Digital Commons Network^™

Rounding In The Time Of Covid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Genetic Testing In Children With Nephrolithiasis And Nephrocalcinosis, Farzana Perwad, Megan Schoettler, Mini Michael, Joseph R Angelo, Adnan Safdar, Louise Amlie-Wolf, Tracy E Hunley, Jonathan S Ellison, Daniel Feig, Joshua Zaritsky

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing genetic kidney disease has become more accessible with low-cost, rapid genetic testing. The study objectives were to determine genetic testing diagnostic yield and examine predictors of genetic diagnosis in children with nephrolithiasis/nephrocalcinosis (NL/NC).

METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted on children ≤ 21 years old with NL/NC from pediatric nephrology/urology centers that underwent the Invitae Nephrolithiasis Panel 1/1/2019-9/30/2021. The diagnostic yield of the genetic panel was calculated. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression were performed to assess for predictors of positive genetic testing.

RESULTS: One hundred and thirteen children (83 NL, 30 NC) from 7 centers were …

Current Practices In Pediatric Continuous Kidney Replacement Therapy: A Systematic Review-Guided Multinational Modified Delphi Consensus Study

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) has become an integral part of the care of critically ill children. However, uncertainty exists regarding the current state of how CKRT is prescribed and delivered in children. The main objective of this study was to identify the current practices for pediatric CKRT.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature from 2012 to 2022 to identify data regarding CKRT timing of initiation, dosing, anticoagulation, fluid removal, and quality monitoring. Using this data, we then performed a two-round modified Delphi process using a multinational internet-assisted survey of prescribers of CKRT.

RESULTS: The survey …

Pediatric Acute Liver Failure Secondary To Autoimmune Hepatitis In An Infant With Thrombocytopenia-Absent Radius (Tar) Syndrome: A Case Report, Krupa R Mysore, Wenly Ruan, Daniel H Leung, Mary Elizabeth M Tessier, Dana Cerminara, Sarah Nicholas, Kelby Fuller, Marielle Faraone, N Thao N Galvan, John Goss, Anna M Banc-Husu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Thrombocytopenia absent radius (TAR) syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that has been associated with food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis and transient leukemoid reactions, among other manifestations. There has been no prior reports of its association with autoimmune disease, more specifically, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) or the development of pediatric acute liver failure (PALF). We present a case of an 8-month-old infant with TAR syndrome who presented with PALF, secondary to AIH with elevated liver-kidney microsomal antibody (>1:2560). She received a liver transplant and had a very complicated postoperative course including severe T-cell-mediated rejection, infection, biliary stricture, persistently elevated liver-kidney microsomal …

Cellular And Extracellular Vaginal Changes Following Murine Ovarian Removal, Natasha M Faruqui, Swathi Balaji, Julie C E Hakim

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Loss of estrogen as a result of aging, pelvic cancer therapy, genetics, or eating disorders affects numerous body systems including the reproductive tract. Specifically, a chronic hypoestrogenic state fosters debilitating vaginal symptoms like atrophy, dryness, and dyspareunia. Current treatment options, including vaginal estrogen and hyaluronan (HA), anecdotally improve symptoms, but rectifying mechanisms are largely understudied. In order to study the hypoestrogenic vaginal environment, in particular the extracellular matrix (ECM), as well as understand the mechanisms behind current treatments and develop new therapies, we characterized a reliable and reproducible animal model. Bilateral ovariectomies (OVX) were performed on 9‐week‐old CD1 mice. After …

T-Cell Receptor Beta Variable Gene Polymorphism Predicts Immune-Related Adverse Events During Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy, Dzifa Yawa Duose, Jeffrey M Conroy, Carl Morrison, Anas Alshawa, Mingxuan Xu, Abdulrazzak Zarifa, Sapna P Patel, Ying Yuan, Evan Kwiatkowski, Linghua Wang, Jordi Rodon Ahnert, Siqing Fu, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Geoffrey M Lowman, Timothy Looney, Aung Naing

