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Elucidating Drug Resistance Mechanism in Childhood Cancer Using New Approach that Incorporates Clinical Heterogeneity
No full textThe emergence of drug resistance is the cause of the failure of many drugs in cancer therapeutics, including rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). The mechanism(s) by which tumors develop drug resistance in RMS are mostly unidentified. While several drugs are being investigated for the treatment of RMS, it is common for existing therapeutic techniques to fail when treating advanced or metastatic RMS. Failure to identify effective new agents is partly caused by a lack of affordable, low-cost in vivo RMS models to investigate drug candidates. Conventional in vivo studies are costly and allow only a few patient-derived RMS samples to be explored. This study uses a single mouse testing (SMT) approach, which was recently developed in Dr. Houghton’s Lab. With this approach, we can assess drugs in a variety of RMS xenograft models that covers a comprehensive genetic diversity of RMS. The objective of my study is to utilize the SMT model to identify the intrinsic resistance/sensitivity of clinically relevant drug treatments that combine Vincristine, Actinomycin D, and Cyclophosphamide (VAC) in 34 RMS tumor lines. My hypothesis is that mechanisms of intrinsic and acquired resistance to polychemotherapy drugs used to treat RMS can be elucidated using the SMT models. My specific aims are to (1) characterize the sensitivity of 34 xenograft models of RMS to VAC treatment and develop models of RMS with acquired resistance to VAC (2) identify differentially expressed genes between the VAC-resistant and VAC-sensitive tumors by RNA sequencing, and (3) validate the differentially expressed genes identified from Aim 2 using additional approaches.
This work yields important new information on resistance mechanisms that occur in vivo in response to VAC treatment. Specifically, we found that there is a broad variation in the sensitivity of RMS models to VAC treatments. The responses of the RMS lines range from a sustained complete response at week 20 after a single VAC round to tumor development that last full course of treatments. These results suggest that acquired resistance in RMS could develop during three to five VAC therapy cycles. Using RNAseq, we identified a group of differentially expressed genes between resistant and sensitive tumors. Among these genes, from the Alveolar RMS, Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) was selected as being the most highly upregulated gene in the intrinsically resistant tumor lines and was further validated using Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot analyses and CRISPR.Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercializatio
A framework for end-to-end machine translation of American Sign Language to English for improved telehealth services for the hearing impaired
No full textNo abstract prepared.Computer Scienc
Exploring the health care transition impact on healthcare facilities and individuals living with type 1 diabetes using a conceptual framework
No full textA health care transition (HCT) is defined as “the process of moving from a child/family-centered model of health care to an adult/patient-centered model of care, with or without transferring to a new clinician” (Got Transition®, 2025). HCT consists of six core elements: 1) Transition and Care Policy/Guide, 2) Tracking and Monitoring, 3) Transition Readiness, 4) Transition Planning, 5) Transfer of Care, and 6) Transfer Completion (Got Transition ®, 2025). In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Physicians advocated for healthcare facilities to implement the six core elements of HCT (White et al., 2018).
Individuals living with or without a chronic health condition are highly encouraged to participate in transitions of care. Specifically, individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) are strongly recommended to participate in a HCT in order to receive continuous medical care from pediatric to adult care due to the complexities of managing a chronic health condition. T1D is an autoimmune condition where an individual’s pancreas does not produce or secrete enough insulin to regulate a person’s blood glucose level. Therefore, T1D is considered to be an insulin-dependent condition which requires consistent insulin administration to maintain an appropriate blood glucose level. Additional self-care behaviors are required to regulate a blood glucose level such as engaging in physical activity, monitoring blood glucose level trends, reducing stress, and maintaining medical appointments.
