Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Innovative Sensing And Ground Measurements For Forage Mass Estimation In Rye Pasture, Pedro Henrique Jota Fernandes

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The United States beef industry relies on forages to provide up to 80% of total lifetime dry matter intake, making accurate forage mass estimation essential for determining stocking rates, improving grazing efficiency, and supporting economic sustainability. Traditional methods to quantify forage mass, however, are time-consuming and labor-intensive. This thesis presents research efforts to achieve accurate forage mass estimation in cereal rye pasture by integrating novel sensing technologies.

Chapter 1 reviews the importance and evolution of forage mass estimation methods, from destructive clipping to indirect approaches based on canopy measurements. It then introduces remote sensing, from proximal tools to drone- and …

Investigation Of Changes In Exotic Bird Serum Vitamin D Levels Between Indoor And Outdoor Housing, Alexander J. Marley

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is directly related to sunlight and is involved in multiple physiological processes including calcium metabolism, feather quality, and chick development. Most vertebrate species are capable of both absorption of exogenous vitamin D and internal synthesis of vitamin D, with vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), being more accessible and bioactive in bird species. In exotic bird species, dietary requirements for vitamin D3 are largely unknown, and the ability to maintain adequate serum concentrations of vitamin D3 metabolites without direct sunlight exposure also requires evaluation. Concerns arise in situations where individuals may be housed indoors for extended …

Does Reducing Videofluoroscopy Frame Rate Affect Dige/St Grades In Modified Barium Swallow Studies?, Shitong Mao, Carla L Warneke, Sheila N Buoy, Ariana J Sahli, Brinda Rao Korivi, Carly E A Barbon, Kristy K Brock, Katherine A Hutcheson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Understanding the effects of reduced frame rates on the reliability of Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) ratings for swallowing safety and efficiency is essential for clinical practice. While previous research has examined frame rate (simulated pulse rates) implications concerning penetration, aspiration, and residue ratings, the impact on summary grading systems like the Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity (DIGEST) remains unclear. This study analyzed a total of 315 full MBS videos collected from 278 patients, and 76.25% of patients were diagnosed with head and neck cancer (mean age 62.51 years, SD 8.53; 12.23% female). We performed pairwise comparisons of DIGEST grades …

Comparison Of In-Hospital Complication Rates After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement In Patients With Bicuspid Versus Tricuspid Aortic Valves: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Tingxi Zhu, Jiawei Luo, Xuan Huang, Lulu Liu, Kehan Li, Wei He, Xiaobo Zhou, Yingqiang Guo, Xiaoyan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a popular alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for patients with valvular heart disease (VHD), particularly for those with aortic anomalies.

Aims: The study aimed to compare the risks of post-TAVR complications between patients with bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves and to identify associated risk factors.

Methods: The association between complications and valve type (bicuspid or tricuspid) was assessed. The study also explored various combinations of factors to understand their impact on complications. Separate analyses were conducted to identify specific risk factors for each complication.

Results: Out of the 1154 eligible …

A Person-Centered Approach To Digital Health Technologies For Cancer Prevention: Qualitative Findings On Use Of Technology-Based Interventions In Houston, Texas, Preena Loomba, Scherezade Mama, Thuan Le, Stacy Mitchell, Elizabeth Dominguez, Karen Basen-Engquist, Larkin L Strong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and obesity are significant, yet preventable contributors to morbidity and mortality among adults. This qualitative study examined internet access and technology use, and barriers and facilitators to engaging in digital cancer prevention programs.

Methods: We conducted 30-60-min semi-structured interviews of Hispanic adults (n = 12) and cancer survivors (n = 10) from two lifestyle intervention trials (September 2021-April 2022) in Houston, Texas, who transitioned from in-person to virtual delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews examined in-person versus virtual experiences and were thematically analyzed.

Results: Participants (95 % women, mean age for Hispanic adults …

Utility Of Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase-7 As A Biomarker In Cholestatic Infants With Congenital Heart Disease, Sindhu Pandurangi, Michael E Kim, Nicolas Noriega, Bradley Conant, Jangdong Seo, Reena Mourya, Pranavkumar Shivakumar, Anna L Peters, Andrew Misfeldt, Meghan Chlebowski

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7) is a novel biomarker for diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA), the most common cholestatic liver disease in infancy. There is a pressing need to determine the utility of MMP-7 levels in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) to avoid unnecessary invasive diagnostic procedures in this high-risk population. We investigated the utility of MMP-7 in discriminating BA from non-BA cholestasis in infants with CHD and whether MMP-7 elevation was present in infants requiring treatment for clinically significant PH.

