Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Evaluation Of Translucency, Fluorescence, And Structural Analysis Of 3d-Printed Vs. Conventionally Fabricated 3y, 4y And 5y Zirconia, Surabhi Chhabra

ETDs from 2020-2029

Statement of Problem: Additive manufacturing has emerged as an alternative to conventional milling for zirconia-based dental restorations because of its potential to reduce material waste and increase design flexibility. However, whether 3D-printed zirconia can provide optical and structural properties comparable with those of conventionally milled zirconia for esthetic applications remains unclear. Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the optical properties of 3D-printed zirconia and conventionally milled 3Y, 4Y, and 5Y zirconia, as measured by translucency and fluorescence, and to evaluate their structural characteristics, as measured by density, porosity, phase composition, and surface morphology. Materials and …

An Examination Of Physical Activity And Arterial Stiffness Among Urban And Rural Older Adults, Michael J. Hankes

ETDs from 2020-2029

Rural populations in the United States experience a disproportionate burden of cardiovas-cular disease, yet how rural‑urban context shapes physical activity (PA) and vascular health is not fully understood. Because vascular dysfunction links PA to cardiovascular risk, rural‑urban differences in movement may help explain disparities in cardiovascular health. Rurality is often treated as a static, binary exposure, which may obscure meaning-ful geographic variation and accumulated life course influences. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to examine associations among rural‑urban exposure, objectively measured PA, and vascular health using national cohort data and a pilot study. This dissertation begins with a conceptual …

Social Relationships, Mental Health, And Stigma: A Qualitative Study Of Social Networks And Hiv Disclosure In Western Kenya, Sarah Obatsa, Adel Mburia-Mwalili, Salvador Jauregui, Karla Wagner, Lukoye Atwoli, Francesca Odhiambo, Jayne Lewis-Kulzer, Suzanne Goodrich, Kara Wools-Kaloustian, Jennifer Syvertsen

Internal Medicine, East Africa

The disclosure of one’s HIV-positive status is a personal decision that can play an important role in engagement in HIV treatment and care. Social network approaches situate individuals within broader webs of social connections that influence health and wellbeing and thus hold the potential to elucidate key social factors shaping the process of disclosure. As part of a larger clinical study examining how substance use and mental health shape HIV outcomes, we recruited 61 individuals newly diagnosed with HIV at two clinics in Western Kenya to participate in an egocentric social networks study. We conducted a survey that generated a …

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Phenotypes And Circadian Blood Pressure Patterns Among Adults Referred For Diagnostic Evaluation At Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study, Nadeem Kassam, Mzee Ngunga, James Orwa, Alisa Bhojani, Mohamed Varwani, Swaffiya Salim, Yvonne Oketch, Salim Surani, Anthony Ochola, Barbara Karau, Jeilan Mohamed, Etienne Amendezo

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: hypertension represents the primary modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and poses a public health challenge in sub-Saharan regions, with Kenya experiencing particularly low detection and control rates. Traditional office-based blood pressure measurements often fail to detect key phenotypes, such as white-coat and masked hypertension. Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) offers a comprehensive 24-hour profile that excludes white-coat hypertension and allows for the evaluation of circadian patterns, including nocturnal hypertension and non-dipping status, both of which are recognized as high-risk phenotypes strongly linked to adverse cardiovascular events. This study evaluated ABPM data from Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi …

Exploring Racial And Ethnic Diversity Trajectories And Diabetes Prevalence In The United States, Jiue-An Yang, Calvin P Tribby, Anna Dmowska, Qian Xiao, Marta M Jankowska

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study investigates whether long-term changes in neighborhood racial and ethnic diversity are associated with adult diabetes prevalence across the contiguous United States. We calculated diversity indexes for US census tracts (n = 72,033) using decennial census data from 1990 to 2020. Five diversity trajectory clusters were identified using K-means clustering. Diabetes prevalence in 2019 was obtained from the CDC's PLACES dataset. Linear mixed models (LMMs) assessed global associations between diversity trajectories and diabetes prevalence, adjusting for age, sex, poverty, marital status, and public insurance. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) examined local variations in these associations. Compared to the reference group …

