Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Patient Reported Outcomes (Pros) Of Long Covid, Luke A. Sims

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Non-Medical Determinants Of Health In Thoracic Aortic Disease: A Montalcino Aortic Consortium Study, Alberta S. Simmons

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Centering Community Voices: Protocol For Qualitative Inquiry In A Produce Prescription And Chatbot Intervention, Yesmeena Mahmoud Shmaitelly

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Understanding Patient Reported Outcome Measures And Perceptions In Trauma, Jerome D. Scott

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Associations Between Trpm4 Gene Variants And Intracranial Pressure Dynamics Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Emily H. Saweris

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Potential Risk Factors For Major Surgical Complications In Operative Fixation Of Patients With Pelvic Ring Disruptions, Benjamin Roberts

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Concurrent Gastroschisis And Biliary Atresia: Surgical And Supportive Management, Joseph M. Pydyn

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Effects Of Tunicamycin In Trophoblast Stem Cell Differentiation, Kay Chi Pua

Summer Research Program Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Pulse Of Exercise Programs: Developing And Validating The Intervention Usability Scale For Exercise (Iuse) To Enhance Implementation And Adherence, Anne Inger Mørtvedt, Eva Ageberg, Steven Elmer, Kevin Trewartha, Erich Petushek

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: Adherence to exercise interventions is often suboptimal, despite numerous studies documenting barriers and facilitators. Usability may be a critical yet underexplored determinant of adherence. This study aimed to develop and assess the psychometric properties of the Intervention Usability Scale for Exercise (IUSE). Methods: Item generation and content validation involved cognitive interviews and feedback from eight exercise intervention stakeholders and ten target users from the general public. Subsequently, 526 target users from University, Qualtrics and Prolific participant panels assessed exercise programs through an online survey. Dimensionality was assessed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and bifactor models. …

Beyond Symptoms: Examining Perinatal Mental Health Care Among Black, Indigenous And People Of Color With Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome, Vinaya Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are as a public health concern in the United States. Individuals from minoritized racial/ethnic groups face a significantly elevated risk of maternal morbidity, mortality, mental health disorders, and associated adverse outcomes. Emerging studies also reveal a higher likelihood of experiencing perinatal mental health concerns in individuals with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), currently known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). People who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC) face unique healthcare challenges given the added structural and social burdens. This online survey study aimed to 1) understand the relationship between PMOS …

Analysis Of U.S. Army Body Composition Policies: Implementation Effectiveness And Recommendations For Policy Enhancement At Brooke Army Medical Center, Michael L. Rizzo

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

US Army body composition policies (AR 600-9 and recent directives) are essential for military readiness, injury prevention, and force health protection, yet implementation gaps persist, particularly with the 2026 Department of Defense (DoD)-mandated waist-to-height ratio (WHtR < 0.55) transition. This DNP project evaluated policy implementation effectiveness at Brooke Army Medical Center using the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model and CFIR 2.0 framework. Analysis of 2022–2025 de-identified administrative data and 16 stakeholder questionnaires identified ≥10 implementation gaps, including low awareness of new standards and workload impacts. The project developed 8 evidence-based recommendations and an implementation roadmap to improve compliance, optimize resources, reduce administrative burden, and strengthen military readiness.

Implementing Updated Npo Guidelines For Inpatient Procedures, Yasamin Ghanivand

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Nil per os (NPO) guidelines are utilized for patient safety during procedures to reduce the risk of pulmonary aspiration. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) recommends clear liquids up to 2 hours before non-emergent procedures, although many facilities still implement the outdated practice of ordering NPO after midnight. This practice can lead to prolonged fasting, which may cause increased hunger, thirst, hypotension, nausea, and dizziness, ultimately resulting in patient dissatisfaction and discomfort.

Purpose: To review and assess current ASA NPO guidelines that describe best practice to enhance the patient experience without increasing perioperative risk of pulmonary aspiration.

