62021 research outputs found
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Targeted AAV Gene Therapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Anti-EGFR Monoclonal Antibody-Conjugated Exosomes
Full text linkTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive and clinically challenging breast cancer subtype characterized by the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. The lack of these molecular targets limits the effectiveness of current therapies and contributes to poor patient prognosis and high recurrence rates. This study investigates a novel gene therapy approach that targets the mitochondria to selectively induce apoptosis in TNBC cells. The gene therapy mLumiOpto was designed to disrupt the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) potential, leading to cell death, and was delivered using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. To overcome immunogenicity associated with AAV, vectors were encapsulated in exosomes. To then enhance delivery specificity, the AAV was conjugated to anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAb-Exo-AAV), as EGFR is overexpressed in multiple TNBC cell types. Comprehensive in vitro analyses confirmed successful delivery, TNBC-specific binding, appropriate nanoparticle size and morphology, and induction of cytotoxicity. These findings support the potential of mAb-Exo-AAV-mediated mLumiOpto delivery as a targeted and effective gene therapy strategy for TNBC.No embargoAcademic Major: Biochemistr
"Your Pride is Bleeding Out:" A Mixed Methods Analysis on Mental Health, Self-Image, and Period Poverty in Single-Income Women in Columbus, Ohio
Full text linkMenstruation is a biological process where the uterus sheds lining each month and it is a common occurrence for women across the globe. Though menstrual cycles, more colloquially known as periods, have been around since the dawn of time, they are historically treated as something shameful or bothersome. This mixed-methods study examines the relationship between period poverty, mental health, and self-image amongst single-income women in Columbus, Ohio. A sample of 9 women completed an anxiety screening, depression screening, a menstrual health questionnaire, and 20-minute interview about their experiences menstruating on a fixed income. Results show a strong positive correlation between anxiety and depression in this sample. There was a weak correlation between mental health scores and menstrual health scores, but interviews presented themes of low self-esteem and heightened anxiety surrounding period poverty. Interviews showed that the participants expressed feelings of embarrassment, worthlessness, and stress when experiencing period poverty. Women reported making financial sacrifices to afford period products and often felt less sociable when menstruating without proper protection. Pantries and free products in public have been helpful for participants, but all participants feel there is not enough being done to address period poverty on a policy level. Almost all participants recall instances of using replacements, like baby diapers or toilet paper, in absence of products. Poor self-image relating to period poverty was centered more around financial insecurity for menstrual health rather than experiencing periods itself. Future studies may focus on the impact of racial identity relating to mental health, period poverty, and menstrual product accessibility.No embargoAcademic Major: Social Wor
A Longitudinal Analysis of the Effects of Power Wheelchair Usage and User Maintenance on Power Wheelchair Failures
No full textIntroduction/Background
Around 80 million people globally use wheelchairs for mobility. Within 6 months of usage, 45- 88% of wheelchairs will break down. Powerchair users experience adverse consequences when their powerchairs fail. To prevent this, data-based tools need to be developed to predict when preventative maintenance should occur to avoid powerchair failures.
Objectives
The study objective is as follows:
1. Determine the correlation between power wheelchair usage with power wheelchair
failures.
Methods
A 3-month longitudinal study with 2 study visits, one at the beginning and end. Recruited a convenience sample of 12 participants whose primary mobility method was a power wheelchair and were over the age of 18. Study visits took place at the Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research. At the first study visit, a sensor was installed on the participant’s power wheelchair to collect usage data between the first and second visit. Surveys were taken at both study visits to collect demographic, maintenance, failure, and wheelchair condition data. At the second study visit, usage data collected by the sensor was collected and downloaded to laboratory computers. Descriptive statistics and correlation were used in data analysis to evaluate the association between road shocks and failure frequency.
Results/Current Status
Initial demographic information was collected at the first study visit between October-December 2024. Seven males and Four females participated in the study. The average age of the participants was 35.36±16.29years. Second study visits were completed through January-March 2025. Strong and moderate positive correlations were found between shocks and failures as well as between these two measures, maintenance training and self-reported distance traveled per day (p<.05).