Methods: This is a single-center cross-sectional study including infants < 180 days of age with cholestasis and serum MMP-7 levels collected from 2019 to 2023. Demographic data and descriptive statistics were summarized with medians with interquartile ranges and frequencies with percentages. Median MMP-7 levels were assessed via Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

Results: A total of 149 patients were included. Patients …

Chemotherapy Alone For Stage Ii-Iva Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A 20-Year Follow-Up, Mateus Trinconi Cunha, Matheus Sewastjanow-Silva, F Christopher Holsinger, Adam S Garden, Adel K El-Naggar, Jeffrey N Myers, Jan Lewin, Ann M Gillenwater, J Jack Lee, Fadlo R Khuri, Eduardo M Diaz, Renata Ferrarotto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Current treatment options for nonmetastatic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma include radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, and surgery, which can result in significant morbidity. This study reports the 20-year outcomes of a single-modality chemotherapy as a larynx preservation strategy in patients with stage II-IVa laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Methods: In this single-institution, single-arm, prospective clinical trial, 31 patients with stage II-IVa LSCC received three or four cycles of paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and a platinum agent (TIP). Patients with a pathologic complete response (pCR) by biopsy assessment received three additional cycles without local therapy. Patients with a partial response underwent conservation laryngeal surgery (CLS). …

Challenges And Opportunities In Multidisciplinary Supportive Care During Radiotherapy For Head And Neck Cancer, Jeffrey C Shogan, Anna Lee, Yvonne M Mowery

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Pancreatic Cancer-Related Diabetes And Type 2 Diabetes Differ In Multiple Aspects Of Glucose Homeostasis, Frederico G S Toledo, Yisheng Li, Fuchenchu Wang, Melena D Bellin, Randall Brand, Kenneth Cusi, William Fisher, Yogish C Kudva, Walter G Park, Zeb I Saeed, Dhiraj Yadav, Robert V Considine, Sarah C Graham, Dana K Andersen, Jose Serrano, Mark O Goodarzi, Phil A Hart

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aims/hypothesis: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma-related diabetes mellitus (PDAC-DM) is a paraneoplastic syndrome with a poorly understood pathophysiology. PDAC-DM is often clinically confused with type 2 diabetes, resulting in delayed cancer detection and poorly individualised hyperglycaemia treatment. We investigated whether these forms of diabetes can be distinguished at the metabolic level.

Methods: Adults with either cancer treatment-naive PDAC-DM (n=28) or type 2 diabetes (n=97), and with diabetes onset within 3 years, underwent mixed-meal tolerance tests to investigate glucose metabolism. Outcomes included insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index), insulin secretion (insulinogenic index), beta cell function (oral disposition index), insulin clearance, and postprandial glucagon, glucagon-like peptide-1 …

The Role Of Neutrophils In Vasospasm And Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Is It Time For A Sah Clinical Trial Targeting Neutrophils?, William W Wroe, Hussein A Zeineddine, Spiros L Blackburn, Jaroslaw Aronowski, Devin W Mcbride

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating neurological disease, and one of the primary drivers of morbidity after aneurysm rupture is the phenomenon of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Significant knowledge has been gained over the past two decades of the impact of neuroinflammation in DCI; and neutrophils are now believed to play a major role. There is significant human subject data showing the rise of neutrophil related inflammatory markers and neutrophil's association with poor outcome after aSAH, but as of yet no trials involving human subjects have been done specifically targeting neutrophils. There is however a growing body of evidence …

Fusobacterium Sphaericum Sp Nov, Isolated From A Human Colon Tumor Adheres To Colonic Epithelial Cells And Induces Il-8 Secretion, Martha A Zepeda-Rivera, Yannick Eisele, Alexander Baryiames, Hanrui Wu, Claudia Mengoni, Gianmarco Piccinno, Elsa F Mcmahon, Kaitlyn D Lacourse, Dakota S Jones, Hans Hauner, Samuel S Minot, Nicola Segata, Floyd E Dewhirst, Christopher D Johnston, Susan Bullman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cancerous tissue is a largely unexplored microbial niche that provides a unique environment for the colonization and growth of specific bacterial communities, and with it, the opportunity to identify novel bacterial species. Here, we report distinct features of a novel Fusobacterium species, F. sphaericum sp. nov. (Fs), isolated from primary colon adenocarcinoma tissue. We acquire the complete closed genome and associated methylome of this organism and phylogenetically confirm its classification into the Fusobacterium genus, with F. perfoetens as its closest neighbor. Fs is phenotypically and genetically distinct, with morphological analysis revealing its coccoid shape, that while similar to …