Bridging The Diagnostic Gap: Expanding Dementia Care Navigation For Timely Diagnosis, Lucille Carriere, Morgan Minyo, David Bass, Katherine L Possin, Rafael Samper-Ternent, Joel Salinas, Nicole Deaner

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Over half of dementia cases remain undiagnosed, with persistent disparities across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Dementia care navigation (DCN) has demonstrated value in post-diagnosis settings. If implemented earlier, DCN could address diagnostic delays and care gaps. We define the diagnostic window as the period from initial symptom awareness through diagnosis and early care planning. Drawing on deliberations from the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Navigation Roundtable, we present a pre-diagnosis DCN framework organized across six domains and describe navigator roles across three phases: pre-evaluation, diagnostic assessment, and immediate post-diagnosis and transition. We address special considerations, including people without a care …

Barriers And Facilitators To The Implementation Of The Diabetes Prevention Program (Dpp) In Health Settings: Protocol For A Mixed Methods Systematic Review, Miquel Colom-Rosselló, Manuela Abbate, Laura Capitán-Moyano, Elena Pastor-Ramon, Maria E Fernández, Aina M Yañez, Miquel Bennasar-Veny

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This is the protocol of a Campbell Systematic Review. The objectives are as follows: to identify implementation determinants from the perspectives of both participants and implementers, and to assess their influence on specific implementation outcomes, thereby clarifying why certain aspects of the implementation process succeed or fail. If sufficient data is available, variations in perceived barriers or facilitators related to individuals and program characteristics will also be explored.

Evaluation Of A Novel Antegrade-To-Retrograde Femoral Sheath Conversion System: A Preclinical, Cadaveric Study, Ramakrishnan Ranganath, Kerry K Gilbert, Randy Hickle, Anuva Iyer, Ryan Um, Rex Johnson, Randall Torrence, Daniel I Sessler

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Peripheral arterial disease often affects the lower extremities, is frequently bilateral, and typically involves multiple leg segments. Symptomatic disease is usually treated endovascularly. Antegrade access may be necessary in some cases and can be challenging compared with retrograde common femoral artery access. The ability to convert a conventional retrograde access to antegrade access would thus be valuable. We developed and tested a novel system, named as antegrade-to-retrograde converter. Our aim was to establish antegrade superficial femoral artery access from initial retrograde entry and reconvert to retrograde access.

Methods: We tested the antegrade-to-retrograde converter bilaterally in 15 fresh (unembalmed) human …

Legends, Lies, & Rewritten Lives: After The Little Bighorn: Forgotten Struggles Of Those Who Walked Away, 2nd Edition, Thomas B. Davidson

DU Textbooks

This Story surrounds an event that occurred one summer on June 25, 1876, along the banks of the Little Bighorn River in what is now the state of Montana. Seen from a 21st century perch, it is a story of a collision between two very different civilizations or empires. Both empire’s military fought in the manner of their society. This narrative will attempt to balance the believable truth of what happened in that contest between the military representatives of both societies while also trying to tell an engaging story, without drifting into naked partisanship, purple prose, or sensationalism. The narrative …

Dental Care Utilization Among Sexual And Gender Minority Individuals, Ishita Singh, Oladipo Afolayan, Sarah S Jackson, Irene Tamí-Maury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals can experience notable health disparities, including higher HIV prevalence, social isolation, substance abuse, lack of culturally competent providers, and poorer health outcomes compared to heterosexuals due to stigma and discrimination. This study aims to identify predictors of dental care utilization across sexual minorities using the 2023 TEXAS PRIDE Survey.

Methods: We analyzed data from 517 SGM individuals, assessing sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and recent medical and dental visits. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of dental care utilization (i.e., a dental visit in the past year).

