Digital Commons Network^™

Noncoding Rna Transcripts Based Molecular Phenotyping Of Masld And Mash Patients, Frida M. Delgadillo, Karla Perez, Barbara Yang, Subramanian Dhandayuthapani, Murali Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan, Enrique I. Ramos, Shrikanth S. Gadad

School of Medicine Publications

Background and aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a progressive hepatic metabolic disorder characterized by excessive fat accumulation in hepatocytes. MASLD can advance to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). These conditions often lead to hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) if not timely diagnosed and managed; thus, molecular phenotyping of MASLD and MASH conditions is highly desirable. The analyses were performed to identify distinct, differentially expressed genes, particularly noncoding ones, in MASLD and MASH patient samples, thereby expanding diagnostic and therapeutic options.

Methods: We extracted the data from a recent transcriptomic study by Govaere et al. on MASLD …

Longitudinal Association Between Midlife Cardiovascular Health And Cognitive Change In A Bi-Ethnic Cohort, Janette Vazquez, Rebecca Bernal, Luis Aguirre, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys Maestre, Sudha Seshadri, Helen P. Hazuda, Chen-Pin Wang, Claudia Satizabal

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Midlife cardiovascular burden contributes to cognitive decline and dementia. However, research in diverse populations remains scarce.

Methods: We included 402 San Antonio Heart Study participants (1979–1988; midlife mean age 57.9 ± 3.8, 58.5% women, 52% Mexican American) later enrolled in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (1992–2004). Midlife cardiovascular health was assessed using Life's Simple 7. Cognition was measured up to four times with the Mini-Mental State Examination. Generalized estimating equation models adjusted for age, sex, income, and education were used to relate cardiovascular factors to cognitive change. Sensitivity analyses evaluated attrition bias.

Results: Physical activity was associated …

Parents' Views On Family Care At A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit — A Qualitative Study, Linea Grothe Larsen, Suzanne Forsyth Herling, Sanne Allermann Beck, Anne Brødsgaard, Jos M. Latour, Rikke Louise Stenkjaer

School of Nursing and Midwifery

PurposeThe current study aims to explore parents' views on family care at a neonatal intensive care unit.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative exploratory study with a descriptive approach based on open-ended written narrative responses from the Danish version of EMpowerment of PArents in The Intensive Care—Neonatology questionnaire. The study was conducted at a Danish level IV NICU working with family-centred care and family integrated care. The data was analysed using inductive content analysis by Graneheim and Lundman. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was followed.Main FindingsIn total, 311/727 parents responded to the distributed questionnaire. Of those, 210 responded to the open-ended …

Associations Between Dietary Vitamin K1 And K2 Intake And Incident Dementia: Findings From The Danish Diet, Cancer, And Health Cohort, Negar Ghasemifard, Marc Sim, Pratik Pokharel, Chengfeng Li, Allan Linneberg, Anne Ahrendt Bjerregaard, Anja Olsen, Christina C. Dahm, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Simon M. Laws, Joshua R. Lewis, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Nicola P. Bondonno

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose:Vitamin K is hypothesised to support vascular integrity and neuronal function through vitamin K-dependent proteins, yet epidemiological evidence for its role in dementia, particularly distinguishing vitamin K1 and K2, is limited. This aetiological study examined associations between dietary vitamin K1 and K2 with incident dementia in a large Danish cohort.

54,968="54,968" dementia-free="dementia-free" participants="participants" (47.5%="(47.5%" male,="male," aged="aged" 50–65="50–65" years)="years)" from="from" the="the" danish="Danish" diet,="Diet," cancer,="Cancer," and="and" health="Health" cohort="cohort" (1993–1997)="(1993–1997)" with="with" dietary="dietary" vitamin="vitamin" k1="K1" (µg/day),="(µg/day)," and="and" k2="K2" (µg="(µg" phylloquinone="phylloquinone" equivalent/day)="equivalent/day)" intakes="intakes" estimated="estimated" from="from" a="a" 192-item="192-item" food="food" frequency="frequency" questionnaire.="questionnaire." incident="Incident" and="and" early-onset="early-onset" dementia="dementia" were="were" identified="identified" through="through" national="national" registries.="registries." cox="Cox" proportional="proportional" hazard="hazard" models="models" with="with" restricted="restricted" …