Fungicidal Management Of Spring Dead Spot Using Improved Modeling And Application Strategies, Michael Vincent Battaglia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spring dead spot (SDS) is a destructive disease of bermudagrass (Cynodon Rich. spp.) in parts of the world that experience winter dormancy. Fungicides are often necessary to properly manage SDS, and significant research has been conducted to improve fungicidal effectiveness. Several studies were conducted with the objectives of improving fungicide application timing, method of fungicide application, and long-term fungicidal efficiency. In the fungicide application study, a cooling degree-day (CDD) model based on soil temperatures was developed. The CDD model showed that isofetamid was highly effective against SDS during a wide application window in autumn, while tebuconazole was inconsistently effective and …

Impact Of Peripheral Circadian Misalignment And Alcohol On The Resiliency Of Intestinal Barrier And Microbiota, Laura Tran, Maliha Shaikh, Phillip A Engen, Ankur Naqib, Dulce M Frausto, Vivian Ramirez, Malia Gasteier, Zlata Bogin, Kristi Lawrence, Lijuan Zhang, Shiwen Song, Stefan J Green, Faraz Bishehsari, Christopher B Forsyth, Ali Keshavarzian, Garth R Swanson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Circadian organization is involved in many gastrointestinal tract (GIT) functions such as the maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity. There is compelling evidence that perturbation of the circadian clock decreases intestinal epithelial cells' resiliency to alcohol-induced injury. One of the most common causes of circadian misalignment is wrong-time eating (largest meal at dinner) in modern societies. Yet, few studies have examined the importance of peripheral circadian rhythms of the GIT to alcohol consumption. Eating patterns during physiologic rest time, defined as wrong-time eating (WTE), misalign the peripheral circadian clock of the GIT and the body's central clock. This study aims to …

Knowledge Mapping And Visualized Analysis Of Research Progress In Onconephrology: A Bibliometric Analysis, Yiwei Wang, Shuling Fan, Wei Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Onconephrology is an expanding subspecialty focused on the management of cancer patients with renal injury. This study used a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to emphasize the need for cooperation between oncologists and nephrologists, exploring current trends and future research areas in onconephrology.

Methods: Relevant literature on onconephrology published between 1 January 2000 and 27 April 2024 was retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection, followed by manual screening. Bibliometric analyses were performed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix software.

Results: A total of 1,853 publications, including 1,647 articles and 206 reviews, by 11,606 authors …

Exploring Glycosomes As Therapeutic Targets For Trypanosoma Brucei, Sabrina Sutton Pizarro

All Dissertations

Trypanosoma brucei is a protozoan parasite which causes human African trypanosomiasis and the livestock wasting disease, nagana. These parasites have highly specialized peroxisomes, called glycosomes, which house a variety of essential metabolic pathways, including glycolysis. Glycolysis is the sole means of energy production in the infective life stage of T. brucei making glycosomes and the glycolytic pathway promising targets for therapeutic strategies. In this work, we have studied the glycosome as a therapeutic target from multiple perspectives. The first portion of this work addresses drug trafficking. The efficacy of small-molecule inhibitors of glycosomal enzymes is restricted by the rate of …

From Morphology To Machine Learning And Genomics: Understanding Phenotypic Variation In Wild Ducks, Sara Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Understanding the genetic underpinning and distribution of phenotypic variation within and between divergent groups is core towards shedding light into how populations diverge and adapt, as well as how hybridization breaks or builds on these scenarios; and thus, central to evolutionary biology. In wild organisms, however, quantifying and linking phenotypic traits to underlying genetic processes, like mutation, gene expression, epigenetics and allele interactions, remains challenging. This difficulty arises from the complex interplay between morphology, environment, and gene regulation, as well as the logistical barriers of collecting and standardizing large-scale data across individuals and populations. As a result, researchers are increasingly …

Analyzing The Impact Of Diet On Dusky Gopher Frog (Lithobates Sevosus) Development In Head Start Programs, Mckalyn Nelson

Honors Theses

Species are constantly impacted by human activity, directly or indirectly. One critically endangered species under investigation is the dusky gopher frog (Lithobates sevosus), which is an endemic species of frog found in the southeastern United States. Historically found from Louisiana to Alabama, a drought in 2002 narrowed the dusky gopher frog range even further. Head start programs have been shown to be effective in increasing population numbers; however, there is not much published data on the effectiveness of captive rearing diets for these programs. The dusky gopher frog head start program at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Lake …

