Digital Commons Network^™

Microplastics, Nanoplastics And Liver Disease: An Emerging Health Concern?, Shilpa Chokshi, Ashwin Dhanda, Matthew E. Cramp, Richard Thompson

Peninsula Medical School

Human liver tissue has been found to contain microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs), with evidence that hepatic MNP accumulation has markedly increased over the past 10 years, prompting critical questions regarding their potential causal role in liver disease. In cell-based and murine models, MNP exposure can trigger oxidative stress, fibrogenesis and inflammation, pathological features that resemble those of advanced liver disease, suggesting shared mechanistic pathways. Furthermore, the capacity for MNPs to act as vectors for microbial pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and carcinogenic additives might have important implications for liver pathology. This Perspective examines emerging evidence on the consequences of MNPs …

Non-Destructive Hhxrf Archaeometry For Grouping Individuals Via Trace Element Analysis Of Dental Remains, Griffon G. Binkowski

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Handheld X-ray fluorescence (HHXRF) spectrometry has been validated as an accurate, non-destructive method for analyzing archaeological osseous materials. This study utilizes HHXRF to address key bioarchaeological questions, including population differentiation, individuation, and the interpretation of bioaccumulated trace elements versus diagenetic impacts. Using dental enamel from the Maya site of Altun Ha, Belize (n=20) and several Roman-Christian sites in the Dakhleh Oasis in Egypt (n=6), the occlusal surface of molar crowns was assayed in air using a Bruker Tracer III- equipped with a 12 mil Al, 1 mil Ti, 6 mil Cu filter. Semi-quantitative trace element ratios (Sr/Ca, Fe/Ca, and Zn/Ca) …

Sleep Restriction Exacerbates Pulpal Inflammation And Impairs Tissue Repair Following Dental Pulp Capping: An In Vivo Animal Study, Siqi Huang, Qian Wang, Ziyu Chen, Guomiao Zhang, Ying Zheng

Journal of Dental Sciences

As a fundamental physiological process, sleep is essential for maintaining systemic homeostasis. Although sleep restriction (SR) has been shown to trigger a systemic inflammatory response, its specific impact on local pulpal inflammation remains poorly understood. In this preliminary study, we investigated the effects of SR on the inflammatory response and reparative capacity of dental pulp in a rat model. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting revealed that, even in intact pulp tissue, SR upregulated the expression of interleukin-6, increased the infiltration of neutrophils, and activated the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway. Subsequent investigations demonstrated that following dental pulp capping, SR provoked an …

Osteoblastogenesis Stimulation By Human Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Secretome During Maxillary Expansion, Alexander Patera Nugraha, Guang Hong, Firdaus Hariri, I Gusti Aju Wahju Ardani, Adya Pramusita, Nurul Aisyah Rizky Putranti, Nindya Rizky Anjani Marhendra, Naora Dewi Rahma Fadzila, Ananda Firman Putranto, Muhammad Luthfi, Wibi Riawan, Putri Cahaya Situmorang, Rony Abdi Syahputra, Thantrira Porntaveetus, Khairul Anuar Shariff, Nissia Ananda, Maudina Dwi Heriasti, Kotaro Tanimoto

Journal of Dental Sciences

Background/purpose: Maxillary expansion induced by mechanical force (MEMF) is a standard orthodontic approach for correcting transverse maxillary deficiency. The human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome (HUCMSC-S) has the potential to stimulate accelerate bone remodeling. This study aimed to evaluate local HUCMSC-S application effect during MEMF on the expression bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, BMP-4, BMP-7, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) in a Wistar rat (Rattus norvegicus).

Materials and methods: Twenty-four healthy male Wistar rats (R. norvegicus) were randomly divided into four groups: …

Organ Chips And Translational Research: Identifying And Examining New Ethical Issues, Melanie Jeske

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Organ chips, also known as organ-on-a-chip devices, tissue chips, or microphysiological systems, have emerged over the last decade as a promising translational technology amidst growing concern about the translational crisis between laboratory research and patient bedside. Pointing to high rates of failure between nonhuman animal models and safety and efficacy in humans, organ chips and similar new approach methods have attracted substantial public and private investment. As human-cell-based alternatives to animal models, organ chips promise more predictive, efficient, and ethical platforms for pharmaceutical and toxicity testing. Engineered cultivation systems that enable cells to assemble into tissue-like structures (e.g. kidney, brain, …

