Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Transmission Thresholds Across Multiple Scales On The Spread Of Chronic Wasting Disease In Wisconsin, Jen Mcclure

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wildlife diseases can be difficult to control once they are established. This is especially true when they spread through contact with infectious material left in the environment. One such disease is chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal illness affecting deer and related species in North America and other regions. CWD is caused by prions, misfolded proteins that can remain infectious for years after shedding by infected hosts.

Recent research shows that CWD infection does not always follow from the gradual accumulation of prions through small contact events. Rather, an individual may need to encounter a certain prion dose all at …

From Mechanisms To Management: Implications Of Biogeochemical Controllers And Land Management For Soil Carbon Cycling And Storage, Savannah R. Adkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Climate change and its cascading effects are driven by increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). Many climate solutions exists to remove this excess carbon (C) from the atmosphere, and soils, in particular, represent one of the few win-win solutions. Soils play a vital role in the global C cycle because they store more C than plants and the atmosphere combined, however, they also release more CO₂ annually than fossil fuel combustion (a major contributor to accelerating climate change). Therefore, preventing CO₂ loss from soil could help slow the progression of climate change, and increasing overall soil …

Utilizing Diatoms In Wastewater Treatment For Pollutant Removal, Ceaira D. Howard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wastewater treatment systems are increasingly challenged by a complex mix of pollutants including excess nutrients, organic dyes, and persistent chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Conventional treatment technologies often struggle to effectively and affordably remove these contaminants. This study explores the use of two diatom species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Navicula cryptocephala var. veneta, both single-celled microalgae with silica-based cell walls, as an environmentally sustainable approach to tertiary wastewater treatment. Diatoms offer dual functionality through surface adsorption properties and metabolic flexibilities, making them promising candidates for integrated treatment strategies.

To test the trophic flexibilities of diatoms, P. tricornutum was …

Machine Learning Applications: Cell Tracking And Nonparametric Estimation Of Non-Smooth Divergences, Mina Mahbub Hossain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This thesis brings together two important research directions: how to compare different sets of data more accurately, and how to better understand how brain cancer cells move and change shape.

In the first part, we look at a problem in statistics: measuring how different two data sources are from each other. Traditional methods often make strong assumptions, which may not always hold in real situations. Our approach avoids those assumptions by using an ensemble method, a way of combining many weak estimators into one stronger result. This makes the method more flexible and reliable, especially when dealing with complex or …

Integrating Manager Perspectives Into The Evaluation Of Wetland Revegetation Strategies, Loren F. Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ecological restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded and is dependent on complex and context-specific decisions. The decision-making process influencing restoration is rarely examined alongside ecological processes. There is a need for research that incorporates the social, economic, institutional, and logistical considerations that shape real-world practices, as well as ecological processes. Decisions made by restoration practitioners and land managers (hereon “manager”) are challenged by the lack of information shared regarding the practical constraints (e.g., cost, labor, specialized equipment) they face. Revegetation, particularly in wetlands, poses challenges due to site conditions and degradation …

Social Media Mining For Extracting The Experience Of Neurodivergent Individuals On Twitter (X) And Reddit, Kartik Thakkar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Neurodiversity refers to the natural neurological variations in the human brain such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome and other neurological disorders. it’s estimated that around 15% to 20% of the world’s population is neurodivergent. This means a significant portion of people experience neurological differences in how they think, learn, and interact with the world.

Social Media has become an important space for neurodivergent individuals to share their experiences, build communities, and seek support. This thesis explores how the online venues like X (Twitter) and Reddit offer themselves as digital spaces where …

Engineered An Ultrasmall Curcumin Oral Nanoformulation Restores Intestinal Integrity And Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis, Vivek Sharma, Prateeksha Prateeksha, Balwant Paliya, Sateesh Gupta, Sarvendra Singh, Anand Anunay, Sushil Agrahari, Shailendra Singh, Chandana Rao, Saroj Barik, Brahma Singh

