Digital Commons Network^™

Body Mass Index, Prebiotic Supplementation During Pregnancy And Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Risk: An Effect Modification Analysis From A Randomised Controlled Trial, Rachelle A. Pretorius, Thomas R. Sullivan, Summer V.M. Walker, Johan Garssen, Jeffrey A. Keelan, Desiree Silva, Susan L. Prescott, Debra J. Palmer

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Prebiotic dietary supplementation has been shown to improve glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes patients. The aim of this analysis was to determine whether pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) modifies the effect of prebiotic supplementation from mid-pregnancy on reducing the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: In a double-blinded, randomised controlled trial, pregnant women < 21 gestational weeks were randomly assigned (1:1) to consume daily prebiotics (14.2 g galacto-oligosaccharides and fructo-oligosaccharides) or placebo (8.7 g maltodextrin) powder. An effect modification analysis was performed to assess the heterogeneity of the effect of prebiotic supplementation in relation to pre-pregnancy BMI on GDM diagnosis. Results: Between June 2016 and November 2021, 329 women were assigned to the prebiotic group (50.4%), and 323 (49.5%) were assigned to the placebo group. Overall, 288 of 652 women (44.2%) were classified as overweight/obese prior to pregnancy (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). The distribution was balanced, with 146/329 (44.4%) randomised to the prebiotics group and 142/323 (44.0%) in the placebo group. Pre-pregnancy BMI modified the effect of prebiotic supplementation, with the intervention reducing GDM rates in women with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m^{2 …}

Characterization Of Droplet Size And Their Distribution Using Low Operating Conditions In A Rotary Bell Cup Spray-Field Via Shadowgraph, Murad Ali Channa, Mehdi Khiadani, Yasir M. Al-Abdeli

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study characterises droplet size and distribution across axial (x/D) and radial (r/D) locations in the spray field of a rotary bell-cup atomizer under low operating conditions. Shadowgraph was used to measure droplet size and distribution at 16 dimensionless locations in both directions. Two low rotational-speed ranges, 3–3.5 krpm (case I) and 8–8.5 krpm (case II), were achieved using shaping-air of 30–100 L/min under turning-air of 50 and 60 L/min, respectively, at a constant flow rate of 0.5 L/min. The Sauter mean droplet diameter ranged from ∼ 45–98 µm in case I and narrowed to ∼ 45–85 µm in case …

Acute Effects Of Accentuated Eccentric Loading On Mean Concentric Velocity During Resistance Training: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Jiahao Yang, Tsuyoshi Nagatani, Paul Comfort, Kristina L. Kendall, G. Gregory Haff

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) may acutely enhance the concentric (CON) barbell velocity after the additional eccentric (ECC) load is removed, however there are inconsistent results regarding the effectiveness of this practice within the scientific literature. Objective: The aims of the present study were to: (1) examine the acute effects of applying AEL, only on the first repetition of a set, on mean barbell velocity during the CON phase of the first 3 repetitions of the set and (2) investigate the influence of the magnitude of ECC load, loading differential and exercise selection on the acute effects of AEL. Methods: …

Co-Design And Feasibility Testing Of A Midwife-Led Birth Debrief: An Implementation Science Project, Kate Buchanan, Phoebe Backhouse, Leanne Graham, Amy O’Meagher, Sara Bayes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The period spanning pregnancy, birth and postpartum is characterised by psychosocial as well as physiological changes: many women experience new or worsening mental ill-health during the perinatal period. Midwives play a critical role in supporting and promoting psychosocial health by providing mental health education, counselling and screening. Often this includes a post-birth conversation, guided reflection, or debrief. Information about the effectiveness and experiences of specific and structured midwife-led birth debrief is scant. Aim: Our study aimed to assess the perceived effectiveness, experiences and implementability of a midwife-led birth debriefing intervention in one Australian maternity unit. Methods: A Type II …

Thermophysical Characteristics Evaluation Of Carbon And Metal Oxide-Based Hybrid Phase Change Materials For Thermal Energy Storage Applications, Utpol K. Paul, Md Shahriar Mohtasim, Md Golam Kibria, Barun K. Das

