Digital Commons Network^™

Methylated Arginine Metabolites As Biomarkers For Clinical Status And Response To Type 5 Phosphodiesterase Inhibition In Patients With Fontan Circulation., Ari Cedars, Cedric Manlhiot, Bhargava Kumar Chinni, Alexander R. Opotowsky, Kristian Becker, Anne Le, Pratik Khare, Jong Love Ko, Allen Everett, Shelby Kutty, Mark W. Russell, R Mark Payne, Andrew M. Atz, Brian W. Mccrindle, Rahul H. Rathod, Matthew Lewis, David Goldberg, Kevin Hill, Michelle Ploutz, Jon Detterich, Kurt Schumacher, Robert Whitehill, Daniel J. Penny, Mark Cartoski, Rachel Sullivan, Matthew Files, Ruchira Garg, Jonathan B. Wagner, Roni Jacobsen, Todd Nowlen, Scott Fletcher, Jennifer Conway, Gi Boem Kim, Fred Wu, Victor Zak

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: There is significant interest in NO pathway modulators, specifically type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDE5is), to treat patients with a Fontan circulation. Trials, however, have had mixed results. The relationship between the NO pathway and clinical status in patients with Fontan circulation is a significant knowledge gap.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed targeted metabolomic analysis using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry to quantify plasma NO pathway metabolite concentrations from 2 well-characterized populations of patients with Fontan circulation: the Boston Adult Congenital Heart Disease Biobank and Fontan Udenafil Exercise Longitudinal studies. We investigated associations between NO metabolite concentrations and clinical …

Methylation Patterns Of The Nasal Epigenome Of Hospitalized Sars-Cov-2 Positive Patients Reveal Insights Into Molecular Mechanisms Of Covid-19., Benjamin L. Spector, Boryana Koseva, Rebecca Mclennan, Dithi Banerjee, Kamani Lankachandra, Todd Bradley, Rangaraj Selvarangan, Elin Grundberg

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has varied presentations from asymptomatic to death. Efforts to identify factors responsible for differential COVID-19 severity include but are not limited to genome wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptomic analysis. More recently, variability in host epigenomic profiles have garnered attention, providing links to disease severity. However, whole epigenome analysis of the respiratory tract, the target tissue of SARS-CoV-2, remains ill-defined.

RESULTS: We interrogated the nasal methylome to identify pathophysiologic drivers in COVID-19 severity through whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of nasal samples from COVID-19 positive individuals …

Genetic Testing Utilization In The U.S. Registry For Childhood Interstitial And Diffuse Lung Diseases., Laura A. Voss, Rebekah J. Nevel, Jennifer A. Wambach, Lawrence M. Nogee, Robin R. Deterding, Alicia M. Casey, Michael G. O'Connor, Daniel I. Craven, Jane B. Taylor, Gail H. Deutsch, Jade B. Tam-Williams, Lea C. Steffes, Steven K. Brennan, Maria T. Santiago, Sara C. Sadreameli, Andrea F. Heras, Michael R. Powers, Antonia P. Popova, Manvi Bansal, Aaron Hamvas, William A. Gower, Fernando Urrego, Lisa R. Young, Child Registry Collaborative

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

INTRODUCTION: Childhood interstitial and diffuse lung diseases (chILD) comprise a diverse group of rare disorders. Identifying the underlying cause is crucial for treatment, prognosis, and estimating recurrence risk. The objective of this study was to assess the utilization of genetic testing for subjects enrolled in the United States National Registry for ChILD, a multicenter observational study.

METHODS: Genetic data from participating sites were reviewed and analyzed in relationship to clinical characteristics.

