bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recall Bias in Retrospective Assessment of Preoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Scores After Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: Shah Nihar S. , Figueras Jorge H. , Foote Austin M. , Steele Chase A. , Sabbagh Ramsey S. , Woods Olivia A. , Thomson Cameron , Schramm Violet T. , Grawe Brian M. 
Published: May 2022

Introduction:
Although reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has been shown to be effective for the treatment of cuff tear arthropathy (CTA), the patient's inability to accurately recall their preoperative shoulder condition could skew their perception of the effectiveness of the procedure. Identifying patients who are susceptible to notable recall bias before surgery can help surgeons counsel patients regarding expectations after surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether patients who undergo RTSA are susceptible to recall bias and, if so, which factors are associated with poor recollection.

Methods:
Patients who underwent RTSA for CTA by the senior author between September 2016 and September 2018 were identified. All patients completed the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES scores) Standardized Assessment Form at the time of preoperative assessment. Patients were contacted at a minimum of 24 months after surgery to retrospectively assess their preoperative condition.

Results:
A total of 72 patients with a mean age of 72.2 ± 7.65 years completed a retrospective shoulder assessment at 28.3 ± 7.3 months postoperatively. Patient assessment of shoulder condition showed poor reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.453, confidence interval, 0.237-0.623). Greater preoperative shoulder ASES scores were associated with a greater difference between preoperative ASES scores and recall ASES scores (β = 0.275, P < 0.001).

Conclusion:
Patients who undergo RTSA for CTA are susceptible to clinically significant recall bias. Patients with better preoperative condition recall worse preoperative shoulder conditions compared with patients with worse preoperative conditions and are susceptible to a higher degree of recall bias. This patient population should be identified preoperatively and have notable counseling before and after surgery to help them better understand their disease burden and what to expect after surgical intervention.

Level of Evidence:
III, diagnostic cohort study
Using digitized Native American skeletal remains to conduct osteological analyses.
Authors: Guydish Melissa , Henson Kristy 
Published: May 2022

Conducting human osteological analyses using authentic excavated remains is difficult due to current laws and regulations surrounding Native American human remains. Universities which once housed these remains for analysis have since repatriated the remains or they are no longer available for teaching purposes. Plastic teaching models are insufficient to communicate the wear of excavated bones as well as pathology, variation, or nuances of native populations. Recent technology has the potential to solve this dilemma. Three-dimensional (3D) scanning creates virtual models and stores the information so it will not be lost once the original material is repatriated. To assess this methodology, we conducted a complete osteological analysis on CT replicated human remains of one adult individual uncovered during the archaeological excavation of Clover, a Fort Ancient civilization in Cabell County, West Virginia. We hypothesize that the digital replicas allow a complete osteological analysis of the human skeletal material. Data were collected using Standards for Data Collection from Human Skeletal Remains. Preliminary results show we can identify basic skeletal anatomy with all skeletal landmarks along with basic osteometric measurements. Estimated age is 18-20, height is +/- 170-183cm. The remains also exhibited arthritis, extreme cavities, healed tibial fracture, and possible trepanning of the occipital bone. Basic lifestyle affects are visible allowing for information on how a population lived before death. Study of digitized skeletal remains can allow for future research to teach students about human populations based on real skeletal materials.
The effects of alcohol exposure on CSB localization and concentration in stem cells.
Authors: Stanton Michael , Anthony Bruce 
Published: May 2022

Alcohol and drug addiction are major problems in today’s society, and specifically in the state of West Virginia. Chronic alcohol exposure has been shown to have various effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and DNA damage through oxidative stress. Neuronal stem cell populations in the adult brain help to support neuroplasticity improving short and long term memory. Chronic alcohol exposure reduces stem cell populations and suggests a link between alcoholism treatment paradigms and the damage induced to stem cells during use. Previous studies show as much as 40% reduction in stem cell numbers from chronic alcohol use and many cells experience substantial DNA damage. However, the mechanism repair mechanism used by exposed cells to repair DNA lesions is unknown. This study analyzes expression and localization of the CSB (ERCC6) protein responsible for recruitment and imitation of a Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) mechanism necessary in DNA repair. Both alcohol treated and control stem cells were examined by immune-cytochemistry and western blot in order to analyze variations in protein expression and nuclear localization. We demonstrate changes in expression and increased localization to alcohol induced DNA lesions. This demonstrates a possible mechanism for Cellular losses in adult alcoholism.
ISOTHERM AND X-RAY MEASUREMENTS OF A LANGMUIR MONOLAYER OF A NON-POLAR HYDROCARBON CHAIN MOLECULE
Authors: Li Mengyang , SMITH MICHAEL D. C. , SIMMS GERREN D. 
Published: May 2022