Proceedings Of The 13th Annual Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank: The Evolving Landscape, Chance R Fleeting, Eduardo M Moraud, Kamil Uğurbil, Doris D Wang, Wolf-Julian Neumann, Andrea A Kühn, Valerie Voon, Victor Pikov, Marie-Laure Welter, Michael D Fox, John D Rolston, Mahsa Malekmohammadi, Yagna J Pathak, Lyndahl M Himes, David Greene, Abbey S Holt-Becker, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Alexander W Charney, Amanda R Merner, Martijn Figee, Katherine W Scangos, Timothy Denison, Kent Leyde, Aysegul Gunduz, Helen M Bronte-Stewart, James C Beck, Nora Vanegas-Arroyave, Marta San Luciano, Norbert Brüggemann, Kelly D Foote, Michael S Okun, Joshua K Wong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Think Tank XIII was held September 2-4th, 2025, in Gainesville, Florida, at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at the University of Florida. The theme was "The Evolving Landscape of DBS: New Indications, New Goals." This theme was a continuation of the DBS Think Tank XI and XII, which were focused on emerging technology and pushing the horizon of indications. Since its founding in 2012, the DBS Think Tank has provided a global forum for leading clinicians, engineers, and researchers in both in industry and academia to present, discuss, and debate the current state …

Computational Methods For Single-Cell And Multi-Omic Data Integration And Regulatory Network Inference, Jianlan Ren

Dissertations

Single-cell and multi-omic technologies have transformed the dissection of cellular heterogeneity and regulatory dynamics in health and disease. However, the high dimensionality, technical variability, and biological complexity of these datasets present significant challenges for integration, annotation, and interpretation. In this dissertation, a suite of computational approaches is introduced to address key problems in single-cell and multi-omic data analysis through model-based innovations and applied statistical frameworks.

First, a constrained deep learning framework for single-cell data integration, label transfer, and clustering is proposed. By incorporating biologically motivated constraints into the training process, robust performance is achieved across simulated and benchmark datasets spanning …

Gut Microbiome Metagenomics In Clinical Practice: Bridging The Gap Between Research And Precision Medicine, Henok Ayalew Tegegne, Tor C Savidge

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Gut microbiome metagenomics is emerging as a cornerstone of precision medicine, offering exceptional opportunities for improved diagnostics, risk stratification, and therapeutic development. Advances in high-throughput sequencing have uncovered robust microbial signatures linked to infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, and neoplastic diseases. Clinical applications now include pathogen detection, antimicrobial resistance profiling, microbiota-based therapies, and enterotype-guided patient stratification. However, translation into routine care is hindered by significant barriers including methodological variability, limited functional annotation, lack of bioinformatics standardization, and underrepresentation of global populations. This review synthesizes current translational strategies, emphasizing the need for hypothesis-driven designs, multi-omic integration, longitudinal and multi-center cohorts, and mechanistic validation. …

Toward A Conceptual Framework For Iot-Driven Adaptive Spatial Design In Open-Plan Office, Sarah Mohammed El Hawary, Ola Ali Hashem, Farzad Pour Rahimian

Journal of Art, Design and Music

The evolution of workplace environments has intensified the scrutiny of open-plan offices. The design paradigm of emphasising collaboration and sense of community within workplace has celebrated its facilitation of collaboration, providing open-plan office layout as example of collaborative space. Yet it has diminished individual comfort and privacy that are strengthened in enclosed-plan office layout. Studies revealed the demand of understanding occupant’s satisfaction. Since 85%-90% of one’s time is spent in indoor environment mostly at work, occupant’s satisfaction of physical environment or surroundings should be taken into count. This article proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework that leverages Internet of Things (IoT) …

It's All In The 1929 Preface, Raymond Boisvert

Dewey Studies

No abstract provided.