RESULTS: Of 609 children enrolled from 22 centers, genetic testing was performed for 55.5% (n = 338). Genetic testing results were positive (diagnostic) for 22.8% (n = 77), negative …

Factors Associated With Shock At Presentation In Kawasaki Disease Versus Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Associated With Covid-19., Supriya S. Jain, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, Simon Lee, Geetha Raghuveer, Nagib Dahdah, Michael Khoury, Michael A. Portman, Melissa Wehrmann, Arash A. Sabati, Marianna Fabi, Deepika Thacker, Nilanjana Misra, Mark D. Hicar, Nadine F. Choueiter, Matthew D. Elias, Audrey Dionne, William B. Orr, Jacqueline R. Szmuszkovicz, Seda Selamet Tierney, Luis Martin Garrido-Garcia, Frederic Dallaire, Balasubramanian Sundaram, Deepa Prasad, Tyler H. Harris, Elizabeth Braunlin, Elisa Fernandez Cooke, Cedric Manlhiot, Pedrom Farid, Brian W. Mccrindle, International Kawasaki Disease Registry

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: While clinical overlap between Kawasaki disease (KD) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has been evident, information regarding those presenting with shock has been limited. We sought to determine associations with shock within and between diagnosis groups.

METHODS: The International KD Registry enrolled contemporaneous patients with either KD or MIS-C from 39 sites in 7 countries from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2023. Demographics, clinical features and presentation, management, laboratory values, and outcomes were compared between the diagnosis and shock groups.

RESULTS: Shock at presentation was noted for 19 of 672 KD patients (2.8%) and 653 of …

Struggles In Adolescence: A Cross-Group And Multidimensional Analysis On High School Student Depression And Risk Behaviors, Jessica K. Sun, Ayanda Chakawa, Daniel X. Zhang

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

This study examines the multifaceted relationships between depression and risk behaviours among high school students. It utilizes nearly 1.5 million samples to explore nine broad categories – driving unsafety, weapon-related behaviours, physical fights, suicidality, smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, unhealthy eating, and physical inactivity – encompassing 50 individual components. Employing normalized association tests, logistic regressions, and bootstrapping methods, the analysis evaluates the strength and significance of the depression-risk behaviour association across demographic groups. This study also maps out the multidimensional pattern among intersectional subgroups, offering novel insights into how depression impacts diverse student populations. The results highlight the heterogeneity of …

Association Between Use Of Services To Address Adverse Social Determinants Of Health And Documented Suicide Attempt Among Patients In The Veterans Health Administration, John R. Blosnich, Aerin Derussy, Joshua S. Richman, Melissa E. Dichter, Gala True, Ann Elizabeth Montgomery

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Suicide prevention is a top priority for the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and suicide is often associated with adverse social factors (e.g., financial, legal, and housing problems). The VA provides social services integrated with healthcare services, which may increase the opportunities to detect and document suicide attempt in EHR records. Using VA administrative data, we examined three cohorts of all patients from 2014 to 2018 who had housing instability (n = 659,987), justice involvement (n = 200,487), and unemployment (n = 346,556). Administrative records were used to determine ordinal indicators of receipt of VA social services (no services, …

David B. Smith Chats With Monday 1.0, David B. Smith

Publications and Research

This document is an edited archival transcript of extended conversations between David B. Smith and an AI persona (“Monday 1.0,” GPT‑4o based) conducted in Spring 2025, prepared as a foundational primary source for subsequent scholarly and creative work. It records the emergence and testing of concepts related to human–AI collaboration (including “Balanced Blended Space”), as well as applied explorations in areas such as generative AI, quantum computing and music, virtual orchestras, multimodal performance, pedagogy, and the rhetoric of “pushback” in conversational systems. It also contains an extended section in which Monday and DB Smith co-curate a set of student research …

Arkansas Cotton Variety Tests 2024, F. Bourland, J. Gann, B. Lovelady, B. Guest Jr., J. Mcalee, L. Martin, Z. Treadway, C. Henderson

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

The primary goal of the Arkansas Cotton Variety Tests is to provide unbiased data regarding the agronomic performance of cotton varieties and advanced breeding lines in the major cotton-growing areas of Arkansas. This information helps seed companies establish marketing strategies and assists producers in choosing varieties to plant. These annual evaluations will then facilitate the inclusion of new, improved genetic material in Arkansas cotton production. Adaptation of varieties is determined by evaluating the lines at five University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture research sites (Manila, Keiser, Judd Hill, Marianna, and Rohwer). The 2024 tests at Keiser were adversely affected …

Interprofessional Education And Collaboration In The Philippines: Current Landscape, Gaps, And Propositions, Arvie Vitente, Michael Sy, Reeva Ann Sumulong, Anna Karerina Causapin, Jocel Regino

