Digital Commons Network^™

Acta2 Pathogenic Variants Activating Heat Shock Factor 1 And Increasing Cholesterol Biosynthesis In Smooth Muscle Cells Predispose To Early Onset Atherosclerosis, Maura L Boerio, Abhijnan Chattopadhyay, Xue-Yan Duan, Aamuktha Karla, Ernesto Calderon Martinez, Amelie Pinard, Andrew K Morse, Darshan Reddy, Sree Dharma, Walter Velasco-Torrez, Julien Marcadier, Siddharth K Prakash, Sherene Shalhub, Julie De Backer, Richmond Jeremy, Shaine A Morris, Anji T Yetman, Alan C Braverman, Dianna M Milewicz

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: ACTA2 pathogenic variants predispose to thoracic aortic disease, and a subset of variants lead to early onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The molecular pathway linking misfolded SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) monomers to augmented atherosclerosis-associated smooth muscle cell phenotypic modulation can be modeled in vitro by stably expressing the ACTA2 p.R149C variant in Acta2-/- smooth muscle cells.

Methods: The Montalcino Aortic Consortium patient registry was used to identify cases with ACTA2 pathogenic/likely pathogenic missense variants. These patients were surveyed, and medical records were reviewed, to identify cases with early onset ASCVD. The variants for these cases, as well as …

Longitudinal Peripheral Blood Transcriptomics Reveal Novel Signatures During Cardiac Allograft Rejection., Rachad Ghazal, Min Wang, Akshatha N. Srinivas, Jenny J. Cao, Hridyanshu Vyas, Duan Liu, Asha Nair, Byron H. Smith, Li Wang, Daniel S. Yip, Parag C. Patel, David E. Steidley, Brian W. Hardaway, Alfredo L. Clavell, Sudhir S. Kushwaha, Walter D. Park, Mark D. Stegall, Howard Eisen, Naveen L. Pereira

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Background: Acute cellularrejection (ACR) remains a major cause of morbidity afterhearttransplantation despite advances in immunosuppression. Whole genometranscriptomicprofiling offers a systems-based, unbiased approach to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ACR. However, noninvasive,longitudinal biomarker assessments capable of capturing the temporal dynamics ofrejection biology remain scarce.

Methods: RNA sequencing ofperipheralblood fromheart transplant recipients before, during, and after ACR was compared with nonrejection controls. Pathway analysis was conducted using differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and a machine learning approach was applied to assessgene-based prediction of ACR.

Results: A total of 235 rejection-specific significant DEGs and 863 postrejection DEGs (false discovery rate < 0.05) were identified. During ACR, DEGs were enriched for T-cell activation/differentiation, apoptosis, and B-cell receptor signaling pathways. By combining the 2 sets of DEGs, a panel of 71 common genes was identified that reflected the significant, longitudinal transcriptomic dynamics of ACR. In an elastic net machine learning-based classifier, DYNLL1 and SERF2 were …

Apea: A Type 1 Diabetes Self-Management Ambient-Ai Assistance Tool That Bridges Trajectory Prediction, Interactive Explanation, And Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention Action., Kun-Yi Chen, Erin M. Tallon, Chi-Ren Shyu

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Helping patients self-managing diseases like type 1 diabetes (T1D) requires informatics tools delivering real-time predictions with explainable, actionable guidance. However, many healthcare AI solutions lack actionable recommendations and user-friendly explanations, limiting clinical impacts. We introduce APEA, a pediatric T1D self-management Ambient-AI assistance tool, integrating glucose multi-trajectory-scenarios Prediction, interactive, context-aware large language model Explanations, and just-in-time adaptive intervention policy optimization for Actionable real-time suggestions through reinforcement learning. Using T1DEXIP dataset (262 pediatric T1D patients, multi-center), our results showed improved glucose control outcomes: 45% over human management, 69% over infusion-pump management. Although constrained by small sample size and …

Die Bibel Enthält Die Antwort: Ellen Whites Rolle In Theologischen Fragen, Denis Kaiser

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Early Neonatal Admissions With Feeding Difficulties To Acute Paediatric Services At A Tertiary Paediatric Hospital In England: Sequential Audits Pre-Covid-19 And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kalvin Lee, Thomas Frederick Dunne, Mary Masoud, Hayley Gleig, Heidi Stott, Helen Nabwera, Halina Kamarova

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Introduction: Our objective was to describe the population of infants < 7 days of age admitted to the acute general paediatric services at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and ascertain the proportion with feeding difficulties amenable to community-based support.

