12:30 PM – 1:15 PM | Merten Hall, Room 1204
Merten Hall, Room 1204
Identifying the Research: A Critical Analysis
Amanda R. Corso (College of Education and Human Development)
Although U.S. higher education (HED) student population has become increasingly diverse, most of those conducting research within the HED field are still white scholars. This is compounded by the ever-increasing number of international students who further diversify HED’s student population. Considering the interconnections between international and higher education, it is crucial for white scholars who do intercultural research to engage deeply with their positionality. Thus, this study aims to analyze and critique how white researchers consider their position in intercultural research. As such, this research is guided by the following questions: (1) How do white scholars reflect on their role in intercultural research? And (2) How do white scholars (un)intentionally perpetuate whiteness in their critical studies? Using Critical Whiteness and Critical Race Theory—specifically intersectionality and interest-convergence—as my theoretical framework, this study featured two stages (Applebaum, 2016; Delgado & Stefancic, 2017). First, I analyzed six articles written by white scholars who engaged in critical, intercultural research, looking for overall themes in their approach. From there, I critically assessed one of the six articles to examine how whiteness was perpetuated. Using these methods, I found that even when white scholars used a critical theory, engaged in reflexivity, and discussed their positionality, whiteness was perpetuated through the overemphasis on personal development, the exploitation and erasure of Black stories, and the focus on understanding whiteness rather than its impact. Thus, this paper allows white intercultural higher education researchers to critically reflect on how their well-intended scholarship can still perpetuate whiteness.
Cervical cancer screening with HPV test among U.S. women: At the intersection of disability and high-risk for HIV infection
Amarachukwu Orji (College of Public Health)
Purpose: Previous studies have shown that women with disabilities are among key populations at a higher risk of HIV infection. The HPV test was recently recognized as the preferred method of cervical cancer screening by the American Cancer Society. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of cervical cancer screening with HPV test among women at the intersection of disability and a high risk for HIV infection. Methods: Our sample of 76,732 women with disabilities came from the 2018 and 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Modified Poisson regressions were conducted to estimate the crude, adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals of cervical cancer screening with HPV test to determine differences between women with and without a high risk for HIV infection. Results: The prevalence of cervical cancer screening with HPV test was 37.4% in the overall sample. Our adjusted regression analysis showed that women with a high risk of HIV infection had a higher prevalence of cervical cancer screening with HPV test than women without a high risk of HIV infection (aPR = 1.19; 95%CI 1.18, 1.20). Older age, non-heterosexual women, married and formerly married women had a lower prevalence of cervical cancer screening with HPV test. Conclusions: Women with disabilities and a high risk for HIV infection reported higher prevalence of cervical cancer screening with HPV test. Further research is needed to understand why women with disabilities without a high risk for HIV infection have a significantly lower prevalence of cervical cancer screening.
Value-Based Interventions in Hospice and Palliative Care: A Systematic Review
Arion Lillard-Green (College of Public Health)
Background The hospice and palliative care sectors continue to shift towards value-based care as regulatory agencies and payers look to improve quality, health outcomes, and access to care for persons at end-of-life. Purpose To this writer’s knowledge, there is no research focused on the impact of value-based interventions on health disparities and inequities among hospice and palliative eligible patients. The current study aims to address this literature gap with a systematic review. Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISM) was used to guide the literature search and review. Databases used in the search were MEDLINE, CINHAL Plus, AgeLine, and SocINDEX. Studies that focused on value-based interventions and reported the impact of the study on quality, health outcomes, or access to care for hospice and palliative care patients were included. Results A total of 8 articles were included in this review. Value-based interventions in these studies included: modeling and analysis to improve timely consultations and referrals to hospice or palliative care, evaluation of programs based on care setting, assessing patient preferences during advanced care planning discussions, use of quality improvement projects, community collaboration, testing service delivery models, and clinician education. Conclusions This study represents one of the first systematic reviews on value-based interventions in the hospice and palliative care sector that improve quality, health outcomes, and access to care. These interventions create a framework for delivering and improving care; however, more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of this framework on health disparities and inequities.