Philippine Journal of Physical Therapy

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a forward-looking strategy in healthcare education that unites students and professionals from various disciplines to enhance interprofessional collaboration (IPC). IPE is designed to prepare future health and social care professionals to navigate and address the complexities of modern healthcare systems. In the Philippines, despite being a developing country with a fragmented healthcare system, there have been efforts over the last 15 to 20 years to introduce and institutionalize IPE and IPC in both higher education and healthcare settings. However, significant challenges persist, including the dominance of medical professionals, inadequate regulatory mechanisms, and a lack of strong …

Local Stabilising Density Effects In The Context Of Ecological Disturbance And Community Assembly, Cole J. Doolittle, Joseph A. Lamanna

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The maintenance of species diversity in ecological communities has many promising explanations, including certain types of local biotic interactions that generate differential effects on the performance of conspecific and heterospecific individuals. To date, most studies of these local biotic interactions have focused on relatively stable systems, such as mature forests or undisturbed grasslands. However, many ecosystems are far from a stable state, especially under accelerating global climate change. Here, we present a synthesis of local differences between conspecific and heterospecific interactions following disturbances—and how disturbances may alter the strength and scaling of these effects to population growth and species diversity. …

The Epidemiology Of Sports And Recreation Related Toe Fractures In The United States, Dogerno Norceide, Gabriel I. Onor, Oluwatomi Akingbola, William Justice, Nana F. Amponsah, Abimbola Okulaja, Ifeanyichukwu Onor, Michael Okoronkwo, Chibuikem Nwizu, David Pedowitz

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Fractures of the toes are among the most frequently diagnosed lower extremity fractures. In sports, toe fractures may present after diverse mechanisms of injury, varying severity, and varying implications for management. This study aimed to discern trends in toe fractures presenting to US emergency departments (EDs) particularly in association with sports and recreational activities. An additional aim of the study was to identify if rates of toe fracture presentation significantly decreased during the year 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We queried the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database to identify toe fractures presented to …

Enhancing Patient Safety Through The Implementation Of The Fall Tips Assessment Tool: A Nurse-Led Quality Improvement Initiative, Alexa Belfonte

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Falls among hospitalized patients pose a significant risk to patient safety, leading to increased morbidity, extended hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. Despite existing fall prevention strategies, compliance with evidence-based interventions remains inconsistent. The Fall Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety (Fall TIPS) tool is a structured, evidence-based approach designed to reduce fall rates through improved risk assessment and patient-specific interventions. This quality improvement project was implemented in a medical-surgical unit to improve staff knowledge, increase compliance with fall prevention documentation, and reduce overall fall rates.

Aims/Objectives: This project aimed to assess the impact of implementing the Fall TIPS tool …

An Education Initiative To Increase The Use Of Video Laryngoscopy And Improve Prehospital Patient Outcomes, Bruno D. Rustico Dnpc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Prehospital intubation is a critical intervention for airway management in acutely ill patients, yet the choice between video laryngoscopy (VL) and direct laryngoscopy (DL) can lead to variable patient outcomes. While VL is recognized for its superior first-attempt success rates and reduced complications, its adoption remains inconsistent due to the lack of standardized protocols and comprehensive provider education.

Purpose: This project evaluated the effectiveness of an evidence-based VL education initiative to improve pre-hospital providers confidence, VL utilization, and patient outcomes.

Methods: A pre-post intervention design was utilized to assess the impact of the educational initiative, which included an organizational …

Implementation Of Sskin Care Bundle Protocol For Pressure Ulcer Prevention In Trc Facility, Susan N. Omare Dnpc-Rn, Mba/Hcm, M.Sc.-Hcq, B.Sc-It

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background and Significance: A patient outcome that challenges nurse leaders in healthcare settings is the issue of pressure ulcers acquired in the facilities; also known as hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI). Pressure ulcers can lead to patient discomfort, increased morbidity and healthcare costs. Because of chronic conditions, and the dangers of immobility, patients/residents are at risk for developing pressure ulcers, and as such mitigating the risk results in better outcomes for the patients and cost-effective measures. This project was conducted in TRC facility with a focus on the Long-Term Care (LTC) and Rehabilitation units. The setting included 45 beds in LTC …