Metabolomics In Renal Cystic Disease: Links To Mechanisms And Identification Of Pathways For Potential Prediagnosis, Liyan Chen, David Broadhurst, Armaghan Shafaei, Jacqueline K. Phillips, Shijie Tang, Hayley Abbiss

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a common hereditary kidney disorder with an insidious onset and complex mechanisms, making early diagnosis challenging. Current diagnostic methods, including imaging and genetic testing, have limitations. Imaging detects cysts only once formed, and genetic testing is costly, labor-intensive, and unable to guarantee complete diagnostic accuracy or predict onset and progression. Metabolomics may offer an approach to uncover PKD mechanisms by detecting metabolic alterations that precede clinical manifestations, enabling identification of disease-specific biomarkers, and providing earlier and more practical detection than imaging or genetic testing. This review synthesizes existing metabolomics studies of human PKD and renal …

Underfunded And Undervalued: Community-Based Health Promotion Practitioners’ Experiences Of Western Australia’S Prevention Sector, Ruth M. Wallace, Leesa N. Costello, Elizabeth J. Cook

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Prevention is a central policy focus of contemporary health promotion, offering cost-effective strategies to reduce disease burden and improve population well-being. Despite this, Australia allocates a small proportion of its health budget to prevention, with funding models characterized by short-term cycles and competitive tendering. While the consequences for public health are well documented, the impact on the health promotion workforce remains underexplored. Workforce health and stability are critical for program delivery, ethical practice, continuity of relationships with communities, and the capacity to sustain long-term prevention efforts. This qualitative study examined the experience of 19 community-based health promotion practitioners in Western …

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence And Cancer Risk In Two Large European Prospective Cohorts, Emma Fontvieille, Vivian Viallon, Laia Peruchet-Noray, Quan Gan, N. Charlotte Onland-Moret, Yvonne Koop, Anne Tjønneland, Nicola Bondonno, Verena Katzke, Rudolf Kaaks, Matthias B. Schulze, Catarina Schiborn, Calogero Saieva, Vittorio Simeon, Claudia Agnoli, Rosario Tumino, Fulvio Ricceri, Leila Luján-Barroso, Maria José Sánchez, Conchi Moreno-Iribas, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Marc J. Gunter, Adam Butterworth, Elio Riboli, Heinz Freisling, Pietro Ferrari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Our study investigated the association between incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequent cancer risk in two large European prospective cohorts. We included 568,926 adults from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition and United Kingdom Biobank, all of whom were free of CVD, cancer and type 2 diabetes at baseline. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate cancer hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in relation to incident CVD events. CVD was treated as a time-varying exposure, and models accounted for time since CVD diagnosis and other lifestyle factors. Study-specific estimates were pooled using …

Pediatric Hypertension Prevalence With 1 Vs. 2 Vs. 3 Within-Visit Blood Pressure Readings (Nhanes 2013-2020), Sandeep K Riar, Donald L Batisky, Scott Gillespie, Andrew M South

2020-Current year OA Pubs

To compare hypertension prevalence using 'initial' blood pressure (BP), 'subsequent' BP (averaged second and third readings) and 'total' BP (averaged three readings), we included 8-17-year-old youth with three BP readings from NHANES 2013-2020. From 2013-2016, BP was obtained using auscultation (manual protocol, MP) and subsequently, using oscillometry (automated protocol, AP). We excluded subjects with 'zero' diastolic blood pressure (DBP). In 5656 subjects, clinical hypertension (high systolic blood pressure [SBP] and/or DBP) prevalence was highest with 'initial' BP (350/5 642, 6.2% [95% CI 5.6-6.9%]), lower with 'subsequent' BP (289/5 642, 5.1% [4.6-5.7%], p <  0.001), and lowest with 'total' BP (251/5 642, 4.4% [3.9-5.0%], p <  0.001). Both MP and AP groups maintained this trend with a significantly lower hypertension prevalence with 'total' vs. 'subsequent' BP. An exception to the trend occurred in the AP group for three conditions: diastolic hypertension, hypertension in high BMI and Hispanic subjects. Diastolic hypertension prevalence with 'subsequent' DBP (86/2 285, 3.8% [3.1-4.6%]) exceeded that with 'initial' DBP (83/2 285, 3.6% [2.9-4.5%]) and was lowest with 'total' DBP (59/2 285, 2.6% [2.0-3.3%]). Diastolic hypertension prevalence was higher (126/5 642, 2.2% [1.9 - 2.7%]) with the 2016 European guidelines (same as 'subsequent' DBP) than with 'total' DBP (94/5 642, 1.7% [1.4 - 2.0%]). Our findings support the inclusion of the first BP reading in BP categorization, as 'total BP' leads to lower hypertension classification than 'subsequent' BP.