Discussion and Conclusions
Powerchair users’ demographics and usage data can be used to predict whether they are at high or low risk for powerchair failures. Clinicians can use this data to schedule follow-up, preventative maintenance and prevent future failures. Future studies must investigate demographics and usage more in-depth to conclude exact predictors.Rehabilitation Engineering Design LaboratoryA one-year embargo was granted for this item.Academic Major: Health Sciences Progra
Implementation of an Evidence-Based Education Intervention to Mitigate Incivility Among Nursing Leaders
No full textThe organization of focus for this initiative is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Hospital that is part of a large Midwestern Academic Medical Center. At this organization, stressors that were incurred through the pandemic led to the deterioration of relationships between two groups of nursing leaders, the Administrative Nursing Supervisors (ANS) and the unit leaders (ULs). Communication between these leaders had become uncivil and disruptive to the organization. After reviewing the literature, it was determined that an educational intervention utilizing a TeamSTEPPS® approach in conjunction with cognitive rehearsal was an effective way to mitigate incivility. The two groups of leaders participated in an in-person Civility Training which demonstrated success in meeting the project objectives of raising awareness of incivility and reducing the number of escalated concerns that couldn’t be resolved between a unit leader and an ANS. The project objectives were measured by administering the Clark Workplace Civility Index to the participants pre and post intervention which demonstrated a statistically significant improvement at p<0.05 after the intervention. The second objective was measured by comparing a baseline of five escalated uncivil interactions a week pre-intervention to post, which decreased to two or less per week. The implications of this initiative indicate that Civility Training can have a positive impact on civility between nursing leaders, which could be beneficial in all areas of nursing.A three-year embargo was granted for this item
Localization of the Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1 (EAAT1) in the Inner Molecular Layer in Response to Glutamate Release
Full text linkAdult hippocampal neurogenesis is the process by which neural stem and progenitor cells give rise to mature granule cell neurons. This process occurs in the dentate gyrus (DG) region of the hippocampus in adult rodents, and possibly humans. Our lab recently has shown neural stem cell (NSC) regulation by glutamate is mediated by the excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAT1), a transmembrane protein responsible for the reuptake of glutamate. EAAT1 protein is expressed throughout the morphology of NSCs, including in the cell bodies in the subgranular zone (SGZ), along the fine apical process that extends through the granule cell layer (GCL), and in bushy terminals of the molecular layer. Those terminals wrap around glutamatergic synapses in the molecular layer, providing NSCs with exposure to glutamate. Whether EAAT1 in NSCs is trafficked to synaptic contact points in the molecular layer in response to glutamatergic stimulation is unknown. Therefore, cellular location of EAAT1 within NSCs as a response to glutamate release was observed. Glutamate release was initiated by injecting kainic acid (KA), an agonist of glutamate release, into adult Nestin-GFP mice. Nestin-GFP mice are a reporter mouse line in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed in NSCs, making their cell body, apical process and bushy terminals visible. Saline injection was used as a control. Mice were perfused 1 and 7 days after injections. Brains were collected and then sliced for immunohistochemistry. The DG of the hippocampus was imaged using confocal microscopy, and 3D reconstructions were obtained on Imaris. The overlap between EAAT1 and GFP in the inner molecular layer (iML) and SGZ was observed. There was no significant effect of KA induced glutamate release on the localization of EAAT1 within NSCs in the iML or SGZ at 1 or 7 days after injections. Trends in the data show there may be an increase in EAAT1 protein within NSCs in the iML 1 day after KA induced glutamate release, compared to saline. There appears to be a drop in EAAT1 in the SGZ 7 days after KA induced glutamate.No embargoAcademic Major: Psycholog
Mechanism Underlying Astrocytic Uptake of Sulforhodamine 101 (SR101)
