Digital Commons Network^™

The Circulome: A Dynamic Reservoir Of Genetic Heterogeneity In Agricultural Pests, Hailey Spier Camposano

All Theses

Weed and insect pests cost the agricultural sector billions in losses each year across the world, despite distributing over 1 billion pounds of potentially harmful chemicals into agroecosystems to manage these pests. Two major agricultural pests that are rapidly adapting to multiple xenobiotics are Amaranthus palmeri and Musca domestica. A. palmeri, or Palmer amaranth, is highly productive in terms of vegetative structures and reproductive propagules. Palmer amaranth has evolved multiple resistance mechanisms to several herbicidal modes of action. House fly (M. domestica) presents issues as a vector for pathogenic microbes among livestock, poultry, and humans. This …

Equal Protection And Scarce Therapies: The Role Of Race, Sex, And Other Protected Classifications, Govind Persad

SMU Law Review Forum

The allocation of scarce medical treatments, such as antivirals and antibody therapies for COVID-19 patients, has important legal dimensions. This Essay examines a currently debated issue: how will courts view the consideration of characteristics shielded by equal protection law, such as race, sex, age, health, and even vaccination status, in allocation? Part II explains the application of strict scrutiny to allocation criteria that consider individual race, which have been recently debated, and concludes that such criteria are unlikely to succeed under present Supreme Court precedent. Part III analyzes the use of sex-based therapy allocation criteria, which are also in current …

Extracellular Vesicles Released After Cranial Radiation: An Insight Into An Early Mechanism Of Brain Injury., Suriyan Sukati, Jenni Ho, Luksana Chaiswing, Pradoldej Sompol, Harshul Pandit, Wendy Wei, Tadahide Izumi, Quan Chen, Heidi Weiss, Teresa Noel, Subbarao Bondada, D Allan Butterfield, Daret K St Clair

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications

Cranial radiation is important for treating both primary brain tumors and brain metastases. A potential delayed side effect of cranial radiation is neurocognitive function decline. Early detection of CNS injury might prevent further neuronal damage. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential diagnostic tool because of their unique membranous characteristics and cargos. We investigated whether EVs can be an early indicator of CNS injury by giving C57BJ/6 mice 10 Gy cranial IR. EVs were isolated from sera to quantify: 1) number of EVs using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA); 2) Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocyte marker; and 3) …

International League Against Epilepsy Classification And Definition Of Epilepsy Syndromes With Onset In Childhood: Position Paper By The Ilae Task Force On Nosology And Definitions, Nicola Specchio, Elaine C. Wirrell, Ingrid E. Scheffer, Rima Nabbout, Kate Riney, Pauline Samia, Marilisa Guerreiro, Sam Gwer, Sameer M. Zuberi, Jo M. Wilmshurs

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

The 2017 International League Against Epilepsy classification has defined a three- tiersystem with epilepsy syndrome identification at the third level. Although a syndromecannot be determined in all children with epilepsy, identification of a specific syn-drome provides guidance on management and prognosis. In this paper, we describethe childhood onset epilepsy syndromes, most of which have both mandatory seizuretype(s) and interictal electroencephalographic (EEG) features. Based on the 2017Classification of Seizures and Epilepsies, some syndrome names have been updatedusing terms directly describing the seizure semiology. Epilepsy syndromes beginningin childhood have been divided into three categories: (1) self- limited focal epilepsies,comprising four syndromes: self- …

A Novel Methodological Approach To Simultaneously Extract High-Quality Total Rna And Proteins From Cortical And Trabecular Bone, Martina Faraldi, Laura Mangiavini, Caterina Conte, Giuseppe Banfi, Nicola Napoli, Giovanni Lombardi

Open Access Publications

Molecular differences between cortical and trabecular bone, of relevance to understanding the pathophysiological basis of bone diseases, can be determined only through effective isolation methods for RNA and proteins. Here we present a TRIzol-based method, which combines bone pulverization and homogenization to extract simultaneously total RNA and proteins from human cortical and trabecular bone from the same carrot. RNA integrity and purity were determined as the 260/280 nm and 260/230 nm absorbance ratios and the 28S/18S rRNA ratio. Protein integrity and quality were evaluated by Coomassie blue staining. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting for bone-specific genes and …

Sex-Based Differences In Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome And The Effect Of Cam Deformity Location On The Extent Of Labral Tearing, Thomas Alter, Derrick Knapik, Fllor Lambers, Martina Guidetti, Jorge Chahla, Philip Malloy, Shane Nho

