Digital Commons Network^™

Thioredoxin: An Antioxidant, A Therapeutic Target And A Possible Biomarker, Tara Sudhadevi, Anantha Harijith

Faculty Scholarship

Study by Haga et al. on the utility of neonatal serum thioredoxin-1 (TRX-1) levels as a biomarker of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)/ retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the first of its kind. A biomarker is considered to enable the detection of a pathological condition or its severity and ideally, should have the capacity to be detected in the pre-disease state or during the diseased state. Premature infants who develop BPD are exposed to supplemental O2 and show marked evidence of oxidant stress as suggested by elevated glutathione disulfide (GSSG) concentrations.1 Upon preterm delivery, an infant breathing even atmospheric oxygen of 21% …

Integrin Α6Β4 Upregulates Ptprz1 Through Uchl1-Mediated Hif-1Α Nuclear Accumulation To Promote Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Invasive Properties, Min Chen, Parvanee A. Karimpour, Andrew Elliott, Daheng He, Teresa Knifley, Jinpeng Liu, Chi Wang, Kathleen L. O’Connor

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Integrin α6β4 drives triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) aggressiveness through the transcriptional regulation of key genes. Here, we investigated how integrin α6β4 regulates protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type Z1 (PTPRZ1). Using stable re-expression of integrin β4 (ITGB4) in cells naturally devoid of integrin α6β4 or knockdown or knockout (KO) of ITGB4, we found that integrin α6β4 regulates PTPRZ1 expression. To gain mechanistic insight, we focused on Hif-1α due to the impact of integrin α6β4 on a hypoxia-associated signature. We found that nuclear localization of Hif-1α, but not Hif-2α, was substantially enhanced with integrin α6β4 signaling. Hif-1α knockdown by shRNA or chemical …

Knockdown Of Ketohexokinase Versus Inhibition Of Its Kinase Activity Exert Divergent Effects On Fructose Metabolism, Se-Hyung Park, Taghreed Fadhul, Lindsey R. Conroy, Harrison A. Clarke, Ramon Sun, Kristina Wallenius, Jeremie Boucher, Gavin O'Mahony, Alessandro Boianelli, Marie Persson, Sunhee Jung, Cholsoon Jang, Analia S. Loria, Genesee J. Martinez, Zachary A. Kipp, Evelyn A. Bates, Terry D. Hinds Jr., Senad Divanovic, Samir Softic

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Excessive fructose intake is a risk factor for the development of obesity and its complications. Targeting ketohexokinase (KHK), the first enzyme of fructose metabolism, has been investigated for the management of metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). We compared the effects of systemic, small molecule inhibitor of KHK enzymatic activity with hepatocyte-specific, N-acetylgalactosamine siRNA–mediated knockdown of KHK in mice on an HFD. We measured KHK enzymatic activity, extensively quantified glycogen accumulation, performed RNA-Seq analysis, and enumerated hepatic metabolites using mass spectrometry. Both KHK siRNA and KHK inhibitor led to an improvement in liver steatosis; however, via substantially different mechanisms, KHK …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Point Of Care Smoking Cessation Interventions In Oncology Clinics., Kerri A. Mullen, Kelly Hurley, Shelley Hewitson, Joshua Scoville, Alyssa Grant, Kednapa Thavorn, Eshwar Kumar, Graham W. Warren

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: We examined the cost-effectiveness of providing systematic smoking cessation interventions to oncology patients at point-of-care.

METHODS: A decision analytic model was completed from the healthcare payer's perspective and included all incident cancer cases involving patients who smoke in New Brunswick, Canada (n = 1040), cancer site stratifications, and risks of mortality, continued smoking, and cancer treatment failure over one year. Usual care (no cessation support) was compared to the standard Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation (OMSC) intervention, and to OMSC plus unlimited cost-free stop smoking medication (OMSC + SSM), including nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, or bupropion. Primary outcomes were …

Predicting The Pathway Involvement Of All Pathway And Associated Compound Entries Defined In The Kyoto Encyclopedia Of Genes And Genomes, Erik D. Huckvale, Hunter Moseley

