah Humble, Alan R Barnette, Heather M Brandt, Lisa M Klesges, Vetta L Sanders Thompson, Michelle I Silver

2020-Current year OA Pubs

This study described caregiver attitudes and the information sources they access about HPV vaccination for adolescents and determined their influence on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiation. An online survey was administered to 1,016 adults in July 2021. Participants were eligible if they were the caregiver of a child aged 9-17 residing in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and select counties in Southern Illinois. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the association of caregiver attitudes and information sources with HPV vaccination. Information from doctors or healthcare providers (87.4%) and internet sources other than social media (31.0%) were the most used sources …

A New Form Of Soft Supersymmetry Breaking?, Scott Chapman

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Starting with a supersymmetric U(N) × U(N) gauge theory built in N = 1 superspace, a nonsupersymmetric theory is obtained by “twisting” the gauginos into a different representation of the group than the gauge bosons. Despite the fact that this twisting breaks supersymmetry, it is still possible to construct an action that is holomorphic and invariant to local “twisted” gauge transformations in superspace. It is conjectured that these two properties may allow the theory to be free of quadratic divergences to all orders, despite a lack of supersymmetry. An explicit calculation shows that the theory is free of quadratic divergences …

Multi-Sensor Data Fusion And Gis-Drastic Integration For Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment With Rainfall Consideration, Wu Jiazhe, Dai Xinrui, Su Yangcheng, Zheng Xiangtian, Bushra Ghaffar, Rabiya Nasir, Ahsan Jamil, Zeeshan Zafar, Mohammad Suhail Meer, M. Abdullah-Al-Wadud, Rahila Naseer, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In many areas of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, groundwater is the primary source of fresh water, and it supplies around one-third of the world's fresh water. Agriculture is the primary economic sector on the coast in the southern district (Nowshera). More food productivity is required due to the expanding population and diminishing agricultural lands, which increases the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in farming. The current study was conducted in northwestern parts of Pakistan to evaluate the impacts of the frequent use of pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural fields. Nine hydrogeological parameters were considered, and …

Unfolding Cascading Impacts Of Changing South Asia Monsoon On A Hindu Kush Himalayas Basin, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Shahryar Fazli, Arshad Ansari, Suraj Tiwari, Roma Thakurathi, Rejoice Thomas, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Study region

Study focus

New hydrological insights for the region

Predicting Kidney Graft Function And Failure Among Kidney Transplant Recipients, Yi Yao, Brad C Astor, Wei Yang, Tom Greene, Liang Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Graft loss is a major health concern for kidney transplant (KTx) recipients. It is of clinical interest to develop a prognostic model for both graft function, quantified by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and the risk of graft failure. Additionally, the model should be dynamic in the sense that it adapts to accumulating longitudinal information, including time-varying at-risk population, predictor-outcome association, and clinical history. Finally, the model should also properly account for the competing risk by death with a functioning graft. A model with the features above is not yet available in the literature and is the focus of …

A Bayesian Pharmacokinetics Integrated Phase I-Ii Design To Optimize Dose-Schedule Regimes, Mengyi Lu, Ying Yuan, Suyu Liu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The schedule of administering a drug has profound impact on the toxicity and efficacy profiles of the drug through changing its pharmacokinetics (PK). PK is an innate and indispensable component of the dose-schedule optimization. Motivated by this, we propose a Bayesian PK integrated dose-schedule finding (PKIDS) design to identify the optimal dose-schedule regime by integrating PK, toxicity, and efficacy data. Based on the causal pathway that dose and schedule affect PK, which in turn affects efficacy and toxicity, we jointly model the three endpoints by first specifying a Bayesian hierarchical model for the marginal distribution of the longitudinal dose-concentration process. …