Results: Among sexual orientation groups, reported dental care …

Cancer Workforce-A Global Crisis: A Lancet Oncology Commission, Hedvig Hricak, Zachary Ward, Fabio Moraes, Andrew Scott, Farouk Dako, Wilfred Ngwa, Cynthia Villarreal-Garza, May Abdel-Wahab, Stephen Avery, Miriam Mutebi

General Surgery, East Africa

No abstract provided.

Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing Outcomes From An African Registry: Short-Term Findings From The Macop Study, Willy Mucyo, Marcus Ngantcha, Mzee Ngunga, Miriam Msunza, Justin Ragadu, Klindheer Rampersad, Jeilan Mohamed, Brian Vezi

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Government Health Care Worker Training Needs For Intestinal Schistosomiasis Morbidity Management, Phyllis Isaiah, Betty Nabatte, Lauren Wilburn, John Oryema, Noah Ukumu, Morris Okumu, Juma Nabhonge, Hilda Kyarisiima, Prudence Beinamaryo, Christopher Opio

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background Schistosomiasis causes substantial chronic morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa, yet case definitions, clinical management guidance, and health worker training for schistosomiasis-related morbidity remain limited.

Methods We conducted a qualitative needs assessment for schistosomiasis morbidity management. Workshops were held over one day in each of Pakwach, Buliisa, and Mayuge Districts in Uganda in October 2024. 105 government health workers participated including clinicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, sonographers, and district health managers from health facilities at different levels of care. The workshops comprised six structured sessions: presentations on schistosomiasis burden in Uganda and the SchistoTrack cohort, a clinical case report by an expert …

Cal Poly Rodeo Program, Keith J. Johnson

Agricultural Education: Graduate Internship Reports

The purpose of this project was to evaluate and improve livestock welfare practices within the Cal Poly Rodeo Program while supporting the program's core values of student success, western heritage, and program excellence. Livestock play a critical role in collegiate rodeo by providing educational opportunities, athletic competition, and hands-on learning experiences for students. As public awareness of animal welfare continues to increase, rodeo programs must demonstrate responsible stewardship and ethical animal management practices.

This project assessed current livestock management procedures, identified areas for improvement, and implemented educational and operational strategies designed to enhance animal health and welfare. Key performance indicators …

Trust In Cancer Information Sources And Awareness Of Human Papillomavirus As A Cause Of Cervical Cancer Among Us Adults, Olajumoke Ope Oladoyin, Paula Cuccaro, Lara S Savas, Robert Yu, Joel Fokom Domgue, Sheryl Mccurdy, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Religiosity, trust in physicians, and trust in government health agencies influence individual decision-making and behavior toward public health programs. However, trust in information about cancer from these sources and their association with public awareness of human papillomavirus (HPV) as a cause of cervical cancer remain understudied.

Objective: To assess the association of trust in cancer information sources with awareness that HPV causes cervical cancer among US adults.

Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study used the nationally representative 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) data on noninstitutionalized US adults aged 18 years or older collected between March 7 …

Association Of Insulin Resistance And Fracture Risk In The Osteoporotic Fractures In Men (Mros) Cohort, Jeonghoon Ha, Li-Yung Lui, Kristine Ensrud, Qian Xiao, Andrew R Hoffman, Joy Y Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Context: Insulin resistance (IR) is more prevalent in men than in women, but evidence directly linking IR to fracture risk in older men remains limited.

Objective: To evaluate the association between insulin resistance (IR), estimated using the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, and fracture risk in older men.