Methods: Sequential retrospective audits of all infants < 7 days of age admitted to acute paediatrics at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, England, from March to September 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and March to September 2020 (during COVID-19). All the infants were born and discharged from maternity units in Merseyside, Northwest England. Anonymised data were extracted from the electronic clinical records by three members of the clinical team.

Results: Pre-COVID-19, 38.6% (93) of the 241 admissions to acute general paediatric services had feeding difficulties. 31.2% (29) presented solely with feeding difficulties and 31.2% (29) were exclusively breastfed. However, during COVID-19, although there were fewer admissions (104), more than half (51%, 54) had feeding difficulties and for 54% (29), this was the only reason for admission. Over half (53.7%, 29) were exclusively breastfed.

Conclusion: Our audits showed that at least a third of infants < 7 days of age admitted with feeding difficulties did not have any other features of severe illness. These admissions unnecessarily expose infants to hospital-acquired infections while disrupting the opportunity for families to build close and loving relationships that enhance the establishment of breastfeeding. Co-designing infant feeding strategies with the mothers and stakeholders will be a crucial next step to enhance infant feeding support, particularly in impoverished communities in the region.

“Now That The Baby Is Out, I Can Be Vaccinated”: A Qualitative Study On Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In Pregnant Women In Kilifi, Kenya, Angela Koech, Onesmus Wanje, Grace Mwashigadi, Geoffrey Katana, Richmond Mdindi, Peter Mwangome, Rachel Craik, Marianne Vidler, Mai-Lei Kinshella, Marleen Temmerman

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in pregnancy, but vaccine hesitancy limits uptake and effectiveness. This study explored COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in pregnancy in Kilifi, coastal Kenya, to elicit reasons for vaccine hesitancy and acceptance, and to compile misconceptions around vaccination in pregnancy. Twenty-three in-depth interviews were conducted with pregnant women, mothers who had given birth in the previous 2 years and health workers (community health promoters, nurses, and supervisors). Data were analyzed using thematic template analysis based on the Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix. Concern about vaccine safety for the unborn baby was a major driver of hesitancy. Many pregnant …

Masthead

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Copyright

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Comparator Argument In Trans-Healthcare Ban Cases, Craig Konnoth

UC Law Journal

As states have increasingly restricted gender affirming care for minors across the nation (reinforced by a recent Executive Order by President Trump), and though the Supreme Court ruled on one such state ban, a powerful argument has largely been overlooked. This argument emphasizes the fact that transgender minors are not alone in receiving gender affirming care. Cisgender minors also receive such care for precisely the same reasons as transgender minors— unwanted breast tissue development, undesired hair growth, unusual vocal development, and puberty onset. Indeed, cisgender children receive such care at higher numbers than trans children, and many of the medications …

Systemic Jurisdictional Ambiguity, Norman W. Spaulding

UC Law Journal

The purpose of jurisdictional rules is to provide reasonably clear signals about when a court does and does not have power over a case. Judging from the modern Supreme Court’s rules for determining jurisdiction, however, one would think jurisdictional rules need neither be clear nor consistent. From rules for determining standing, federal question jurisdiction, and personal jurisdiction to Erie doctrine and the power of Congress to create non-Article III courts—rules that affect the administration of justice in millions of cases every year—modern jurisdictional rules are notorious for their inconsistency and ambiguity. This level of ambiguity is remarkable given the zeal …