From Mechanisms To Management: Implications Of Biogeochemical Controllers And Land Management For Soil Carbon Cycling And Storage, Savannah R. Adkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Climate change and its cascading effects are driven by increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). Many climate solutions exists to remove this excess carbon (C) from the atmosphere, and soils, in particular, represent one of the few win-win solutions. Soils play a vital role in the global C cycle because they store more C than plants and the atmosphere combined, however, they also release more CO₂ annually than fossil fuel combustion (a major contributor to accelerating climate change). Therefore, preventing CO₂ loss from soil could help slow the progression of climate change, and increasing overall soil …

Impacts Of Including Sprouted Barley In The Diet Of Beef Cattle On Production, Ruminal Health, And Meat Quality, Zachary C. Crump

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Beef producers in the United States are working to meet rising global demand for animal protein while facing major challenges such as drought, climate uncertainty, and rapid urbanization. These issues make it difficult to produce consistent and dependable feed, pushing producers to explore new ways to grow feed using fewer natural resources. Vertical farming systems are one option that can grow sprouted cereal grains indoors throughout the year while using decreased land and water than traditional agriculture. Sprouted barley grows within six to seven days and may serve as a nutrient dense alternative feed source for cattle at several stages …

The Effects Of Lactoferrin And Iron-Enriched Whey On Iron Status Of Collegiate Females, Connor Kemp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Iron deficiency has remained a global issue even in developed countries despite food fortification and increased nutritional literacy, biological women of child baring age are at particular risk due to menstruation and reduced dietary intake of iron containing foods compared to men. This issue is of particular concern in athletics due to the critical role of iron in oxygen transport and energy metabolism. With nearly half of female athletes presenting low iron status iron supplementation is often necessary. With iron supplementation often resulting in gastrointestinal symptoms that could negatively impact sport performance itself there is a need to explore other …

Understanding Impact Of Starter Culture Blends On The Ph Variation In Cheddar Cheese During Early Aging, Samuel J. Clarke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Consumer expectations govern what is acceptable when it comes to the flavor, texture, and color of the cheese. These quality attributes of cheese are all influenced by the pH of the cheese which is in turn controlled by the acid production of the starter lactic acid bacteria (SLAB) used to make cheese. Whatever the final pH of the cheese is, is what determines the quality of the cheese. Unfortunately, there are some Cheddar cheese manufacturers that have observed pH variation during the early aging of their cheeses. We hypothesize that the addition of thermophilic, fast-acid producing bacteria, like Streptococcus thermophilus …

Sleep-Disordered Breathing Subtypes And Future Diet Quality In The Multi-Ethnic Study Of Atherosclerosis, Kaitlin S Potts, Cecilia Castro-Diehl, Tianyi Huang, Alexis C Wood, Jerome I Rotter, Stephen S Rich, Tamar Sofer, Susan Redline, Heming Wang

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objectives: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and diet quality impact cardiometabolic disease, but few studies have examined if SDB influences diet quality. This study estimated the association between SDB subtypes (with and without sleepiness) and future diet quality in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Methods: Probable SDB was characterized by self-reported physician-diagnosed sleep apnea (PDSA) or habitual snoring and subtyped by presence or absence of sleepiness. A food frequency questionnaire measured diet 1.6 years before, and 7.8 years after SDB assessment. Diet quality was measured with the Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI). Mean differences in AHEI at follow-up by SDB subtypes were …

Hyperspectral Indicators And Characterization Of Glyphosate-Induced Stress In Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium Album L.), Mario Andrés Soto Valencia

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyperspectral sensing enables detection of herbicide stress in weeds, but practical use requires strategies for redundancy control, rating variability management, and evaluator bias mitigation. This thesis evaluates common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) under glyphosate exposure, aiming to identify key wavelengths, construct vegetation indices, and improve injury modeling. Greenhouse experiments used dimensionality reduction methods (principal component analysis, Relief F, Bayesian discriminant analysis) to isolate 34 unique wavelengths from about 3,200 bands. Calibration data were collected 14 days after treatment (DAT) to support wavelength selection and model development, while data from 27 DAT were used for independent validation. Class comparisons across six statistically …

Transcriptomic And Contractile Adaptations In Skeletal Muscle In A Rodent Model Of Anorexia Nervosa, Oscar Armando Vicen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder marked by severe chronic caloric restriction and is primarily diagnosed through psychological and behavioral symptoms. AN has the highest mortality of any psychiatric disorder with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Many individuals with a history of AN experience incomplete recovery despite intervention treatment. Skeletal muscle molecular mechanisms under chronic energy deprivation remain poorly understood. PURPOSE: To investigate transcriptomic profiles of the gastrocnemius muscle following one month of a rodent model of AN. This study analyzed whether the molecular changes correlate with collected muscular force data to provide a comprehensive understanding of …

