Digital Commons Network^™

Influence Of Body Composition On The Efficacy Of Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab For Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma, Kabir Grewal, Maria Julia Moura Nascimento Santos, Pankaj Kumar Chauhan, Kai Yu, Nizar M Tannir, Neha Venkatesh, Amado J Zurita, Andrew C Johns, Matthew T Campbell, Sangeeta Goswami, Jianjun Gao, Eric Jonasch, Jennifer L Mcquade, Omar Alhalabi, Pavlos Msaouel, Andrew W Hahn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICI) with nivolumab+ipilimumab is a first-line (1L) standard for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), yet outcomes remain heterogeneous. Increasing evidence suggests that host factors influence the tumor microenvironment and response to ICI. Although higher body mass index (BMI) has been associated with improved outcomes in several malignancies, BMI is an imprecise surrogate for underlying adipose and muscle compartments. We evaluated the association between body composition and outcomes with 1L nivolumab+ipilimumab in metastatic ccRCC.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with mccRCC treated with 1L nivolumab+ipilimumab at MD Anderson Cancer Center between June 2015 and …

Comparative Antibacterial Efficacy Of Povidone-Iodine, Citric Acid, And Starch: A Study Of Combined Activity And Interference Effects Against Clinically Relevant Bacteria, Falah Hasan Obayes Al-Khikani, Mustafa Mutar Trrad, Ali Abedulameer Alhusayni

AUIQ Complementary Biological System

Povidone-iodine and citric acid are widely used antimicrobial agents. However, data on their comparative efficacy and the functional outcomes of their combination, particularly regarding the influence of common excipients like starch, is limited. Understanding these interactions is crucial for optimizing antiseptic formulations. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the antibacterial activity of povidone-iodine, citric acid (5% and 20%), and starch (5% and 20%), both individually and in combination, against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibacterial activity of the agents was assessed using an agar well diffusion assay. Mean inhibition zone …

Shifts In Antipsychotic Prescribing By Clinician Type For Medicare Part D Beneficiaries, 2013-2023, Rafael Samper-Ternent

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: Despite safety warnings, antipsychotics remain commonly prescribed to older adults, particularly those with dementia, and for off-label indications. However, little is known about how prescribing patterns vary by clinician type over time.

Objective: To examine trends in antipsychotic prescribing by clinician type among Medicare beneficiaries from 2013 to 2023.

Design, setting, and participants: This repeated cross-sectional study used the Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug dataset from 2013 to 2023. Participants included Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D. Analyses were performed between November 2024 and June 2025.

Exposure: Prescribing clinician type, categorized as psychiatrist, primary care …

Mechanometabolism Instructs Hematopoietic Stem Cell Specification, Paulina D Horton, Alina Syed, Michelle Winkler, Abishek B Vaidya, Michael Rariden, Yong Zhou, Momoko Yoshimoto, Hyun Jung Lee, Hyun-Eui Kim, John P Hagan, Catherine Denicourt, Travis I Moore, Pamela L Wenzel

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Mechanical force generated by blood flow stimulates emergence of the first hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that populate the blood system. Force drives the transition of HSC precursors from an endothelial to hematopoietic identity, yet the molecular regulation of this fate switch remains poorly understood. We report that shear stress triggers adaptation in mitochondrial composition, ultrastructure, and function, which are essential for hematopoietic fate and engraftment potential. Shear stress remodels mitochondria in hemogenic endothelium by promoting mitochondrial gene transcription and protein synthesis. Laminar flow selectively initiates translation of 5' terminal polypyrimidine (5'TOP) motif-containing transcripts, which commonly encode ribosome and translation machinery. …

The Impact Of Human Myoblasts On Macrophage Polarization In A Coculture Model, Elisabeth Ann Stodola

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque in the lower extremities that occludes blood flow, and affects over 200 million people worldwide. Without effective treatment, PAD can lead to claudication, ischemia, ulcers, and gangrene. PAD causes more amputations in the United States than any other condition, and for severe cases that require revascularization, procedures benefit fewer than 50% of patients. This demonstrates a clear need for alternative therapies. Potential therapies for PAD target expansion of collateral blood vessels around the area of occlusion – a process called arteriogenesis to compensate for loss of blood flow …

The 'Golden Hour': A Geospatial Analysis Of Travel Time To Public Emergency Departments In Kenya, Tushara Surapaneni, Nancy Kinyua, Benjamin Wachira

Emergency Medicine, East Africa

Introduction In Kenya and many other low- and middle-income countries, prehospital care systems are underdeveloped or entirely non-existent, leaving emergency departments (EDs) as the primary point of care for medical emergencies. The aim of this cross-sectional observational study was to use a geographic information system (GIS) to comprehensively analyse access to public EDs in Kenya within 1-hour and 2-hour travel times.