Quantitative Analysis of Mitochondrial Proteins in Neural Cells
Aya Nusir (College of Science), Patricia Sinclair, Nadine Kabbani
Mitochondria, essential double membrane organelles with endosymbiotic origins, play a crucial role in diverse eukaryotic cell functions. The mitochondrial proteome (mtProteome), comprising over 1000 proteins encoded by both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, varies significantly across cell types and conditions. Neurons, with their high metabolic demand and synapse-specific energy requirements, exhibit modified mtProteomes influencing energy production and quality control processes. This study utilizes quantitative analysis, bioinformatics, and proteome databases, such as MitoCarta3.0, to explore the functional and locational classifications of the mtProteome in neural cells. Findings show that approximately half of neural mitochondrial proteins are found in the matrix, while the remainder is distributed across other compartments. Functionally, these proteins are primarily involved in metabolism, mitochondrial DNA regulation, and oxidative phosphorylation. Mutations in mtProteome genes, whether mitochondrial or nuclear in origin, seem to be implicated in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA impact metabolic activity, while nuclear-encoded mitochondrial protein mutations have broader effects on quality control mechanisms. Advancements in proteomic analysis are expanding our knowledge on the composition and regulatory properties of mtProteomes, however, to completely understand how mitochondrial proteins participate in cell function, the issue of mitochondrial heterogeneity must be considered when analyzing large mitochondrial protein datasets. Furthermore, the dynamics of mtProteomes should be taken into account in future studies as the overwhelming majority of mitochondrial proteins are synthesized in the cytosol and imported into the mitochondria.
Enhancing Vascular Imaging using NIR-II Fluorescent Nanoprobes
Bryce Dunn (College of Engineering and Computing), Sofya Osharovich Ph.D., Ritesh Isuri M.S., Wendy Chung M.S., Marzieh Hanafi M.S., Sébastien Blais-Ouellette Ph.D., Edward J. Delikatny Ph.D., John R. Cressman Ph.D., Remi Veneziano Ph.D., Parag V. Chitnis Ph.D.
Fluorescence imaging has emerged as a valuable tool for clinical angiographic and cardiovascular imaging, allowing for visualization and quantification of biological processes. Among the range of fluorescence imaging windows, near-infrared (NIR) imaging has shown great promise as a non-invasive modality for angiographic and cardiovascular imaging. To overcome limitations associated with indocyanine green dye (ICG), we developed a biocompatible DNA-based platform for conjugation with ICG dyes and targeting moieties. The primary objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the efficacy of the DNA-ICG platform for contrast-enhanced NIR-II (>1250 nm) fluorescence imaging in a mouse model. Throughout the experiment, various organs were observed, including the heart, liver, spleen, caecum, and intestines. Notably, vascular structures in the tail, spinal column, and head remained visible for hours after the administration of the contrast agent. The DNA-ICG platform holds promise as an effective imaging tool for angiographic and cardiovascular studies.
Examining the extent of change in the prevalence of women with Medicaid coverage and private coverage who ever received an endometriosis diagnosis between 2011 and 2017
Carolyn Faith Hoffman MPH (College of Public Health)
Background: Endometriosis is an inflammatory, chronic disease which affects nearly 10% of reproductive-age women and can lead to severe pain and infertility. With the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion taking effect in 2014, Medicaid coverage became eligible to millions of Americans. Having health insurance is integral to receiving a medical diagnosis, with studies indicating that a lack of health insurance is associated with adverse patient outcomes. Research Question: How has the Affordable Care Act’s implementation impacted endometriosis diagnoses between 2011 and 2017? Methods: A secondary analysis of the 2011-2013 (n=4,663) and 2015-2017 (n=4,775) female respondent National Survey of Family Growth data sets. The population studied is civilian, non-institutionalized, non-pregnant females ages 15-45 in the U.S. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted in STATA/MP 17.0 and were not weighted. Findings: From 2011-2013, 5.63% of respondents who had ever received an endometriosis diagnosis reported having private insurance. This was compared to 3.49% of respondents who had ever received a diagnosis but reported having Medicaid. From 2015-2017, 6.64% of respondents who had ever received an endometriosis diagnosis reported having private insurance. This was compared to 5.34% of respondents who had ever received a diagnosis but reported having Medicaid. Implications: This analysis can shed light on the disparities in health insurance coverage among women ever receiving an endometriosis diagnosis. Additionally, it can inform health care providers and policymakers on strategies to improve access to care and quality-of-life for women with this chronic disease.