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Antibiotic therapy for bacterial infections often disrupts gut microbiota (GM) and intestinal integrity, inducing chronic inflammation and inflammatory bowel diseases. An effective therapeutic intervention is urgently needed to alleviate the aforementioned adverse effects of antibiotics. Curcumin (CUR) reveals great potential to restore intestinal integrity and GM dysbiosis due to its strong antiinflammatory and prebiotic effects. However, the weak solubility and stability of CUR result in limited bioavailability and a short half-life, which restricts its clinical uses. An ultra-small CUR oral nanoformulation was created using a carboxylated galactomannan (cGM), facilitated by hydrogen bonding between the phenolic hydroxyl groups of CUR and …

Elevated Serum Bile Acids Predict Poor Liver Outcomes In Children With Alagille Syndrome: Results From The Gala Study Group., Carla Fiorella Murillo Perez, Shannon M. Vandriel, Emmanuel M. Gonzales, Jian-She Wang, Li-Ting Li, Huiyu She, Irena Jankowska, Piotr Czubkowski, Dorota Gliwicz-Miedzińska, Emmanuel Jacquemin, Jérôme Bouligand, Lorenzo D'Antiga, Emanuele Nicastro, Björn Fischler, Henrik Arnell, Susan M. Siew, Michael Stormon, Kathleen M. Loomes, David A. Piccoli, Elizabeth B. Rand, James E. Squires, Saul J. Karpen, Rene Romero, Mureo Kasahara, Zerrin Önal, Étienne Sokal, Tanguy Demaret, Sabina Wiecek, Florence Lacaille, Dominique Debray, Winita Hardikar, Sahana Shankar, Pamela L. Valentino, Shikha S. Sundaram, Noelle H. Ebel, Jeffrey A. Feinstein, Orith Waisbourd-Zinman, Henry C. Lin, Nathalie Rock, Henkjan J. Verkade, M Kyle Jensen, Catalina Jaramillo, Kyung Mo Kim, Seak Hee Oh, Jernej Brecemiclj, Seema Alam, Giuseppe Indolfi, Niviann Blondet, Rima Fawaz, Silvia Nastasio, Pier Luigi Calvo, Gabriella Nebbia, Cigdem Arikan, Catherine Larson-Nath, Andréanne N. Zizzo, Thomas Damgaard Sandahl, Christos Tzivinikos, Nehal M. El-Koofy, Mohamed A. Elmonem, Amal A. Aqul, Wikrom Karnsakul, Pinar Bulut, Nanda Kerkar, Victorien M. Wolters, Amin J. Roberts, Helen M. Evans, Maria Camila Sanchez, Maria Lorena Cavalieri, Deirdre A. Kelly, Jane Hartley, Way Seah Lee, Christina Hajinicolaou, Chatmanee Lertudomphonwanit, Ryan T. Fischer, Jesus Quintero Bernabeu, Ruben E. Quiros-Tejeira, Cristina Targa Ferreira, Elisa Carvalho, John Eshun, Aglaia Zellos, Antal Dezsőfi, Raquel Borges Pinto, Kathleen Schwarz, Maria Rogalidou, Jennifer Garcia, María Legarda Tamara, Marisa Beretta, Quais Mujawar, Ermelinda Santos-Silva, Cristina Molera Busoms, Eberhard Lurz, Cristina Gonçalves, Carolina Jimenez-Rivera, Jesus M. Banales, Richard J. Thompson, Bettina E. Hansen, Binita M. Kamath, Global Alagille Alliance (Gala) Study Group

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is a rare disorder characterised by cholestasis and extrahepatic manifestations. Given the current era of ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor therapies that reduce serum bile acid (SBA) levels, we evaluated whether SBA predicts liver disease outcomes in ALGS.

METHODS: Patients were ascertained from the Global ALagille Alliance (GALA) cohort. A prognostic threshold of SBA 102 μmol/L was assessed as a time-dependent covariate in Cox regression analyses for native liver survival (NLS) and event-free survival (EFS), while adjusting for total bilirubin (TB) levels.

