Digital Commons Network^™

School-Level Gaps In Mmr Coverage As The Fuel For Measles Outbreaks, Meagan C Fitzpatrick, Chad R Wells, Abhishek Pandey, Lamia Ayaz, Peter J Hotez, Seyed M Moghadas, Alison P Galvani

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Priced Out Of Treatment: The Exorbitant Cost Of Antiparasitic Drugs In The United States, Cora Alperin, Nhi Nguyen, Megan Duffey, Eva H Clark

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Parasitic infections are often perceived as diseases of low-resource countries, yet they impose a significant and overlooked burden in the United States—especially among immigrants, low-income individuals, and other marginalized populations. This perspectives article examines the case of Mr. X, a landscaper in Houston diagnosed with neurocysticercosis, who faced unaffordable drug costs despite the availability of effective, off-patent treatments. Through his story, we explore the broader issue of pricing for commonly and not-so-commonly prescribed antiparasitic medications, highlighting the role of systemic market failures, regulatory hurdles, and restrictive assistance programs in limiting access to care. The consequences of incomplete treatment include long-term …

A Practical Approach To The Management Of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Complications, Tanawat Attachaipanich, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Muzamil Khawaja, Mahboob Alam, Ravi S Hira, Jacob A Doll, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Despite advances in stent design, pharmacotherapy, and procedural techniques that have improved percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes and reduced PCI-related complications, these events still occur and are associated with adverse outcomes. Moreover, complex PCI procedures, which predispose to increased risk of complications, are increasingly performed. Understanding risk factors, underlying mechanisms, evidence-based management, and preventive strategies are essential to optimize procedural outcomes. This review aims to summarize current evidence and highlight gaps in knowledge related to PCI-associated complications.

Methods: This narrative review used a focused PubMed search through October 2025, prioritizing randomized trials, large observational studies, guidelines, and consensus statements. …

Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices: A Contemporary Review Of Techniques, Tips And Tricks, Kamran Namjouyan, Hafeez Ul Hassan Virk, Affan Rizwan, Muzamil Khawaja, Mahboob Alam, Markus Strauss, Chayakrit Krittanawong

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects approximately 3%-5% of adults and is projected to double in prevalence by 2060, significantly increasing the burden of thromboembolic stroke. This risk is largely attributed to thrombus formation within the left atrial appendage (LAA), particularly in nonvalvular AF, where the LAA's trabeculated anatomy, diverse morphologies (e.g., chicken wing, windsock, cactus, cauliflower), and impaired contractility allows for blood stasis and thrombogenesis. As a result, the LAA has become a focus for stroke prevention strategies. This review demonstrates current evidence on LAA closure by discussing patient selection, anatomical feasibility, procedural workflow, imaging guidance (transesophageal echocardiography vs. intracardiac echocardiography), …

Duration Of Antimicrobial Therapy In Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Associated Systemic Infections: A Retrospective Analysis, Emily Y Xiao, Patrick T Lynch, Sarwat Khalil, Derrick A Draeger, Alexandra M Lewis, Faiz M Baqai, Mihail G Chelu, M Rizwan Sohail

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: While the need for complete device removal is well-established for cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections, there is insufficient evidence on the optimal duration of antimicrobial therapy.

Objectives: To examine how antimicrobial duration affects clinical outcomes of patients presenting with CIED-associated bacteremia and lead endocarditis.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at a quaternary care hospital in Houston, TX, USA.

Methods: Patients who underwent device removal for a primary indication of bacteremia or lead endocarditis over a 10-year period were stratified by prescribed duration of antibiotics as ⩽2 weeks or >2 weeks post-extraction. Measured outcomes included all-cause …

Assessment Of In-Frame Indel Variants In An Unsolved Cohort Of Inherited Retinal Diseases Using Machine Learning, David E Rauch, Meng Wang, Muhammad Jafar Hussain Hafiz, Daniel C Brock, Yumei Li, Molly Marra, Mark E Pennesi, Paul Yang, Everett Lesley, Irma Lopez, Robert Koenekoop, Edward Ryan Collantes, Joanne Bolinao, Rui Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The standard for in silico pathogenicity prediction of in-frame insertions and deletions (indels) is less established compared to other types of variations. We aimed to systematically assess the performance of in silico machine learning (ML) tools on a patient cohort with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). The performance of four ML tools (CADD, FATHMM-indel, VEST4, and MetaRNN-indel) was compared. Among them, MetaRNN-indel showed the best overall results. MetaRNN-indel was then applied to 1013 unsolved IRD patients, identifying two likely pathogenic causal variants in two unrelated IRD patients by confirming clinical phenotypes. Hence, our findings indicate that reliable prediction of the pathogenicity …