Traditionally Langmuir monolayers and lipids bilayers (including cell membranes) on water interfaces are made of amphiphilic molecules with both polar hydrophilic and non-polar hydrophobic parts. It has been discovered that non-polar hydrocarbon chain molecules without the polar hydrophilic part, can also form Langmuir monolayers on water when the chain molecule has more than 30 carbon atoms. Here we report the surface pressure vs. area isotherm measurements of a H(CH2)36H film on water, which show the film’s maximum compression modulus (greatest resistance to lateral compression) at about 19 Å2/molecule, independent of the compression speed, like the Langmuir monolayers of long chain saturated fatty acids do. The cross-section area of the hydrocarbon chain is about 19 Å2. Our measurements confirm the formation of a Langmuir monolayer by H(CH2)36H, a non-polar hydrocarbon chain molecule. X-ray measurements reveal structural information of the monolayer.
First Two Network: Improving STEM persistence in the first two years of college.
Authors: Heatherly Sue Ann , Harvey Erica , Howley Caitlin 
Published: May 2022

Many college students in West Virginia hail from rural communities and are the first in their families to pursue an undergraduate degree. Research indicates that first-generation college students can face particular barriers to their postsecondary persistence, as can rural students. However, data on the persistence of first-generation college students who are also from rural places is scant. To better understand—and help remove—the barriers confronting such young people interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), the FIRST TWO Project (https://first2network.org/) brings together community college and university faculty, administrators, national laboratory professionals, and rural education experts. The FIRST TWO pilot program integrates early STEM experiences via internships, a support network for rural first-generation STEM students, and STEM skills development through a discovery-based "principles of research and development" college seminar for first-year students. A "Hometown Ambassadors" program component prepares students to return to their home communities to engage younger students’ interest in STEM, and teachers’ and school board members’ support for STEM education. Our goal is for project courses and support mechanisms to be fully transferrable to other institutions of higher education in the state so that, ultimately, more rural first-generation students participate in the wider STEM enterprise. Funding for the project is provided by the National Science Foundation INCLUDES (Inclusion across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented Discoverers in Engineering and Science) initiative.
Constructing a NPC1L1 Knockout Line in Zebrafish using CRISPR Cas9.
Authors: Duncan Benjamin Cody , Walters James W 
Published: May 2022

How the intestinal absorption of lipids impact dyslipidemias such as obesity and diabetes is currently under debate. NPC1L1 is a critical transport protein in intestinal enterocyte cholesterol absorption. To understand the mechanism of NPC1L1 uptake within the enterocyte, we are creating a npc1l1 -/- (knockout) line in zebrafish. We hypothesize that the npc1l1 -/- larval zebrafish will show reduced intestinal cholesterol absorption when challenged to a high fat diet compared to wild type larvae. To do this, we have used a gene editing tool known as CRISPR to create genomic mutations within the npc1l1 sequence. The CRISPR complex will create double stranded breaks that the embryo will try to mitigate by using non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair. We hypothesize some of the mutations will result in premature stop codons disrupting the translation of the protein. The crRNA:tracrRNA guide complex was assembled and Cas9 mRNA was amplified, the crRNA:tracrRNA complex and the Cas9 mRNA were injected into embryos where the complex and Cas9 combine to form the CRISPR duplex. Two of four guide complexes were injected showing survival rates of 16.7% (complex 329) and 8.7% (complex 291). After raising injected embryos, we will screen for frame shifts by sequencing to identify mutations where we will then raise a npc1l1 -/- line. To date, no frameshift mutation has been observed, however; we hypothesize that newly placed PCR primers will validate our hypothesis. Acknowledgements: Supported by NIH Grant 2P20GM1.343_14 P1500699 to the West Virginia IDEA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence.
Testing the “five second rule” – a potential microbiology lab exercise
Authors: Bombard Joshua , Roof Steven 
Published: May 2022

The “5-second rule” states that it is safe to consume a piece of food that has been dropped on the floor, provided one picks it up within five seconds. Most students have heard of this rule which provides a hook for learning how we might test the rule. The goal of this project was to develop a simple and inexpensive method for evaluating the five second rule that could be incorporated into a beginning microbiology lab. Ideally the procedure would inspire students to ask new questions, propose hypotheses and test them. Overnight cultures of Escherichia coli were placed on a glass slides and allowed to dry. When the cultures were dry various objects (plastic beads, wood chips, sponges) were placed on the glass surface for various lengths of time. To detect transfer of bacteria from the slide to the object, the objects were put into nutrient both or placed on an agar plate, and incubated overnight to detect growth of E. coli. As expected damp and more porous objects were more consistently contaminated compared to dry and less porous objects. Detection of contamination using a broth culture was easier to interpret. Additional objects were tried, but sterilization of those proved difficult. Overall the protocol developed is easy to carry out and was reproducible, both important aspects of a course lab exercise.
Net Acidity Titration and Water Quality Results for Acid Mine Drainage Water Samples from Morris Creek
Authors: Mosteller Jacob , Serafin Juliana 
Published: May 2022