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Phase change materials (PCM) have limited practical applications due to their low heat conductivity. The main goal of this work is to improve the thermophysical properties of PCM by adding different compositions of hybrid carbon and metal oxide-based nanoparticles for incorporation into hybrid photovoltaic/thermal solar systems to accommodate the built environment and thermal energy storage as a building envelope for thermal comfort. Three types of nanoparticles have been selected including Graphene, Al2O3, and ZnO and synthesized samples with the combinations of 0.5 wt% Al2O3 + 2 wt% ZnO, 0.75 wt% Al2O3 + 2 wt% ZnO, 1 wt% Al2O3 + 2 …

Horizontal Regulatory Barriers In International Trade: Evidence From Electric Plugs, Yuan Mei, Mingzhi (Jimmy) Xu

Research Collection School Of Economics

Domestic policies regulating the horizontal dimensions of product differentiation can impede international trade and have become a major concern in contemporary trade negotiations. We estimate trade frictions associated with incompatible designs of electric plugs, a well-known example of a horizontal regulatory barrier. Our findings indicate that fewer electronic devices are exported to destinations with incompatible electric plugs, and this effect operates through both the extensive margin and the intensive margin of exports. These results are further corroborated by an online survey of Chinese electronics exporters. Moreover, incompatible plugs are associated with lower average quality of exported electronic devices, suggesting that …

Rad Dudes, Rude ‘Tude, And The Family, Too: How Nintendo And Sega Advertisements Shaped The Image Of Gaming In The 1990s, Megan Condis, Jess Morrissette

Political Science Faculty Research

The tale of the console wars of the 1990s, the stodgy, conservative, family-friendly Nintendo consoles waging an advertising war against the rebellious upstarts behind the Sega Genesis, has been told many times over. These histories are “typically a mix between summaries of factual data and interviews of the key actors who were part of the events” (Arsenault 2017, p. 9). However, there has been relatively little research taking a systematic approach to measuring the veracity of these narratives. This article aims to supplement those histories by examining an archive of 2,875 print video game advertisements spanning from 1989 to 1995. …

In-Hospital Mortality Patterns And Readmissions In Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Analysis Of The Role Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Saad Afzal Khan, Trishna Parikh, Adishwar Rao, Akriti Agrawal, Aarohi Parikh, Farah Kazzaz, Sarah Shin, Harry Karmouty-Quintana, Maulin Patel, Kha Dinh, Bela Patel, Bindu Akkanti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH). We aimed to understand the impact of PH on in-hospital mortality and quantify the 30-day readmission rate among patients with COPD. For this cross-sectional study, we used the Nationwide Readmissions Database from 2017-2020 to identify adults ≥18 years with COPD. Patients were stratified according to PH diagnosis. Baseline characteristics between groups were compared using the Pearson chi-square test and two-sample t-test. Predictors of in-hospital mortality were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for demographics and confounders. The 30-day readmission rate and prevalence of PH subgroups by baseline …

Medication Management And Caregiving Stress Or Benefit In Children With Medical Complexity., Casey O'Hare, Nicole Werner, Makenzie Morgen, Sophie Kooiman, James Feinstein, Michelle A. Chui, Gemma Warner, Anna Jolliff, Brittany Storhoff, Kristan Sondegren, Danielle Gerber, Jens Eickhoff, Ryan J. Coller

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

This study quantified medication management experiences for children with medical complexity and associations with caregiver stress or benefit. Using data from the MedS@HOME trial, involvement of professional caregivers was associated with increased caregiver benefit, and greater network collective efficacy was associated with increased caregiver benefit and decreased caregiver stress.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID NCT05816590.

Beyond Legacy Indices: A Critical Review Of The Modified Nemerow, Mean Enrichment Quotient, And Aggregated Multivariate Environmental Risk (Amer) Indices For Heavy Metal Pollution In Sediments, Md Shahnul Islam, Anjuman Ara

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Heavy metal pollution in sediments poses persistent ecological risks due to metal toxicity, bioaccumulation, and potential for remobilization. Legacy indices have been widely used for decades but suffer from fundamental flaws, including arbitrary background dependence, lack of grain-size normalization, and poor ecological relevance.

Objective: This review critically evaluates three emerging sediment pollution indices, the Modified Nemerow, Mean Enrichment Quotient (MEQ), and Aggregated Multivariate Environmental Risk (AMER) index, to assess their methodological advances and potential to replace legacy approaches.

