Digital Commons Network^™

Perceptions Of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy And Standard Interventions For Nicotine Cessation, Philip Kamilar-Britt

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Clinical trials suggest potential therapeutic utility of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) for nicotine cessation. In response to promising outcomes, research into PAP for nicotine dependence is growing. However, attitudes towards PAP among the general public, especially daily nicotine users, remains understudied. To address this knowledge gap, we recruited daily nicotine users (N=534) to complete an anonymous online survey with questions on demographics, nicotine use, prior history with psychedelics, and attitudes towards PAP and standard interventions for nicotine cessation. As hypothesized, daily nicotine users were more familiar with standard interventions and rated them more favorably than PAP. Despite differences in treatment attitudes, …

Essays On Nursing Home Closures And Disparities In Post-Acute And Long-Term Care, Hyeonwoo Do

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This dissertation examines the consequences of nursing home closures for access to care, local economic conditions, and resident health in the United States. As the long-term care system shifts toward home- and community-based services and the nursing home sector contracts, facility closures have become an increasingly important policy concern. Although closures may reflect necessary market restructuring in some settings, they may also reduce access, weaken local economies, and place pressure on surviving facilities. Across three essays, this dissertation shows that the consequences of nursing home contraction are uneven and depend on racial and ethnic composition, rurality, local market concentration, and …

A Comprehensive Investigation Of Service Utilization In Innovative Models Of Hepatitis C Care And Treatment For Persons Who Inject Drugs In New York State, Amanda C. Sue

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most prevalent blood-borne infection in the United States and is primarily transmitted through the sharing of unsterilized drug injection equipment. With surges in opioid overdose deaths, there has been an increase in people diagnosed with HCV that can be attributed to persons who inject drugs (PWID) in the United States. PWID have therefore been identified as a priority population to achieve the goal of eliminating HCV as a public health threat. Despite the availability of safe and effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapies that can cure people with HCV, uptake of HCV treatment in PWID …

Victimized And Criminalized: The Intertwined Narratives Of Trauma And Offending, Caitlin Maria Udas

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

How do pathways between childhood victimization, drug use, and offending behavior vary for recordholders of different races and genders? Prior literature and theory indicates that there are distinct processes that can link childhood victimization to drug use and other offending behavior. These processes are rooted at least partially in experiences of racism/discrimination, placement relative to sociocultural power structures, and norms established over one’s childhood through peer and familial influences. However, less is known about how these differ by race, gender, and the intersection thereof. This dissertation examines the intersectional differences in narrative pathways that link childhood victimization, drug use, and …

Analysis Of Vertical Tropospheric Atmospheric Profiles Associated With Extreme Rainfall Events Over KauaʻI, HawaiʻI, Amanda Maria Maminimini

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Extreme rainfall is a persistent hazard in the Hawaiian Islands, where steep terrain and short catchments convert heavy rain into damaging floods with little warning. The trade wind inversion, a subsidence-driven stable layer that caps the marine boundary layer over the subtropical North Pacific, limits the depth of convection and is therefore expected to govern whether available moisture can be converted into extreme rainfall. Previous work has characterized the inversion climatologically and has related the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific-North American (PNA) pattern to Hawaiian rainfall totals, but the behavior of the inversion on the specific days when …

Sorting By Income And Housing Subsidy Status: Residential Attainment, Unit Turnover, And The Mobility Process Among Renter Households, Sarah A. Mccarthy

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The aim of this dissertation is to identify differences in the mobility process and residential attainment across different types of renters with different incomes and by housing subsidy status. More specifically, I compare subsidized renters to unsubsidized, low-income renters as well as unsubsidized, moderate-income renters. The guiding question of this dissertation is, “what processes around mobility help or hinder subsidized households in attaining residential outcomes?” The motivations for addressing this question and the related gaps in the literature are discussed in Chapter 1.

Using data from the American Housing Survey (AHS), I address this question over three analytical chapters in …

Through Our Eyes: An Exploration Of Hope Among Opportunity Youth, Judith L. Fenlon

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Opportunity youth—young people aged 16–24 who are disconnected from both school and employment—experience significant barriers to successful transitions into adulthood. Existing research has largely focused on deficits, risk factors, and outcomes associated with disconnection, often overlooking the strengths, resilience, and aspirations of these young people. Hope has been identified as a critical factor associated with educational achievement, psychological well-being and future orientation; however, little research has explored how opportunity youth experience hope in the context of systemic inequities. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of hope among low-income opportunity youth and to examine the factors …

Ruptured Silicone Cheek Implant Mimicking Odontogenic Infection: A Diagnostic Pitfall, Kimiko Ohgi, Tomoko Shiraishi, Toyohiro Kagawa, Yasunori Yoshinaga

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Clinical Potential Of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Image Segmentation In Dentistry, Hsin-Hua Chou, Takashi Saito, Chih-Kai Huang, Wei-Chun Lin