RESULTS: 570 GALA patients were included (348 [61%] male). There was …

The Impact Of Social Media Use On Postpartum Depression, Jaila Randle

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious form of depression that affects one in eight women. Symptoms include feeling sad all the time, being anxious, and having trouble bonding with their child. As social media sites like Facebook and Twitter become more important for moms to find support and health information, it has become a public health concern to learn how they affect mental health after giving birth. This literature review explores the positive and negative impacts of social media use on postpartum depression among mothers. A systematic search identified peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2025. Studies were selected using …

Acceptability Of Corticosteroid Use In The Treatment Of Infant Bronchiolitis: Utilizing The Theoretical Framework Of Acceptability To Design Research Instruments, Caroline R. Smetanka

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants under six months, yet treatment remains largely supportive due to clinical guidelines that discourage pharmacologic intervention. Recent research suggests that bronchiolitis is not a uniform condition, and a subgroup of infants (those classified within “Profile A”) may benefit from targeted corticosteroid therapy. However, these treatments remain outside current clinical guidelines, and their successful adoption depends on stakeholder acceptability. This Capstone project developed and refined four data collection instruments- two questionnaires and two interview guides- designed to assess how healthcare providers and caregivers perceive the acceptability of corticosteroid treatment for Profile A …

Utilization Of Tricare’S Childbirth And Breastfeeding Support Demonstration: Access To Lactation Services Among Military Families, Holly Johnson

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

In January 2022, the Department of Defense launched a five-year pilot program called the TRICARE Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration. This demonstration aimed to cover lactation services for Tricare beneficiaries. This project included an electronic survey and was created and completed by 577 participants. Eligible participants needed to have given birth in the last 24 months and have TRICARE as their primary insurance. Participants completed this survey to help understand if they were aware of lactation benefits, if they utilized the service, and if it improved their breastfeeding experience.

Out of the 577 participants, 485 were eligible for the project. …

The Effectiveness Of Interventions In Reducing Sexually Transmitted Infections Among African American Adolescents: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Brandy M. Leaver

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

In the United States, an estimated 20 million new sexually transmitted infections occur annually, with half of the cases occurring in adolescents. The infection rate among African American adolescents is four times higher than that among white adolescents. Although many types of interventions exist, few are specifically designed for African American adolescents. In conducting this comprehensive literature review and synthesis, I examined the effectiveness of existing interventions in creating behavioral change among African American adolescents by applying the health belief model to interpret and organize the findings. The databases PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched on October 1, 2025. …

Linking Training To Confidence: A Literature Review On Advancing Nutrition Environments In Child Care Programs, Jeanne M. Vanorsdal

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

This comprehensive literature review examined child care nutrition training interventions using the Health Belief Model (HBM) to understand how to increase providers’ ability to serve nutritious food. By analyzing HBM constructs such as perceived severity, benefits, and barriers, the review assessed how training influences provider abilities and identified barriers and facilitators to consistently offering healthy meals and snacks. Studies were 1) published in English; 2) research conducted in the United States; 3) population involved home-based or center-based child care providers caring for children from birth to age 5; 4) articles published from January 1, 2015, to October 5, 2025; 5) …

Reducing Sleep-Related Infant Deaths In Douglas County, Lauren J. Maskin

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Douglas County, including the city of Omaha, covers 339.6 square miles along the border of the Missouri River in Nebraska with a population of 517,110 (https://www.douglascounty-ne.gov/) and is one of seven large urban counties in the state. There are approximately 8,000 infants born in Douglas County annually (Nebraska Vital Statistics Birth Dashboard). The Douglas County Health Department (DCHD), established in 1854, is one of the oldest county health departments in the state and manages multiple public health projects annually. In 2024-2025, a renewed focus for DCHD has been its infant mortality rate (IMR). In 2024, 44 infant mortalities occurred in …

Threshold Sites Of Encounter: Dialogic (Place) Making To Enable Cross-Cultural Community Development—Lessons From Tuti Island, Khartoum, Sudan, Ioana Popovici, Robert Brown

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This text explores a possibility for extending our thinking on enacting dialogical placemaking and its potential to contribute to cross-cultural exchange through co-joining making and place as threshold sites of encounter. Advancing our knowledge and practice of dialogical placemaking and cross-cultural interaction is significant owing to the increasing presence of cultural differences, and with it economic, environmental, and social disparities, in an ever-increasingly globalized world. To advance this intention, this text will, through qualitative research, critically reflect upon the experience of a postgraduate Design Studio project based around the regeneration of an urban community situated in Khartoum, Sudan. Preliminary conclusions …

Hiring Expectations For New And Future Workers In Animal Genetics Careers, Meghan C. Wulster-Radcliffe, James N. Macleod, Robert J. Coleman, John S. Radcliffe, Rebekah B. Epps, Carol D. Hanley, Cheyenne S. Summers, Steven A. Zinn, Sarah A. Reed