The Morris Creek Watershed Association maintains a passive limestone-bed treatment for acid mine drainage entering Morris Creek near Montgomery, WV. Water was collected and analyzed from 14 sites in the Upper and Lower Main Stem treatment areas. Analyses included net acidity and standard water quality tests: pH, turbidity, temperature, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, phosphates, total nitrates, and dissolved oxygen (Water Quality with Vernier, 2007), as well as total flow measurements. The net acidity or “hot acidity” titration is a measure of the highest acidity the water will reach due to dissolved components that undergo redox reactions to produce acidity. Water samples are acidified, boiled with hydrogen peroxide, and titrated with base according a standard method (Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 2012), This study shows that the results for net acidity are correlated with the water quality tests for biochemical oxygen demand and dissolved solids, while net acidity is inversely correlated with the fecal coliform count, dissolved oxygen, and overall water quality index. A general decrease in net acidity was found as the water progressed through the two treatment areas. This study demonstrates the utility of the net acidity titration analysis of water samples and the water quality tests that are most relevant to the titration. Related and future work includes the determination of dissolved iron, manganese and other metals by atomic absorption analysis.
Aralia spinosa Extract Produces an Immunostimulotory Response Diminishing Infection by Francisella tularensis
Authors: Myers Jennifer , Collins Elliot , Seeber Roger , Horzempa Joseph 
Published: May 2022

Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious bacterium that causes the disease, tularemia. Due to the highly infectious nature of F. tularensis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified this bacterium as a category A bioterrorism agent. To combat this threat, novel treatments are highly desired. F. tularensis replicates in macrophages (phagocytic cells of the immune system derived from monocytes) during infection. In a previous study, we sought to identify extracts from natural products capable of inhibiting intracellular growth of F. tularensis during infection. From this study, we identified that Aralia spinosa (devil’s walking stick) extract (ethanol extraction of stem) inhibits replication within cells of the THP-1 monocyte line, but does not alter bacterial growth in culture. The Aralia spinosa extract was separated by chromatography and bio-assay guided fractionation was used to isolate the compounds responsible for the aforementioned activity. Here, Galleria mellonella (waxworm) larvae as well as chicken embryos were infected with F. tularensis LVS (an attenuated type B strain) and were treated with fractions of the Aralia spinosa extract. To determine whether fractions of Aralia spinosa extract were directly antibacterial, an antibiotic disk-diffusion assay was used. None of the fractions tested inhibited the growth of bacteria outside the context of infection, indicating that this extract does not contain traditional antibiotic compounds. Investigations are ongoing to identify and isolate the active compound of the Aralia spinosa Extract (Supported by NIH Grant P20GM103434 to the West Virginia IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence and funding from the WV Research Challenge Fund [HEPC.dsr.14.13]).
Comparison of commercial touch DNA extraction systems utilizing the polymerase chain reaction technique
Authors: Nelson Hannah Dawn 
Published: May 2022

Forensic scientists often generate genetic profiles from old blood stains, seminal stains, and hair, but an individual's genetic profile has been accomplished from surfaces touched by human hands. This “Touch DNA” potentially allows for the sensitive identification of DNA from crime scenes where fingerprints are found. The experiment was designed to determine the sensitivity of DNA isolation from fingerprints placed on glass. The two kits used in this experiment were the Invitrogen ChargeSwitch® Forensic DNA Purification Kit and the Promega DNA IQ™ Kit. The kits provided protocols that claimed to facilitate isolation of genomic DNA from fingerprints. After touching cleaned glassware with varying numbers of fingerprints, DNA isolation was performed using each of the above listed kits. A sterile swab was moistened with sterile water and used to extract deposited material from the glassware. Isolated DNA was amplified with the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and separated by gel electrophoresis. A NanoDrop One was used to obtain DNA concentrations for all touch DNA samples and dilutions. The two kits successfully isolated sufficient DNA from cheek swabs and dilutions, and the Promega DNA IQ™ system was found to be more sensitive to DNA contamination. However, the two commercial kits did not successfully extract a sufficient quantity of Touch DNA from a non-porous surface coated with fingerprints. Future experiments should be performed using Touch DNA samples on different surfaces to determine if DNA isolation efficiency can be improved. The project was supported by the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium.
Prevalence of orthopedic complaints in a rural population in West Virginia.
Authors: Workman Marissa Chase , Popovich Greg E 
Published: May 2022