Modulation Of Corneal Sensory Processing And Pain Responses By Dry Eye And Corneal Wounding, Ebru Yaman, Yangluowa Qu, Kaylin C Arpaia, Fairouz Elsaeidi, Uma Lakshmi Balakrishnan, Lance He, Henry Skrehot, Jehan Alam, Rui Chen, Mary Ann Stepp, Cintia S De Paiva, Stephen C Pflugfelder

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disorder of the ocular surface in which tear film instability, epithelial barrier disruption, and neurosensory dysfunction contribute to symptom generation. Although several contributing factors have been identified, how different forms of ocular surface stress affect sensory pathways and behavioral responses remains unclear.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate corneal barrier function, sensory responses, and pain-related behaviors across acute and chronic dry eye and corneal injury models, and to assess stimulus-specific responses associated with TRPV1 and TRPM8 mediated pathways.

Methods: Female C57BL/6 J wild type and Mmp9KO mice were evaluated in acute desiccating …

Strategies And Challenges For The Recruitment Of Young Healthy Participants In The Dietary Approaches To Longevity And Health (Dial Health) Pilot Trial, Hannah E Cabre, Courtney M Peterson, Gareth R Dutton, Kimberly L Drews, Stephanie T Broyles, Robert Dubin, Laura Q Rogers, Catherine Champagne, Dennis T Villareal, Daniel S Hsia, Leanne M Redman, Corby K Martin

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Understanding the impact of nutrition on human aging requires long-term trials in young, healthy, unmedicated adults. As part of the Dietary Approaches for Longevity and Health (DiAL Health) pilot project, we evaluated strategies for recruiting this population for aging-related dietary intervention studies.

Methods: We analyzed recruitment costs to enroll 70 participants (ages 25-49, BMI 22.0-29.9 kg/m2) across two DiAL Health sites and used NHANES data (2017-March 2020) to estimate the proportion of U.S. adults meeting partial trial eligibility. Additionally, a formative study surveyed 492 U.S. adults (≥18 years) to assess interest in aging-focused dietary trials.

Results: Of 2049 applicants …

Differences In Gene Expression May Contribute To The Racial Differences In The Risk Of Masld, Ivan P Gorlov, Olga Y Gorlova, Aaron P Thrift

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), exhibits marked racial disparities in incidence, progression, and clinical outcomes. While diet, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors have been shown to influence these disparities, biological mechanisms underlying racial differences in MASLD risk remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that race-associated variation in hepatic gene expression may contribute to differential susceptibility and progression of MASLD. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed publicly available gene expression data from liver biopsies obtained from over 300 Black and White individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Gene expression profiles were compared across four histological stages: …

Sewers To Solutions: A Guide To Wastewater Pathogen Monitoring, Justin R Clark, Anthony W Maresso

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is the analysis of wastewater to detect pathogen levels or activity for public health awareness or action. Pioneered in the 1940s, WBE underwent a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing important information about number of cases, outbreaks, and seasonal impact. With advancements in detection technologies and growing interest in environmental surveillance, WBE is poised to become a standard practice in public health monitoring. Here, we provide an overview of the current state of the art of pathogen WBE, including methods of molecular detection, analysis of wastewater data, real-world applications and programs, public health interventions, and benefits and …

Editorial: Advances In Phage Applications: Deciphering Phage Biological And Ecological Mechanisms Through Metagenomics, Tasha M Santiago-Rodriguez, Gary A Toranzos

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Helicobacter Pylori And Cancer: What's The Link?, Elettra Merola, Giovanni Mario Pes, David Yates Graham, Maria Pina Dore

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a human bacterial pathogen that causes one of the most common chronic bacterial infections worldwide. The microorganism has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group I carcinogen. While the etiological link to gastric cancer is well established, the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms driving this transformation are highly complex and incompletely understood. Fundamentally, the infection results from the chronic presence of acute on chronic gastric mucosal inflammation. H. pylori pathogenicity is increased by bacterial virulence factors including the cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) and Vacuolating cytotoxin A (VacA) …

Therapeutic Potential Of Hookworm Proteins In Promoting Regulatory Immune Responses To Modulate Trypanosoma Cruzi Induced Liver Inflammation And Oxidative Stress, Maria Jose Villar, Cristina Poveda, Bin Zhan, Maya Gonsoulin, Kathryn M Jones

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection causes significant liver pathology, and current antiparasitic treatments often worsen hepatic damage. Hookworm-derived proteins have shown immunomodulatory effects in inflammatory diseases, including T. cruzi-induced myocarditis.