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Society For Immunotherapy Of Cancer (Sitc) Clinical Practice Guideline On Immunotherapy For The Treatment Of Lung Cancer And Mesothelioma, Ramaswamy Govindan, Charu Aggarwal, Scott J Antonia, Marianne Davies, Steven M Dubinett, Andrea Ferris, Patrick M Forde, Edward B Garon, Sarah B Goldberg, Raffit Hassan, Matthew D Hellmann, Fred R Hirsch, Melissa L Johnson, Shakun Malik, Daniel Morgensztern, Joel W Neal, Jyoti D Patel, David L Rimm, Sarah Sagorsky, Lawrence H Schwartz, Boris Sepesi, Roy S Herbst

Open Access Publications

Immunotherapy has transformed lung cancer care in recent years. In addition to providing durable responses and prolonged survival outcomes for a subset of patients with heavily pretreated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs)- either as monotherapy or in combination with other ICIs or chemotherapy-have demonstrated benefits in first-line therapy for advanced disease, the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings, as well as in additional thoracic malignancies such as small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and mesothelioma. Challenging questions remain, however, on topics including therapy selection, appropriate biomarker-based identification of patients who may derive benefit, the use of immunotherapy in special populations …

Clinical And Molecular Relevance Of Genetic Variants In The Non-Coding Transcriptome Of Patients With Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Dimitrios Papaioannou, Geoffrey L. Uy, Et Al

Open Access Publications

Expression levels of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) have been shown to associate with clinical outcome of patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML). However, the frequency and clinical significance of genetic variants in the nucleotide sequences of lncRNA in AML patients is unknown. Herein, we analyzed total RNA sequencing data of 377 younger adults (aged <60 years) with CN-AML, who were comprehensively characterized with regard to clinical outcome. We used available genomic databases and stringent filters to annotate genetic variants unequivocally located in the non-coding transcriptome of AML patients. We detected 981 variants, which are recurrently present in lncRNA that are expressed in leukemic blasts. Among these variants, we identified a cytosine-to-thymidine variant in the lncRNA RP5-1074L1.4 and a cytosine-to-thymidine variant in the lncRNA SNHG15, which independently associated with longer survival of CN-AML patients. The presence of the SNHG15 cytosine-to-thymidine variant was also found to associate with better outcome in an independent dataset of CN-AML patients, despite differences in treatment protocols and RNA sequencing techniques. In order to gain biological insights, we cloned and overexpressed both wild-type and variant versions of the SNHG15 lncRNA. In keeping with its negative prognostic impact, overexpression of the wild-type SNHG15 associated with higher proliferation rate of leukemic blasts when compared with the cytosine-to-thymidine variant. We conclude that recurrent genetic variants of lncRNA that are expressed in the leukemic blasts of CN-AML patients have prognostic and potential biological significance.

Ultrasound-Guided Lumbar Medial Branch Blocks And Intra-Articular Facet Joint Injections: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Zachary M Ashmore, Michael M Bies, James B Meiling, Rajat N Moman, Leslie C Hassett, Christine L Hunt, Steven P Cohen, W Michael Hooten

Open Access Publications

There is great interest in expanding the use of ultrasound (US), but new challenges exist with its application to lumbar facet-targeted procedures. The primary aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the risk of incorrect needle placement associated with US-guided lumbar medial branch blocks (MBB) and facet joint injections (FJI) as confirmed by fluoroscopy or computerized tomography (CT). An a priori protocol was registered, and a database search was conducted. Inclusion criteria included all study types. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials and the National Heart, Lung, …

Prescription And Acceptance Of Durable Medical Equipment In Fortitude-Als, A Study Of Reldesemtiv In Als: Post Hoc Analyses Of A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial, Stacy A Rudnicki, Jinsy A Andrews, Angela Genge, Carlayne Jackson, Noah Lechtzin, Timothy M Miller, Bettina M Cockroft, Fady I Malik, Lisa Meng, Jenny Wei, Andrew A Wolff, Jeremy M Shefner, Fortitude-Als Study Group

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of A Novel Microfilarial Antigen For Diagnosis Of Wuchereria Bancrofti Infections, Sarah E. Greene, Kerstin Fischer, Young-Jun Choi, Kurt C. Curtis, Philip J. Budge, Makedonka Mitreva, Christopher L. King, Peter U. Fischer, Gary J. Weil