Methods: Data from 5994 men (≥65 years) in the MrOS cohort were analyzed. A total of 5416 participants were included in the HOMA-IR analysis and 5384 in the TyG index analysis. Fractures were self-reported and confirmed radiographically. Participants were grouped into quartiles based on IR …

Global Youth Development: Challenges And Remedies, Raymond Chimezie

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Young people have enormous potential for growth and innovation, but not all have access to resources and opportunities to explore, achieve their dreams, and contribute immensely to society. Absence or limited opportunities and resources pose great challenges to young people’s aspirations. Through a review of literature and study of some countries young people globally face challenges, though at varying degrees like unemployment, limited access to healthcare, social services, and education; lack of professional support, skills acquisition and retraining, and political exclusion; judicial inequity, loneliness, and poor parenting. There still exist policies, structures, or regulations that encourage racial and ethnic or …

Age And Sex Affect The Prevalence And Severity Of Periodontal Conditions In An Academic Setting, Karo Parsegian, Nikolaos Soldatos, Tonia C Carter, Nikola Angelov, Neel Shimpi, Krishna Kumar Kookal, David K Okano, Effie Ioannidou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The aim of the present study was to examine whether age and sex affected the prevalence and severity of periodontal conditions in patients attending an academic dental clinic.

Methods: Electronic health record (EHR) data on the demographic characteristics and periodontal conditions of patients presented for a comprehensive periodontal evaluation were extracted from the institutional dental EHR database. Retrospective analysis of independent associations of age, sex, and other subject characteristics with periodontal conditions was determined using multinomial logistic regression. The null hypothesis stating that age and sex were not associated with the increased prevalence and/or severity of periodontal conditions was …

Cytosignal Detects Locations And Dynamics Of Ligand-Receptor Signaling At Cellular Resolution From Spatial Transcriptomic Data, Jialin Liu, Hiroaki Manabe, Weizhou Qian, Shion Orikasa, Javid Ghaemmaghami, Yichen Wang, Yichen Gu, Angel Ka Yan Chu, Gaurav Gadhvi, Yuxuan Song, Patrick Mcclinden, Vibha N Lama, Noriaki Ono, Joshua D Welch

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Cells communicate through ligand-receptor (LR) signaling interactions, but identifying when and where these interactions are active remains challenging. We developed CytoSignal to infer the locations and dynamics of cell-cell communication at cellular resolution from spatial transcriptomic data. Here we show that our cellular resolution, spatially resolved signaling scores enable several important analyses-identifying spatial gradients in signaling strength, quantifying the locations of contact-dependent and diffusible interactions, detecting signaling-associated genes and identifying differential signaling across multisample data. Additionally, we can predict the temporal dynamics of a signaling interaction at each spatial location. We experimentally validate our results in situ by proximity ligation …

June 2026, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

• Fitness and Hydration Month

• Stress Management Tips for Bulldogs

• Bulldog Resources

• HYDRATION TRACKER

Voucher Model For Family Planning: Empowering Poor Women And Expanding Access To Family Planning Services In Punjab, Population Council Pakistan

Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Choices

Pakistan continues to face significant inequalities in access to family planning (FP) services, with the poorest women bearing a disproportionate burden of unmet need. Financial constraints, transportation costs, limited mobility, restricted decision-making power, and inadequate access to quality services often prevent women from obtaining the family planning services they need.

To address these barriers, the Population Council, in partnership with the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the Punjab Population Innovation Fund (PPIF), designed and rigorously evaluated an innovative Family Planning Voucher Scheme.

The model linked social protection with reproductive health services, enabling poor women from Rahim Yar Khan (RYK) …

Independent And Combined Effects Of Early-Life Iron Deficiency And Antibiotic Exposure On Growth And Hematological Outcomes In A Piglet Model, Ginger M. Fitzpatrick

Master's Theses

Iron deficiency (ID) affects over 2 billion individuals globally. Children under 5 are at increased risk of ID due to rapid growth and are especially vulnerable to its negative consequences because of iron’s essential role in cognitive development and immune maturation. ID is the leading cause of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), with IDA affecting approximately 40% of children in this age group. Antibiotic (abx) exposure is also prevalent during early life and may disrupt growth and through gut dysbiosis, with increasing use posing additional risk in younger populations. Geographically, there is overlap in regions with high anemia prevalence and those …

Beyond Regulation: Why Europe Must Lead Ai Stewardship In Health, Luca Saba, Ignazio R. Marino