Objective: This study evaluates recombinant hookworm proteins AIP-1 and AIP-2 for treating liver inflammation in a murine model of chronic Chagas disease (CD).

Methods: Female BALB/c mice infected with T. cruzi were treated with AIP-1 or AIP-2 (1 mg/kg) for seven days. Controls were untreated or received aspirin (25 mg/kg) for 14 days. Liver tissues were analyzed for parasite burden (quantitative polymerase chain reaction - qPCR), histopathology (H&E, Picrosirius Red), …

Molecular Heterogeneity Of Hpv-Associated Cancers And Strategies To Overcome Treatment Resistance, Sara Rasouli, Weiyi Gong, Raegan Wood, Danyal Daneshdoust, Anam Khan, Rani Mahyoob, Chongwen Cao, Zihao Yu, Nagireddy Putluri, Gennady Shvets, Haichang Li, Bo Zhao, Xuefeng Liu, Jenny Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major driver of global cancer incidence, responsible for nearly all cervical cancers and a significant proportion of oropharyngeal, anal, and other anogenital cancers. Despite the availability of effective vaccines, HPV-associated cancers persist due to persistent infection, immune evasion, and the virus's ability to integrate into the host genome, contributing to molecular heterogeneity and therapeutic resistance. Here, we summarize molecular heterogeneity and the emerging combined therapeutic strategies. High-risk HPV types, notably HPV16 and HPV18, initiate carcinogenesis through persistent infection of epithelial basal cells and through the actions of the E6 and E7 oncoproteins, which disrupt the …

The Development And Pilot Evaluation Of An Out-Of-Hospital Immersive Birthing Simulation Training Application For Paramedics And Ambulance Officers Using Virtual-Reality Technology, Michella Hill

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Out-of-hospital births (OOHBs) are births which occur outside a hospital setting. This includes planned home births attended by midwives, or unplanned OOHBs where the intention was to birth in a hospital or maternity centre, however, occurs in an unintended location. Prehospital clinicians, inclusive of registered paramedics and volunteer ambulance officers (VAOs) infrequently attend OOHBs, as most births occur in maternity wards as anticipated. OOHBs comprises < 1% of emergency ambulance requests and requires specialised skills for prehospital clinicians to competently manage birthing and potential complications. As exposure to birthing is so rare, these specialised skills and knowledge are underutilised and subject to rapid decay. Compounding the problem, obstetrics is infrequently taught across undergraduate education, in-service training, or within individual clinician’s continuing professional development. Placements shadowing midwives are scarce due to nursing and medical students receiving priority. Previous research regarding OOHBs is limited, nonetheless suggests prehospital clinicians are underprepared to manage an OOHB, which has serious patient safety implications. The present research sought to explore prehospital clinicians’ preparedness and confidence in managing OOHBs. It also investigates whether a digital training solution such as virtual reality (VR) simulation may reduce the theory-practice gap and assist in competency retention.

Publication one provides a comprehensive methodology outline which is applied to Study One; a scoping review of prehospital clinician and birth parent experiences with OOHBs. Risk factors, complications and interventions provided by prehospital clinicians, as …

Getting Ready Right: The Impact And Influence Of The University Appointed Supervisor, Madlen Griffiths

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Initial Teacher Education professional experience is a valued component of teacher education courses, where preservice teachers can practise applying what they have learned at university in classroom settings. Key to these experiences are supervisors, who are employed by the university and support these aspiring teachers during their professional experiences. This supervisory role is complex, underrated, under-theorised and under researched. Consequently, this research sought to address this shortfall through an investigation into the perspectives of two of the major stakeholders in these experiences: the preservice teachers and the supervisors.

Adopting a social constructivist methodology, this research examined the stakeholders’ perceptions of …

Fundamentals Of Speech, Steelman Library, David Yates

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

A Method For Determining A True National Statistical Distribution Of Building Element U-Values And Its Application To A Dataset Underpinning A Building Stock Energy Model, C. Ahern, Bernard Enright, A. Griffin, B. Norton

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The presence of default U-values in Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) databases disrupts the natural variability in measured U-value distributions. Default values, often used by assessors when empirical data is unavailable, introduce deterministic artefacts into datasets, creating artificial peaks that obscure underlying statistical patterns. This study examines the impact of these default values and identifies appropriate statistical models – Lognormal, Gamma and Normal – for measured U-values in Ireland’s national EPC dataset, comprising 463,582 dwellings. Lognormal and Gamma distributions aligned better with the central peaks, while the Normal distribution more accurately captured the tails. Although no single distribution perfectly fits the …