Preventing root rot outbreaks of Globisporangium (syn. Pythium) ultimum in hydroponic systems using rhizosphere microbiomes
Donielle Nolan (College of Science)
Microbial communities in soilless rhizospheres are becoming known as an important factor for success in indoor agriculture. Plant pathogens like Pythium spp. commonly cause devastating losses in recirculating hydroponic systems, but symptoms of the disease can be prevented by establishing a healthy rhizo-microbiome. For years, root rot outbreaks plagued the leafy greens grown in the hydroponic systems of the Presidents Park Greenhouse at George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia). The most susceptible crop was microgreens of Amaranthus bicolor, which dampened off completely in just three days. New infections returned even after sterilization and treatment of fungus gnat vectors. Prevention was finally achieved after years of applying liquid mycorrhizal and bacterial inoculants every two weeks directly to the hydroponic channels. Samples of hydroponic tank water were sequenced by mass spectrometry after the isolation of proteins to identify the microbes present during healthy and diseased states. The results identified Globisporangium ultimum, formerly classified as Pythium ultimum, in water sampled during and outside of active root rot outbreaks. Not all expected microbes from product labels were identified, except for Trichoderma harzianum, which was found in all the samples. Other species claimed on products and found in some of the samples included Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and many Bacillus spp. Some species found were not intentionally added, such as Rhizophagus irregularis. Future experiments will employ longitudinal sampling and sequencing to explore how beneficial microbes inhabit soilless roots and work together to prevent root rot outbreaks.
The Need of Higher Education Safeguarding Individuals with Developmental Disabilities from Cybercrime
Hannah Choi (College of Education and Human Development), Dr. Yoosun Chung
Cybercrime has become one of the biggest and fastest emerging issues around the globe. The effortless click on a link or opening of an attachment opens doors to more interactions with malicious content. Phishers using social engineering tactics can actively target vulnerable populations, including those with developmental disabilities, manipulating users to disclose sensitive information. Moreover, these populations may lack the skills to distinguish between authentic and malicious content. There is a need for more preventive strategies in higher education. Requiring additional cyber security education and implementing strategies to counter cyber-attacks could decrease the communities’ susceptibility. These efforts could be potentially augmented through technical solutions using AI generated actors or gamification, such as designing 3D interactive cognitive behavioral play (puzzles, real world social scenarios, and vocabulary). Through increased exposure and understanding of cyber security issues, we hope to see positive change in students within these communities.
Improving Primary Care Provider Confidence with Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (MOUD) in Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs) with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Project
Julia Anne Balunis (College of Public Health)
Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project is to expand the knowledge of the primary care provider to increase the self-perceived confidence and competence of the primary care provider to provide access to harm reduction and MOUD in primary care settings for the AYA who is experiencing an OUD (U.S. Department of Health Services, 2023). Harm reduction and recovery support aligns with the project’s goal to treat the AYA and is achieved through the implementation of educational support of the primary care provider (U.S. Department of Health Services, 2023). Methods: Initial problem identification of the barriers and gaps through the pre-intervention to the local context of the VCNP. Assessing barriers and facilitators to the knowledge use, implementing the intervention, monitoring the knowledge use, evaluating the outcomes, and sustaining the knowledge use through monthly MAP virtual learning experiences. Data will be tracked via a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Ethical considerations were made, and an IRB was sought and waived. Implications for Nursing Practice: The potential implications of the project’s results for primary care providers, policymakers, and the field of healthcare, in general, include recognizing that primary care serves as the cornerstone for building a strong healthcare system that ensures positive health outcomes and ensures health equity. Policymakers may use this evidence in prioritizing, planning, implementing, and evaluating policy initiatives regarding supporting the primary care provider. This evidence will have implications on the role of education and stigma mitigation for all healthcare on the efficacious MOUD treatment of persons with an OUD.