2021u_Ebs20_Approved_Cm_Es-3623-Techniques-Of-Physiological-Fitness-Assessment-Rev1, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

All Approved Curriculum

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Assessment Of Ventilatory Dynamics: A Model For Performance Optimization, Darvin Manuel Ramírez Guerra, Yusleidy Marlie Gordo Gómez, Noel Batista-Hernández

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

This study expands upon neutrosophics by establishing a novel neutrosophic model for the evaluation of ventilatory capabilities of Peruvian league 1 soccer professionals in response to an urgent need for such scientific studies to accommodate uncertainty associated with generally physiological measurements. The union of neutrosophic statistics principles with spirometric results and cardiopulmonary exercise testing produces a neuto model that effectively operates at 93.2% accuracy measured by 3 factors—(1) identification of asymptomatic ventilatory deficiencies, (2) assessment of respiratory compensatory thresholds reached during play, (3) participant identification for ranking by neutrosophic determination of results and application of aggregation operators. Application of this …

Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Regulates Itam-Dependent Platelet Activation, Jehiel Abigail Ajanel Gomez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Thromboembolic conditions are the leading cause of disability and death in the United States. Platelets play an important role in the pathophysiology of thrombus formation by aiding in the formation and stabilization of the clot. Central to platelet activation is cytoplasmic calcium, which increases after platelet activation through ITAM (Immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif) or GPCR (G-protein-coupled receptor) receptors. Platelet mitochondria rely on cytoplasmic calcium for mitochondrial calcium influx, which is critical for ATP formation and regulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. In other cells, mitochondrial calcium entry is regulated by the multimeric protein complex, mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). Deletion of …

In The Mouth Or In The Gut? Innovation Through Implementing Oral And Gastrointestinal Health Science In Chronic Pain Management, Jo Nijs, Burel R Goodin, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Recent scientific advances point towards an important role for oral and gastrointestinal health in people with chronic pain. Poor oral health (e.g., periodontitis, tooth loss) is observed in subgroups of the chronic pain population, including abdominal pain, low back pain, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition to poor oral health, studies have also revealed altered intestinal microbiota compositions in various types of chronic pain, including people with chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, visceral pain, fibromyalgia, tinnitus, and migraine. While overweight/obesity contributes to the likelihood of gut dysbiosis, normal-weight individuals with chronic pain also more often present with poor gut …

The Impact Of Social Factors On Vagally Mediated Parasympathetic Activity, Andrew Scot Proctor

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness and social disconnection are recognized risk factors for morbidity and mortality, yet the psychophysiological pathways remain contested. This dissertation examines how social factors relate to vagally mediated parasympathetic activity indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) and tests whether conversational interventions with a human or a large-language-model (LLM)-based companion can acutely reduce loneliness and enhance connection. Across two university sites (BYU, UCSD), N=297 participants (18-27 years) were randomized to (a) a reciprocal self-disclosure conversation with a trained human confederate, (b) a parallel, vocalized LLM chatbot conversation, or (c) a non-social, vocal reading control. Resting HRV (RMSSD, SDNN, HF-HRV) was recorded …

In Silico Approach Of Flavonol In Hibiscus Sabdariffa As Proteasome Inhibitors Targeting The Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway, Nur Amalia Choironi, Syakhsiyatunnisa Galuh Prameswari, Hanif Nasiatul Baroroh

Chimica et Natura Acta

Multiple myeloma is a blood cancer characterized by the abnormal proliferation of B cells that accumulate in the bone marrow. The proliferation of these cells depends on the role of the proteasome through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to degrade proteins that regulate the cell cycle, apoptosis, and stress response. The proteasome is the main target of proteasome inhibitors for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Flavonoid compounds in Hibiscus sabdariffa flowers, such as isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetagetin, isorhamnetin, and astragalin, have the potential to act as proteasome inhibitors. The insilico study aims to determine the potential of these compounds as proteasome inhibitors based …

A Review Of Bioactive Compounds Of Caesalpinia Sappan: Pre- And Post-Harvest Effect, Annisa Lugina Rachman, Santi Rosniawaty, Syariful Mubarok, Cucu Suherman, Yudithia Maxiselly

Jurnal Kultivasi

Sappanwood (Caesalpinia sappan L.) is a shrub or small tree that thrives in tropical regions and has been widely distributed across various areas. It has long been used as a natural dye in textiles, cosmetics, and herbal beverages due to its content of various bioactive compounds. This literature review discusses the secondary metabolites in sappanwood, their health benefits, and strategies to enhance product quality through pre-harvest and post-harvest treatments. This literature review was conducted by searching for relevant journals on Google Scholar using relevant keywords. Sappanwood contains diverse secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, phenolics, anthraquinones, triterpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, and tannins, with …

Effects Of An Acute Dietary Capsaicin Intervention On Ambulatory Blood Pressure With Sex And Condition Differences: Preliminary Findings, Hashim B. Ghias, Kyle Heise, Valerie Chervinskaya, Melissa Severino, Isabella Harelick S. Harelick, Meredith Georger, Zoe Fallon, Ben Melnick, Kira Pegues, Elisa Fioraso, Erin Davis, Siena Goebel, Will Quin, Jillian Lang, Elena Shostak, Justin Deblauw, Stephen Ives