Methods Using open-source GIS software, population, land cover, elevation and road network data were analysed to create maps of 1-hour and 2-hour travel time catchment areas around public EDs in Kenya. Travel time analysis was calculated using AccessMod with …

Ai Agent For Healthcare Education, Sudhanshu Tarale

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Presentations

No abstract provided.

Early Insights From A Multi-Centre National Stroke Surveillance Initiative In Tanzania, Sarah Shali Matuja, Azan Nyundo, Emmanuel Assey, Joel Bwelemo, Marieke Dekker, Sarah Urasa, Emanuel Makarius, Peter Kishimbo, Philip Adebayo, Paschal Ruggajo

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally, with sub-Saharan Africa, bearing the greatest burden. Tanzania has only one active stroke registry, limiting evidence-based care and policy development. We aimed to expand the registry into a multi-centre study across eight major tertiary hospitals to generate baseline data for a national stroke registry.

Methods: From January to August 2024, we analysed de-identified data from adults (≥18 years) admitted with a World Health Organisation defined stroke. Data collected included demographics, risk factors, imaging, and in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression identified predictors of mortality.

Results: A total of 1000 patients were …

Remodeling Of The Mouse Liver And Skeletal Muscle Metabolome In Response To Continuous Acute Exercise And Disruption Of Ampk-Glycogen Interactions, Mehdi R. Belhaj, David I. Broadhurst, Thomas Dignan, Jamie Whitfield, Lisa Murray-Segal, Naomi X.Y. Ling, Jonathan S. Oakhill, Bruce E. Kemp, John A. Hawley, Stacey N. Reinke, Nolan J. Hoffman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/Objectives: Acute exercise remodels many interconnected biochemical pathways in metabolically active tissues. This remodeling involves the activation of the energy-sensing AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) to maintain cellular energy homeostasis. Critical energy reserves of glycogen, primarily stored in liver and skeletal muscle and known to interact with AMPK, are utilized to help meet increased energy demands with exercise. However, the breadth of metabolic pathways regulated by acute exercise and AMPK’s interactive roles with glycogen remain incompletely understood. This study therefore aimed to map mouse liver and skeletal muscle metabolite responses to continuous acute exercise and disruption of AMPK-glycogen interactions. Methods: Liquid …

Pre- And Postnatal Exposure To Pm2.5 And No2 And Blood Pressure In Children: Results From The Echo Cohort, Yu Ni, Andrew Law, Xingyu Gao, Adam A Szpiro, Christine T Loftus, Miranda Jones, Logan C Dearborn, Marnie F Hazlehurst, Allison R Sherris, Sindana Ilango, Kaja Z Lewinn, Nicole R Bush, Qi Zhao, Leonardo Trasande, Joseph T Flynn, Daniel A Enquobahrie, Ruby H N Nguyen, Tom O'Connor, Arpita K Vyas, Mingyu Zhang, Hooman Mirzakhani, Alison Hipwell, Anne Starling, Alicia K Peterson, Akhgar Ghassabian, Assiamira Ferrara, Judy Aschner, Scott Collingwood, Margaret R Karagas, Michelle Katzow, Annemarie Stroustrup, Mehtap Haktnair, Tina V Hartert, Brittney M Snyder, Sophia Jan, Anne Marie Singh, Dana Dabelea, Angela M Malek, Jennifer K Straughen, Carlos A Camargo, Miatta A Buxton, Rosalind Wright, Kecia Carroll, Keia Sanderson, Daphne Koinis Mitchell, Viren D'Sa, Christine Hockett, Anne L Dunlop, Shohreh F Farzen, Sunni L Mumford, Akram N Alshawabkeh, Hudson P Santos, Xueying Zhang, Zhongzheng Niu, Nan Ji, Carrie Breton, Donghai Liang, Catherine J Karr, Echo Cohort Consortium

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: There is growing interest in understanding the link between early life exposures to ambient air pollution and childhood blood pressure; however, existing findings, largely from single site/cohort studies, are inconclusive.