A Simplified Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation Of Internal Duct As A Passive Aerodynamic Solution For Electric Trucks, Omar K. Omar, Ahmad Abu Shanab, Mohammad Tarawneh, Sara Hawarneh, Dr Hani Alkhatib

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Aerodynamic drag is a dominant factor affecting the efficiency and driving range of electric trucks, especially at high speeds. Although previous studies have mainly focused on external drag-reduction devices, internal airflow control strategies such as integrated ducts have received limited attention. This study addresses that gap by analyzing how placing an internal duct in the truck body affects drag and power efficiency. A simplified two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach was employed using ANSYS Fluent to evaluate and compare a baseline truck model and a modified configuration featuring a central internal duct. The simulations assessed the drag coefficient, drag force, …

Water-Efficient Concrete Curing Using Sap-Infused Nonwoven Blankets: Material Screening And Performance Evaluation, Feras Kafiah, Omar K. Omar, Dr Hani Alkhatib

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Concrete curing under hot-weather exposure requires sustained surface moisture while minimizing repeated waterapplication. This study develops and evaluates a two-layer external curing blanket comprising a polyethylene (PE) top sheetand a superabsorbent polymer (SAP)-infused needle-punched nonwoven polyester layer. Ten PE sheets, three sodiumpolyacrylate SAP grades, and three nonwoven fabrics were screened sequentially according to optical transmittance, SAPmorphology and absorption behavior, fabric absorptivity, SAP-fiber integration, and qualitative seven-day surface-wetnessobservations. The selected configuration (S7 PE/SAP 3/GT-80) was then demonstrated using a 1 × 2 m2 outdoor prototypeand compared with conventional wet burlap curing. The blanket-cured concrete produced a numerical mean core strengthof 36.5 …

A Review Of Data Interoperability As A Barrier To Non-Residential Building Energy Policy: Evidence From Ireland, Ankur Mitra, Kriti Bhalla, Ciara Ahern

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Non-residential buildings account for a significant share of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions across the EU, yet evidence-based policy development remains hindered by fragmented and non-interoperable building data systems. This study evaluates the suitability of publicly available electronic datasets for characterising Ireland’s non-residential building stock and supporting bottom-up energy modelling in the context of the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2024/1275/EU).A systematic scoping review of national government and institutional datasets was conducted using an adapted PRISMA-ScR approach. The analysis identified the national Energy Performance Certificate database and GeoDirectory as the only datasets with sufficient scale and detail …

Modeling The Proton Irradiation Resilience Of Perovskite Solar Cells, Ming Lang Tseng, Emad A.A. Ismail, Nima Ghadiri, Fuad A. Awwad

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

This study introduces a semiclassical modeling for the impact of proton irradiation on two perovskite solar cell structures: FA_0.7Cs_0.3Pb(I_0.9Br_0.1)₃/C₆₀ and Cs_0.01MA_0.01FA_0.98PbI₃/P3HT using coupled current-continuity and rate equations linked to irradiation-induced defect-generation rate. Results reveal a strong dependence of radiation response on perovskite composition. Proton irradiation can induce both ionizing and displacement damage in perovskite solar cells leading to vacancy and defect generation. The result is increased recombination and degradation of performance parameters (reduced fill factor and efficiency) or, otherwise, annihilation of …

In Vitro Efficiency Analysis Of Different Β-Tri-Calcium Phosphate And Hydroxyapatite Doped Bacterial Cellulose-Polyvinylpyrrolidone Composite Hydrogel For Bone Tissue Repair, Probal Basu, Nabanita Saha, Radostina Alexandrova, Boika Andonova Lilova, Maya Argirova, Petr Saha

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The study emphasizes an in-depth in vitro efficiency analysis of bacterial cellulose (BC)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) composite hydrogel scaffolds which are doped with different concentrations of β-tri-calcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite (HA). The hydrogels are prepared with the natural polymer, BC, and synthetic polymer, PVP. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is also used as an anti-cytotoxic agent and agar is used as a gelling agent. β-TCP and HA were given in the ratio (w/w): 20:80 (BC-PVP- β-TCP/HA_20:80), 40:60 (BC-PVP-β-TCP/HA_40:60), 50:50 (BC-PVP-β-TCP/HA_50:50). In vitro efficacy of the different tri-calcium phosphate (β-TCP) and hydroxyapatite BC-PVP composite hydrogel scaffolds are analyzed through comparative analysis of the cell …

Simulation Of Ion Migration In Perovskite Solar Cells At Elevated Temperature And Voltage Levels, Ali Hajjiah, Nima Ghadiri