Although a HCT is essential for sustaining optimal T1D medical care, 68% of pediatric diabetes providers reported that they did not receive HCT trainings (Nakhla et al., 2017). Limited data is known about how often healthcare facilities structure HCT processes and how patients’ health behaviors/outcomes are impacted pre, during, and post-HCT. Therefore, the research team utilized a conceptual framework to explore how often the six core elements of HCT are incorporated in the planning, implementation, and evaluation process of medical care for individuals living with T1D. Additionally, the research team explored reported patient health outcomes and behaviors pre, during, and post-HCT.Health and Human Performanc
No Lesbians in Baseball: How a League of Their Own (1992; 2022) Incorporates Homophobia with Glass-Shattering Feminism
No full textNo abstract prepared.Histor
Opportunities in Non-Formal Education to Enhance Girls' Motivation Toward Learning Geography, Geospatial Technologies, and Related Careers
No full textThe growth of the geospatial industry demands that more workers are trained not only with technology, but also with specialized geographic knowledge to interpret data and solve problems. An important part of learning occurs in out-of-school contexts such as youth organizations that aim to develop career skills. The purpose of this study was to explore ways that educators within a non-formal educational environment may foster middle-school aged girls’ motivation for exploring geography and/or geospatial studies and future careers. The researcher developed an interventional program based on motivational factors such as intrinsic value (inherent enjoyment of an activity) and utility value (relevance to one’s goals/future) to answer the research questions: in what ways do the designed activities affect these factors and how can educators develop effective programs that promote girls’ interest in geography/GST. The study utilized a mixed-methods design including a pre-survey, post-survey, observations, and a semi-structured group interview. Four half-day workshops were held at the Girl Scouts STEM Center of Excellence in Dallas with a total of twenty-one participants. The results showed that the motivation to study geography/GST or to pursue a related career depended on their understanding of geography and how relevant it could be to their lives and goals. In addition, the participants’ own actions and words formed three themes, which will help non-formal educators to develop more effective programs in the future. These include activities that reflect the non-formal environment (more outdoors, hands-on), promote creative control, and start the exploration of geography with places in their community.Geography and Environmental Studie
Common Contributing Factors for Positive Post-Secondary Outcomes in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Qualitative Study of Family Group Perspectives
No full textThis qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families to identify common contributing factors to post-secondary success. Drawing on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 7 families across diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, the study seeks to understand how personal, familial, educational, and community-based supports intersect to influence outcomes in higher education, employment, and independent living. Thematic analysis revealed the following core themes contributing to post-secondary success: (1) importance of family support, (2) opportunity to engage in romantic relationships, (3) continued mental and physical exercise, (4) public school support, (5) connection with governmental resources and (6) connection to community. Participants emphasized the importance of pursuing education and information, person-centered transition planning, and connections to others in the community. Findings highlight systemic gaps and suggest policy and practice recommendations aimed at improving post-secondary outcomes for individuals with IDD through more coordinated, inclusive, and responsive support systems.Counseling, Leadership, Adult Education, and School Psycholog
Oral history interview: Librado Hernandez
No full textEdited and unedited transcript files (.pdf) and edited and unedited video files available with closed captioning.Oral history interview with Gilberto Hernandez about Librado Hernandez. Gilberto shares about Librado's life, service, and legacy
“Decide This Doubt for Me”: William Cowper’s Olney Hymns (1779)
No full textThis paper proposes that William Cowper’s Olney Hymns (1779) instantiate a curious form of modern belief. Cowper’s hymns are riddled with personal confessions of doubt, unbelief, and a sense of exile from the broader Christian church. At the same time, the public nature of his hymns—an emergent genre in eighteenth-century England—placed such private misgivings in a communal context. As congregations collectively sang their individual doubts, those doubts were transformed into tentative affirmations of faith. To believe meant one first had to admit his or her unbelief, joining voices with those who likewise declared that they, too, lacked faith and did not belong in God’s church. This sense of exile was abiding for Cowper, and his hymns thereby suggest that a crucial aspect of faith and communal religious identity is Christians’ insistence that they can never quite believe what it is they are singing. Belief is, therefore, inextricably tied to a sense of belonging with those who do not belong.Englis
Challenges of Using Whole-Cell Bioreporter for Assessment of Heavy Metal Bioavailability in Soil/Sediment
No full textSoil and sediment contamination with heavy metals (HMs) is a critical environmental issue, posing significant risks to both ecosystems and human health. Whole-cell bioreporter (WCB) technology offers a promising alternative to traditional detection techniques due to its ability to rapidly assess the bioavailability of pollutants. Specifically, lights-on WCBs quantify pollutant bioavailability by measuring bioluminescence or fluorescence in response to pollutant exposure, demonstrating comparable accuracy to traditional methods for quantitative pollutant detection. However, when applied to soil and sediment, the signal intensity directly measured by WCBs is often attenuated due to interference from solid particles, leading to the underestimation of bioavailability. Currently, no standardized method exists to correct for this signal attenuation. This review provides a critical analysis of the benefits and limitations of traditional detection methods and WCB technology in assessing HM bioavailability in soil and sediment. Based on the approaches used to address WCB signal attenuation, correction methods are categorized into four types: the assumed negligible method, the non-inducible luminescent control method, the addition of a standard to a reference soil, and a pre-exposure bioreporter. We provide a comprehensive analysis of each method’s applicability, benefits, and limitations. Lastly, potential future directions for advancing WCB technology are proposed. This review seeks to establish a theoretical foundation for researchers and environmental professionals utilizing WCB technology for pollutant bioavailability assessment in soil and sediment.Meadows Center for Water and the Environmen
Oral history interview: Ronnie Merritt
No full textEdited and unedited transcript files (.pdf) and edited and unedited video files available with closed captioning.Interview with Troy Merritt about his father, Ronnie W. Merritt. Troy discusses his father's time in the military, his life outside, and his passion for storytelling