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized cancer treatment. However, they are associated with a unique spectrum of side effects, called immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which can cause significant morbidity and quickly progress to severe or life-threatening events if not treated promptly. Identifying predictive biomarkers for irAEs before immunotherapy initiation is therefore a critical area of research. Polymorphisms within the T-cell receptor beta (TCRB) variable (TRBV) gene have been implicated in autoimmune disease and may be mechanistically linked to irAEs. However, the repetitive nature of the TCRB locus and incomplete genome assembly has hampered the evaluation of TRBV polymorphisms in the …

Disparities In Antifibrotic Medication Utilization Among Veterans With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Charles Mcculloch, Ivan O Rosas, Venkata D Bandi, Ning Zhang, Alison M Dedent, Harold R Collard, Mary A Whooley

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Two antifibrotic medications, pirfenidone and nintedanib, are approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Little is known about their real-world adoption.

Research question: What are the real-world antifibrotic utilization rates and factors associated with uptake among a national cohort of veterans with IPF?

Study design and methods: This study identified veterans with IPF who received care either provided by the Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System or non-VA care paid for by the VA. Patients who had filled at least one antifibrotic prescription through the VA pharmacy or Medicare Part D between October 15, 2014, and December 31, …

Effective Methods For Bulk Rna-Seq Deconvolution Using Scnrna-Seq Transcriptomes, Xiaochen Long, Tsz-Kwong Man, Hua-Sheng Chiu, Elad Chomsky, Evgeny Kiner, Michael J Krueger, Diego Di Bernardo, Luis Voloch, Jan Molenaar, Sander R Van Hooff, Frank Westermann, Selina Jansky, Michele L Redell, Pieter Mestdagh, Pavel Sumazin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: RNA profiling technologies at single-cell resolutions, including single-cell and single-nuclei RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq and snRNA-seq, scnRNA-seq for short), can help characterize the composition of tissues and reveal cells that influence key functions in both healthy and disease tissues. However, the use of these technologies is operationally challenging because of high costs and stringent sample-collection requirements. Computational deconvolution methods that infer the composition of bulk-profiled samples using scnRNA-seq-characterized cell types can broaden scnRNA-seq applications, but their effectiveness remains controversial.

Results: We produced the first systematic evaluation of deconvolution methods on datasets with either known or scnRNA-seq-estimated compositions. Our analyses revealed …

Obscure Calculus A Study Of The Strange And Beautiful Lesser Known Topics In Calculus, Rory Bender

Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present

Many students make it all the way through four full calculus courses including Calculus 1, 2, 3 and Differential Equations) and never see the beauty inherent in calculus. Some of the most clever and impressive techniques and methods used for solving some very difficult and interesting problems are completely skipped over in most curriculums. These are arguably some of the most beautiful calculus topics and it’s a shame that many students, even those who go on to major in mathematics, never see them. An additional calculus course offering to teach these lesser known but incredibly beautiful topics should be offered. …

Blunted Adaptive Immune Responses And Acute Exacerbations Of Copd: Breaking The Code

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Leveraging Omics To Predict Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: The "Immunome"

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Utilization Rates Of Sglt2 Inhibitors Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Failure, And Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Insights From The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Dhruv Mahtta, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, Vijay Nambi, Christie M Ballantyne, Laura A Petersen, Adrienne D Walker, Waleed T Kayani, Javed Butler, Leandro Slipczuk, Joseph G Rogers, Biykem Bozkurt, Sankar D Navaneethan, Salim S Virani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Multiple clinical trials have demonstrated significant cardiovascular benefit with use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and heart failure (HF) irrespective of ejection fraction. There are limited data evaluating real-world prescription and practice patterns of SGLT2 inhibitors.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess utilization rates and facility-level variation in the use among patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), HF, and T2DM using data from the nationwide Veterans Affairs health care system.