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

BioMedicine

No abstract provided.

Neuroinflammatory And Neuronal Damage Biomarkers In Depression: A Meta-Analysis Of Hmgb1, S100Β, And Nse Levels, Ikbal Andrian Malau, Suet-Kei Wu, Jane Pei-Chen Chang, Cheng-Ho Chang, Chun-Hung Chang, Ming-Jun Tsai, Yung-Chih Chiang, Kuan-Pin Su

BioMedicine

Background: Depression is associated with neuroinflammation and dysfunction of neurons and glial cells. Immune activation and damage-associated signals such as S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100β) and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) amplify inflammation, leading to neuronal injury. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) reflects such injury. These molecules may serve as potential biomarkers of depression.

Aims: This study compared levels of S100β, HMGB1, and NSE in individuals with depression versus non-depressed controls.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to April 5, 2025, using the terms “S100B AND Depression”, “neuron specific enolase AND Depression”, and “HMGB1 …

Evaluation Of The Anti-Inflammatory Properties In Vitro, In Vivo And In Silico, Of The Snail Slime Helix Aspersa Müller, Marouane Aouji, Malak Zirari, Mariame Taibi, Meryem Lamdak, Amine Rkhaila, Rachid Bengueddour

BioMedicine

Background: The search for effective natural alternatives to synthetic non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are often associated with undesirable side effects, is an important axis of current research. The slime of the snail Helix aspersa Müller, is a traditional remedy that deserves scientific investigation for its potential therapeutic properties.

Purpose: This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Helix aspersa Müller slime using a combination of in vitro, in vivo, and in silico methodologies.

Methods: In vitro analyses included assays for inhibition of protein denaturation, antiprotease and antilipoxygenase activities, and membrane stabilization, with diclofenac and indomethacin as reference …

Traditional Chinese Medicine And Healthcare Utilization In Bipolar Disorder: A Population-Based Study With Propensity-Matched And Mirror-Image Analyses, Shu-Ping Chen, Su-Tso Yang, Kai-Chieh Hu, Hui-Chih Chang, Jane Pei-Chen Chang, Kuan-Pin Su

BioMedicine

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic relapsing illness associated with high rates of acute psychiatric hospitalizations (APH) and emergency services (ES) use, placing burdens on healthcare systems. Many patients seek complementary modalities, including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), alongside standard pharmacotherapy. However, population-based evidence regarding TCM’s effect on acute healthcare utilization in BD is lacking.

Methods: Using data from Taiwan’s Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID 2000), this population-based study employed propensity score matching (PSM) based on age, gender, the index year (defined as the calendar year of the index date for TCM users and their matched nonTCM counterparts), and …

Illinois Model Programs Of Study Guide: Education (Draft For Public Comment), Education Systems Center

Practitioner Toolkits and Resources

This draft was available for public comment through September 30, 2026. A final version will be released in October 2026.

Determination Of The Content Of Water-Soluble Vitamins In The Composition Of Beet Beetroot Composition, Jasur Esirgapovich Safarov, Shakhnoza Abduvaxitovna Sultanova, Muhammad Rasul Oglu Najafli, Doston Ishmuhammat Ugli Samandarov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The aim of this study was to determine the content of water-soluble vitamins in various parts of beetroot (pulp, leaves and stems) that had been subjected to various drying methods in a bid to explore the effect of physical processes, i.e., the application of ultrasound, on micronutrient preservation. The experiments were performed at the Department of Service Technologies of Tashkent State Technical University, and chromatographic analysis was performed in the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Chromatography was performed on Agilent-1200 chromatograph with Exlipse XDB C18 column and diode array detector using …

Uhsp Student Handbook 2026-2027

Handbooks

No abstract provided.