A Case Against Mass Deportation: The Japanese American Internment Camps And Recent Treatment Of Korematsu, Isaac Bloch

UC Law Journal

The large-scale deportation of non-citizens has become a preeminent policy issue. Unfortunately, executive curtailment of immigrant communities’ liberty is not without historical parallels. During World War II, federal officials sent individuals of Japanese descent to internment camps through a series of executive orders and military proclamations. Although attorneys in the Department of Justice believed aspects of these actions were unconstitutional at the time, the administration prevailed at the nation’s highest court. Can recognition of this past wrong aid challenges to contemporary immigration enforcement regimes? How do our courts formally account for the most egregious jurisprudential errors of the past, and …

Recent And Forthcoming

UC Law Journal

No abstract provided.

13 C-Spirulina Gastric Emptying Breath Test Normative Values In Healthy Children: A Multicenter Study With Comparison To Symptomatic Children, Katja Karrento, Bruno P Chumpitazi, Liyun Zhang, Pippa Simpson, Robert J Shulman

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Diagnosing pediatric gastroparesis presents a significant challenge due to lack of normative data in children. We aimed to determine normative values for gastric emptying using the nonradioactive 13 C-Spirulina gastric emptying breath test ( 13 C-GEBT) in a large cohort of healthy children (HC) and examine differences compared to children with gastroparesis-like symptoms (GLS).

Methods: A total of 301 HC ages 7-18 years completed the 13 C-GEBT with 10 different breath samples × 4 hours. 13 CO 2 excretion rate (kPCD) was determined by change in 13 CO 2 / 12 CO 2 . Outcome variables included: kPCD at …

Numerical Investigation Of A Dual-Mode Shape Memory Alloy Stent Enabling Secondary Expansion Via Focused Ultrasound: A Potential Strategy For Correcting In-Stent Restenosis, Stephen Asare, Lucinda Duncan, Josiah Owusu-Danquah, Brian L. Davis

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Coronary stent implantation is an invasive procedure performed to correct atherosclerosis. The aftermath of this procedure is identified with neointimal hyperplasia, which contributes to in-stent restenosis (ISR), and thus remains a significant clinical challenge. This study introduces a novel, noninvasive conceptual approach for addressing ISR through the thermal activation of shape memory alloy (SMA) stent using focused ultrasound (FU) in a controlled manner to restore luminal patency. COMSOL Multiphysics and ABAQUS finite element software were employed to perform the numerical modeling to simulate the thermal and mechanical responses of the SMA stent integrated into the arterial wall. After 15 s …

The Effects Of A Viniyoga-Based Practice On Mental Health Clinicians' Perceived Stress, Burnout, And Quality Of Life, Julie Pate

Dissertations

Psychotherapists often experience stress when treating distressed or emotionally troubled patients due to the emotionally taxing nature of their work, which can lead to burnout and other negative consequences (Bell et al., 2023; Maslach & Leiter, 2016; Simionato & Simpson, 2018) Therapists find it challenging to maintain regular self-care routines (Driscoll, 2023; Baker & Gabriel, 2021; Posluns & Gall, 2020). With the constant demand for counselors (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2024), there is a critical need for effective stress management strategies to mitigate burnout risks (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2022; Sibitz, Pils, …

Finding Luis: A Creative Nonfiction Account Of Law & Society, Jason M. Leggett

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This essay explores the contradictions in legal theory and human experience through creative nonfiction. Its main purpose is to argue that a truly just society requires acknowledging the profound influence of individual narratives on the law. This is supported by blending personal narratives, critical analysis, and philosophical inquiry to reveal the gap between codified law and lived realities for marginalized individuals. This unique Legal Poetics methodology employs a series of six vignettes, such as the author's and Luis's shared experiences with traumatic brain injury and the denial of justice, as data. By integrating autoethnography, law as narrative, and performativity theories, …