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

A coupled modeling approach based on Sah-Noyce-Shockley theory has been developed to simulate the ion migration in perovskite solar cells under elevated temperature and bias levels. The model considers the migration of cations (MA⁺) and anions (I⁻) across the structure of a MAPbI₃ solar cell (TiO₂/Perovskite/Spiro) demonstrating how at elevated temperature and applied voltage levels, the ion can migrate with different speed and the ion concentration profiles can influence the device performance parameters. Results reveal that low-energy ions migrate rapidly toward the interfaces under forward or reverse bias, with cation concentrations reaching ∼10 …

Fluid Dynamics Of A Microfluidic Micromixer–Micropump Driven By Adjacent Micro Synthetic Jets, Delara Soltani, Tim Persoons, Sajad Alimohammadi

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Efficient mixing at the microscale remains a significant challenge in microfluidic systems due to the dominance of laminar flow and the consequent limitation of convective transport. Synthetic jets, generated by the oscillatory motion of a diaphragm within a cavity, produce a zero net mass flux while imparting periodic momentum to the surrounding fluid, thereby enabling localised flow perturbation and vortex generation that can substantially enhance mixing and mass transfer in microchannels. In this study, a pair of adjacent micro synthetic jets (AMSJs) is positioned perpendicularly to a microchannel to investigate their potential as a novel micropump-mixer. The vectoring effect of …

Health And Environmental Consequences Of Blue Light Exposure And Mitigation Strategies: A Review, Dr Hani Alkhatib, Brian Norton

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Blue light is a natural component of the visible spectrum that has a fundamental role in regulating circadian rhythms, visual performance, mood, and daytime alertness. In modern environments, however, exposure patterns have shifted due to widespread use of artificial lighting and digital devices. Artificial blue light exposure can be mistimed relative to the biological night. This literature review examines the consequences of inappropriately timed artificial blue light exposure. Specifically, the review covers: (i) the spectral biology of blue light and its role in circadian entrainment; (ii) the timing-, intensity-, and duration-dependent effects on human sleep, ocular health, mood, and metabolic …

Library Guide Assessment Standards For Quality-Checked Review Workbook, Sarah H. Moukhliss, Trina Mccowan Adams

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

This OER workbook introduces the Library Guide Assessment Standards (LGAS), a practical, rubric-based framework for evaluating and improving LibGuides. Adapted from established online course quality models, LGAS provides a shared language for reviewing guide design, accessibility, usability, and maintenance. Designed for both individuals and teams, this workbook offers adaptable tools that support consistent, sustainable assessment in academic library contexts.

Converging Demands, Diverging Experiences: Gendered Leadership In The Australian Mining, Oil And Gas Sector During A Prolonged Crisis, Michael Mayom Ajith, Andrei Alexander Lux, Michelle Striepe, Tim Bentley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose: Effective leadership during a prolonged crisis requires significant emotional and moral labour. Prior literature has examined gendered differences in leadership behaviour and performance during a crisis, yet less is known about how leaders experience gendered expectations during a prolonged crisis. This study therefore examines gender differences in middle-level leaders’ experiences during a protracted crisis in the Australian extractive industry.

Design/methodology/approach: The authors used a sequential qualitative design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 middle-level leaders in the Australian mining, oil and gas industry. The full data set was first analysed thematically to establish a broad account of leadership experiences. …

On The Surface: The Mural Of Shireen Abu Akleh As Space For Encounter, Saja Abd El Hai

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines a mural of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the city of Baqa al-Gharbiya as a site of political encounter. Rather than approaching the mural solely as a commemorative image, the study analyzes how it generated a series of interactions through acts of creation, defacement, restoration, performance, and digital circulation. Drawing on scholarship in visual culture, graffiti studies, and political theory, I argue that the mural operates as a gendered space of political encounter through which grief, resistance, and national identity are negotiated in public space. Methodologically, the project combines visual and contextual analysis with rhetorical criticism, …

Two Cheers For Cox V. Sony, James Gibson

Law Faculty Publications

There’s a lot to dislike about the Supreme Court’s opinion in Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment. It mischaracterizes, oversimplifies, and ignores precedent. It fails to engage with important arguments. It mangles the meaning of “intent.” And it introduces uncertainty into the workings of secondary liability across other intellectual property regimes.

For these reasons, the decision doesn’t deserve three cheers. But it deserves two. Because in two important ways, the Supreme Court has succeeded. First, the opinion fixes some misguided appellate court holdings by articulating a relatively workable standard for future copyright cases involving secondary liability. Second, despite …