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the filarial nematodes Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and Brugia timori. The Global Program to Eliminate LF uses mass drug administration (MDA) of anti-filarial drugs that clear microfilariae (Mf) from blood to interrupt transmission by mosquitos. New diagnostic tools are needed to assess the impact of MDA on bancroftian filariasis, because available serologic tests can remain positive after successful treatment.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified Wb-bhp-1, which encodes a W. bancrofti homologue of BmR1, the B. malayi protein used in the Brugia Rapid antibody test for brugian filariasis. Wb-bhp-1 has a …

H3k36 Dimethylation Shapes The Epigenetic Interaction Landscape By Directing Repressive Chromatin Modifications In Embryonic Stem Cells, Haifen Chen, Bo Hu, Cynthia Horth, Eric Bareke, Phillip Rosenbaum, Sin Young Kwon, Jacinthe Sirois, Daniel N Weinberg, Faith M Robison, Benjamin A Garcia, Chao Lu, William A Pastor, Jacek Majewski

Open Access Publications

Epigenetic modifications on the chromatin do not occur in isolation. Chromatin-associated proteins and their modification products form a highly interconnected network, and disturbing one component may rearrange the entire system. We see this increasingly clearly in epigenetically dysregulated cancers. It is important to understand the rules governing epigenetic interactions. Here, we use the mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) model to describe in detail the relationships within the H3K27-H3K36-DNA methylation subnetwork. In particular, we focus on the major epigenetic reorganization caused by deletion of the histone 3 lysine 36 methyltransferase NSD1, which in mESCs deposits nearly all of the intergenic H3K36me2. …

Changes In Marriage, Divorce And Births During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Japan, Cyrus Ghaznavi, Takayuki Kawashima, Yuta Tanoue, Daisuke Yoneoka, Koji Makiyama, Haruka Sakamoto, Peter Ueda, Akifumi Eguchi, Shuhei Nomura

Open Access Publications

INTRODUCTION: Marriage, divorce and fertility are declining in Japan. There is concern that the COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated the decrease in marriages and births while increasing the number of divorces. Changes in partnership behaviours and fertility have significant implications for mental health, well-being and population demographics.

METHODS: Japanese vital statistical data were collected for December 2011-May 2021. We used the Farrington algorithm on the daily numbers of marriages, divorces and births (per month) in order to determine whether any given month between January 2017 and May 2021 had a significant excess or deficit. Analyses were conducted at the national …

Effect Of Active And Passive Function Of The Posterosuperior Rotator Cuff On Compensatory Muscle Loads In The Shoulder, Philipp Moroder, Aaron Chamberlain, Stefan M Gabriel, Marc C Jacofsky, Mehmet Z Sengun, David B Spenciner, John M Tokish, Lucca Lacheta

Open Access Publications

Background: Irreparable posterosuperior rotator cuff (PSRC) tears have been shown to result in shoulder pain and loss of function.

Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the loss of active or passive function of the PSRC on compensatory muscle loads in the deltoid and the remaining rotator cuff. It was hypothesized that both deactivation and resection of the PSRC would result in load increases in the remaining muscles and that resection of the PSRC would result in even higher required compensatory forces than would mere deactivation.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: A total of …

Outcomes Of Diabetic Ketoacidosis In Adults With End-Stage Kidney Disease: Retrospective Study Based On A National Database, Karthik Gangu, Sanket D. Basida, Anitha Vijayan, Sindhu Avula, Aniesh Bobba

Open Access Publications

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the United States has steadily increased over the past few decades. End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) are among the most common chronic and acute complications of DM. Guidance on the management of DKA in ESKD is limited by lack of evidence. We investigated the in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized for DKA with underlying ESKD. Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study and utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2016 to 2018. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10 CM) codes were used to identify …

Preoperative And Postoperative Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Scores In Patients Treated For Benign Versus Malignant Soft Tissue Tumors, Jonathan F. Dalton, Ryan Furdock, Landon Cluts, Bharadwaj Jilakara, Douglas Mcdonald, Ryan Calfee, Cara Cipriano

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) assesses multiple aspects of patient well-being but has not been thoroughly studied amongst orthopedic oncology patients.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: How do preoperative/early postoperative PROMIS scores compare in patients with benign versus malignant soft tissue tumors (STTs) for (1) physical function, (2) pain interference, and (3) depression? Are the differences clinically relevant? What other patient/tumor factors impact PROMIS?