Disruption Of Distal Appendage Protein Cep164 Causes Skeletal Malformation In Mice, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Megumi Kitami, Margaret Li, Sowmya Swaminathan, Radbod Darabi, Yoshihiro Komatsu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The primary cilium is a cellular antenna to orchestrate cell growth and differentiation. Deficient or dysfunctional cilia are frequently linked to skeletal abnormalities. Previous research demonstrated that ciliary proteins regulating axoneme elongation are essential for skeletogenesis. However, the role of the ciliary proteins responsible for initiating cilium assembly in skeletal development remains unknown. Here, we investigate the function of centrosomal protein of 164 kDa (CEP164), a key ciliogenesis regulator that localizes at the distal appendages of the mother centriole, during skeletal development in mice. Interestingly, the mesodermal cell-specific Cep164 deletion resulted in severe bone defects and osteoblast-specific deletion of Cep164 …

Neurofilament Light Chain In Serum Of Cancer Patients With Acute Neurological Complications, Amulya Gottiparthy, Keng Lam, Suprateek Kundu, Zixi Yang, Ivo Tremont-Lukats

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aim: Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a nonspecific sensitive biomarker of axonal damage.

Methods: This case series identified cancer patients with neurological complications who had serum NfL measurements and paired these results to outcomes.

Results: NfL serum levels were available in 15 patients with hematological malignancies or solid tumors. The neurological complications studied were immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome, immune checkpoint inhibitor-related encephalopathy, anoxic brain injury, Guillain-Barre syndrome, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, transverse myelitis, paraneoplastic syndrome, central nervous system demyelinating disorder and chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids. All patients but one with serum NfL >900 pg/ml died …

Implications Of Myocardial Strain In Primary Mitral Regurgitation-A Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study, Edward A Graviss

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aims: Chronic primary mitral regurgitation (MR) results in progressive left ventricular (LV) remodelling. Abnormal myocardial deformation (strain) can be present despite preserved ejection fraction (EF). Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) feature-tracking techniques allow assessment of global longitudinal strain (GLS) from routine cine images. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of CMR feature tracking-derived GLS in patients with primary MR.

Methods and results: Consecutive patients undergoing CMR for chronic MR from January 2012 to June 2018 were enrolled. Patients with LVEF < 50% were excluded. The composite primary outcome aiming to detect decompensation related to MR comprised (i) referral for mitral surgery owing to symptoms or LV systolic dysfunction or (ii) cardiovascular death. The secondary outcome was all-cause death. A total of 422 patients were followed for a median of 2.7 years, and the primary endpoint was met in 93 patients (34 patients reported symptoms at baseline). At multivariable analysis, GLS≥ -16.6% was associated with primary outcome [hazard ratio (HR) 1.90, P = 0.01]. In moderate MR cohort, patients with GLS≥ -16.6% had worse event-free survival, whereas there was no significant difference in mild or severe MR groups. GLS≥ -16.0% remained associated with all-cause death after adjusting for other covariates including the MR severity (HR 2.24, P = 0.02).

Conclusion: In patients with primary MR with preserved systolic function, GLS was associated with our composite …

Transcriptomic Profile Analysis Of Brain Tissue In The Absence Of Functional Trpm8 Calcium Channel, Michael X Zhu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/Objectives: Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 8 (TRPM8) is a non-selective, Ca2+-permeable cation channel involved in thermoregulation and other physiological processes, such as basal tear secretion, cell differentiation, and insulin homeostasis. The activation and deactivation of TRPM8 occur through genetic modifications, channel interactions, and signaling cascades. Recent evidence suggests a significant role of TRPM8 in the hypothalamus and amygdala related to pain sensation and sexual behavior. Notably, TRPM8 has been implicated in neuropathic pain, migraines, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Our laboratory has identified testosterone as a high-affinity ligand of TRPM8. TRPM8 deficiency appears to influence behavioral traits in …

Stability Of Cognitive Ability And Effect Of Education Across 58 Years: A Project Talent Aging Study, Thalida Em Arpawong, Jimi Huh, Tara Gruenewald, Gwenith G. Fisher, Jennifer J. Manly, Dominika Seblova, Kelly Peters, Margaret Gatz

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

We assessed the degree to which individuals retain cognitive abilities from adolescence through older adulthood, and whether more education associates with better retention in some more than others, after adjusting for adolescent cognitive ability. We also evaluated whether benefits associated with education differ for those with lower or higher cognitive scores in adolescence, or women or men. Data came from the Project Talent Aging Study, and included measures of abstract reasoning, mathematics, visualization in two dimensions, and recognition memory in 1960 and 2018 (n=2,032; age range 71 to 79). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to fit one-factor (cognitive ability factor, …