Methods: A …

Smart Medical System Integrating Clinical Workflows For Robust Skin Cancer Detection Across Heterogeneous Pathologies, Ahed Abugabah, Prashant Kumar Shukla, Suchi Mishra, Abhishek Dwivedi

All Works

Skin cancer is among the most prevalent and life-threatening dermatological diseases worldwide, with melanoma responsible for a substantial proportion of skin cancer–related deaths due to delayed and unreliable diagnosis. Conventional clinical screening based on visual inspection and expert interpretation is inherently subjective and often affected by inter-observer variability, lesion heterogeneity, and imaging artifacts, highlighting the need for accurate and generalizable automated diagnostic systems. This study proposes a novel hybrid deep learning architecture for skin cancer classification that integrates an attention-guided autoencoder with a transformer-inspired global context modeling module, forming a unified and robust representation learning framework. The encoder–decoder structure is …

Evaluation Of A No-Code Ai Model For Detecting Periapical Radiolucencies: Impact Of Anatomical Region On Diagnostic Performance, Manal Hamdan, Kevin W. Yu, Marguerite Miller, Stephanie J. Sidow, Zaid Badr, Sergio E. Uribe

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Background

To develop a no-code artificial intelligence (AI) model for the detection of apical radiolucent lesions and to assess how lesion location influences the model’s diagnostic performance.

Methods

312 periapical radiographs were retrospectively collected, each accompanied by a corresponding cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan obtained within six months and a radiology report authored by board-certified oral and maxillofacial radiologists. These reports served as the reference standard, and all findings were cross-verified by the primary investigator through CBCT review. The dataset included 181 images with at least one apical radiolucent lesion and 131 lesion-free controls. Using the no-code AI platform LandingLens …

Cxcr3 Is Associated With T-Cell-Induced Heart Damage In Acute Rheumatic Fever, Francis M. Middleton, Reuben Mcgregor, Natalie Lorenz, Sarah Kilian, Anna E.S. Brooks, Saem Mul Park, Ciara Ramiah, Judith Tresidder, Timothy C. Barnett, Michael Serralha, William J. Martin, Florina Chan Mow, Glenn Pearson, Mark Mayo, David I. Broadhurst, Julie Bennett, Johann Brink, Nigel J. Wilson, Anna P. Ralph, Rachel H. Webb, P. Rod Dunbar, Jonathan Carapetis, Nicole J. Moreland

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The pathogenesis of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is poorly understood, limiting the development of immune-modulating therapies to treat disease and prevent progressive heart damage. Here, participants with definite ARF were compared to other severe acute paediatric conditions and matched healthy controls by profiling circulating immune molecules and cells to inform disease mechanisms and potential druggable pathways. ARF shared immunological similarities with other inflammatory conditions, including elevated serum IL-6 and an increased frequency of circulating CD4⁺ T cells. However, elevation of the chemokine CCL5 and immunoglobulin IgG3, along with reduced expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR3 in the T cell …

The Relationship Between Dietary Sodium Intake And Cognitive Function: A Narrative Review, Samantha L. Gardener, M. Fu, L. Morini, T. Schwartzkopff, G. Savage, R. N. Martins, S. R. Rainey-Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose of Review: This narrative review provides discussion on current evidence regarding the relationship between sodium intake and cognitive function in animal and human studies, as well as potential mechanisms underlying this relationship. Recent Findings: Recent evidence suggests high sodium intake is associated with development of cognitive impairment and neural dysfunction. Additionally, studies have proposed that high sodium intake is associated with increased aggregation of Aβ-amyloid and that hypertension (for which high sodium intake is a risk factor) modulates the relationship between Aβ-amyloid and development of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. However, while animal studies demonstrate a consistent relationship between …

Association Of Glycd147 With Carotid Atherosclerosis: Evidence From Integrative Analyses, Cuihong Tian, Yang, Xingang Li, Hongxia Zhang, Jieyi He, Jinxiu Zhu, Yequn Chen, Xuerui Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory cardiovascular disease that progresses with ageing. Glycosylation plays a significant role in inflammation and contributes to the pathogenesis of ageing-related diseases, including atherosclerosis. Cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147), a glycosylated agonist of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), serves as an inducer of atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis. However, the effect of glycosylated CD147 (GlyCD147) on atherosclerosis remains unclear. This research aims to identify whether GlyCD147 is associated with atherosclerosis. Methods: To begin with, a clinical case-control study was designed to assess the differences of CD147 and GlyCD147 between 69 carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) cases and 69 controls. Traditional atherosclerotic …