Boiling-Induced Changes In The Α -Amylase Inhibitory Activity Of Selected Brassica Vegetables In Sri Lanka: A Comparative Study, D. M. S. S. Dassanayake, B. C. K. Kumari, P. R. H. Perera, G. M. Yasasvi, L. M. Hettihewa, W. M. K. M. Ratnayake

Journal of Innovation in Science, Engineering and Technology

Incorporating vegetables with α -amylase inhibitory properties into the diet is a natural and nutritious way to help regulate blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes mellitus, and promote overall health and well-being. However, during the cooking process, the chemical structure of active compounds, which are responsible for α -amylase inhibition, can change. Hence, this was aimed to evaluate the α -amylase inhibition potential of boiled and non-boiled aqueous extracts (BAE and NBAE respectively) of selected vegetables belonging to the Brassica oleracea L species, which are commonly consumed as in fresh salads as well as in …

Understanding Oral Habits And Malocclusion In School-Aged Children: Insights From Parental And Child Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices, Maria Laurentia Sanjaya, Evan Raditya Pratomo, Markus Santoso, Agrippine Putricia Asaeli, Eveline Yulia Darmadi, Joy Janny Thenarianto, Jennifer Regina Putri Purwono, Eunike Jacquelyn Widarto

Kesmas

Malocclusion is a prevalent oral health problem in children associated with oral bad habits, yet the extent to which parental and child knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) influence orthodontic status remains insufficiently understood. This cross-sectional study investigated relationships between parental and child KAP, oral habits, and malocclusion in school-aged children, involving 67 child–parent pairs from an elementary school in Surabaya, Indonesia. Parental and child KAP as well as child-reported oral habits were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Children subsequently underwent standardized clinical orthodontic examinations, including alginate jaw impressions to produce dental study models, which were evaluated using the Index of …

Spatial Association Of Acute Respiratory Infection, Diarrhea, And Low Birth Weight With Stunting Prevalence In Indonesia, 2024, Dian Rosadi, Husaini Husaini, Triawanti Triawanti, Musafaah Musafaah

Kesmas

Stunting remains unevenly distributed across Indonesia, but national evidence integrating spatial analysis and spatial regression is limited. This study examined the spatial distribution of stunting and its associations with acute respiratory infection (ARI), diarrhea, and low birth weight (LBW) across Indonesian provinces. An ecological cross-sectional study used data from the 2024 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey. Stunting-only analyses included all 38 provinces, whereas analyses involving ARI, diarrhea, and LBW included 37 provinces with complete data. Spatial analyses used a row-standardized symmetric four-nearest-neighbor spatial weights matrix and included Global Moran’s I, bivariate spatial analysis, Local Indicators of Spatial Association, ordinary least squares, …

The Association Between Rapid Growth In Children Under The Age Of Five And Adolescent Obesity, Ratu Ayu Dewi Sartika, Fadila Wirawan, Iche Andriyani Liberty, Nurul Husna Mohd Shukri, Siti Arifah Pujonarti, Edy Purwanto, Munaya Fauziah

Kesmas

Early-life nutrition is a critical predictor of long-term health, yet the association between rapid early-childhood growth and adolescent obesity, particularly in relation to the “double burden of malnutrition,” remains under-researched in Indonesia. This study aimed to analyze the association between rapid growth and adolescent obesity. Data were obtained from the 1997, 2000, and 2014 waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS). This study included 641 children (aged 0–23 months at baseline) with complete anthropometric measurements across all three waves. Rapid growth was defined as an increase in z-scores of >0.67 in weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), or weight-for-height (WHZ) between …