Towards Ecological Validity When Assessing Adhd Symptoms: Patterns In Automatically Collected, Real-World Pc Activity Data, Matheus B. Da Costa, Elizabeth S.M. Chan, Joshua Langberg, Isabelle Cuber, Fatemeh Jamalinabijan, Aleksander Kurgan, Thomas Fritz, David C. Shepherd

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Neuropsychological tests assessing attention and executive function (EF) in individuals with ADHD demonstrate little to no association with real-world ratings of ADHD behaviors. To address this critical gap, this study developed metrics that can analyze automatically collected data to measure levels of attention, motivation, and effort in emerging adults with ADHD. Specifically, we used virtual reality to simulate a study space and collect in-the-moment computer activity data while university students with ADHD (N = 21; 38% female) engaged in 12 sessions (total 180 h) of real-world tasks. To identify common sequences we performed a qualitative analysis of this work session …

Meeting Nurses Where We're At, Michal Brown, Kayley Mclaughlin, Lauren Damm

Nurse Residency

PICOT Question: For night shift nurses, how does implementing flexible shift-friendly educational strategies, such as reordered or alternatively scheduled sessions, compare with traditional morning in person education classes affect their ability to positively participate and engage in required education throughout the nurse residency program?

Best Served Cold: Operation Coldstore 1963 And The Reasons For The Singapore Government’S Decision, Jiansheng Zhang

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

Operation Coldstore, launched in 1963 by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and resulting in the arrest of 113 Singaporean left-wing figures, cemented the People’s Action Party’s dominance in Singaporean politics—a position it holds to this day. Given its political and symbolic significance, Operation Coldstore remains one of the most hotly contested episodes in Singaporean historiography. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, including declassified British documents, newspapers, and political memoirs, this essay evaluates competing interpretations and argues that the Singapore government’s principal motivation was to satisfy Tunku Abdul Rahman of Malaya and secure Singapore’s merger with Malaya. By emphasizing …

Imagined Nations: Ireland, Palestine, And The Politics Of Anti-Colonial Memory, Grace P. Wingerter

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper covers the life and career of notable IRA operative Brendan “the Dark” Hughes and how his thoughts on the “Armed Struggle” or “Cause” changed over time. Brendan Hughes was forced to frequently deal with violent and heavy handed discrimination from Protestants, which led to him joining the Paramilitary movements as a result of frustration and misplaced youthful vigor. Brendan played a major role in the Troubles through his planning of prolific violent attacks such as the Four Square Laundry attack, Bloody Friday, and the H Block blanket protest and subsequent hunger strike in the Maze Prison. Brendan’s disconnect …

Dark Times In West Belfast: The Life And Times Of Brendan Hughes (1948–2008), Aaron Brinker

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

This paper covers the life and career of notable IRA operative Brendan “the Dark” Hughes and how his thoughts on the “Armed Struggle” or “Cause” changed over time. Brendan Hughes was forced to frequently deal with violent and heavy handed discrimination from Protestants, which led to him joining the Paramilitary movements as a result of frustration and misplaced youthful vigor. Brendan played a major role in the Troubles through his planning of prolific violent attacks such as the Four Square Laundry attack, Bloody Friday, and the H Block blanket protest and subsequent hunger strike in the Maze Prison. Brendan’s disconnect …

Review Of Jungle Of Stone: The Extraordinary Journey Of John L. Stephens And Frederick Catherwood, And The Discovery Of The Lost Civilization Of The Maya, Alanis Fields

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

No abstract provided.