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

To better align educational outcomes with workforce demands in animal and equine genetics, this study surveyed 65 industry professionals on entry-level competencies, hiring trends, and graduate preparedness of undergraduate students. The survey assessed employer ratings on the importance and perceived proficiency of seven core competencies: critical thinking, communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism, career/self-development, and equity/inclusion, as well as technical knowledge and broader skills relevant to animal breeding and genetics. Results revealed oral communication, teamwork, and work ethic were rated as the most critical transferable skills, though notable proficiency gaps persist, particularly in leadership and professionalism. Foundational technical knowledge in genetics, molecular …

Protein Structural Modeling Explains Rapid Oxidation In Poultry And Fish Myoglobins Compared To Livestock Myoglobins, Greeshma Sreejesh, Surendranath P. Suman, Gretchen G. Mafi, Morgan M. Pfeiffer, Ranjith Ramanathan

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: This study aimed to investigate rapid oxidation in poultry and fish myoglobin compared to livestock myoglobin using protein structural differences and bioinformatics tools. Methods: Myoglobins from beef (Bos taurus), bison (Bos bison), sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra hircus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), pork (Sus scrofa), chicken (Gallus gallus), turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were analyzed to understand differences in structure and function that may influence oxidative behavior. Results: Fish and poultry had shorter or absent D-helix in their myoglobin structure than other species. Tilapia showed the largest heme cavity surface area, indicating significant …

Temporal Endocrine And Hematological Consequences Of Biological Extremes In Porcine Birth Weight, Alyssa A. Smith, Dayeon Jeon, Kaylyn Rudy, Sarah Innis, J. Scott Radcliffe, J. Alex Pasternak

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

To characterize the potential long-term impact of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), we assessed the endocrine and hematological consequences of IUGR at birth and in the early postnatal period. Piglets (n = 911) were collected pre-suckling, weighed, and blood sampled, with rectal temperatures assessed two hours later, and sampling repeated at 20 days of age (D20). A subset of piglets was classified as IUGR (n = 92) or large for gestational age (LGA; n = 92) based on birthweight. At birth, IUGR piglets had decreased T3 and T4 relative to LGA, which may be associated with concomitantly decreased rectal temperatures. T4 …

Career Readiness Competencies Among First-Generation Undecided Students And Their Parents In The United States, Nicole M. Kotlan, Evan W. Faidley

Journal of Global Education and Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between first-generation status and the value of career readiness competencies of first-generation undecided students (n = 106) and their parents (n = 178), explored through social cognitive career theory and Bourdieu’s theory of habitus and social and cultural capital. A non-experimental design using a non-random sample revealed, through an independent t-test, statistically significant differences in global/intercultural competency among students based on their first-generation status. The results of a multiple linear regression analysis suggest that parents’ values are associated with students’ values and professionalism/work ethic; however, no relationship was …

The Transition Zone Hypothesis On Biodiversity Of The Indian River Lagoon System, Florida, Richard L. Turner

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Indian River Lagoon System (IRL) is regarded as having a high level of biodiversity. The level of biodiversity is often attributed in part to the 2-degree latitudinal span (251 km) of the IRL and to its position in a transitional zone between tropical and temperate biotic provinces. This hypothesis was tested for submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) based on a recent treatise (Littler, Littler, and Hanisak, 2008). Five of seven species of seagrass are tropical, and two have either a broad or very narrow latitudinal distribution; the transition-zone hypothesis does not hold for seagrasses. Most macroalgae (131 spp.) are tropical/subtropical; …

Evaluation Of Ramp Instead Of Forage During Grain Adaptation And Different Sorghum Varieties On Enteric Methane Production From Cattle, Jack T. Fort

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of RAMP (Cargill Corn Milling, Blair, Nebraska) compared with traditional forage-based adaptations on methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, performance, and carcass characteristics. Experiment 1, 64 yearling British × Continental steers (initial BW = 423 ± 6 kg) were adapted using 100% RAMP (RAMP) or a traditional forage diet (CON; 43% forage) before transitioning 22 d to a common finishing diet containing 65.6% steam-flaked corn. Emissions were measured in paired replications using a two-chamber indirect calorimetry barn. During adaptation RAMP did not affect CH₄ production (g/d; …