Methods: A structured literature search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar (2010–2026). Using an adapted Birch framework, …

In-Process Large Language Model Requesting Through Knowledge Graphs For Interfacing With Manufacturing Digital Twins, Reiki Tanaya Karuka, Vinh Nguyen

Michigan Tech Publications

Digital twins (DTs) have potential to improve manufacturing processes by providing in-process monitoring and reducing trial-and-error while improving process prediction and performance. However, identifying anomalies or defects in a DT environment remains a very time intensive process that requires multidisciplinary expertise and significant manual effort in analyzing the system. Large language models (LLMs) offer potential capabilities to interpret system-level information and support user-driven querying, but their effectiveness is limited by hallucinations when reasoning over large and dynamic manufacturing datasets inherent to process monitoring DTs. Knowledge graphs (KGs) have emerged as efficient tools in the industrial domain to efficiently represent data …

The Hidden Heatwave: Thermal Hazards In The New York City Subway System, Abdou Rachid Bah, Maimuna Muntaha, Lenny L. Metlitsky, Cesar Pascal Vasquez, Tyler Ayala, Isaac Morel Lopez, Shaquan A. Larose, Kingston Ditsch, Kip Nielsen, Shaunak Sharma, Reginald U. Avila-Ortega Blake, Hamidreza I. Norouzi

Publications and Research

Underground transit systems (Subway) are susceptible to frequent heat waves, which pose serious health and safety risks to commuters and transit workers. Yet, the patterns and extent of temperature changes within the subway system remain insufficiently understood. To address this gap, we conducted a study of thermal variability across 112 subway stations in New York City. Temperature and relative humidity were measured at both platform and street levels. Results show that during the summer, 70% of subway stations had platform heat index higher than street level heat index. We also developed a machine learning forecasting model to predict platform-level temperatures. …

Bridg-Ics: Ai-Grounded Knowledge Graphs For Intelligent Threat Analytics In Industry 5.0 Cyber-Physical Systems, Padmeswari Nandiya, Ahmad Mohsin, Ahmed Ibrahim, Iqbal H. Sarker, Helge Janicke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Industry 5.0’s increasing integration of IT and OT systems is transforming industrial operations but also expanding the cyber–physical attack surface. Industrial Control Systems (ICS) face escalating security challenges as traditional siloed defenses fail to provide coherent, cross-domain threat insights. We present BRIDG-ICS (BRIDge for Industrial Control Systems), an AI-enriched Knowledge Graph (KG) framework for context-aware threat analysis and quantitative assessment of cyber resilience in smart manufacturing environments. BRIDG-ICS fuses heterogeneous industrial and cybersecurity data into an integrated Industrial Security Knowledge Graph linking assets, vulnerabilities, and adversarial behaviors with probabilistic risk metrics (e.g., exploit likelihood, attack cost). This unified graph representation …

Dataset For Integrity Attacks On Time Synchronized Synchrophasor Data, Taylah Griffiths, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Chadni Islam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Phasor measurement units, also known as synchrophasors, are a vital component within smart grids to determine the stability of the grid. These devices send synchrophasor data to phasor data concentrators that collate and analyse the data. Recently, synchrophasor communication data has become beneficial for the research community. However, datasets covering cyberattacks on synchrophasor data are not public. Having access to this data would aid in investigating mitigations against cyberattacks. This paper describes a public specialized dataset, known as ECU-PMU-FDI/TSA. The dataset contains synchrophasor communication data for cybersecurity mitigation testing. Three hours of communication data was captured, from a simulated testbed. …

Progression Of Non-Radiographic To Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Risk Model Based On A Chinese Cohort Study, Rui Ying Deng, Xiaojia Xu, Jian Hua Peng, Feng Cai Shen, Yao Gong, Dan Min Wang, Hong Jin Liang, Shu Xin Huang, Zhao Peng Chen, Wen Long Wu, Ze Xin Zheng, Ling Lin, Zhi Duo Hou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objectives: To evaluate the progression from non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) to radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) in a Chinese cohort, identify associated risk factors in both clinical and imaging arms, and enable risk stratification based on these factors. Methods: Overall, 572 patients with nr-axSpA were enrolled with a median follow-up of 5 years. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were conducted to identify potential risk factors associated with the progression from nr-axSpA to r-axSpA in both clinical and imaging arms. A risk-scoring system was then developed by assigning each independent predictor a weight based on its regression coefficient. Patients were subsequently categorized …