Methods: The authors included patients with established ASCVD, HF, and T2DM seen by a primary care provider between January 1, 2020, …

A Case Study Of The Impact Of A Dietitian In The Multi‐Disciplinary Team Within Primary Care: A Service Evaluation, Mary Hickson, Jenny Child, Avril Collinson

School of Health Professions

AbstractBackgroundExpanding the primary care workforce to alleviate general practitioner (GP) workload, improve access and improve quality of care is a current UK strategy. Evidence suggests dietitians can improve patient outcomes and make cost savings. The present study aimed to evaluate a dietitian working as an expert generalist and first contact practitioner (FCP) in a general practice multi‐disciplinary team (MDT) to provide appropriate care to patients and reduce GP workload.MethodsA dietitian was employed for 6 months at 0.6 full‐time equivalents in a group of general practices in Devon, UK. Data were collected on the referral source, patient satisfaction, health outcomes and …

Asia’S Moment: Contextualizing The Rules Of The Corporate Governance Game, Dan W. Puchniak

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Whether this century is Asia’s century is still open for debate. What is clear now, however, is that understanding corporate governance in Asia is a paramount issue of global importance. Asia is forecast to account for an astonishing 70% of global growth in 2023.

Lex Cryptographica Financiera, Rosa M. Lastra, J.G. Allen

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The past year has witnessed significant growth in the size, and mainstream profile, of financial markets built on distributed ledger technology (“DLT”), in particular “blockchain”. In February 2021, the market capitalisation of the cryptoasset Bitcoin, which is built on the first operational blockchain, topped USD 1 trillion. So-called decentralised finance (“DeFi”), built mostly on the Ethereum blockchain, grew from less than USD 1 billion to over USD 80 billion in May 2021. Even if one adopts a sceptical posture towards these developments, “crypto” markets cannot be ignored by scholars or practitioners of financial and monetary law.

Health Information Seeking In The Digital Age: A National Survey Of Women With Disabilities, Leanne Beers, Charles G Minard, David Davidson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

PURPOSE: Access to high quality and accessible online health information (OHI) is critical for reducing disparities, overcoming barriers, and improving the health of women with disabilities. This study aimed to understand women with physical disabilities' use of the Internet to access OHI, most often searched health topics, perceived usefulness of OHI, and self-reported eHealth literacy and challenges in OHI seeking.

METHODS: We conducted a national online survey with 508 women with physical disabilities who used the Internet.

RESULTS: Respondents utilized a wide variety of OHI resources. They searched a broad array of health and disability-related topics, with bowel/bladder and finding …

Prevention Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Hcc) White Paper Of The Texas Collaborative Center For Hepatocellular Cancer (Tech) Multi-Stakeholder Conference, Amit G Singal, Nicole Rich, Aaron P Thrift, Salil Deshpande, Barbara J Turner, Ahmed O Kaseb, Ariel C Harrison, Brett E Fortune, Fasiha Kanwal

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Texas has the highest age-adjusted incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has funded the Texas Collaborative Center for Hepatocellular Cancer (TeCH) to facilitate HCC research, education, and advocacy activities with the overall goal of reducing HCC mortality in Texas through coordination, collaboration, and advocacy.

METHODS: On September 17, 2022, TeCH co-sponsored a multi-stakeholder conference on HCC with the Baker Institute Center for Health and Biosciences. This conference was attended by HCC researchers, policy makers, payers, members from pharmaceutical industry and patient advocacy groups in and …

Reduction In Racial And Ethnic Disparity In Survival Following Liver Transplant For Hepatocellular Carcinoma In The Direct-Acting Antiviral Era, Nicole E Rich, Jihane N Benhammou, Stephanie Keeling, Donghee Kim, Aijaz Ahmed, John Goss, Abbas Rana, Amit G Singal, Fasiha Kanwal, George Cholankeril

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Black patients with hepatocellular cancer (HCC), often attributed to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, have suboptimal survival following liver transplant (LT). We evaluated the impact of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) availability on racial and ethnic disparities in wait list burden post-LT survival for candidates with HCC.

METHODS: Using the United Network for Organ Sharing registry, we identified patients with HCC who were listed and/or underwent LT from 2009 to 2020. Based on date of LT, patients were categorized into 2 era-based cohorts: the pre-DAA era (LT between 2009 and 2011) and DAA era (LT between 2015 and 2017, …

Settings Of A Novel Electrosurgical Generator To Enable Efficient And Safe Submucosal Endoscopic Procedures, Margarita Riojas-Barrett, Wesam Abdeljaber, Michael Mercado, Noor Zabad, Mohamed O Othman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims A novel electrosurgical generator unit (ESU), ConMed Beamer, was recently introduced to facilitate endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) by employing Automatic Cutting Effect (ACE) technology. Its use in submucosal endoscopy has yet to be investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing ESD and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) using novel settings generated with ConMed Beamer ESU.