Investigation Of Changes In Exotic Bird Serum Vitamin D Levels Between Indoor And Outdoor Housing, Alexander J. Marley

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is directly related to sunlight and is involved in multiple physiological processes including calcium metabolism, feather quality, and chick development. Most vertebrate species are capable of both absorption of exogenous vitamin D and internal synthesis of vitamin D, with vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), being more accessible and bioactive in bird species. In exotic bird species, dietary requirements for vitamin D3 are largely unknown, and the ability to maintain adequate serum concentrations of vitamin D3 metabolites without direct sunlight exposure also requires evaluation. Concerns arise in situations where individuals may be housed indoors for extended …

Genomic And Functional Characterisation Of Endophytic Bacterium Bacillus Cereus Strain E1 Alleviating Salt Stress And Enhancing Tomato Physiology And Spectral Indices, Balamurugan Sadaiappan, Tanveer Alam Khan, Qurban Ali, Sulamita Santos Correa, Mahideen Afridi, Soumaya Tounsi Hammami, Munawwar Ali Khan, Sunil Mundra

All Works

Mangroves in arid environments represent unique ecological niches that support a diverse range of microorganisms. Endophytic bacteria residing within host plants play a crucial role in promoting plant growth by enhancing pathogen resistance and alleviating environmental stress. Identifying novel stress-tolerant strains, specific to arid environments, is essential for expanding the repertoire of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). In this study, we investigated the saline tolerance of the endophytic bacterium strain E1, previously isolated from the root of Avicenna marina (grey mangrove). Whole-genome sequence (WGS), phylogenetics and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis were performed. The strain exhibited high salinity tolerance, growing in …

Loss Of The Lysosomal Protein Cln3 Triggers C-Abl-Dependent Yap1 Pro-Apoptotic Signaling, Neuza Domingues, Alessia Calcagni', Sofia Freire, Joana Pires, Ricardo Casqueiro, Ivan L Salazar, Niculin Joachim Herz, Tuong Huynh, Katarzyna Wieciorek, Tiago Fleming Outeiro, Henrique Girão, Ira Milosevic, Andrea Ballabio, Nuno Raimundo

Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications

Batten disease is characterized by early-onset blindness, juvenile dementia and death within the second decade of life. The most common genetic cause are mutations in CLN3, encoding a lysosomal protein. Currently, no therapies targeting disease progression are available, largely because its molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. To understand how CLN3 loss affects cellular signaling, we generated human CLN3 knock-out cells (CLN3-KO) and performed RNA-seq analysis. Our multi-dimensional analysis reveals the transcriptional regulator YAP1 as a key factor in remodeling the transcriptome in CLN3-KO cells. YAP1-mediated pro-apoptotic signaling is also increased as a consequence of CLN3 functional loss in retinal pigment …

Electrochemical Aspect Of Protection Reinforced Steel Bar By Copper Coating Via Modified Rolling Technique, Sana Hameed, Rana Anaee, Ahmed Al-Ghaban, Hussain Yousif

Journal of Applied Sciences and Nanotechnology

This study investigates the corrosion resistance of copper-coated reinforcing steel bars embedded in concrete and exposed to a simulated marine environment for (28, 56, and 90 days) at temperatures of (298, 308, and 318 Kelvin). A novel thermal spray technique was integrated into the hot rolling process to deposit copper powder onto heated steel bars. The coated bars were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), revealing a dense, uniform microstructure with reduced surface roughness (63.99 nm) and increased particle density (〖30.2 ×10〗^6 particles/mm²) compared to the uncoated steel bar. …

Assembling Life From Death: Examining The Archaeological Fauna Of Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse’S Past To Preserve Biodiversity For The Future, Victoria Sherwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project utilizes an assemblage of faunal remains from a precontact midden at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse archaeological site in northern Palm Beach County, Florida. The assemblage was identified and analyzed through the lenses of resource use and paleoenvironmental changes. The Indigenous groups in the area heavily utilized estuarine resources such as fish and marine turtles. The archaeological assemblage was compared to a modern survey of species present at the site. The species identified in the precontact collection are present in the surrounding area today. The archaeological assemblage matching up with modern species speaks to the success of Loxahatchee River …