Broiler Responsiveness To Dietary Amino Acid Density In A Commercial Setting, Virginia Slick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The majority of research assessing the amino acid responsiveness in broilers has been conducted in experimental designs utilizing pens that contain 12 to 25 birds with high replication. While this trial design is beneficial as a way to perform high replications with multiple treatments in a way that is both economically and spatially feasible, it may not accurately translate to a rearing environment more similar to that of commercial open floor housing. This research was conducted to determine if the effects of lysine driven amino acid density diets that have been found in the traditional floor pen setting correlate to …

Large Language Models (Llms) For Clinical Note Generation: International Classification Of Disease (Icd) Code, Knowledge Graph (Kg) And Prompt Evaluation, Ivan P. Makohon

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

In the past decade, a surge in the amount of electronic health record (EHR) data in the United States occurred, driven by a favorable policy environment created by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 and the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016. Clinical notes for patients’ assessments, diagnoses, and treatments are captured in these EHRs in free-form text by physicians, who spend a considerable amount of time entering them. Manually writing these notes is time-consuming, increasing patient waiting times and potentially delaying diagnoses. Large language models (LLMs), such as GPT-4o, possess the ability …

A Novel Drying Technology Based On Supercritical Carbon Dioxide To Enhance The Functional Properties Of Red Lentil Proteins, Niveditha Asaithambi, Arda Tuhanioglu, Ali Ubeyito

Food Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Red lentils are protein-rich sources that are highly regarded in the plant-based food industry for their color. Appropriate drying methods are essential for maintaining the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the proteins. This study investigates the impact of three drying methods, namely oven drying, freeze-drying, and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO₂) drying, on the physicochemical and functional properties of red lentil proteins (RLP). SC-CO₂ drying was optimized at varying temperatures (35–55 °C), pressures (10–20 MPa), and CO₂ flow rates (2–3 L/min), with optimal drying observed at 55 °C, 20 MPa, and 3 L/min, resulting in significantly reduced moisture content (5.7 %). …

Genetic Variations In Extracellular Matrix Degradation Pathways Linking To Major Depressive Disorder: Evidence From A Large-Scale Genetic Association Study, Halliru Zailani, Daniel Tzu-Li Chen, Sheng-Che Lin, Jia-Hau Lee, Mei-Ling Li, Jane Pei-Chen Chang, Kuan-Pin Su

BioMedicine

Dysregulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation pathways has been increasingly implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), yet its genetic basis remains unclear. This study investigated the relationship between ECM-related genetic polymorphisms and MDD susceptibility. In a case-control study, we analyzed 317 MDD patients and 1,268 sexmatched controls from the Taiwan Biobank (TWB). Genomic DNA was analyzed using the Affymetrix TWB array, targeting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 140 ECM degradation genes (Reactome database). Full-model association tests identified significant SNPs, validated with 5,000 max(T) permutations and adjusted via logistic regression for age, body mass index, education level, and marital status. We …

Neuroprotection Of Paeoniflorin As Antidepressant Candidate, Yuh-Fung Chen, Yi-Jui Chen, Jai-Sing Yang, Min-Min Lee, Huei-Yann Tsai

BioMedicine

Background: Depression is one of the common mental disorders worldwide, and currently used antidepressants have undesirable effects; therefore, the development of new antidepressants without side effects is urgently needed. Paeoniflorin (PF) exhibits various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. NMDA receptors in the hippocampus play a vital role in the pathophysiology of depression. Due to the scarcity of reports on the neuroprotection of PF on NMDA-induced excitotoxicity in the hippocampus, the present study aims to investigate the effects of PF on NMDA-mediated EPSP and calcium influx in the hippocampus to evaluate the potential of PF as an antidepressant. …

Prophylactic Effect Of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Monotherapy In Preventing Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Ikbal Andrian Malau, Cheng-Ho Chang, Wei-Jen Chen, Wen-Chun Liu, Halliru Zailani, Hsien-Feng Liao, Jane Pei-Chen Chang, Wei-Che Chiu, Kuan-Pin Su

BioMedicine

Background: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have demonstrated efficacy as adjunctive treatment for MDD. In fact, fewer studies assessed the prophylactic properties of n-3 PUFAs as monotherapy on the recurrence of MDD.

Aims: This study aimed to assess the prophylactic effect of n-3 PUFAs monotherapy against recurrent MDD.

Methods: We conducted a 6-month randomized controlled trial to assess the prophylactic effect of n-3 in preventing recurrent MDD. We assigned 60 remitted MDD patients to the n-3 group (n = 30) and placebo (n = 30). Furthermore, we assessed the difference in depression severity and MDD recurrence based on the …