Patients and methods This was a single-center prospective study of 59 consecutive patients undergoing ESD/POEM at a tertiary referral center. ESU settings were initially generated by testing in live animal models prior to first …

Safety And Efficacy Of Underwater Versus Conventional Endoscopic Mucosal Resection For Colorectal Polyps: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Rcts, Babu P Mohan, Daryl Ramai, Dushyant S Dahiya, Mohammad Bilal, Peter V Draganov, Mohamed O Othman, Joaquin Rodriguez Sánchez, Gursimran S Kochhar

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims Conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (C-EMR) is limited by low en-bloc resection rates, especially for large (> 20 mm) lesions. Underwater EMR (U-EMR) has emerged as an alternative for colorectal polyps and is being shown to improve en-bloc resection rates. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the two techniques.

Methods Multiple databases were searched through November 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing outcomes of U-EMR and C-EMR for colorectal polyps. Meta-analysis was performed to determine pooled proportions and relative risks (RRs) of R0 and en-bloc resection, polyp recurrence, resection time, and adverse events.

Results …

Androgen-Regulated Stromal Complement Component 7 (C7) Suppresses Prostate Cancer Growth, Shan Li, Huiyun Sun, Martine P Roudier, Daniel W Lin, Lawrence True, Colm Morrissey, Chad J Creighton, John K Lee, Li Xin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The complement system is a major component of the innate immune system that works through the cytolytic effect of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Complement component 7 (C7) is essential for MAC assembly and its precisely regulated expression level is crucial for the cytolytic activity of MAC. We show that C7 is specifically expressed by the stromal cells in both mouse and human prostates. The expression level of C7 inversely correlates with clinical outcomes in prostate cancer. C7 is positively regulated by androgen signaling in the mouse prostate stromal cells. The androgen receptor directly transcriptionally regulates the mouse and human …

Contingency Management With Stepped Care For Unhealthy Alcohol Use Among Individuals With Hiv: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Dominick Dephilippis, Lisa M Fucito, Tekeda Ferguson, Roger Bedimo, Sheldon Brown, Vincent C Marconi, Matthew Bidwell Goetz, Maria C Rodriguez-Barradas, Michael S Simberkoff, Patricia E Molina, Amy C Weintrob, Stephen A Maisto, Manuel Paris, Amy C Justice, Kendall J Bryant, David A Fiellin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Although unhealthy alcohol use is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among people with HIV (PWH), many are ambivalent about engaging in treatment and experience variable responses to treatment. We describe the rationale, aims, and study design for the Financial Incentives, Randomization, with Stepped Treatment (FIRST) Trial, a multi-site randomized controlled efficacy trial.

METHODS: PWH in care recruited from clinics across the United States who reported unhealthy alcohol use, had a phosphatidylethanol (PEth) >20 ng/mL, and were not engaged in formal alcohol treatment were randomized to integrated contingency management with stepped care versus treatment as usual. The intervention involved …

Sartorial Practices And Daily Life: Examining Black Womanhood In Nineteenth-Century Boston, Erica A. Lang

Graduate Masters Theses

During the nineteenth century, the northern slope of Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood was home to a free African American community. Central to the Beacon Hill neighborhood was the African Meeting House, which operated as a Baptist church, home, school, and meeting space for Black community members. Archaeological investigations have revealed the story of not just the African Meeting House, but the surrounding vicinity and larger community. The African Meeting House collection provides a case study to understand the ways racism, sexism, and classism impacted the quotidian lives of Black women in freedom. Using Black feminism as a theoretical framework, this …

“Each Heart Alone Knoweth Its Own Bitterness”: The Jackson Family In Clarke County, Virginia, From Enslavement To Jim Crow, Melanie E. Garvey