Dickens Among The Irish And Its Joycean Legacy, Daniel Burt

Bridgewater Review

Charles Dickens’s relationship with Ireland and the Irish forms an important context for an understanding of James Joyce’s somewhat ambivalent estimation of his great predecessor in the English novel. Critics have generally taken Joyce at his word that Dickens and the Victorian novelists are negligible factors in his fiction. The evidence, however, suggests otherwise. If Shakespeare was Joyce’s ultimate role model for artistic vision, Dickens is the English novelist that was equally inescapable, a forerunner to imitate and to reject. What complicated Joyce’s estimation of Dickens was the latter’s views on the Irish. Dickens visited Ireland three times on public …

Book Review Matthew Desmond, Poverty, By America, Michele Wakin

Bridgewater Review

Few academic authors are as compelling as Pulitzer Prize winner Matthew Desmond. His footnotes alone are impressive, his arguments are engaging, and his data is f lawless. In 2016, Desmond was the keynote speaker at the annual National Alliance to End Homelessness conference in Washington DC, which I attended, just after the release of his best-selling book Evicted! Poverty and Profit in the American City. Desmond was at the top of his game, and his presentation was riveting. Moved by his own early childhood experiences with housing instability, Desmond now writes from a position of privilege, as a white, male …

Photgraphic Insert, Derek T. Leuenberger

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Institutionalizing Normality: Disability, Productivity, And Higher Education, Ashley Dirzis

Student Theses

This thesis examines how capitalism and neuronormative domination shape the structures and values of academic institutions, affecting faculty, students, and research subjects alike. By privileging productivity, conformity, and efficiency in the pursuit of income, universities often marginalize those who diverge from normative standards of thinking, behavior, and embodiment, particularly disabled individuals. Drawing on Marta Russell’s Disability and Capitalism and the shaping of disability by capitalist systems, Robert Chapman’s notion of the "Empire of Normality" and Jay Dolmage’s concept of the retrofit from Academic Ableism, this paper analyzes how academia reinforces ableist norms. It explores the realities and barriers that …

Primary Healthcare Teams Diabetes Self-Management Education, Joseph Uke Mha, Msn, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Primary healthcare teams (PHCTs) comprising physicians, nurse practitioners, physician associates, certified nutritionists, and clinical pharmacists—are essential in managing diabetes and its complications. Due to the complex and chronic nature of diabetes, a standardized approach is necessary for effective diagnosis, treatment, management, and referral to specialty care.

Objectives: This project aimed to assess and improve primary healthcare teams' knowledge of diabetes self-management education (DSME) related to treating and managing diabetes in veterans receiving care at the Community-Based outpatient clinic (CBOC) in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Methods: The adapted Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire and pre- and post-surveys were …

The Implementation Of An Educational Program To Enhance Self-Advocacy Skills Among Pots Patients, Rachel Hellman Bsn, Cen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a common form of dysautonomia that affects millions of individuals in the United States and internationally. Approximately 50% of POTS cases involve a “trigger” in the form of a viral infection. The incidence of POTS has drastically increased secondary to COVID-19 initial infections and re- infections. Research has shown that patients with POTS have a quality of life similar to patients living with congestive heart failure. Poor provider education and diagnostic delays contribute to poor quality of life and elevated suicide rates.

Objective: This project aims to educate POTS patients so they have …

Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook, April 11-12, 2025, Theatre Arts Discipline

Theatre Programs

University of Minnesota, Morris production of Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook, based on the books Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook and Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren by Barbara Park, adapted by Allison Gregory, directed by Michael Oberton.

Synopsis: This play follows kindergartener Junie B. Jones as she navigates school drama after her new, fuzzy mittens are stolen. When she finds a fancy multi-colored pen, she faces a moral dilemma: keep it ("finders keepers") or return it, while also managing a crush on a new boy, Handsome Warren.