Methods: We examined the association between exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and blood pressure measured at age 5-12 years in 4863 U.S. children from 20 pregnancy cohorts of the NIH ECHO cohort. Point-based residential exposures were derived from spatiotemporal models with a biweekly resolution and averaged over each trimester, the whole pregnancy, and child age 0-2 years. We converted systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood …

Successful Regenerative Endodontic Therapy Of An Immature Dens Evaginatus Mandibular Second Premolar With Apical Periodontitis Case Report, Jake Horowitz D.D.S., Prashant Sukhani D.M.D., Aaron Brandwein D.D.S., Fagd, Ficd, James Sconzo D.M.D.

The New York State Dental Journal

Background: Dens evaginatus cusps typically have pulpal tissue, and fracturing of the cusp leads to necrosis. Immature permanent teeth with pulp necrosis have traditionally been treated with apexification, which eliminates infection but does not promote root development.

Methods: Regenerative endodontics utilizes revascularization by infiltrating stem cells from the apical papilla and using them to treat an immature necrotic tooth with periapical infection.

Results: Periapical radiolucency completely resolved, root length and thickness increased, and vitality returned at the one-year follow-up.

Conclusion: Regenerative protocols promote root development, reducing fracture risk. This treatment offers improved outcomes with fewer appointments and shorter treatment duration.

Human-Centered Design Of Patient Interviews: Capturing The Experiences Of Patients Recovering From Emergency Abdominal Surgery, Jenna L Marquard, Christie L Martin, Elizabeth C Wick, Amanda C Trofholz, Matthew S Loth, Suhyun Park, Genevieve B Melton

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Objectives: Recognizing the challenges of at-home recovery following a truncated presurgical pathway for emergency laparotomy (EL) patients, we sought to identify barriers and facilitators to optimal recovery. This study aimed to develop a human-centered interview guide to capture the experiences of patients recovering at home after EL.

Methods: We employed an iterative human-centered design (HCD) approach to interview guide development, structured across 3 cycles. Each cycle refined the interview guide based on mock interviews and feedback from an interdisciplinary team. In cycle 1, we focused on creating a patient-centered, understandable guide. In cycle 2, we introduced a preinterview survey to …

Neutralization Of Sars-Cov-2 By Igm-14 Via Engagement Of Two Distinct Spike Epitopes, Yan Wang, Yanping Hu, Zhiqiang Ku, Jason Yeung, Jing Zou, Michael Woodson, Nikolai S Prokhorov, Ekaterina S Knyazhanskaya, Haiqing Zhao, Michael B Sherman, Zhiqiang An, Stephen F Carroll, Pei-Yong Shi, Petr G Leiman, Xuping Xie

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Engineered immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies typically exhibit superior neutralization potency and avidity compared to their parental IgG counterparts, primarily due to multivalent binding to repeated epitopes on a targeting antigen. In this study, we characterize the neutralization breadth and mechanism of action of IgM-14, a previously reported intranasally deliverable antibody targeting SARS-CoV-2. IgM-14 demonstrates remarkably potent antiviral activity against all pre-Omicron variants but significantly reduced efficacy against Omicron BA.1, and complete loss of activity against the later subvariant JN.1. Resistance selection identified two key mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD), G476D and F486P, which disrupt IgM-14 binding and confer strong …

Undergraduate Health And Wellbeing Course And Study Away Program To Alaska, Lorraine S. Wallace, Steven J. Mousetes, Jennifer Bickley

Journal of Global Education and Research

High-impact practices, such as diversity/global education, have been shown to positively contribute to student development, engagement, and success. As the US is both culturally and linguistically diverse, domestic study away programs can offer students impactful multicultural educational experiences without leaving the country. The purpose of this study was to describe the design of a health and well-being academic course and accompanying study away program to Alaska for undergraduates at The Ohio State University (OSU). The authors (1) describe the application of the backward design process in guiding ELOs development, (2) provide a sample of course assignments and student responses, and …