Full text linkSulforhodamine 101 (SR101) is a commonly used chemical marker for astrocytes and is particularly useful in functional in vivo and in situ studies. However, the mechanism underlying the astrocytic uptake of SR101 remains elusive. Serendipitously, we found that SR101 uptake can be fully inhibited by meclofenamic acid (MFA). The MFA-mediated SR101 uptake inhibition is characterized by a non-competitive binding of MFA to the SR101 uptake pathway, a rapid inhibitory time course (T50, 0.4925 min), and high efficacy (IC50, 4.428 µM). Therefore, MFA emerges as a useful inhibitor to further explore the mechanism of SR101 uptake in astrocytes. In a transcriptome study, the slco1c1 mRNAs, a gene encoding L-thyroxine (T4) transporter (OATP1C1), showed high astrocyte expression. To explore slco1c1 as a potential SR101 uptake pathway, we pre-incubated acute hippocampal slices with 10 µM T4 for 20 min. This resulted in a 95% inhibition of SR101 uptake. Inhibition of OATP1C1 should lead to a buildup of ambient T4. To examine if T4 could affect neuronal excitability, we examine the electrophysiological responses of CA1 pyramidal neurons to 10 µM T4. Elevated ambient T4 appeared to attenuate the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons. Thus, our study has identified MFA as a potent SR101 uptake inhibitor in astrocytes. Additionally, we show that L-thyroxine competitively inhibits SR101 uptake in astrocytes, implying that slco1c1 is likely the transporter that mediates the SR101 uptake in astrocytes. Potentially, inhibition of OATP1C1 has an inhibitory impact on the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (RO1NS116059)Academic Enrichment Grant, The Ohio State UniversityUndergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, The Ohio State UniversityUndergraduate Research Scholarship, The Ohio State UniversityCareer Accelerator Fund Scholarship, The Ohio State UniversityNo embargoAcademic Major: Biolog
Recent Financial Trends for Farm Credit Mid-America
Full text linkBusiness, Society, and International Relations (The Ohio State University Denman Undergraduate Research Forum)Farm Credit Mid-America (FCMA) is an agricultural institution in the Farm Credit System that provides loans, insurance, and leasing to the agricultural sector, primarily in the Midwestern United States. This report analyzes the financial health and operations of FCMA relative to their prior years of operation and key indicators in the agricultural lending industry, uniquely contextualized with the acquisition of Farm Credit Midsouth in April 2023. First, the report analyzes the growth and distribution of loans in the institution’s portfolio, evaluating information such as the location of loans given, agricultural loans by type, and annual agricultural loan concentration. Second, analysis is done on the organization’s performance as a whole, through metrics such as asset growth, net income, net interest margin, and capital ratios. We found that FCMA performed exceptionally well in 2023, seeing asset growth of 11.9% and only falling behind their growth in 2021 after the economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. Loan quality continues to annually increase as FCMA holds less loans classified as risky. Further, the percentage of loans outside of states explicitly defined in FCMA’s primary service area (Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Tennessee) continued to increase, demonstrating an expansion of their service area to coincide with the expansion of their total assets and loans. While simultaneously expanding their service area greatly through the acquisition of Farm Credit Midsouth, FCMA continues to show indicators representative of a healthy and profitable institution, with net assets and loans increasing as risky loan holdings decrease. Further, their capital ratio remained well above the Farm Credit System observed Basel III thresholds and continues to decrease, showing that FCMA continues to maximize the use of their available capital for growth.Undergraduate Research Assistantship from OSU Farm Income Enhancement Endowed ProgramNo embargoAcademic Major: Agribusiness and Applied Economic
Effects of Water Weight-Induced Perturbation on Gait Characteristics
No full textSince the mid-2000s, perturbation-based balance training has become a key focus in clinical biomechanics research, particularly for frail older adults and individuals with neurological disorders. These training systems, which involve sudden disruptions like slips and trips, can destabilize participants and create near-fall situations, improving gait and balance. However, the cost and complexity of these systems limit their use in clinical settings. This study aims to investigate whether inexpensive water weight can create destabilizing environments for healthy young adults, serving as an initial step toward developing an effective perturbation-based training tool.