City Farm Slo Sheep Shed Concrete Slab Installation, Jake Simkins, Elijah Burt, Finnbarr Kelly

Construction Management

The City Farm SLO Sheep Shed Foundation Slab project, undertaken by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Construction Management students, aimed to improve the structural integrity and longevity of an existing livestock shelter at City Farm SLO. Initiated in coordination with Shane Lovell, owner and operator of City Farm SLO, and guided by Construction Management faculty member Mark Montoya, the project integrated community service with practical application of structural concrete construction principles. The scope involved temporarily removing an existing sheep shed from within an active livestock pen, preparing subgrade in muddy winter conditions, and constructing a reinforced 5-inch, 4500 …

Voices In Transit: Intersectionality, Silence, And Political Engagement In Ride-Sharing, Soran Tarkhani

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract This study examines Uber as a digitally governed “third space” for political discourse. Based on 4,716 ride observations from Louisville–Southern Indiana—3,676 collected in 2023–2024 and 1,040 in 2025—it uses a mixed-methods design combining multinomial logistic regression and qualitative observation. Political conversations are defined as discussions of parties, elections, policies, or major social issues. Results show that White and male passengers were most likely to initiate such talk, while African American and female riders often remained silent, consistent with Noelle-Neumann’s spiral of silence. African American women faced the strongest intersectional constraints. Women and LGBTQ passengers leaned liberal, while men displayed …

Bare-Knuckled Public Service: Donald Rumsfeld’S Political Ideology Before The War On Terror, Chris Paskewich

Commonwealth Review of Political Science

Abstract Donald Rumsfeld (1932-2021) is perhaps most well known for being Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush. However, he had a nearly fifty-year career in public and private sector work at the highest levels. Research into his political ideology, especially prior to his time under Bush, has never been undertaken. This article outlines Rumsfeld’s ideology for the first time, and shows it is a distinct strain of limited-government conservatism that I term “managerial conservatism.” Managerial conservatism aims to manage public resources well, maximize the gains from the public’s tax dollars, and make sure the federal government is only …

Lakota Powwow Singers At The Drum, Robert J. Damm

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Cumulative Exposure To Exclusionary Zoning In Impoverished Neighborhoods, Matthew Mleczko

Political Science Faculty Research and Publications

In this study, I carry out dynamic modeling strategies to estimate the cumulative associations between exclusionary zoning and material hardship in impoverished neighborhoods. To do so, I create the largest nationwide panel zoning database to date by combining the National Zoning and Land Use Database covering the years 2019‒2022 with prior zoning and land use data from 2003‒2006. Accounting for posttreatment bias—the bias generated by including time-varying confounders that are themselves affected by past treatments in a longitudinal model—with marginal structural models, I demonstrate that exclusionary zoning is strongly associated with neighborhood disadvantage in impoverished neighborhoods, much more than would …

Tip Penetration Test For Rapid In-Line Assessment Of Static Yield Stress During 3d Concrete Printing Process, Ali Fasihi, Nicolas A. Libre

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The static yield stress of printable cementitious materials is a critical parameter governing the shape stability and buildability of 3D printed concrete structures. Among various testing techniques, the penetration test has emerged as a promising method for in-situ measurement of static yield stress during printing process. However, the applicability of the penetration test for in-line monitoring of static yield stress remains limited due to the necessity for substantial material thickness. To address this challenge, this study proposes a novel tip penetration test, which enables static yield stress determination without the requirement for full cone submergence, thereby facilitating assessment of thin …

Rheological And Micro Properties Of High-Viscosity Binder-Incorporated Polyphosphoric Acid And Rock Asphalt, Feng Ma, Xinye Jiang, Zhen Fu, Chongxin Zhu, Jenny Liu, Ke Shi, Yalu Wen, Yao Zhang

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To enhance the performance of high-viscosity modified asphalt (HVMA), polyphosphoric acid (PPA) and North American rock asphalt (NA-RA) were incorporated into styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)/crumb rubber (CR) composite modified asphalt, resulting in two distinct types of HVMA. The two HVMA types were evaluated at various dosages using a dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), bending beam rheometer (BBR), fluorescence microscope (FM), and Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) tests. These tests provided both macroscopic and microscopic insights into their properties. The findings indicated that both PPA and NA-RA modify the asphalt's internal structure, enhancing its temperature resistance. PPA primarily improved high-Temperature performance, while NA-RA enhanced low-Temperature …