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

No abstract available

Impact Of Race And Acculturation On Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility: A Multicenter Lung Cancer Cohort Study, Eunji Choi, Christine S. Shusted, Harrison Yang, Haley M. Evans, Julia G. Katcher, Yiwey Shieh, Anil Vachani, Katharine Rendle, Julie A. Barta

Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

From The Editor: The Journal: Supporting Michigan’S Dental Community, Romesh Nalliah

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Editor-in-Chief Dr. Romesh Nalliah explores the concept of "community" as a shared responsibility within the dental profession. He positions the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association as a vital tool for connecting practitioners and delivering rigorously reviewed scientific content to guide clinical decision-making. While acknowledging technological advances like artificial intelligence, Nalliah maintains that "soft skills"—including listening, empathy, and critical thinking—remain the most essential factors for success. He encourages members to utilize the Journal for mentorship and professional support.

J Mich Dent Assoc June 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Each month, the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association delivers news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA's 6,200-plus members. It remains the main publication reaching Michigan dentists and is available worldwide through ADA Commons.

The June 2026 (Volume 108, No. 6) issue of the Journal is published in digital format to provide updates and insights for Michigan's oral health community and MDA members. Print editions occur every other month beginning with January.

The June 2026 issue of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association provides association updates, legal advice, and clinical …

The Back Page: A Dental Road Trip To The Birthplace Of Fluoridation, Chris Smiley Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This historical feature details a visit by ADA and MDA leadership to the Monroe Avenue Water Filtration Plant in Grand Rapids. The plant achieved international significance on January 25, 1945, when Grand Rapids became the first city in the world to implement community water fluoridation. A subsequent 10-year study showed a 65% reduction in childhood tooth decay, establishing fluoridation as a primary public health measure of the 20th century. The article highlights the facility's legacy as the birthplace of a global health initiative.

Outgoing President Newman: “The Future Of The Mda Is Defined By All Of Us”, David Foe

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In her final address to the MDA House of Delegates, outgoing President Dr. Cheri Newman reviews the association's progress over the past administrative year. She highlights achievements in strengthening financial stability, advocating for solutions to dental workforce shortages, and expanding community access to care. Newman also discusses the ongoing strategic review of member values and a comprehensive governance review intended to position the association for the future of dentistry. She emphasizes that the organization's strength lies in the collective engagement of its membership.

Assessing Aflatoxin Knowledge, Perceptions, And Related Practices, In A Rural Coastal Community: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey, Rosebella Iseme, Joseph Abuodha, Anthony Ngugi, Innocent Abayo, Mansoor Saleh

Population Health, East Africa

Background

Aflatoxin contamination is a significant yet under-addressed food safety challenge in low-resource settings, driven by a complex interplay of environmental, agricultural, and socio-economic factors. Limited access to agricultural inputs, inadequate post-harvest handling and storage, and weak regulatory enforcement alongside food scarcity and climate change heighten the risk of contamination and exposure. Human exposure is associated with serious health consequences, including hepatocellular carcinoma, immune suppression, and childhood stunting. Although aflatoxin is increasingly recognized as a global food safety concern, little is known about community-level knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive practices. This study examined household heads’ awareness, perceptions, and behaviours related …

Satellite-Derived Longitudinal Evidence Of Flood Effects On Community Water And Sanitation Resilience In Coastal Kenya, Felix Oluoch, Rosebella Iseme, Fredrick Gudda, Alfred Keter, Rachel Odhiambo, Jai Das, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Anthony Ngugi

Population Health, East Africa

Background Flooding can disrupt water, sanitation and hygiene services in low-income rural and peri-urban settings, yet there is limited quantitative evidence on how repeated flood exposure affects safe water and sanitation over time at the level of Community Health Units (CHUs), which are the operational units for primary health care in Kenya.

Methods We analysed repeated CHU-level data from ten Community Health Units in Kilifi County, Kenya, across eleven surveillance rounds from 2017 to 2024. For each round, we calculated the percentage of households with safe drinking water and with access to a functional latrine, and linked these outcomes to …