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Predicting the biochemical pathway involvement of a compound could facilitate the interpretation of biological and biomedical research. Prior prediction approaches have largely focused on metabolism, training machine learning models to solely predict based on metabolic pathways. However, there are many other types of pathways in cells and organisms that are of interest to biologists. Methods: While several publications have made use of the metabolites and metabolic pathways available in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), we downloaded all the compound entries with pathway annotations available in the KEGG. From these data, we constructed a dataset where each …

Upregulation Of Fatty Acid Synthase Increases Activity Of Β-Catenin And Expression Of Notum To Enhance Stem-Like Properties Of Colorectal Cancer Cells, Courtney O. Kelson, Josiane Weber Tessmann, Mariah E. Geisen, Daheng He, Chi Wang, Tianyan Gao, B. Mark Evers, Yekaterina Y. Zaytseva

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Dysregulated fatty acid metabolism is an attractive therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC). We previously reported that fatty acid synthase (FASN), a key enzyme of de novo synthesis, promotes the initiation and progression of CRC. However, the mechanisms of how upregulation of FASN promotes the initiation and progression of CRC are not completely understood. Here, using Apc/VillinCre and ApcMin mouse models, we show that upregulation of FASN is associated with an increase in activity of β-catenin and expression of multiple stem cell markers, including Notum. Genetic and pharmacological downregulation of FASN in mouse adenoma organoids decreases the activation of β-catenin …

The Absence Of Cxcl10 Activity Does Not Affect The Capability Of Cd8+ T Cells To Migrate And Eliminate The Tissue Cysts Of Toxoplasma Gondii From The Brains Of Chronically Infected Mice, Rajesh Mani, Yasuhiro Suzuki

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii forms tissue cysts in neurons and astrocytes in the brain to establish chronic infection, and astrocytes express the CXCL10 chemokine in chronically infected mice. Since chemokines mediate the migration of T cells to attack their targets, and since CXCL10 plays key roles in T cell-mediated control of the proliferation of tachyzoites (the acute stage form) of T. gondii during the acute stage of infection, we examined whether CXCL10 is involved in recruiting anti-cyst CD8+ cytotoxic T cells to eliminate the cysts in their brains. We employed adoptive transfer of CD8+ immune T cells to infected, T cell-deficient SCID …

The Impact Of Pdcd4, A Translation Inhibitor, On Drug Resistance, Qing Wang, Hsin-Sheng Yang

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) is a tumor suppressor, which has been demonstrated to efficiently suppress tumorigenesis. Biochemically, Pdcd4 binds with translation initiation factor 4A and represses protein translation. Beyond its role in tumor suppression, growing evidence suggests that Pdcd4 enhances the chemosensitivity of several anticancer drugs. To date, numerous translational targets of Pdcd4 have been identified. These targets govern important signal transduction pathways, and their attenuation may improve chemosensitivity or overcome drug resistance. This review will discuss the signal transduction pathways regulated by Pdcd4 and the potential mechanisms through which Pdcd4 enhances chemosensitivity or counteracts drug resistance.

Welfare Accounting, Eduardo Dávila, Andreas Schaab

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

This paper develops a welfare accounting decomposition that identifies and quantifies the origins of welfare gains and losses in general economies with heterogeneous individuals and disaggregated production. The decomposition — exclusively based on preferences and technologies — first separates efficiency from redistribution considerations. Efficiency comprises i) exchange efficiency, which captures allocative efficiency gains due to reallocating consumption and factor supply across individuals, and ii) production efficiency, which captures allocative efficiency gains due to adjusting intermediate inputs and factors, as well as technical efficiency gains from primitive changes in technologies, good endowments, and factor endowments. Leveraging the decomposition, we provide a …

Lbsci 700 / Info 7001. The Technology Of Information., Brandon K. Jeffries Mr.

Open Educational Resources

This course will introduce the student to the conceptual and practical elements of visual and computer literacy for the library and information science profession. Particular attention will be paid to the place and role of libraries and information centers. A laboratory session following each class will give students the opportunity to apply some of the concepts learned in class.

German 250w (German Film And Media), Christa Spreizer

Open Educational Resources

German 250W (German Film and Media) considers various iconic Weimar German silent and sound films of the early 20th century such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, The Nibelungen, Metropolis, M, Dr. Mabuse, Blue Angel and others. We will analyze the extraordinary development of German cinema during a period of great political and economic instability, and an all-encompassing cultural revival.