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Silencing The Mir-132/Sirt1 Axis Suppresses Nlrp3 Inflammasome Activation And Myofibroblast Differentiation In Oral Submucous Fibrosis, Ming-Yung Chou, Min Yee Ng, Yi-Wen Liao, Chuan-Hang Yu, Cheng-Chia Yu, Sin-Jia Tseng

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic oral potentially malignant disorder characterized by progressive extracellular matrix deposition, myofibroblast activation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory signaling. However, the upstream microRNA-mediated mechanisms linking fibrogenesis and NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation remain unclear. This study investigated the role of the miR-132/sirtuin 1  (SIRT1) axis in OSF-associated fibrotic and inflammatory responses.

Materials and methods

miR-132 expression was examined in OSF tissues, normal tissues, primary buccal mucosal fibroblasts (BMFs), and fibrotic buccal mucosal fibroblasts (fBMFs) using RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR. Patient-derived fBMFs were transfected with a miR-132 inhibitor …

Anemia, Hematinic Deficiencies, Hyperhomocysteinemia, And Serum Gastric Parietal Cell Antibody Positivity In Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis Patients With Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Yi-Ping Wang, Yi-Pang Lee, Yu-Hsueh Wu, Julia Yu-Fong Chang, Andy Sun, Chun-Pin Chiang

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Our previous study found that 30 of 430 recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) patients have vitamin B12 deficiency. This study assessed whether the vitamin B12-deficient RAS (B12D/RAS) patients had significantly higher frequencies of anemia, hematinic deficiencies, hyperhomocysteinemia, and serum gastric parietal cell antibody (GPCA) positivity than healthy control subjects and evaluated whether all B12D/RAS patients had pernicious anemia (PA).

Materials and methods: The blood hemoglobin (Hb) and serum iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine, and GPCA levels in 430 RAS patients including 30 B12D/RAS patients and 430 healthy control subjects were measured and compared.

Results: We found that 30 B12D/RAS …

The Clinical Applications Of Platelet-Rich Plasma And Platelet-Rich Fibrin Combined With Photobiomodulation In Regenerative Dentistry: A Literature Review, Maryam Pourhajibagher, Rashin Bahrami, Abbas Bahador

Journal of Dental Sciences

Regenerative dentistry seeks to restore oral tissues through biologically driven therapies that stimulate endogenous healing. Among these, autologous platelet concentrates—namely platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)—serve as reservoirs of growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which promote angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and extracellular matrix formation. Complementing these biological mediators, photobiomodulation (PBM) represents a non-invasive light-based therapy that enhances mitochondrial activity, modulates inflammation, and accelerates tissue regeneration. Accumulating evidence suggests that combining PRP or PRF with PBM produces synergistic effects that surpass those achieved by …

A Scientometric Study On Research Trends And Characteristics Of Kimura Disease, Zhongjing Lv, Yiming Luo, Wei Liu, Jian Yuan

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Kimura disease (KD) is an idiopathic condition that presents as a chronic, benign inflammatory disorder, typically affecting the head and neck region. The purpose of this study was to analyze the scientometric characteristics and research trends of KD.

Materials and methods: All the papers on KD were comprehensively retrieved from the Scopus database. The years of publication were divided into before 2012 and after 2012 in the analysis of research trends.

Results: There were 925 papers on KD, with total citations of 10,821 and the h index of 47. Eosinophilia, lymphadenopathy, nephrotic syndrome, angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, …

The Association Between Dental Prophylaxis And Diabetes Outcomes: A 15-Year Cohort Study, Hsueh-Fen Chen, Shih-Feng Weng, Ju-Hui Wu, Mei-Yueh Lee, Hui-Min Hsieh, Yu-Ting Huang, Yi-Cai Liu

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Periodontal disease and diabetes share inflammatory pathways. Dental prophylaxis (DP) is effective in preventing periodontal inflammation; however, its association with diabetes outcomes remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the association between DP intensity and mortality and diabetes-related complications among adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (2005–2022). Adults aged 18–70 years with incident type 2 diabetes in 2007 were identified, with 2005-2006 as the washout period. Participants were followed from 2008 until death or December 31, 2022. Annual DP intensity …

Effects Of Low-Level Er:Yag Laser Irradiation On Endothelial Angiogenic Responses In Diabetes: An In Vitro Study, Bruna Akinaga Moreira, Koji Mizutani, Natsumi Saito, Lu Chen, Shu Takemura, Keita Nakagawa, Yujin Ohsugi, Taichen Lin, Takanori Iwata, Akira Aoki

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Low-level Er:YAG laser irradiation has been reported to promote angiogenesis-related endothelial responses and enhance periodontal tissue healing. However, its effects on angiogenesis under hyperglycemic conditions have not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate whether low-level Er:YAG laser irradiation enhances the angiogenic response under hyperglycemic conditions.