Bone, Muscle, And Physical Function Measures In Older Adults According To Levels Of Social Disadvantage: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jason Talevski, Sharon Brennan-Olsen, Stefanie Bird, Sara Vogrin, Alison Beauchamp, Mizhgan Fatima, Cassandra Smith, Gustavo Duque

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Summary: This cross-sectional study of 300 older adults (aged ≥ 50 years) found that less education, lower income, and health care card ownership are associated with reduced bone, muscle, and physical function measures. This underscores the need for targeted preventive strategies for osteoporosis and sarcopenia that address socioeconomic-related disparities. Purpose: The prevalence of chronic diseases follows a social gradient, although this is unclear in musculoskeletal conditions. This study aims to examine the association between social disadvantage and diagnostic measures of osteoporosis and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A single-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted in adults (≥ 50 years) residing …

Do Flywheel Exercises Provide Eccentric-Overload Training?, Darjan Spudić, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Interests in eccentric resistance exercises have been increasing in both research and practice. However, implementing eccentric resistance exercise training is often challenging due to the mechanical limitations of traditional training equipment. To address this, flywheel (FW) devices emerged as a practical alternative. FW devices are commonly considered to provide eccentric-overload training, in which the load is greater in eccentric than concentric phase. However, this is not always the case. In this article, we summarize the mechanical and physiological factors influencing the effectiveness of FW devices in achieving eccentric overload. Then, we discuss a significant limitation of FW resistance exercise in …

Perspective: Improving Social Connection And Inclusion Through Equitable Digital Health Solutions, Dominika Kwasnicka, Jaimon Kelly, Eleanor Quested, Loretta Baldassar, Suzanne Robinson, Richard Sinnott, Paul O’Halloran, Anne Tiedemann, Paul Flatau, Rajna Ogrin, Jane Farmer, Abby C. King

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this Perspective, we address the critical intersection of digital health, social connection, and health equity. Taking an interdisciplinary and complex adaptive systems perspective, we highlight evidence-based digital solutions to improve social connection and inclusion and, consequently, health outcomes. We describe actionable strategies for ensuring that digital health innovations benefit all, highlighting how user-centered design can address diverse needs, particularly for structurally disadvantaged populations.

Sarcomerogenesis: Evidence, Context And Key Stimuli—Response To The Commentary By Power Et Al., Anthony J. Blazevich, Walter Herzog, João Pedro Nunes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Eccentric Exercise: Muscle Damage To The New Normal, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

Genetic Drivers Of Progression In Alzheimer’S Disease Are Distinct From Disease Risk, Celeste E. Cohen, Shane Fernandez, Umran Yaman, Ahmad R. Ehyaei, Eleftheria Kodosaki, Aydan Askarova, Tenielle Porter, Eleanor O’Brien, Paul Maruff, Alexi Nott, John A. Hardy, Simon M. Laws, Dervis A. Salih, Maryam Shoai

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Recent trials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate encouraging outcomes. These trials target risk mechanisms identified through genetic analysis whilst directly aiming to reduce progression rates. Evidence from other neurodegenerative diseases suggests the genetics of progression is distinct from risk of disease. To expand these initial successes and improve clinical outcomes further we need to understand genetics of progression of disease. These can be deduced through rigorous analysis of meticulously phenotyped longitudinal cohorts. In this study we first looked at known genetic drivers of risk, namely polygenic risk scores for AD and APOE‑ε4, to assess their role in progression. This …

Local Government Policies Restricting Unhealthy Outdoor Food Advertising In Australia: Stakeholder Perspectives Identify Political Willingness Is Key To Overcoming Barriers, Alexia Bivoltsis, Frith Klug, Jacinta Francis, Clare Whitton, Gina S.A. Trapp, Claire E. Pulker

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Unhealthy outdoor food advertising is strongly linked to poor diet, highlighting the need for policies. Western Australian (WA) local governments (LGs) can restrict advertising on their owned infrastructure through their Public Health Plans, but limited policy action has occurred. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of WA LGs and public health organizations (PHOs) on current and potential policies restricting unhealthy outdoor food advertising on LG owned infrastructure to (1) identify barriers and enablers to the policy making process, (2) assess the current level of political willingness (i.e. political want, political can and political must) and (3) inform development …