Development Of An Automated Platform For Cell Biology Experiments, Dipendra Nepal

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

Cell biology experiments involve repetitive tasks such as pipetting, sample preparation, and imaging, which are typically performed manually. These manual processes can introduce variability, reduce efficiency, and increase the cost of biomedical research. To address these challenges, our lab is developing a modular robotic platform, iEye™, to automate key steps in cell biology workflows [1]. The system is designed as self-contained modules, allowing flexible development and integration of different functionalities. In this work, we focus on a sample preparation module that integrates a 6-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, a motorized stage, and a pneumatic pipetter. This module is being developed to automate …

Brain Computer Interfaces: Enhancing Low-Cost Eeg Performance Through Deep, Anwar Rassoul

Shelby Hall Graduate Research Forum Posters

The field of Brain Computer Interfacing (BCI) has traditionally been confined to clinical and research environments due to the high cost and complexity of medical-grade EEG systems. However, the emergence of low-cost hardware exemplified has catalyzed a shift toward accessible, portable BCI applications. While these devices lower the barrier to entry for developers and researchers, they often suffer from a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This increased noise makes it difficult to extract the clean neural signatures required for high-accuracy control, particularly when operating in non-shielded, real-world environments.

This research focuses on Steady-State Visually Evoked Potentials (SSVEP), a robust BCI paradigm …

Foot And Ankle Biomaterials: A Comprehensive Review Of Current Applications, Challenges, And Future Directions, Peter Elvin, Amayrani Sanchez, Anthony Allen Reyes, Hagner L. Andrade, Meelad Karami, Hooman Mir, Javier La Fontaine, Danieli Rodrigues, Claudia Biguetti

School of Podiatric Medicine Publications

Metallic biomaterials enable successful reconstruction and fixation of skeletal tissues by supporting repair, load-bearing function, and anatomical alignment in foot and ankle surgery. However, the unique anatomic and biomechanical demands of this region, combined with challenging pathologies such as flatfoot and Charcot neuroarthropathy, present distinct challenges, with effective intervention requiring targeted biomaterial solutions and precise indications. Furthermore, metallic biomaterials currently represent the most predominant and clinically validated fixation systems in foot and ankle surgical reconstructions, while also generating the largest body of outcome-based evidence. This review summarizes and discusses their contemporary applications, outcomes, limitations, unmeet needs, and future directions based …

Orthopedic Bone Drill, Logan G. Schmid, Matthew T. Wold, May Geng

Biomedical Engineering

This project aims to design a bone drill for orthopedic procedures which alleviates the heat generated in the bone during drilling.

Apoe And Plasma Ad Biomarkers: The Role Of Genetic Ancestry In Hispanics/Latinos, Kevin A Gonzalez, Robert C Kaplan, Xihao Li, Freddie Márquez, Humberto Parada, Krista M Perreira, Alberto R Ramos, Tatjana Rundek, Wassim Tarraf, Fernando D Testai, Charles Decarli, Hector M González, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles are well-established genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but their effects on AD biomarkers (amyloid beta [Aβ]42/40, phosphorylated tau [p-tau]181, neurofilament light chain [NfL], and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]) may vary across populations due to ancestry-, age-, and sex-related differences. We hypothesized that these effects vary across Hispanic/Latino background groups with distinct ancestral admixture.

Methods: We analyzed ε2 and ε4 allele associations with AD biomarkers using survey-weighted linear regression models, adjusting for demographic covariates. Secondary analyses examined genetic analysis group- and ancestry-specific effects.

Results: ε4 was associated with lower Aβ42/40 and higher p-tau181and …

Testing And Evaluation Of Generative Large Language Models In Electronic Health Record Applications: A Systematic Review, Ya-Wen Chuang, Yiming Li, Richard Yang, Wenyu Zhang, Xinyi Wang, Xinyu Chen, Hao Guan, John Lian, Pengyu Hong, David W Bates, Li Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

           Background: The use of generative large language models (LLMs) with electronic health record (EHR) data is rapidly expanding to support clinical and research tasks. This systematic review characterizes the clinical fields and use cases that have been studied and evaluated to date.

Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines to conduct a systematic review of articles from PubMed and Web of Science published between January 1, 2023, and November 9, 2024. Studies were included if they used generative LLMs to analyze real-world EHR data and reported quantitative performance evaluations. Through data extraction, we identified …

Biomimetic And Bioinspired Materials: Design Strategies, Mechanical Properties, And Engineering Applications-A Review, Vijaya Prakash Balasubramanian, Manivannan Jayamani, Subramanian Lakshmi Sankar, Karthikayan Sundararajan, Gokulkumar Sivanantham, Syed Kashif Ali, Murugesan Palaniappan, Mezigebu Belay, Mohamed Abbas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The field of biomimetic and bioinspired materials has progressed rapidly by drawing inspiration from nature's intricate structures and multifunctional systems in order to address pressing challenges in modern engineering. This review critically examines the mechanical performance of these materials, focusing on their hierarchical design principles, synthesis strategies, and versatility of application. Natural exemplars such as nacre, spider silk, and bone are emphasized, as their structural efficiency and functional adaptability have informed the development of synthetic analogues with superior strength, toughness, flexibility, and lightweight characteristics. The review also highlights advanced fabrication methods, such as additive manufacturing and precision chemical synthesis, which …

Simulation-Free Spine Palliative Radiotherapy Enabled By Ai-Adapted Diagnostic Ct, Vincent Ugarte, Boran Zhou, Abdallah S R Mohamed, Piyush Pathak, Daniel Allen Hamstra, Baozhou Sun

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Radiotherapy planning traditionally requires a dedicated simulation CT (sCT), which can introduce delays in initiating treatment. This is particularly impactful in spinal palliative care, where timely treatment is often important for symptom control and prevention of neurological deterioration. Although diagnostic CT (dCT) is frequently available earlier in the workflow, it can lead to geometric and dosimetric inaccuracies when used directly for treatment planning due to discrepancies in patient positioning, vertebral alignment, and table curvature.

Purpose: To develop and evaluate an AI-based method that transforms dCT into a simulation-equivalent planning CT (AI-pCT), enabling a clinically feasible simulation-free workflow for spinal …

Testing And Evaluation Of Generative Large Language Models In Electronic Health Record Applications: A Systematic Review, Ya-Wen Chuang, Yiming Li, Richard Yang, Wenyu Zhang, Xinyi Wang, Xinyu Chen, Hao Guan, John Lian, Pengyu Hong, David W Bates, Li Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The use of generative large language models (LLMs) with electronic health record (EHR) data is rapidly expanding to support clinical and research tasks. This systematic review characterizes the clinical fields and use cases that have been studied and evaluated to date.

Methods: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines to conduct a systematic review of articles from PubMed and Web of Science published between January 1, 2023, and November 9, 2024. Studies were included if they used generative LLMs to analyze real-world EHR data and reported quantitative performance evaluations. Through data extraction, we identified …

Development Of Retrieval-Augmented Generation-Based Large Language Model For Drug-Induced Liver Injury Using Livertox Data, Gagan Sood, Terrence E White, Fasiha Kanwal, Hashem B El-Serag

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Idiosyncratic DILI is a complex clinical challenge requiring timely and accurate decision support. LiverTox, curated by the National Institute of Health (NIH), offers a comprehensive DILI evidence base, but its encyclopedia-like format hinders point-of-care use. Health care providers increasingly use general large language models (LLMs) for clinical care, raising safety concerns due to LLM hallucinations or misinformation. We hypothesize that retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) integration-grounding LLM responses in LiverTox content-would enable accurate DILI decision support.

Methods: We processed 1343 LiverTox drug monographs into 8759 indexed segments using BioBERT embeddings. We developed a RAG pipeline that employs drug-specific prioritization, section-aware weighting, …

Rab4 Spatially And Functionally Converges With Rab7 In The Degradative Endolysosomal Network, Xin Ye, Haoyi Yang, Jing Cai, Beatriz Rios, Wen-Wen Lin, Daniela Covarrubias, Vicky Chuong, Lili Ye, German Zylberberg, Charissa Wang, Erin Furr-Stimming, Qingchun Tong, Oguz Kanca, Hugo J Bellen, Travis I Moore, Sheng Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Rab GTPases are key regulators of endosomal trafficking in eukaryotes. In mammalian cells, Rab4 and Rab7 were shown to localize to distinct compartments, with Rab4 on early endosomes for fast recycling and Rab7 on late endosomes for degradation. Here, we show that in Drosophila, endogenous Rab4 and Rab7 extensively colocalize across tissues and developmental stages. Recruited to the same compartments through mechanisms that do not require the activity of the other, they have opposing effects on endolysosomal size: Rab4 overexpression or Rab7 impairment leads to enlarged endolysosomes, whereas Rab4 loss or constitutively active Rab7 reduces their sizes. Rab4 deficiency suppresses …