Materials and methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured in control-glucose (CG, 5.5 mM) or high-glucose (HG, 25 mM) medium and subjected to low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) using an Er:YAG laser at 10 Hz and 30 mJ/pulse for 30 s under two pulse-widths. Angiogenesis-related cellular functions were evaluated by assessing cell …

Hollow Fiber Assay Microtube Array Membrane (Mtam-Hfa) For Personalized Anticancer Drug Screening In Selection Of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Shan-Ju Chou, Po-Chih Hsu, Chee Ho Chew, Wan-Ting Huang, Amanda Lin Chen, Chen-Yin Yong, Chia-Che Wu, Chia-Lun Chang, Chien-Chung Chen, Kuan-Chou Lin

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: In Asia, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are on the rise in part due to the consumption of betel nut in several regions. This clinical case study evaluated the application of the microtube array membrane-hollow fiber assay (MTAM-HFA) that was previously clinically demonstrated in the context of the selection of chemotheraputic agents as part of the treatment of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in OSCC.

Materials and methods: In this double-blind cohort study, surgical samples from OSCC patients were retrieved and sent for screening of tumor response against a panel of chemotherapeutic agents (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cisplatin, carboplatin and docetaxel). …

January 2026 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Serum Protein Signatures For Breast Cancer Detection In Treatment-Naïve African American Women Using Integrated Proteomics And Pattern Analysis, Padma Tadi Uppala, Elmer Rivera, Hyun J. Kwon, Sharon S. Lum

Faculty Publications

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in African American (AA) women. In this study we evaluated the serum proteomic profile of AA women with breast cancer using an integrated proteomic framework with multivariate pattern analysis. Using 2D-DIGE, thousands of serum protein spots were detected across 33 gels; 46 spots met criteria for presence, statistical significance, and differential expression. Proteins from the spots were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF and matched in curated databases, highlighting serum biomarkers including ceruloplasmin, alpha-2-macroglobulin, complement component C3 and C6, alpha-1-antitrypsin, alpha-1B-glycoprotein, alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein and haptoglobin-related protein. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed 163 differentiating peptides after imputing and …

A Survey Of Nurses’ Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Guidelines For Indwelling Urinary Catheter Care, Linda Coventry, Michelle Gay, Amineh Rashidi, Anke Ebeling, Roshnika Fernando, Christine Hallauer, Manjari Jayarathna, Rashmi Shrestha, Blake Smith, Paige Watkins, Rosemary Saunders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Urinary tract infections are one of the most common healthcare-associated infections, with catheter-associated urinary tract infections being a significant burden on healthcare systems globally. Aim: To assess nurses’ knowledge of evidence-based indwelling urinary catheter care and explore the barriers and facilitators of evidence-based indwelling catheter care. Design: A cross-sectional survey-based study of nurses in an acute private hospital in Western Australia was conducted from March 2021 to April 2021. Methods: Respondents were recruited using a convenience sampling method. The questionnaire included (1) demographics, knowledge of: (2) indications, (3) catheter care, (4) catheter-associated urinary tract infections prevention, and two open-ended …

A Proposed Conceptual Framework For Assessing Quality Of Life In The United Arab Emirates: Application To Ras Al Khaimah Emirate, Aaesha Saif Al Shehhi

Dissertations

Quality of Life (QoL) has become a central concern in urban planning and sustainable development, particularly in rapidly transforming contexts such as the United Arab Emirates. This dissertation proposes and empirically validates a comprehensive framework for assessing urban QoL, with a focused application to the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. A mixed-methods approach integrates objective indicators and residents' subjective perceptions, aligned with national strategies including UAE Vision 2030, the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, and UAE Centennial 2071.

The methodology combines Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and statistical analyses to evaluate seven key sectors: environment, infrastructure …

Human Vaccine Hesitancy Spillover In The Field Of Veterinary Medicine: A Systematic Narrative Review Of Impacts And Veterinary Responses, Allison Schimpf

HEAL Project Outputs

Human vaccine hesitancy spillover in the veterinary field is a relatively new concept that has gained traction since the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns about vaccine safety have increased among pet owners leading to questions about the potential impacts of reduced vaccination and how veterinarians can address these attitudes. A systematic search strategy following PRISMA 2020 guidelines was used with 3 different databases to collect peer-reviewed research articles from 2022 until now. The initial search yielded 376 articles for review and 11 were included after screening. Articles were analyzed using a narrative review format. Results showed that pet owners are more vaccine …

Health Empowerment And Learning (Heal) Data Needs And Assets Assessment, Kayla Gurganus, Amelia Hartley