Psci 102: Political Controversies: Democracy, Politics, And Freedom., Antonia Cucchiara

Open Educational Resources

This course aims to provide students with an introduction to the analysis of political controversies stemming from issues related to freedom and democracy in America today. Students will first engage with questions central to the understanding of the concepts above, such as: What is freedom? What is the relationship between freedom and democracy? How have thinkers, from the ancient to modern era, defined freedom? How can we compare and contrast the varied definitions of freedom put forward by thinkers across time? Students will then apply the theories of freedom and democracies to analyze a series of case studies from the …

Variables Affecting Neurodevelopmental Outcome In Infants With Critical Congenital Heart Disease, Elizabeth Loughman, Marcie G. Files, Julie Weiner

Posters

Background: The mortality of cardiac conditions in infancy is improving with advances in surgical planning and medical management. Neurologic morbidity remains significant. Clinically correlating an infant with their neurologic exam, MRI/EEG, and subsequent developmental testing remains a challenge. Counseling regarding neurologic outcomes after cardiac intervention is difficult due to the wide range of findings that can sometimes be clinically irrelevant. Purpose: The goal of this study is to identify factors associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) as assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Edition IV (Bayley). Methods: This is …

Increased Red Cell Distribution Width (Rdw) Is Associated With Culture Positive Sepsis And With Increased Need Of Escalation In Respiratory Support In Very Low Birth Weight Infants More Than Seven Days Of Life Undergoing Sepsis Workup Secondary To Vitals Instability In The Form Of Multiple Episodes Of True Apneas Or Bradycardia And Desaturations Associated With Apnea, Kedar Tilak, Aashka Patel, Anna Zylak

Posters

Background Apnea of prematurity is nearly universal among very low birth weight infants (VLBW). In VLBW infants, changes in clinical status usually occur due to sepsis or non-infectious causes and it is challenging to differentiate between the two. We as clinicians use irregularities in vital signs as an early warning sign of sepsis to facilitate early treatment and improve patient outcomes. Adults have used RDW as a marker of worsening respiratory status and mortality from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In this study, we seek to investigate elevations in Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) as markers for culture positive sepsis …

Car T-Cell Therapy In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Alhomidi Almotiri

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive leukemic malignancy that affects myeloid lineage progenitors. Relapsed or refractory AML patients continue to have poor prognoses, necessitating the development of novel therapy alternatives. Adoptive T-cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is an intriguing possibility in the field of leukemia treatment. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy is now being tested in clinical trials (mostly in phase I and phase II) using AML targets including CD33, CD123, and CLL-1. Preliminary data showed promising results. However, due to the cellular and molecular heterogeneity of AML and the co-expression of some AML targets on …

Revisiting The Prevalence Of Psychological Symptoms Among Health Care Workers In Saudi Arabia During Covid-19, Maram A. Alturki, Ghada A. Alkhodair

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To analyze the existing literature on the prevalence of psychological symptoms in healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review will evaluate the assessment methods used for measuring the prevalence of psychological symptoms and critically review the literature’s findings concerning psychological support for HCWs. Methods: All articles were selected from the PubMed database and reviewed for potential inclusion in March 2023. The articles were screened following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocol. Assessment of the quality and risk of bias in the included studies was guided using the prevalence critical appraisal …

The Value And Significance Of Nucleolar Organizer Region Proteins As Markers Of Malignancy In Breast Cancer Patients, Magdi M. Salih, Dooaa A. Abdulgafor, Haytham A. Dahlawi, Eman H. Khalifa

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in 60 patients with primary breast carcinoma and evaluated their association with clinical prognostic parameters of breast cancer. Methods: Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions were stained in paraffin sections of the tissues using Ploton’s silver method. For each sample, the number of AgNORs within the nuclei of 100 tumor cells was counted. The average number of AgNORs per nucleus was calculated, and the results were expressed as mean. Results: The number of AgNORs was significantly higher in breast invasive ductal carcinoma (6.6) compared to benign breast tumors (fewer than 2.0). However, differences in …