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 314 STT patients who underwent resection of a benign (n = 187) or malignant (n = 127) STT over a period of 4.25 years at a single institution. PROMIS physical function, …

Traumatic Rupture Of A Skull Base Dermoid Cyst Mimicking Chronic Meningitis, Ahmed Taha, Mahmoud A. Abdelrazek, Natalie Manalo, Rabab Elsadek, Scott J. Morrin, Alexander Brodski, Aleksandra Augustynowiczd, Roohallah S. Mollashahi, Anant Shenoy

Open Access Publications

Cranial dermoid cysts are rare, embryologic tumors containing fat, hair, and other ectodermal elements. They occur most frequently in the posterior fossa and are typically diagnosed as incidental findings on brain imaging done for an unrelated reason. Traumatic rupture of a previously unidentified intracranial dermoid cyst can mimic symptoms of post-concussion syndrome and should be ruled out with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Surgical intervention after traumatic rupture may not result in complete symptom control due to the persistence of dermoid cyst debris in the subarachnoid space. Here, we present the clinical scenario and radiological features of a ruptured dermoid cyst …

Analysis Of X-Inactivation Status In A Rett Syndrome Natural History Study Cohort, Xiaolan Fang, Robin C Ryther, Et Al

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND: Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder associated with pathogenic MECP2 variants. Because the MECP2 gene is subject to X-chromosome inactivation (XCI), factors including MECP2 genotypic variation, tissue differences in XCI, and skewing of XCI all likely contribute to the clinical severity of individuals with RTT.

METHODS: We analyzed the XCI patterns from blood samples of 320 individuals and their mothers. It includes individuals with RTT (n = 287) and other syndromes sharing overlapping phenotypes with RTT (such as CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder [CDD, n = 16]). XCI status in each proband/mother duo and the parental origin of the …

A Community-Based Approach To Cervical Cancer Prevention In Western Kenya: An Ampath Feasibility Project, Elkanah Omenge, Philip Tonui, Kapten Muthoka, Stephen Kiptoo, Titus Maina, Mercy Agosa, Aaron Ermel, Yan Tong, Darron Brown

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives: Centralized programs have been ineffective in reducing the burden of cervical cancer among Kenyan women. A community-based pilot study was initiated to screen Kenyan women for cervical cancer and to vaccinate their children against human papillomavirus (HPV).

Methods: Women were educated about cervical cancer prevention at community meetings. Women then provided self-collected vaginal swabs for oncogenic HPV testing using the Roche Cobas Assay. All women were then referred to the local clinic for Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA). Women were offered the quadrivalent HPV vaccine for their children if and when it became available for the …

Baseline Microglial Activation Correlates With Brain Amyloidosis And Longitudinal Cognitive Decline In Alzheimer Disease, Qing Wang, Gengsheng Chen, Suzanne E Schindler, Jon Christensen, Nicole S Mckay, Jingxia Liu, Sicheng Wang, Zhexian Sun, Jason Hassenstab, Shaney Flores, Russ Hornbeck, Lisa Cash, Carlos Cruchaga, Anne M Fagan, Zhude Tu, John C Morris, Yong Wang, Tammie L S Benzinger, Et Al

Open Access Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to quantify microglial activation in individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD) using the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO) PET imaging in the hippocampus and precuneus, the 2 AD-vulnerable regions, and to evaluate the association of baseline neuroinflammation with amyloidosis, tau, and longitudinal cognitive decline.

METHODS: Twenty-four participants from the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center (Knight ADRC) were enrolled and classified into stable cognitively normal, progressor, and symptomatic AD groups based on clinical dementia rating (CDR) at 2 or more clinical assessments. The baseline TSPO radiotracer [11C]PK11195 was used to image microglial activation. Baseline CSF concentrations of …

0875: Mike Jones President Barack Obama Media Collection, 2008-2013, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

This collection is predominantly newspapers from 2008-2011 and magazines from the same time period. Other items include campaign paraphernalia such as a t-shirt, campaign signs (one covered in anti-Obama graffiti), campaign buttons, bumper stickers, and an advertisement for the coverage of the 2008 election by Arizona Daily Star, and VHS recordings of the election, inauguration of President Obama, and President Obama’s first 100 days in office

University Education Model: Socialisation Report 2022, Shaun Ferns, Barry J. Ryan, Fionnuala Darby