Development of novel methods for characterization of latent Leishmania infections in a murine model
Azodi Nazli (College of Science), Spyros Karaiskos, Hannah Markle, Thalia Pacheo-Fernandez, Laura Klenow, Alex Murray, Luis Santana-Quintero, Sreenivas Gannavaram, Hira.L. Nakhasi
Abstract (MAX 300 Words) Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease caused by the blood-borne parasite Leishmania. No licensed vaccine or donor screening assays exist against the disease. We have developed a mutant strain of Leishmania major (L. major) which lacks the centrin gene (LmCen-/-) as a live attenuated vaccine, which has shown efficacy and safety in pre-clinical models. However, Leishmania parasites can remain asymptomatically in the host in niches of parasite persistence, raising safety concerns over evaluating blood transfusion safety. Objective: Our goal is to develop novel analytical and computational methods for the detection and characterization of persistent Leishmania infections in a murine host. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were infected intradermally (I.D.) with virulent LmWT (n=3) and the attenuated strain LmCen-/- (n=3). Bone marrow aspirates were collected 28 days post-infection to be analyzed with 10x Genomics scRNAseq. Sequence alignment was performed against a custom reference of the latest mouse and Leishmania reference transcriptome using CellRanger 7.1.0. The population clusters and their respective marker genes were identified via Seurat 5.0, and the cluster annotations were performed manually. Results: Our results showed that in both the LmWT and LmCen-/- infections, ~1% of the cells from bone marrow contained parasite mRNA, indicating that bone marrow could be a safe niche for persistent infections. scRNASeq analysis revealed altered immune landscape between LmWT and LmCen-/- infections. 15 population clusters were identified comprising mostly of myeloid cells, such as neutrophils and monocytes. Characterization of these clusters will be discussed. Conclusion: Application of scRNASeq analysis shows that L. major parasites establish a focus of infection the bone marrow. This analysis enabled functional characterization of immune cells that mediate persistence and may also be applicable to the study of pathogenicity and vaccine-mediated immunogenicity.
Environmental and Demographic Influences of Gut Health in Zoo-Housed Red Pandas (Ailurus spp.)
Sarah M. Huskisson (College of Science), Maya F. Beumer, Kristina M. Delaski DVM DACZM, Nucharin Songsasen DVM Ph.D., Elizabeth W. Freeman Ph.D.
Red pandas are endangered due to myriad human-driven threats and are therefore managed in zoos for conservation purposes. However, red pandas are highly sensitive to the environmental stressors (e.g., temperature, noise) often present in human-managed environments. Those who have experienced a “nervous stomach” can appreciate the link between stress and gut health, which can manifest in a variety of ways. Red pandas are particularly susceptible to gastrointestinal distress, which may manifest as loose and mucoid stools. This research is a preliminary exploration of potential influences of fecal consistency, including season (winter, spring, summer fall), climate (according to IECC zones), age class (adult [<10 years], geriatric [>10 years]), and sex (male, female). Animal care staff at 17 North American facilities collected fecal samples from 45 red pandas twice weekly, which were categorized in quality (abnormal, normal/formed, mixed, or unknown [no quality indicated]). We used chi-squared tests to examine differences between sexes, seasons, climate regions, and age classes. We found effects of climate (X2=18.13, df=5, p=0.003) and age class (X2=5.17, df=1, p=0.02) on fecal quality; animals in mixed-humid climates and adult animals more often experience mucoid stools. These initial findings may indicate additional management interventions (e.g., probiotics, habitat modifications) are needed to promote gut health. In time, these findings may augment our collective understanding of gastrointestinal distress in red pandas worldwide. Further, our results may enhance conservation outcomes by enhancing well-being and population sustainability in captivity, along with providing an additional tool to monitor animal health in future field efforts.
Predicting Chemotherapy Response in Colorectal Cancer: A Machine Learning Approach Applied to Gene Expression Data
Soukaina Amniouel (College of Science), Mohsin Saleet Jafri Ph.D.
Background: FOLFOX and FOLFIRI chemotherapy are considered standard first-line treatment options for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the criteria for selecting the appropriate treatments have not been thoroughly analyzed. Here, we aim to use machine learning and genetic profiles to identify precise multi-gene panels that can predict the response to 5-Fluorouracil-based chemotherapy in colorectal cancer patients. Methods: The genetic profiling data, including drug response profiles, were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. These datasets were used to train and validate machine learning models. Feature selection methods, such as least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and variable selection from random forests (varSelRF) and various algorithms, such as Random Forest and Support Vector Machines, were applied to develop predictive models. Functional enrichment and network analyses were performed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Results: This study identified relevant gene signatures at two stages of colorectal cancer: primary and metastasis using two different chemotherapy regimens, FOLFOX and FOLFIRI. The predictive models achieved an average prediction accuracy of 93% in identifying drug response outcomes across multiple chemotherapy regimens. The application of the machine learning model suggested that 28.6% of patients who failed the treatment therapy they received would benefit from the alternative treatment. Conclusion: The developed machine learning models demonstrate potential for guiding clinicians in selecting the most effective treatment options based on individual genetic profiles. With additional clinical validation, this approach could lead to improvements in treatment outcomes for patients with CRC and other cancers.