There are numerous medical conditions that impact rural populations. These conditions affect many body regions and systems to varying degrees. Some research suggests that West Virginians have especially high rates of certain orthopedic complaints. The purpose of this study is to describe the most common conditions/affected body areas of a selected rural population. Over the course of one month, eighty-one patients (72.8% female, 27.2% male) from an out-patient orthopedic physical therapy clinic with a rural clientele were evaluated for their reported condition. During each patient’s evaluation, his or her diagnosis and affected body area and other identifying characteristics such as age, gender, pain level, and duration of the condition were recorded as routine medical documentation. Data were then compiled while omitting the patient’s name to provide anonymity. For the total population, the following affected areas were reported: back/spine, shoulder, knee, neck, hip, ankle/foot, and general body pain. The collected data reveal spine conditions were the most common complaint for both men and women; 37% of total patients suffered from a condition that involved the spine or adjacent tissues, and 73.3% of those patients were female. Shoulder region conditions were the second most prevalent of total patients (23.5%) where 68.4% of those were female. Only 6.2% of the total patient population suffered from hip conditions, where 100% of those patients were female. The patients within this rural population presented several different condition areas, most commonly spine, with notable differences between genders.
Nanopore Sensors And Signal Processing
Authors: Bowers Melvin L. 
Published: May 2022

Melvin L Bowers III, Department of CME, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV 25443, and Uday Shankar Shanthamallu, School of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, and Michael Goryll, School of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, and Dr.Andreas Spanias, School of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281. Nanopore Sensors And Signal Processing With the help of Ion Channels as well as filtering and, signal processing DNA sequencing can become a more efficient process. To see wavelet filtering would be the best for ion channels we imported ion channel data into Qub. Then used MATLAB to show graphically what the signal looked like. We then utilized MATLAB’s toolbox of wavelets to see which wavelet could denoise the noisy ion channel signal, the best. We were able to objectively show the improvement of the signal utilizing specific wavelets to help with the white noise. The maximum observed increase in SNR was 5.42.
A Piperidine-Substituted Chalcone as a Molecular Rotor for Luminescent Viscosity Sensing
Authors: DeRosa Christopher A. , Inman Michael 
Published: May 2022

Modern applications make use of the luminescent materials and dyes for optoelectronics, textiles and fluorescence microscopy. Recently, organic-based fluorophores have garnered interest in fluorescent microscopy as brighter and non-toxic alternatives to metal complexes used in cell biology. While some organic fluorophores have emerged as commonly-used imaging agents, such as fluorescein and rhodamine, these lack the ability sense the microenvironment properties with spatial and temporal resolution. As a solution, we proposed a simple chalcone-based molecular rotor to sense cellular viscosity. A bulky piperidine ring is incorporated to undergo twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) producing a dark, non-emissive state in fluid solution (e.g. water), but a rigid, emissive structure in a viscous environment (e.g. cellular membranes). Dyes were prepared via aldol condensation of the appropriate aldehyde and ketone pairs in low to moderate yields. Synthesis was confirmed by TLC, 1H NMR, and IR. The optical properties of the piperidine-substituted dye and a less bulky dimethylamino derivative were compared for molecular rotor properties and TICT. Preliminary results in dichloromethane reveal green fluorescence and modest quantum yields (~22%). Viscochromic properties in solution, future directions and possible applications will be presented.
The role of FTL_0893 during Erythrocyte Invasion by Francisella tularensis
Authors: Yauch Katelyn , Nachtwey Lisa , Horzempa Joseph 
Published: May 2022

Francisella tularensis is a highly virulent Gram-negative bacterium, and the causative agent of the disease, tularemia. During infection, this bacterium inhabits numerous cell types of its mammalian host including phagocytes of the immune system and erythrocytes – cells incapable of endocytosis. We previously determined that several F. tularensis genes upregulated in the presence of erythrocytes were also important for invasion of these host cells. Another such upregulated gene, FTL_0893, has not yet been tested for its involvement in erythrocyte invasion. In this current study, we sought to generate both a disruption and deletion mutation of FTL_0893. These mutant strains are currently being tested for their ability to invade erythrocytes. We are also investigating the contribution of FTL_0893 in the virulence of F. tularensis using various in vitro and in vivo infection models.