Group Reports

The UEM Socialisation Report provides an in-depth analysis of the early-stage engagement with the University Education Model (UEM) at TU Dublin, exploring how key stakeholders—including staff, students, and external partners—interpret and apply its 10 Guiding Principles. The report draws on inputs from 32 online events involving 235 participants, analysing the thematic contributions to identify four emergent themes: Connected, Learner-Centred, TU Dublin Enablers, and Graduate Employability. These themes, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), highlight the need for an inclusive, student-focused, and flexible education model that enhances employability and fosters a sense of belonging. The findings will inform the …

Studying Acetylation Of Aconitase Isozymes By Genetic Code Expansion, Jessica Araujo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is a very important, centrally located, energy-producing pathway that connects numerous other metabolic and regulatory pathways. Enzymes of this cycle have been more recently implicated in various cancers and neurometabolic disorders, however, the exact mechanism by which this happens becomes quite complex when considering the potential modification of these enzymes and the presence of multiple forms of the enzymes and therefore there is much to be studied in this area.

Aconitase has become a recent enzyme of interest as its substrate, citrate, has been found to play a major role in many vital processes within …

Speaking The Truth In Love, Nicholas Miller

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

Imparting A Knowledge Of God, Linda Fuchs, Ruth Horton

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

It Is Not A Boerhaave! A Case Of Spontaneous Pneumothorax, Imran Khan, Rukma R Govindu, Hussam Ammar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a pneumothorax that is not caused by trauma or an apparent precipitating factor. This report presents a case of a 91-year-old man with no history of lung disease who developed pneumothorax after two days of persistent nausea and vomiting. He was misdiagnosed as a case of Boerhaave's syndrome. A chest computed tomography with iohexol oral contrast showed no evidence of esophageal rupture, and an upper endoscopy revealed a small gastric ulcer and no gastric outlet obstruction. The patient was managed conservatively; his spontaneous pneumothorax, nausea, and vomiting resolved.

Race, Science, And The Language Of Drug Control In The Americas, 1870s - 1920s, Freddy Mauricio Jaimes Jaimes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the origins of the language of drug addiction and drug control in the American hemisphere during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by analyzing the intersection between the scientific study of race and eugenics and the cultural and political reaction to the Chinese global diaspora across the Pacific. I argue that Chinese immigrants perfectly embodied European "scientific" ideas of national or racial degeneration in the minds of scientific and medical elites while exemplifying the publicâ??s predominant stereotypes of addiction. Chinese immigrants became the first and perhaps most powerful symbol that intrinsically associated drug consumption with degeneracy. …

Tuning Nanoscale Molecular Heterogeneity To Improve Co2 Transport And Binding In Co2 Capture Solvents, Omar Avina

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Aqueous amine-based technology has been considered the most promising carbon capture solution for post-combustion gas from fossil fuel plants. However, solvent degradation and the high energy cost associated with removing CO2 from the solvent, known as regeneration, have hindered its widespread implementation. It has been proposed that utilizing a water lean solvent, in contrast to aqueous amines, can decrease the required heat to regenerate the solvent. Additionally, Malhotra et al. proposed that controlling the viscosity can help increase the mass transport properties of CO2 in the solvent. A recent study on CO2 binding organic liquids (CO2BOLs) found them to exist …

Digital Literacy Readiness Of First-Year Composition Students, Stephen Jantuah Boakye

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This is an inquiry into the digital literacy readiness of students of First-Year Composition (FYC). Using mixed methods, an online survey and interviews, the study maps out the digital literacy skills of FYC students and accounts for the people and places that contributed to the students' acquisition of those skills. As theoretical frameworks, the study used Eshet-Alkalai's (2002) digital literacy framework to account for the spectrum of students' functional digital literacy skills; Brandt's (1998) literacy sponsorship to scrutinize the persons who contributed to studentâ??s learning; and Hawisher and Selfe's (2004) technological gateways to make sense of the places that student …

The Principal's Role In The Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities: From Compliance To Change, Cindy Corinne Contreras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Campus administrators have the responsibility to be both building managers and instructional leaders ensuring they are improving instructional practices and student achievement. Learning how these specific tasks can be accomplished while maintaining all their other campus responsibilities is critical to the success of aspiring administrators. This work can and has been accomplished through the implementation of weekly professional learning communities (PLC) with administrators playing an active role in these meetings. Through interviews, observations, and a focus group discussion this study seeks to better understand the role of the administrator in the implementation and process of professional learning communities. This research …