Biological Aging Pathways That Underlie Life Course Socioeconomic Disparities In Physical Function And Longevity, Tara Gruenewald, Naomi Podber

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

The poorer functioning and greater morbidity and mortality risk in those with greater life course socioeconomic disadvantage has led to the search for the biological processes that underlie these associations, including accelerated cellular and system aging. Our study examines whether a DNA methylation profile of the pace of biological aging (DunedinPACE) and a multi-system index of physiological dysregulation (allostatic load (AL)) mediate associations between life course socioeconomic disadvantage (SESDIS) and both physical function (gait speed, chair stand time) and survival. Data are from the Midlife in the U.S. Study (N=1,295, age 26–86, 55.4% female, 69.0% white). Measures included a multi-indicator …

“Religion’S Firm-Rooted Truths:” Richard Polwhele, Pulpit Oratory And Loyalist Romanticism In The English Province, Dafydd Moore

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This article explores the rearguard action fought by the clergyman and writer Richard Polwhele against what he saw as the threat of Anglican Evangelicalism and Methodism in Cornwall during the French Revolutionary period, highlighting the connections between religious experience, rhetorical performance and politics. Whether it be through his theorizing of pulpit oratory, his rows with those he considered Enthusiasts or his understanding of ordination oaths, Polwhele maintained that religious belief should be regulated by rhetorical distance. Explaining this stance, the article shows how Polwhele’s theological and ecclesiological opposition to the Enthusiasm he regarded as dangerously inherent in Evangelical Protestantism also …

Addressing Unprofessional Behaviors In The Clinical Learning Environment: Lessons From A Multi-Year Virtual, Intergenerational, Interdisciplinary Workshop, Jocelyn Greely, Yesenia Rojas-Khalil, Doris Kung, Anne Gill, Nadia Ismail, Nital Appelbaum

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: Optimizing the clinical learning environment (CLE) is a medical education priority nationwide.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a virtual, one-hour workshop engaging students, housestaff and faculty in small-group discussions of five case scenarios adapted from reported unprofessional behaviors in the CLE, plus didactics regarding mistreatment, microaggressions and bystander interventions.

RESULTS: Over two sessions (2021-2022), we engaged 340 students and 73 faculty/housestaff facilitators. Post-session surveys showed significant improvement in participants' ability to recognize and respond to challenges in the CLE.

DISCUSSION: Our innovative workshop, including scenarios derived from institutional reports of unprofessional behaviors, advanced participants' knowledge and commitment to improve …

Supporting Teams With Designing For Dissemination And Sustainability: The Design, Development, And Usability Of A Digital Interactive Platform, Maura M Kepper, Allison J L'Hotta, Thembekile Shato, Bethany M Kwan, Russell E Glasgow, Douglas Luke, Andrea K Graham, Ana A Baumann, Ross C Brownson, Brad Morse

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Designing for Dissemination and Sustainability (D4DS) principles and methods can support the development of research products (interventions, tools, findings) that match well with the needs and context of the intended audience and setting. D4DS principles and methods are not well-known or used during clinical and public health research; research teams would benefit from applying D4DS. This paper presents the development of a new digital platform for research teams to learn and apply a D4DS process to their work.

METHODS: A user-centered design (UCD) approach engaged users (n = 14) and an expert panel (n = 6) in an iterative …

Educating Mental Healthcare Staff On Using The Phq-9 In Telehealth, Anoopa M. Jacob

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I developed a quality improvement staff educational program aimed at addressing the inconsistent use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at the project facility, which could adversely affect the quality and continuity of patient care. The need for the program was prompted by the increasing use of telehealth services and the necessity for consistent mental health evaluation tools. I aimed to educate mental health staff about evidence-based practices using the PHQ-9 in telehealth to enhance the quality of care for patients with depression in remote settings. Analytical methods included administering pre- and postintervention tests to measure changes in staff knowledge …