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis examines the experiences of three generations of the Jackson family in Clarke County, Virginia, from approximately 1860 to 1915, covering the shift from enslavement to the Jim Crow period. Chapter One introduces the challenges with pre-existing publications on Clarke County and Virginia history. Chapter two focuses on the antebellum period and discusses what enslavement may have looked like in Clarke County. Chapter Three narrows the focus to Charles Jackson, Sr., the family patriarch, who was enslaved at New Market Plantation. Chapter Four looks at Charles Sr.’s son, Charles Jr., and the life he created for himself after enslavement. …

Fem Simulations Of Plasmon Field Enhancement In Gold Nanoparticle Dimers And Gold Nanoparticle-Nanorod Dimers, Edward J. Lipchus

Graduate Masters Theses

Plasmon resonance refers to the collective oscillation of free electrons in a nanomaterial in response to an incident electromagnetic field. When two plasmonic nanoparticles are placed close together, their localized surface plasmon resonances can couple and interact. The resulting plasmonic coupling leads to the formation of new plasmonic modes in the dimer system, significantly enhancing the electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of the nanoparticles, with various interesting and potentially useful applications. This thesis investigates the optical field enhancement arising from gold nanoparticle dimers in an aqueous dielectric medium, using the Finite Element Method simulation software COMSOL Multiphysics. The simulations provide …

Urban Sustainability Implementation And Indicators In The United States: A Systematic Review, Heejun Chang, Arun Pallathadka, Idowu Ajibade

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Urban sustainability is the goal of many cities in the world, yet very few have achieved a level of sustainability that goes beyond the most basic environmental objectives. The practice and assessment of sustainability implementation are greatly compounded by lack of funding, technical know-how, political will, and the power disparity between dominant institutions and marginalized communities. This systematic analysis of urban sustainability literature involved the review of 241 studies published between 2010 and 2022. We critically examined current debates and challenges in urban sustainability, identifying gaps and opportunities and providing recommendations for creating equitable, just, and sustainable urban futures. We …

Spatial Analysis Of Streamflow Trends In Burned Watersheds Across The Western Contiguous United States, Heejun Chang, Will B. Long

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite increasing magnitude and frequency of wildfire, understanding hydrological processes contributing to changes in streamflow is not well examined for the entire western contiguous United States (WCONUS). This study provides insight into whether considering spatially varying watershed characteristics, including burn severity patterns, can better explain streamflow trends at broad spatial and temporal scales. Standard geographically weighted regression (GWR) and multi-scalar (MS) GWR were benchmarked against ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to determine if spatially varying coefficients could better explain spatially varying patterns and processes of peak flow, low flow, center timing of flow, and flashiness trends in burned watersheds. In …

Quantifying Damages To Soil Health And Emissions From Land Development In The State Of Illinois (Usa), Elena A. Mikhailova, Hamdi A. Zurqani, Zhenbang Hao, Mark A. Schlautman, Gregory C. Post, George B. Shepherd, Christopher C. Post, Renee M. Dixon

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The concept of soil health is increasingly being used as an indicator for sustainable soil management and even includes legislative actions. Current applications of soil health often lack geospatial and monetary analyses of damages (e.g., land development), which can degrade soil health through loss of carbon (C) and productive soils. This study aims to evaluate the damages to soil health (e.g., soil C, the primary soil health indicator) attributed to land developments within the state of Illinois (IL) in the United States of America (USA). All land developments in IL can be associated with damages to soil health, with 13,361.0 …

Speaker Diarization Of Noisy Classrooms From A Single Microphone Based On An Array Of Virtual Microphones And Machine Learning, Richard Briggs

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Speaker diarization from a single microphone is extremely challenging in noisy classroom environments. A new method based on simulating a microphone array has shown promising results, while requiring very little training. It used a minimum distance classifier to identify the speaker among a list of possible speakers. This thesis investigates machine learning methods for determining the speaker. The AOLME dataset that was used contains 758 samples totaling 894.4 seconds. Each is taken from a noisy classroom environment, focusing on five speakers - any one of whom could be active in a given sample - lasting an average of 1.2 seconds. …

In Touch With Prairie Living, August 2023, Michael M. Miller

In Touch With Prairie Living Newsletter

August 2023 column for North Dakota and South Dakota newspapers.