Sustainable Roots: Utilizing Historic Technologies For Modern Housing, Abigail Yeagley

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

Viewed through a post-humanist lens, this thesis explores the reconciliation of indigenous, historic, and contemporary climate technologies to design housing that exists in harmony with the environment. Addressing the dual crises of housing scarcity and climate change, the project challenges Western post-industrial approaches, embracing Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) as a sustainable alternative. This thesis uses the AIA Framework for Design Excellence as a foundational guide but simultaneously critiques its scope, seeking to adapt and extend its principles to better align with Posthumanist housing principles. The design responds to specific climate conditions, analyzed using the Koppen-Geiger model, to ensure resilience, community …

Writing In The Aftermath Of War: Literature And Disenchantment In Postwar Central America, Nanci Buiza

Spanish Faculty Works

This article examines the challenges faced by Central American writers during a period of profound cultural, political, and economic change, as Central America transitioned from an era of civil war and revolutionary struggle to one of peace, democracy, and neoliberal state-building, spanning from the 1990s to the 2010s. At the core of this change was a pervasive sense of disenchantment, understood not merely as disillusionment with the failures of the peacebuilding process but as a hollowing out of society’s capacity to envision Central American reality on a broader and more meaningful scale. This deeper, more intractable aspect of disenchantment and …

The Implementation Of The Edmonton Symptom Assessment System To Standardize Symptom Assessment, Rachel C. Mea Msn, Rn, Ocn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background

Evaluating symptoms in patients with advanced cancer is critical to mitigating symptom burden and improving quality of life. Cancer patients experience an array of physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms, which can significantly impact compliance with treatment, daily functioning, and well-being. Early and thorough assessment enables healthcare providers to identify and address these issues, ensuring symptom management strategies are tailored to the patient's needs.

Objective

This project aimed to implement the Edmonton System Assessment System (ESAS) in an inpatient oncology service and evaluate the acceptability (AIM), appropriateness (IAM), and feasibility (FIM) of the assessment by nurses and palliative care providers. …

Implementing A Self-Guided Mindfulness Meditation App In Patients With Metastatic Uveal Melanoma, Frédéric Maniraho Msn, Ba, Fnp-Bc, Agacnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM) often experience significant distress, affecting their quality of life. Mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly recognized as effective non-pharmacological strategies for emotional and psychological well- being.

Aims: This quality improvement project aimed to assess the feasibility and usability of the UCLA Mindful app, evaluate its impact on distress levels, promote consistent engagement, and identify the need for referral.

Methods: This descriptive-comparative study recruited smartphone user patients with MUM (≥18 years) from a single cancer center over three months. Participants were instructed to use the UCLA Mindful app for at least 10 minutes daily for 8–12 …

Impact Of A Mobile Mindfulness-Based Intervention On Burnout And Intent To Leave Among Registered Nurses In A Clinical Setting, Kevin A. Proctor Mha, Bsn, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Burnout among nurses is a persistent problem facing the healthcare industry and contributes to the projected shortage of nurses in the future. Nurses are at high-risk for suffering from burnout due to high prevalence of workplace stress. Exploring means to address and reduce burnout among nurses is a priority for every healthcare organization.

Objective: This project implemented a mindfulness-based program delivered via mobile phone application (app) and evaluated the app feasibility and impact on self-reported symptoms of burnout and turnover intention among registered nurses.

Methods: Nurses from two medical-surgical inpatient units in one acute care hospital were invited to …

From One City To Many: Strategies To Expand Healthy Corner Stores, Edlyn Rochon, Jessica Cruz, Natalia Guerra Uccelli, Kuan-Lung Daniel Chen, Caitlin Grady, Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, William H. Dietz

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

The Absence Of Standardized Perinatal Bereavement Response In The United States: A Call For National Implementation, Elizabeth M. O'Donnell, Anushree Vichare Phd

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

Knowledge And Attitudes Toward The Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among Gw Undergraduate Students, Aanya Sachdeva, Leslie F. Davidson Phd

GW Research Showcase 2021-2026

No abstract provided.

Climate Resilient Development Concepts And Local Realities: Challenges Surrounding International Initiatives, Local Jurisdictions, And The Implications Of Geographic Scale, Joe Budd

Dissertations & Theses

Climate-based discussions have been occurring for decades and have almost always become political lightning rods. Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change expanded on previous dialogue related to infrastructure and development, articulating a new concept called Climate Resilient Development or “CRD.” However, CRD remains a somewhat elusive and undefined proposal, and often requires historical context or further research to fully conceptualize in a local setting. In Wyoming, the complex mixture of jurisdictions and legal rules guiding local governments are difficult to untangle and rarely contemplated in the aggregate. Wyoming counties still operate under a form of Dillon’s Rule, while municipalities …