Rural Volunteer Emergency Personnel’S Perceptions Of Stressors During The Covid-19, Janette Lynn Nichols, Phd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emergency personnel are expected to handle all situations without affecting their psyche. Distinct differences exist between urban and rural EMS personnel, with rural personnel frequently needing more organizational resources or support to manage stress. With the onset of COVID-19 in December 2019, rural emergency personnel were placed in exhaustive specific situations not experienced previously within the United States. This study was conducted to focus on how they internalize their stressors. This generic qualitative study aimed to determine the perceptions of stressors experienced by rural volunteer emergency personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative survey was completed by 11 participants who …

African American College Students’ Perceived Motivation And Engagement In Online Learning Environments, Juanita Sharpe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current study delved into the problematic achievement gap between African-American graduates students and other groups, specifically in the online learning environment. African-American graduate students’ lower achievement is problematic due to its lost opportunity costs and social subjugation of an entire group of Americans. The study’s purpose was to improve our understanding of this problem in order to better inform the content and packaging of future academic delivery to this population. A qualitative methodology with a phenomenological design was used to cull the 1st hand experiences of African-American graduate students as to their online learning experiences. Self-determination and constructivism theories …

A Mother's Understanding Of Her Adolescent: A Social Anxiety Study, Cheronda Pinkard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) affects 1% to 13% of adolescents, often placing significant demands on their caregivers. Mothers frequently adapt their behaviors to accommodate their child’s anxiety, which may impact their well-being and the parent-child relationship. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of mothers accommodating adolescents with SAD to understand better the emotional and relational toll of this caregiving role. The problem addressed is the limited understanding of how maternal accommodation affects mothers. Mental health practitioners, educators, and policymakers may benefit from this research by gaining insight into these families' challenges and informing family-centered interventions and support services. Guided …

Examining The Influence Of Digital Platforms On Purchase Decisions Of University Students In Tanzania, John Philemon Mwakyusa, Linda N. G. Nderumaki

Business Management Review

This study analyses the influence of the dimensions of digital platforms on the purchase decisions of university students in Tanzania. The study was based on an explanatory research design governed by the Theory of Planned Behavior. Data was collected through closed-ended questionnaires administered to 354 university students and analysed using Structural Equation Modeling through SmartPLS 4 software. The results indicated that all three dimensions: Consumer Attitude, Consumer Trust, and Consumer Presence positively and significantly influenced students' purchase decisions on digital platforms. Managerial implications suggest that firms prioritise enhancing user trust, adopting a refined approach to engagement, improving user experience, and …

Employee Involvement And Operational Performance Of Private Hospitals In Uganda: The Mediating Role Of Knowledge Management, Tibesigwa Warren, Juma J. Masele, Gerald Magova

Business Management Review

This study examines the mediating effect of knowledge management on the relationship between Employee Involvement and Operational Performance of hospitals in Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 53 private general hospitals and primary data obtained. Data analysis was done using Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the study hypotheses. Results showed that employee involvement had an insignificant direct relationship with Operational Performance. Results further indicated that knowledge management had a positive significant effect on Operational Performance. More so, knowledge management fully mediated the relationship between employee involvement and Operational Performance. Hospitals were advised to create …

Institutional Support's Influence On Green Beekeeping Adoption In Resource-Constrained Biharamulo Forest Reserve, Tanzania: The Extended Theory Of Planned Behavior, Haruna Athumani, Ranger Kanan, Gerald Zachary Paga Tinali

Business Management Review

Green production practices are crucial for environmental conservation, yet scholarly research on green beekeeping remains limited. This study seeks to enhance the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by developing an extended model of Institutional Support theory of Planned Behavior (ISTPB) to understand better beekeepers' behavior toward adopting green beekeeping practices. The model focuses on institutional support and its role in shaping individual behavior related to green beekeeping adoption. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the study's empirical results show that institutional support and the three original TPB components, i.e., attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, positively and significantly influence green …

The Influence Of Provision Of Public Services On Tax Compliance In Smes: Mediating Role Of Tax Morale, Menchidia Rwabunywenge, Mariamu Nchimbi, Said Juma Suluo