Environmental Perspective For System Dynamics Modeling Of Stunting Mitigation To Achieve The Sustainable Development Goals In West Sumatra, Indonesia, Elsa Yuniarti, Nabila Azzahra, Yulhendri Yulhendri, Heldi Heldi, Mery Delvina, Saskia Putri Azeli

Kesmas

This study developed a system dynamics model to simulate stunting reduction in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia, by integrating infant and toddler health, maternal health, and environmental determinants. Secondary data from 2020–2024 on low birth weight, immunization, malnutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, maternal chronic energy deficiency, iron and folic acid supplement distribution, sanitation, and safe drinking water access were compiled from West Sumatra Provincial Health Office and Statistics Indonesia, and validated through consultation with five stakeholder institutions. Causal Loop Diagrams mapped feedback relationships among determinants and were translated into Stock Flow Diagrams using Powersim Studio 10. The model was validated through structural verification, …

Clinical Outcomes Of Adjunctive Use Of Oxygen-Releasing Formula In Non-Surgical Treatment Of Periodontal Abscess Associated With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Anil Kumar Kanakamedala, Laxmi Kavya Gangireddy, Gautami S Penmetsa, Sruthima Gottumukkala, Mohan Kumar Pasupuleti, Konathala Santhosh Venkata Ramesh

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oxygen-releasing formula (ORF) as an adjunct in the non-surgical management of periodontal abscess in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This split-mouth clinical trial was conducted on 14 patients with periodontal abscess with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), who were divided into a control group, nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) alone, and a test group (NSPT+ORF). Parameters such as Landry's healing index (HI) were evaluated at 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month. Probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and bleeding on probing presence or absence (BOP) …

Flaxseed Ethanolic Extract Modulates Β-Catenin And Dkk1 Expressions During Osteoblast Differentiation Of Dental Pulp-Derived Stem Cells, Nur Sazwi Nordin, Khairani Idah Mokhtar, Omar Abdul Jabbar Abdul Qader, Basma Ezzat Mustafa, Widya Lestari, Deny Susanti Darnis, Thirumulu Ponnuraj Kannan, Azlina Ahmad, Solachuddin Jauhari Arief Ichwan

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Background: WNT signaling regulates osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) through the canonical WNT pathway. β-catenin; an important molecule of WNT pathway, and DKK1; a WNT antagonist, play important roles in regulating bone formation. Although flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) has various health benefits, including promoting bone health, our previous study showed that flaxseed ethanolic extract (FEE) reduced the osteoblast differentiation potential of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED). This study aimed to determine the effects of FEE on WNT pathway-related molecules, β-catenin and DKK1, during osteoblast differentiation of SHED.

Methods: RNA at Day 7, 14, …

The Phytochemical Content And Antibacterial Activity Of Purified Extract Of Mangifera Indica L. Against Gram Positive Pathogen, Dewi Andini Kunti Mulangsri, Masduki Faqih, Sugar Arifin, Mutiara Trie Sieya Agustin

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

The purified extract of arum manis mango leaves contained flavonoid compounds by TLC methods and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and negative pathogens. This research aimed to identify and determine the phytochemical content (mangiferin and flavonoids content) and antibacterial activity against other Gram-positive pathogens. Purification of ethanol extract of arum manis mango leaves by liquid-liquid fraction method. Determination of total flavonoid content and identification of mangiferin used respectively by aluminum chloride and Thin Layer Chromatography method. The disk diffusion method was used to assay antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis, and B. subtilis bacteria with the concentration of the sample such …

Staff Education To Increase Knowledge And Awareness Of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Alie Sholola Sahid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Background STIs or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are consequential public health emergencies that affect millions of people globally and have long-term health implications (Garcia et al., 2024). STIs are infections that are passed from one person to another through sexual contact with the most common types of STIs include chlamydia, trichomoniasis, general herpes, and human papillomavirus (HPV). It is estimated that each year, more than 20% of the U.S. population has had an STI, with around 26.2 million cases per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024a). The common types of STIs include chlamydia, trichomoniasis, general herpes, and …

Moralized Indulgence In The Age Of Inflation: How “Better-For-You” Dessert Brands Reframe Pleasure As Self-Care, Dariya Savrukova