Antipsychotic Misuse: A Silent But Growing Public Health Hazard, Sumeet Bhardwaj, Karisma Pathak, Myra Mclenon, Steven Spector, Kevin Tu

Student Publications

Antipsychotic drugs are essential in the management of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric illnesses, but their use is closely linked to cardiometabolic side effects. Cardiometabolic side effects include weight gain, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Mechanisms of cardiometabolic side effects involve disruption of the central nervous system’s ability to regulate appetite, peripheral metabolic effects, which are changes in metabolism outside the CNS, and receptor-level interactions, with second-generation antipsychotics generally posing a greater risk than first-generation agents. This review addresses current evidence on the cardiometabolic consequences of antipsychotic therapy, increasing inappropriate off-label use of antipsychotic drugs, …

Fam13a Polymorphism Is Associated With A Usual Interstitial Pneumonia Pattern In Patients With Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease, Elana J Bernstein, Francesco Boin, Brett Elicker, Yiming Luo, Yawen Ren, Meng Zhang, John Varga, Shervin Assassi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: The MUC5B promoter single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs35705950 has been associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and RA-related interstitial lung disease (ILD), but not with SSc-ILD. We hypothesized that the MUC5B promoter polymorphism or other IPF susceptibility loci are associated with an increased risk for the uncommon SSc-usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) endophenotype, rather than SSc-ILD in general.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of SSc-ILD patients from four US Scleroderma Programs to investigate the frequency of MUC5B rs35705950 and 12 additional IPF susceptibility loci. SSc-ILD patients were stratified by high resolution chest CT (HRCT) imaging findings into UIP and …

Nocturnal Oxygen Therapy For Central Sleep Apnea In Patients With Heart Failure: A Multisite, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial (Loft-Hf), Susan Redline, Dongdong Li, Shahrokh Javaheri, Sanjay R Patel, Sairam Parthasarathy, James C Fang, Lee K Brown, Mark Dunlap, M Safwan Badr, Neomi Shah, Luqi Chi, Ruckshanda Majid, Mihaela Teodorescu, Garrick Stewart, Eileen Hsich, Tamar Polonsky, Justin Vader, Maryl R Johnson, Dennis Auckley, Henry Klar Yaggi, Andrew Kao, Ali Azarbarzin, Raichel Alex, Michael Rueschman, Lisa Wolfe, Daniel J Gottlieb, Scott A Sands, Phyllis C Zee, Reena Mehra, Babak Mokhlesi, Rami Khayat, Eldrin F Lewis, William T Abraham, Rui Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rationale: There are insufficient data to inform the management of central sleep apnea (CSA) in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Nocturnal oxygen therapy (NOT) has been postulated to benefit CSA patients with HFrEF but has not been rigorously studied. Objectives: To compare NOT with sham NOT (control) in heart failure (HF) patients receiving guideline-based HF therapy on the composite outcome of first occurrence of either mortality due to any cause, a lifesaving cardiovascular intervention, or an unplanned hospitalization for worsening HF, together with other secondary outcomes.

Methods: A multisite, double-blind, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted …

Allogeneic Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells For Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Trial., Mya C Schiess, Jessika Suescun, Juan D Martinez-Lemus, Charles Green, Tia S Thomas, Mohammad Shahnawaz, Emily Tharp, Nikunj B Satani, Jerome G Saltarrelli, Christopher Adams, Marie-Francoise Doursout, Vanessa Thyne, Rula Abuamouneh, Elsa M Rodarte, Sean I Savitz, Timothy M Ellmore

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Neuroinflammation contributes to Parkinson's disease (PD) progression and motor dysfunction. Allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cells (allo-hMSCs) may reduce neuroinflammation and improve motor symptoms.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of repeated intravenous doses of 10 × 106/kg allo-hMSCs in improving motor symptoms in patients with PD (PwP).

Methods: In this phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (November 2020-July 2023), mild-to-moderate PwP received either three allo-hMSC infusions, one placebo followed by two allo-hMSC infusions, or three placebo infusions at 18-week intervals. Follow-up lasted 88 weeks. The primary outcome was a >70% posterior probability (PP) of a difference in the proportion of participants …