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the foremost cause of death in the United States and worldwide; thus, understanding novel interventions (e.g., diet) to reduce CVD risk is of critical importance. Ambulatory BP monitoring allows assessment of cardiovascular responses under real-world conditions and may be superior to in-office BP in terms of CVD risk prediction. PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of an acute dietary capsaicin intervention on 24-hour peripheral BP and pulse pressure (PP), with attention to sex-specific responses, given prior evidence of sex differences in vascular function. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled design, 70 healthy adults (36 females, 34 …

The Effects Of Dietary Capsaicin On Movement-Induced Hyperemia, Isabella S. Harelick, Valerie Chervinskaya, Kyle Heise, Melissa Severino, Meredith Georger, Zoe Fallon, Elisa Fioraso, Ben Melnick, Kira Pegues, Hashim Ghias, Justin Deblauw, Erin Davis, Siena Goebel, Will Quinn, Jillian Lang, Elena Shostak, Stephen Ives Facsm

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and affects men and women differently, highlighting the importance of understanding vascular regulation across both sexes. Regular consumption of dietary capsaicin (found in spicy peppers) has been associated with reduced CVD risk, potentially through improvements in vascular function. However, the mechanisms by which dietary capsaicin influences vascular health are not well understood. Passive limb movement-induced hyperemia (PLM) is a non-invasive technique used to assess vascular health. During PLM, a limb (typically the leg) is moved passively—without muscle contraction—by an external force, such as a researcher or mechanical …

Anti-Inflammatory Actions Of Trigonella Foenum-Graecum L. In Acute And Chronic Inflammation: Insights From Preclinical Studies, Angel Christella, Dzava P. F. Ismail, Eli Halimah

Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy Research

Chronic inflammation is a major factor in various degenerative diseases. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is often the main choice, but long-term side effects such as gastrointestinal irritation and nephrotoxicity limit their use. Therefore, natural alternatives such as Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) have attracted attention due to their bioactive compound contents with anti-inflammatory properties. This narrative review was conducted through a systematic search of articles from the last 10 years in PubMed and Scopus. Keywords used a combination of MeSH and free terms related to fenugreek and anti-inflammatory agents. In vitro and in vivo studies evaluating the anti-inflammatory effects …

Importance Of Nature In A Technological World, Cameron Cooley

Philomathean

No abstract provided.

December 2025 General Education Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney General Education Council

General Education Council

No abstract provided.

Facility Usage On The International Space Station, Justin St. P. Walsh, Rao Hamza Ali, Ryan Shihabi, Erik Linstead

Art Faculty Articles and Research

Science experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) and in future space habitats require “facilities,” as they are known to space agencies, as the core building blocks of the research capabilities they provide. Facilities are experimental apparatus that enable research, often (but not always) used for more than one experiment, such as centrifuges, furnaces, gloveboxes, freezers, and more. The US Orbital Segment of the ISS has been home to 191 such facilities, belonging to four of the five ISS international partner agencies as well as private companies, in its 25 years of continuous operation. Until now, there has been no …

Toward A Roadmap For Addressing Today's Health Dilemma-The 101-Statement Consensus Report, Katharina C. Wirnitzer, Mohamad Motevalli, Derrick R. Tanous, Clemens Drenowatz, Maximilian Moser, Holger Cramer, Thomas Rosemann, Karl-Heinz Wagner, Andreas Michalsen, Beat Knechtle, Zlatko Fras, Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga, Adilson Marques, Natasa Fidler Mis, Fatima C. Stanford, Christian Schubert, Nandu Goswami, Claus Leitzmann, Per Morten Fredriksen, Gerhard Ruedl, Doris Wilflingseder, Rodrigo A. Lima, Christian Kessler, Michael Jeitler, Naim A. Khan, Hassan Joulaei, Maryam Fatemi, Andrew Knight, Karl W. Kratky, Kara K. Palmer

School of Health Professions

Importance: In recent decades there has been an expansion in the quantity and quality of scientific findings and guidelines on different health topics to promote individual and public health status. Reports also indicate that there has been a simultaneous increase in the financial burden of disease, including trillions spent on healthcare resources by governments worldwide (predominantly in developing countries) to address health concerns. At the same time, personal health behavior is well-known as efficient and cost-free, holding four times the potential to prevent early death compared to health care. Despite this knowledge, data show that the increasing prevalence of unhealthy …

Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education: A Study Of The Impact Of Creative Mindsets On Design Students' Ai Self-Efficacy, Qian Hui Shen, Chi Fai Ma

IASDR Conference Series

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology into design education presents both opportunities and challenges. While AI tools can improve learning efficiency, research remains limited in understanding the impact on students’ creative thinking—particularly in relation to the interplay between creative mindset (i.e., growth vs. fixed) and AI self-efficacy. This study adopted a cross- sectional survey design, administering the Creative Mindset Scale and the AISelf-Efficacy Scaleto243 design students. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM) with IBM SPSS 23 and AMOS 24. Results indicated that growth mindset served as a significant positive predictor of AI self-efficacy (β = 0.565, …

Breathing Beside The Leaf That Guides Us: An Experimental Study On A Plant-Human Symbiotic Meditation System Design, Yule Chen, Shengbo Sun, Yiwen Wang, Ying Hu, Wenyu Xu, Yuexin Zhu, Yiming Bai

IASDR Conference Series

Unlike interactions with electronic devices—which demandthe full focus ofhuman cognition through screen-based interfaces—our engagement with nature is subtle, embodied, and continuously perceived, even without conscious attention. In the context of a decent connection between human and nature life rhythms, this study introduces a novel plant- human symbiotic meditation system that transforms real-time photosynthetic signals into generative soundscapes, enablingaform ofcross-species interaction in which plant rhythms serve as perceptual cues in human meditative regulation. Distinct from prior human-plant interaction work that treats plants as passive background elements or aesthetic artifacts, this research emphasizes the expressive role of living plants in shaping human …

Healthclockface: Design Of Glanceable Health Data Visualization For Smartwatches, Tianqin Lu, Bin Yu, Jun Hu

IASDR Conference Series

Remote measurement technologies (RMTs) hold promises for health tracking, yet current health data visualizations in RMTs primarily target data-savvy experts, posing challenges for those with limited expertise. Although researchers have explored creative visualization methods, they often fall short in aiding data comprehension and neglect the needs of individuals and informal caregivers. This paper introduces Health Clockface, a smartwatch clockface that offers a glanceable visualization of health data using abstract and dynamic visuals generated by chaotic attractors. Designed for non-expert users, the system translates real-time inputs into ambient, glanceable feedback that supports awareness of one’s health. The system was developed through …

Detection Of Breath, Phonation And Cough Sounds Using Sound Feature Vectors And Artificial Neural Networks By Calculating Lung Forced Vital Capacity With Mobile Infrastructures, Edmond Hajrizi

International Journal of Business and Technology

Objective: In this study, it is aimed to calculate the tidal volume capacity with mobile infrastructures and to determine the O2 and CO2 values from breath, phonation and cough sounds with the help of artificial neural networks using voice feature vectors. In addition, it is aimed to develop a method that will enable computation of forced expiratory volume via mobile devices.

Materials and Methods: Since sound disease diagnosis is basically a classification problem, tidal volume classification is considered as a pattern recognition problem. Our automatic O2 and CO2 classification study as a pattern recognition function includes three subcomponents; Identifying and …

Characterization Of Free Oxylipins In Extracellular Vesicles From Bovine Milk, Kai Filio

Food Science (MS) Theses

Background. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound nanostructures released by human and bovine mammary epithelial cells that carry bioactive lipids and oxidized lipid metabolites. Found in bovine milk, EVs contribute to immune modulation, gut health, and cellular signaling. However, gaps remain in understanding the full composition of milk-derived EVs and how processing alters EV content. This research aimed to characterize the free oxylipin content of EVs from bovine milk treated by pasteurization and homogenization. The hypothesis was that EVs from raw bovine milk would retain higher oxylipin levels than processed milk. Methods. Raw milk was treated by high-temperature short time (HTST), …

Child Development: A Developmentally Appropriate Practices Approach, Second Edition, D.R. Meece

Open Textbooks

The book follows a topical approach and covers children from prenatal to late childhood/early adolescence. The book follows a Developmentally Appropriate Practices approach, emphasizing that development results from the interaction of age-related expectations, culture and context, and individual child characteristics. The text is written for education majors, as well as others who will work with children and families in a variety of fields, including psychology, social work, nursing, and others.