Acute Effects Of Accentuated Eccentric Loading On Mean Concentric Velocity During Resistance Training: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jiahao Yang, Tsuyoshi Nagatani, Paul Comfort, Kristina L. Kendall, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) may acutely enhance the concentric (CON) barbell velocity after the additional eccentric (ECC) load is removed, however there are inconsistent results regarding the effectiveness of this practice within the scientific literature. Objective: The aims of the present study were to: (1) examine the acute effects of applying AEL, only on the first repetition of a set, on mean barbell velocity during the CON phase of the first 3 repetitions of the set and (2) investigate the influence of the magnitude of ECC load, loading differential and exercise selection on the acute effects of AEL. Methods: …

Progression Of Non-Radiographic To Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Risk Model Based On A Chinese Cohort Study, Rui Ying Deng, Xiaojia Xu, Jian Hua Peng, Feng Cai Shen, Yao Gong, Dan Min Wang, Hong Jin Liang, Shu Xin Huang, Zhao Peng Chen, Wen Long Wu, Ze Xin Zheng, Ling Lin, Zhi Duo Hou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: To evaluate the progression from non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) to radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) in a Chinese cohort, identify associated risk factors in both clinical and imaging arms, and enable risk stratification based on these factors. Methods: Overall, 572 patients with nr-axSpA were enrolled with a median follow-up of 5 years. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were conducted to identify potential risk factors associated with the progression from nr-axSpA to r-axSpA in both clinical and imaging arms. A risk-scoring system was then developed by assigning each independent predictor a weight based on its regression coefficient. Patients were subsequently categorized …

Weathering The Divide: Social Determinants, Neighborhood Context, And Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Among African American Women, Vanessa Cl Morman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects African American women and contributes to racial health disparities in the United States. Although genetic susceptibility influences disease risk, growing evidence suggests that social determinants of health (SDOH), including neighborhood conditions, structural racism, and socioeconomic disadvantage, contribute to disease development and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms may provide a biological pathway linking adverse social conditions to chronic disease disparities. This dissertation examined the influence of SDOH on SLE disparities through evidence synthesis and empirical investigation to inform public health practice and policy.

Methods: This integrated learning experience consisted of three complementary manuscripts. Aim 1 was …

An Assessment Of Accessibility And Affordability Of Inpatient Psychiatric Care In Tennessee, Kailee Havrda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Access to mental health has seen changes over the past decade, but little research and attention have been given to access to inpatient psychiatric facilities. Inpatient psychiatric care is crucial for patients experiencing mental health emergencies who need immediate access to care. Gaps in spatial accessibility, affordability, and the access and assessment process were identified due to a lack of available information in the field.

Methods: Secondary data from the Tennessee Department of Health were used to assess financial accessibility through payer source charges and patient encounters, as well as through mapping of inpatient psychiatric facilities and conducting drive …

Phytochemical And In-Vitro Cytotoxic Analyses Of Flavonoid Species Isolated From Chromolaena Leivensis, Luke A. Bryant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a leading cause of death worldwide, cancer and its treatments remain a primary source of interest among researchers. Modern studies are looking into bioselective cytotoxicity to create new chemotherapies that do not have the same harsh side effects as those we use today. Natural product research has a promising future for the development of such treatments. Specifically, polar flavonoids may be the key to a bioselective treatment. Such flavonoid species are native to plants, often within flower petals or within the body. A natural antioxidant, they are designed not to harm healthy cells. This study focuses on the plant …

A Genomic Approach For Accurate Identification Of Closely Related Species With Next-Generation Sequencing Samples, Nour Al Dain Marzouka, Amira Al-Aamri, Fatima Alshamsi, Mariam Khalili, Sarah El Hajj Chehadeh, Meera S. Mohamed, Yassir Mohammed Eltahir, Rafeek Koliyan, Mohamed Moustafa Abdelhalim, Assem Attia, Mira Mousa, Guan Tay, Habiba Alsafar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Accurate species identification from Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) data remains challenging, particularly for closely related species such as sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus). Through analysis of mapping quality metrics and Kraken2 taxonomic classification of 40 WGS sheep and goat samples, we demonstrate that conventional approaches yield ambiguous results, with overlapping alignment rates and inconclusive taxonomic assignments. We present a robust comparative genomic approach that uses species-specific genomic regions to distinguish these species in WGS samples. We define species-specific regions as those exhibiting distinctive coverage patterns: average coverage when samples are aligned to their matching reference genome but absent/low …