Distributed Battery-Free Bioelectronic Implants With Improved Network Power Transfer Efficiency Via Magnetoelectrics, Wendy Tan, Mathews John, Lukas Jaworski, Drew Bernard, Allison Post, Angel Moctezuma-Ramirez, Abdelmotagaly Elgalad, Alexander G Steele, Sean M Barber, Philip J Horner, Amir H Faraji, Dimitry G Sayenko, Mehdi Razavi, Jacob T Robinson

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Networks of miniature implants could enable simultaneous sensing and stimulation at different locations in the body, such as the heart and central or peripheral nervous system. This capability would support precise disease tracking and treatment or enable prosthetic technologies with many degrees of freedom. However, wireless power and data transfer are often inefficient through biological tissues, particularly as the number of implanted devices increases. Here we show that magnetoelectric wireless data and power transfer supports a network of millimetre-sized bioelectronic implants in which system efficiency improves with additional devices. We demonstrate wireless, battery-free networks ranging from one to six implants, …

Real-World Challenges Associated With Assembling Multicenter Radiomics Dataset, Wai Lone Jonathan Ho, Lawrence O. Hall, Dmitry Goldgof, Matthew B. Schabath

USF-LVHN SELECT

No abstract provided.

A Comprehensive Biomechanical Material Characterization Of The Human Breast Fibro-Structural Support System, Aroj Bhattarai, Gregory P Reece, Kristy K Brock, Krishnaswamy Ravi-Chandar

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Breast surgery for aesthetic purposes, such as breast augmentation or breast reduction, and breast reconstruction after cancer treatment require an accurate structural (anatomical) and mechanical (functional) understanding of the breast components, including the fascial-ligamentous support system of the breast, to achieve optimal results. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive description of the mechanical behavior of the ligamentous and fascial connective tissues of the human female breast. Fasciae and ligaments obtained from 17 patients between 35 and 85 years of age who were undergoing mastectomy and three female cadavers were tested. Uniaxial tensile tests were conducted, and three constitutive models …

A Physician Survey On Research And Implementation Priorities For Caffeine Citrate Use In Newborn Care In Sub-Saharan Africa, Olufunke Bolaji, Osayame Ekhaguere, Franck Houndjahoue, Nicholas Embleton, Helen Nabwera

Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health

Background:Evidence on caffeine citrate (CC) for apnoeaof prematurity (AOP) originate from high-income countries. This study aimed to develop consensus on research design for evidence in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods:We surveyed physicians in newborn units across SSA to assess their opinions on CC research and their preferred study designs.

Participants rated four study designs:a) an observational before-and-after study; a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of b) caffeine versus placebo; c) caffeine versus aminophylline; d) a traditional or stepped wedge cluster trial.  They  assessed  each  design  using  a  Likert  scale  for  evidence, feasibility, and ethics considerations.

Results:Ninety-two   newborn   physicians …

Stroke Increases Motor Output Variability During Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contractions Of Knee Extensor Muscles In Adults, Zhilun Zhou, Stephanie Christine Wolfe, Brian Schmit, Matthew J. Durand, Sandra Hunter, Allison Hyngstrom

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Greater motor output variability (MOV, inconsistency and unsteadiness) during submaximal tasks post stroke is associated with poorer motor performance. However, little is known about MOV during maximal tasks and relationships with clinical measures of motor performance among stroke survivors. This study determined inconsistency (across discrete attempts) and unsteadiness (within a single attempt) during knee extension maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) in stroke survivors and neurotypical controls. Forty-three stroke survivors (28 female) and 31 age-matched neurotypical controls (15 female) performed a minimum of five knee extension MVICs with paretic and non-paretic legs (stroke) or dominant leg (controls). Inconsistency was calculated as …