Honors College Theses

In the modern U.S. food landscape, the line between indulgence and wellness has nearly disappeared. The booming “better-for-you” dessert industry, owned primarily by multinational giants such as Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, and Mars Inc., reframes high-sugar, high-calorie treats as acts of self-discipline or self-care. This phenomenon is often referred to as “healthwashing” (Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, 2022), when through verbal and visual language, these companies transform indulgence into moral consumption, inviting consumers to feel virtuous through consumption. Many consumers crave stability and health, but navigate an environment saturated with manipulative design and ambiguous claims. “Better-for-you” branding exploits this gap by …

'In America On Twofold Mission': Elite Filipina Women On The U.S. Stage, 1898-1929, Catherine D. Mayfield

Graduate Masters Theses

After more than 300 years of Spanish colonization of the Philippines, the United States’ acquisition of las Islas Filipinas at the end of the Spanish-American War introduced the Philippine Islands to yet another colonizer. Amidst a backdrop of insurgent resistance and the building of a U.S.-based education and government system under the guise of “benevolent assimilation,” elite Filipina women navigated a mélange of cultural values and the possibility of new public roles. Filipino “elites,” those with political or economic power at the upper echelons of Philippine society, played key collaborative roles for the U.S. colonial regime. Yet the actions and …

Tracking Towards Zero: Implementing A Picc Team Tracker To Prevent Clabsis, Carolina Maria Gerodias Cayetano

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) remain among the most serious and costly healthcare-associated infections in acute care settings, with each event associated with significant excess mortality, prolonged hospital stays, and avoidable healthcare costs. At Hospital A, a 239-bed acute care facility, two of six total CLABSI events over a 12-month period were associated with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), representing 33% of all facility CLABSIs and exposing a critical gap in standardized PICC line surveillance and maintenance bundle monitoring.

Problem: The PICC team lacked a systematic, real-time tracking mechanism to monitor central line maintenance bundle adherence across seven adult …

Effect Of Vocational Training Programs On The Mental Health Of Indian Women Living In Contexts Of Urban Poverty (Or Urban Slums), Sriramya Potluri

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Women living in contexts of urban poverty (IWLCUP) experience disproportionately high rates of psychological distress, yet their mental health needs remain largely underrecognized. Beyond individualized explanations, broader ecological perspectives situate these women’s distress within previously underemphasized macrolevel forces and acknowledge the role of inequity and related structural disparities (e.g., economic, sociocultural, political etc.) in their oppression and disempowerment, thereby contributing to increased psychological vulnerability. Such frameworks call for intervention efforts that reduce individual psychological risk by addressing structural determinants proximally and distally impacting the lives of IWLCUP. Specifically, targeting poverty and economic insecurity might drive positive downstream effects that ultimately …

Governing Climate Change For Sustainable Food Security In The Busoga Region Of Uganda, James Kintu

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Busoga, Uganda's most sugarcane-intensive sub-region, hosts seven mills and an expanding outgrower economy, yet remains among Uganda's most food-insecure areas, with over half of its households food-insecure. This study examined how governance of climate change and sugarcane expansion shapes capabilities for food access, land tenure, and decision-making among women, youth, and land-poor households in Jinja and Buyende.

The study developed an integrated CA-CEP-RFS framework, combining the Capability Approach, Comparative Environmental Politics, and the Resilient Food Systems framework, with Sen's Entitlement Framework bridging capabilities to production, trade, own-labor, and transfer entitlements. A qualitative case study drew on a documentary review, 27 …

Understanding Factors Influencing Multiple Tobacco Product Use Among Adolescents In Thailand: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach, Chaowalit Srisoem

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Tobacco use among Thai adolescents is shaped by personal, environmental, and product-related factors. However, the pathways linking these influences to actual behavior remain unclear. This study examined how personal, environmental, and product-related factors, along with intentions to use, relate to tobacco use among Thai adolescents. A cross-sectional secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2022 Thailand Global Youth Tobacco Survey of 6,235 students aged 13–15 years. Survey weights methods were applied to produce nationally representative estimates. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling assessed latent constructs, and multinomial logistic regression examined predictors of single, dual, and multiple product use. …