Role Of Sonography In Detection And Evaluation Of Post Liver Transplant Complications, Muna M. Babikir, Mohammed H. Alkhalaf, Magda M. Babiker, Ali A. Alyami, Abdulaziz I. Alrashed, Abdullah A. Alhajeri, Najla M. Alkhelaiwi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To evaluate the role of sonography in revealing and characterizing liver transplant complications based on gray scale and color Doppler, describe the normal Doppler findings, and discuss the significance of distinguishing normal transient changes in the spectral waveform from findings that may suggests ominous complications. Methods: We carried out a retrospective cross-sectional study at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The medical records and imaging studies of a total of 122 candidates who underwent transplantation between January 2016 to February 2022 were reviewed. Results: Our results showed that most patients were males with the most frequent age …

Rate Of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency In Neonatal Indirect Hyperbilirubinemia At A Private Tertiary Centre, Hussain M. Alhiwaishil, Mohammed A. Alghareeb, Ammar S. Alkhars, Taha H. Abdalla, Abdulhadi A. Almohsen, Abbas Al Mutair

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To investigate the rate of hospitalized neonates with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency presented with indirect hyperbilirubinemia at a private tertiary center in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, over 4 years and to compare the characteristics of G6PD-deficient and normal neonates admitted for indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Methods: The retrospective case control study was carried out at Almoosa Specialist Hospital, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from Yassasi Medical System from 2018-2021 and finalized in 2024. The study included 2 groups: G6PD-normal and G6PD-deficient neonates with indirect hyperbilirubinemia not having recognizable triggers of hemolysis. The analysis focused on serum bilirubin levels, direct bilirubin levels, …

Global Study Predicts Increases In Cancer Cases And Deaths Among Men, With Widening Disparities Based On Age And Countries’ Economic Status

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Fourteen African Countries, Key Partners Unite To Provide Critical Resources For Health In Who’S First-Ever Investment Round

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Cutting-Edge Biomaterials For Advanced Biomedical Uses: Self-Gelation Of L-Arginine-Loaded Chitosan/Pva/Vanillin Hydrogel For Accelerating Topical Wound Healing And Skin Regeneration, Samar A. Salim, Rabab Ibrahim, Elbadawy A. Kamoun, Noha Badawy, Shahira Elmosalmy, Mahmoud Khaled

Nanotechnology Research Centre

The self-gelation utilizes natural vanillin as a primary component of vanilla bean extract, and as a crosslinking agent for entangling chitosan–PVA hydrogels. This involves a Schiff-base reaction, where amino group of chitosan (CH) interacts with aldehyde group of vanillin (Van). The optimized formula of formed hydrogels is chosen based on achieving a well-balanced combination of self-healing capability, mechanical strength, sustained release profile, and hydrophilic tendency. The prepared hydrogel is thoroughly characterized using SEM and FTIR analyses, swelling ratio, hydrolytic rate assessment, and in vitro drug release profiling. CH–PVA–Van hydrogels demonstrate controlled drug release that is sustained for over 7 days. …

Corrigendum: Sars-Cov-2 Seroprevalence In Pregnant Women In Kilifi, Kenya From March 2020 To March 2022, Angela Koech, Geoffrey Omuse, Joseph Mutunga, Moses Mukhanya, Onesmus Wanje, Grace Mwashigadi, Geoffrey Katana, Rachel Craik, Alex Mugo, Marleen Temmerman

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Seroprevalence studies are an alternative approach to estimating the extent of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the evolution of the pandemic in different geographical settings. We aimed to determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence from March 2020 to March 2022 in a rural and urban setting in Kilifi County, Kenya.

Methods: We obtained representative random samples of stored serum from a pregnancy cohort study for the period March 2020 to March 2022 and tested for antibodies against the spike protein using a qualitative SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kit (Wantai, total antibodies). All positive samples were retested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (Euroimmun, ELISA kits, NCP, …

Daily Stress, Problematic Social Media Use, And Executive Functions: A Daily Diary Approach, Wee Qin Ng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

A growing body of research suggests that daily stress may be a risk factor for problematic social media use. However, findings concerning the relation between stress and social media use are mixed, suggesting the presence of moderators that may buffer the relation between stress and problematic social media use. Further, previous studies have relied on either cross-sectional designs or longitudinal designs that may not fully capture daily experiences of stressors and social media use. To overcome these limitations, the present study utilized a 7-day daily diary study to investigate the within-individual associations between daily stress and problematic social media use. …