Business Management Review

This study investigates the relationship between the provision of public services, tax morale, and tax compliance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Tanzania. A cross-sectional research design was employed, using a sample of 479 SMEs from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with data collected through self-administered questionnaires. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The results indicate that the provision of public services has a significant positive effect on tax compliance, with tax morale acting as a partial mediator in this relationship. This suggests that taxpayers’ perceptions of the quality of public services influence their intrinsic motivation …

Assessing The Potential For Tanzanian Exports In The African Continental Free Trade Area, Mesia Ilomo

Business Management Review

In 2019, the Africa Union launched the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), one of the largest pro-development regional trade arrangements (RTAs) in the world. Despite the broad promises, the potential trade benefits of AfCFTA to specific African countries is not crystal clear. We employ a gravity model and the Pseudo Poisson Maximum Likelihood (PPML) estimator to establish the existence, magnitude, and change of Tanzania export potential in 49 African markets. The results show existence of export potential in 38 markets, and inexistence of export potential in 11 markets. Out of 38 markets with export potential, Tanzania has high export …

Study Of The Incorporation Of Date Stone Powder On Technological And Rheological Characteristics Of Common Wheat Flour, Djilali Bouhadi, Hamza Belkhodja, Zouaoui Benattouche, Abderrahmane Remil, Ahmed Hariri

Journal of Bioresource Management

The fortification of bakery products with bioactive and functional substances is the main focus of food sciences. These nutrients include date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and their byproducts. This work aims to illustrate the effects of using date components in bakery products and to determine how these effects affect the products' technological, rheological, and sensory qualities. To achieve this purpose, date powder was introduced in bread making procedure with different rates (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 %). Then, the physicochemical, sensorial and rheological characteristics was determined. In terms of bread qualities, date powder improved the volume and form …

Dental Remains Of Pachyportax (Bovidae) From Late Miocene Deposits Of Jhelum, Punjab, Pakistan, Saira Ashfaq, Muhammad Rizwan, Maryam Mushtaq, Umar Naveed Saqib, Sheraz Khan, Hifza Zahid, Muhammad Arshaid, Tabassum Nawaz

Journal of Bioresource Management

The upper Dhok Pathan Formation is characterized to newly found Pachyportax fossils from Late Miocene outcrops in the Hasnot region. The discovered dental remains of Pachyportax include upper and lower molars. Based on morphometry, the examined tooth material was identified, and the specimens were categorized as Pachyportax latidens and Pachyportax nagri. A well-known example is Pachyportax latidens, but Pachyportax nagrii stands out due to its rare fossil record from the middle Siwaliks. Potwar Pleateu is the most productive region for the deposition of vertebrate fossils (Pilbeam et al., 1979; Badgley et al., 2008). Bovids in open environments are …

Bioresource Management Via Least Cost Feed Formulation For Red Tilapia (Oreochromis Sp.): Application Of Linear Programming Technique, Boudjema Kamel, Redhouane Benfares, Affaf Kord, Toufik Milla, Belkacem Guenachi, Lynda Frai, Rachida Itcher, Hocine Kherzane

Journal of Bioresource Management

The method of linear programming (LP) was utilized to determine the relationship between the composition of nutrients of each ingredients, specifications for raw materials, cost and requirements for nutrients of the red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.), in order to define: (1) least cost ration formulation, (2) least cost diet, (3) minimum price of producing a particular diet after meeting a number of requirements. The resulting LP models were solved using the simplex algorithm. Therefore, our results show that, formulated feed had high protein content (31.92 %), Lipid (2.53), Moisture (9.10 %) and Ash (9.00 %). The utilization of diet …

Harnessing Natural Medicine As A Resource For Socioeconomic Development, Eneojo Ogu, Martins Emeje, Munira Abdullahi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Natural medicine is currently gaining global acceptance among the developed and developing countries of the world due to its low toxicity, high efficacy and cost effectiveness. Developed countries are devising medicinal systems that require the use of medicinal plant products and resources. Thus, a marked increase in world demand for medicinal plant resources has emerged in the recent years and that has provided a great opportunity for medicinal plants exporting nations to expand their economy shares in this sector. Despite the Nigeria immense socio-economic promise, the country is in critical need following the fact that the multidimensional poverty rate is …