Twelve healthy adults were tasked with walking on a treadmill under three conditions: baseline, static weight (10 lbs. of metal weights), and water weight (10 lbs. of water in Tidal Tank). Results showed a significant difference in stride time (p = 0.0239), with post-hoc analysis revealing a significant difference only between baseline and water weight conditions (p = 0.0186). Variability in gait parameters, including step length, step width, and belt speed, also showed significant differences. Post-hoc analysis indicated significant differences between baseline and static conditions for step length variability (p = 0.0046), as well as between baseline and both static weight and water weight conditions for step width and belt speed variability (p = 0.0264, p = 0.0221, p = 0.0045, p = 0.0019, respectively). However, dynamic stability measured by short-term Lyapunov exponents did not show any significant differences across conditions.
The findings suggest that water weight-induced perturbations primarily affected stride time and gait variability. Water weight perturbations represent a promising, cost-effective method for gait training with potential applications for clinical and home-based therapy, particularly for populations at risk of falls. Further studies with greater challenges and varying participant conditions are recommended to better understand the effects of such perturbations on gait dynamics.A one-year embargo was granted for this item.Academic Major: Biomedical Engineerin
Public participation and the Third Mission in university-affiliated urban development projects: a study of The Ohio State University
Full text linkThis thesis won the 2025 Jennifer Evans-Cowley Award for best undergradute thesis in City and Regional PlanningUniversities have emerged as powerful urban actors. Beyond their traditional roles in education and research, they now actively contribute to real estate development and community engagement, a set of activities scholars refer to as the university’s ‘Third Mission.’ This thesis examines the presence of public participation processes in university-affiliated urban development projects in the context of university Third Mission goals: social engagement, technology transfer and innovation, and external education. This research applies Archon Fung’s Democracy Cube framework to analyze participatory processes in three distinct development projects affiliated with The Ohio State University: The African American & African Studies Community Extension Center, the Energy Advancement and Innovation Center, and the Metro@Indianola School. Through document analysis and qualitative interpretation, this study examines the types of participation employed, who was involved, and how decisions were communicated in association with each project’s Third Mission goal. Findings reveal that while OSU incorporates participatory elements across projects regardless of the associated Third Mission goal, these are often advisory in nature, with decision-making authority largely retained by the university administrators. The results also underscore the absence of more inclusive and empowered forms of engagement, particularly for projects with broad social impacts. This research contributes to the growing discourse on university-led urban development, offering insights into how planners and university administrators can better understand the motivations behind public participation to promote more collaborative and mutually beneficial development practices.No embargoAcademic Major: City and Regional PlanningAcademic Major: Political Scienc
Indigenous Deaf Women in Popular Media
Full text linkDeafness and Indigeneity historically are seen as magical in film and television. In the past 5 years (2020-2025), Magical Indigenous Deaf Women appeared as characters in major films and television series, specifically in fantasy genres. A few examples of these productions are Godzilla vs. Kong, the subsequent sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Marvel’s Eternals, and Marvel’s Echo. The characters in these productions exhibit similarities to other longstanding film tropes like the “magical negro”. The characters portray Indigenous Deaf women as wise, magical, and helpful with little focus on the work and experiences that comes with the intersectional identity of being Deaf AND Indigenous. The use of subversive casting in speculative fiction creates an exciting space for representation of Indigenous Deaf women. However, it runs the risk of portraying them in ways that rely on harmful stereotypes. This paper looks at three characters, Maya Lopez in Echo, Jia in Godzilla x. Kong, and Makarri in Eternals, using the frameworks of Deaf and Indigenous scholars to assess the addition of Indigenous Deaf women in these fictional magical worlds and what these characters represent outside of aesthetic diversity.No embargoAcademic Major: Comparative Studie