Ecosystem-Oriented Development Of New Energy Vehicle Industry And Its Spillover Effects, Jianli Li

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The vigorous development of the manufacturing industry, along with advancements in technologies such as the Internet, has propelled the growth of China's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry, and exhibited characteristics of ecosystem-oriented development, which has brought positive impacts on both China's economic and social development. Benefiting from China's policy environment and developmental foundation, the Chinese automotive industry has achieved a leapfrog development in the field of new energy, with China ranking first in global sales and the penetration rate of NEVs continuously increasing. As power batteries and other domains continue to improve and intelligent driving technologies make constant breakthroughs, NEVs …

Understanding The Governance And Inheritance Mechanism Of Fujian Merchants From The Perspective Of Modern Economics, Feiyan Zhang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Under the general background of globalization and market economy, Chinese enterprises are embracing advanced governance models around the world, and facing the challenge of effectively combining them with local culture. In the history of China, Fujian (Min) merchants formed a famous commercial group, leaving modern enterprises some precious enlightenment in its unique governance and inheritance mechanism. This research will extensively explore the governance mechanism of Fujian commercial group and assess its potentials and enlightenment for application in the system of modern enterprises. This research aims to provide theoretical and practical guidance for the development of a governance model matching with …

How Does Highly Educated Chinese Woman’S Endorsement Of Traditional Family Values Impact Her Well-Being?, Qiong Zhou

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With global advancements in gender equality and open-minded influence, Chinese women now have more opportunities to pursue higher education or independent work. However, there is a question of whether Chinese traditional family value still impacts Chinese women’s lives, thus affecting women's individual well-being.

Based on the results of a questionnaire survey and regression analysis of 301 highly educated Chinese women, we find that the endorsement of traditional family values by these women can indirectly affect their individual well-being through their engagement in job and family; that is, their achievements and satisfactions of job, family and self will be impacted by …

The Impact Of S2b2c Model On The Performance Of Chain Enterprises, Qingyang Zhao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As the economy is highly developed today, enterprises are studying how to improve channel efficiency, customer loyalty, and supply chain stability along the value chain to ensure their competitive advantages. By observing the development of key chain-operated enterprises in China over the past 20 years, this study proposes to examine the impact of constructing an S2B2C model on corporate performance. A foundational theory has been established, and a theoretical framework has been analyzed. Following a logical order from the abstract to the concrete and from theory to practice, a combination of case studies and empirical analysis is employed to evaluate …

E-Textbook For Better Learning In Chemistry 120, Anh Vu '27, Jeffery A. Hansen

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Organic chemistry is a highly visual subject since organic compounds are 3D objects. For this reason, in order to fully understand the composition, properties, and chemistry of these compounds, it is essential to understand and visualize their 3D structures. Nevertheless, there is a frequent necessity to depict organic substances on 2D surfaces, such as paper, a computer screen, or a whiteboard. As a result, one of the biggest obstacles we will face is learning these molecules in a 2D format while maintaining an accurate understanding of 3D nature. The purpose of this e-textbook is to fully utilize the digital medium …

Evaluation Of Liver Fibrosis On Grayscale Ultrasound In A Pediatric Population Using A Cloud-Based Transfer Learning Artificial Intelligence Platform, Amr Mohammed, Aylin Tahmasebi, Sooji Kim, Mostafa Alnoury, Corinne E. Wessner, Tania Siu Xiao, Sharon W. Gould, Lauren A. May, Heidi Kecskemethy, David T. Saul, John R. Eisenbrey

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

Objectives: The incidence of chronic liver diseases in children is increasing worldwide due to congenital, metabolic, autoimmune and viral diseases. Currently, liver biopsy for fibrosis assessment is considered the gold standard. However, this procedure is invasive, may result in unavoidable complications and is prone to sampling errors. These limitations have led to an increasing demand for noninvasive methods for fibrosis screening. Artificial intelligence integration in ultrasound diagnosis of liver fibrosis has gained interest in clinical research. In the current study we used a cloud-based artificial intelligence platform utilizing transfer learning to evaluate the accuracy of B-mode ultrasound based AI model …