HEAL Project Outputs

From October 2025 through March 2026, HEAL conducted interviews with health organization and local health department (LHD) staff to learn about the data environment and activities involving data. This report summarizes the project process and results, focusing on common challenges and needed skills identified by interviewees. The primary challenges identified by LHDs and health organizations relate to coordination and navigation, timely access and data sharing, communicating data, and staffing and funding. The necessary skills and resources interviewees shared relate to technical assistance, skills and capacity building, and staffing. The report concludes with a menu of services that the HEAL team …

Dental Caries Prevalence And Age-Related Patterns Among Populations Remaining In War-Affected Regions Of Ukraine, En-Tse Yen, Sung-Hsien Chiu, Wei-De Tsai, Gen-Min Lin, Kun-Zhe Tsai

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose The ongoing war in Ukraine has severely disrupted healthcare infrastructure, limiting access to preventive and restorative dental services. Most existing studies have focused on refugees abroad, while data from civilians who remained in conflict-affected regions are scarce. This study aimed to assess dental caries experience and age-related patterns among war-affected regions of Ukraine. Materials and methods A multinational medical team, in collaboration with local health institutions, delivered humanitarian medical and dental services in conflict-affected regions of Ukraine between September 17 and September 30, 2025. We retrospectively analyzed medical records from 230 civilians aged 12–85 years, assessing substance use, oral …

A Scientometric Study On Research Trends And Characteristics Of Randomized Controlled Trials In Orthodontics, Ning Wang, Yang Yu, Linjun Shi, Zhechen Zhang, Jianwei Song

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose In evidence-based approaches to orthodontic research, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are recognized as the highest level of original evidence. The purpose of this study was to analyze the scientometric characteristics and research trends of RCTs in orthodontics, with emphasis on chronological comparison and regional characteristic of the keywords. Materials and methods All the reports on RCTs in orthodontics were comprehensively retrieved from the Scopus database. The years of publication were divided into before 2020 and Jan 2020–Jul 2025 in the analysis of research trends. Results There were 1343 reports on RCTs in orthodontics, with total citations of 27,314 and …

Domiciliary Dental Care Coverage In Taiwan: An Assessment Of Provider Participation And Geographic Distribution Using The Universal Health Coverage Framework, Chuan-Hang Yu

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures access to needed health services without financial hardship. While Taiwan has achieved near-universal coverage for most medical services, domiciliary dental care (DDC) for people with mobility limitations remains poorly integrated into the UHC framework. This study assessed DDC coverage in Taiwan using the World Health Organization UHC framework. Materials and methods Publicly available 2024 data were analyzed for dental institutions, practicing dentists, DDC providers, and long-term care populations across Taiwan's six National Health Insurance (NHI) regions and 22 administrative districts. Geographic distribution was examined using provider density metrics, Lorenz curves, and Gini coefficients. Results …

Rapid Response Model For Mandibular Fractures By Community Clinic Dentists Under The National Health Insurance In Taiwan, Feng-Chou Cheng, Ling-Hsia Wang, Hsiao-Yi Chen, Chun-Pin Chiang

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Oral Health In The Children's Literacy Book “Kuei Pen Tui Hsiang Ssu Yen Tsa Tzu” From The Early Ming Dynasty, Feng-Chou Cheng, Ling-Hsia Wang, Shiang-Yao Liu, Chun-Pin Chiang

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Photobiomodulation Therapy On Neurosensory Recovery Of Infra-Alveolar Nerve Following Iatrogenic Trauma: A Literature Review, Rashin Bahrami, Maryam Pourhajibagher, Fateme Gharibpour, Amirmorteza Rezazadeh, Abbas Bahador

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Human Oral Microbiota Dysbiosis May Be A Novel Non-Invasive Indicator Of Erectile Dysfunction, Yu Qiao, Fei Mao, Bing-Ru Jiang, Shu-Yan Lv, Heng-Bing Wang, Guang-Bo Fu

Journal of Dental Sciences

No abstract provided.

Dental Treatment And Oral Care For Patients With Severe Mental Illness Receiving Psychiatric Home-Visit Care: A Narrative Review With An Illustrative Case, Takayuki Suga, Trang Thi Huyen Tu, Yuji Gamo, Takafumi Asakura, Shigeru Iida, Akira Toyofuku

Journal of Dental Sciences

Patients with severe mental illness (SMI) often have untreated caries, periodontal inflammation, tooth loss, xerostomia-related risk, dental anxiety, and delayed dental attendance. This narrative review aimed to synthesize evidence relevant to dental treatment planning for patients with SMI receiving psychiatric home-visit care and to clarify when domiciliary dental assessment and repeated professional oral care may be indicated. Targeted literature searches and citation tracking were used to identify reviews, epidemiological studies, intervention studies, qualitative syntheses, and special care dentistry guidance. The evidence indicates that oral disease in SMI reflects not only limited knowledge but also avolition, cognitive impairment, psychosis, sedation, medication-induced …