Cardiovascular Disease And Fracture Risk In People With Type 2 Diabetes: A Nationwide Matched Case–Control Study, Aksayan Arunanthy Mahalingasivam, Annika Vestergaard Kvist, Joop P. Van Den Bergh, Cassandra Smith, Joshua R. Lewis, Peter Vestergaard, Nicklas Højgaard Hessellund Rasmussen

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

To examine, among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D), whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) phenotypes and cardiovascular medications are associated with any fracture as the primary outcome and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) as a secondary outcome. Nationwide registry-based matched case–control study in Denmark (2013–2021) among people with T2D. Cases were individuals with T2D who sustained an incident fracture (n = 12,390), and controls were fracture-free individuals with T2D matched 1:3 by age, sex, T2D onset date, and weighted Charlson Comorbidity Index (n = 37,170). The exposures were overall CVD, prespecified clinical CVD phenotypes (acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke, heart failure, atrial …

Genetic Drivers Of Progression In Alzheimer’S Disease Are Distinct From Disease Risk, Celeste E. Cohen, Shane Fernandez, Umran Yaman, Ahmad R. Ehyaei, Eleftheria Kodosaki, Aydan Askarova, Tenielle Porter, Eleanor O’Brien, Paul Maruff, Alexi Nott, John A. Hardy, Simon M. Laws, Dervis A. Salih, Maryam Shoai

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Recent trials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) demonstrate encouraging outcomes. These trials target risk mechanisms identified through genetic analysis whilst directly aiming to reduce progression rates. Evidence from other neurodegenerative diseases suggests the genetics of progression is distinct from risk of disease. To expand these initial successes and improve clinical outcomes further we need to understand genetics of progression of disease. These can be deduced through rigorous analysis of meticulously phenotyped longitudinal cohorts. In this study we first looked at known genetic drivers of risk, namely polygenic risk scores for AD and APOE‑ε4, to assess their role in progression. This …

Methylated Cfdna May Distinguish Between High- And Intermediate-Risk Uveal Melanoma: A Pilot Study, Mike Wu, Daniël P. De Bruyn, Ruben G. Boers, Aaron B. Beasley, Daan M. Hazelaar, Stavros Makrodimitris, Joachim B. Boers, Jolanda Vaarwater, Ronald O.B. De Keizer, Robert M. Verdijk, Nicole C. Naus, Dion Paridaens, Saskia M. Wilting, Elin S. Gray, Wilfred F.J. Van Ijcken, Joost Gribnau, Annelies De Klein, Erwin Brosens, Emine Kiliç

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a metastatic risk that depends on the molecular subclass. This subclass can be determined through molecular characterization of tumor-derived tissue. With eye-sparing treatments, tumor tissue is rarely available for molecular testing. We hypothesized that minimal invasive biomarkers such as methylated cell-free DNA (cfDNA) or circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can be used for prognosis and monitoring of patients. Methods: Plasma cfDNA was isolated from healthy blood donors (HBDs, N = 19) and UM patients (N = 22). Plasma was collected at baseline (localized disease, N = 13) and during follow-up (metastatic …

Application Of The Paediatric Medical Traumatic Stress Model To The Mental Health Experience Of Young People Living With Type 1 Diabetes: A Qualitative Study, Rigel Paciente, Sara Coombs, Karen Lombardi, Helen Milroy, Keely Bebbington, Heather Roby, Craig E. Taplin, Nicole Wickens, Stella Rose, Alix Woolard

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Despite the various traumatic events that a young person living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) may experience, little is known about the burden and manifestation of traumatic stress in this population. Though mental health outcomes have been explored generally, medical trauma-sensitive approaches to understanding these experiences remain limited. We utilised a qualitative descriptive approach to explore the impact of T1D on young people’s mental health through the paediatric medical traumatic stress model (PMTS). Young people aged 13–30 living with T1D were interviewed. These interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Three main themes were generated: (1) perceived …

Body Composition And Muscle Health Changes After Providing Vascular Imaging Results In Older Adults: Secondary Analysis Of A Randomised Controlled Trial, Jack Dalla Via, Simone Radavelli-Bagatini, Marc Sim, Abadi K. Gebre, Catherine P. Bondonno, Kun Zhu, Shelby Mullin, John T. Schousboe, Richard J. Woodman, Markus P. Schlaich, Moira Sim, Pawel Szulc, Douglas P. Kiel, Wai H. Lim, Robin M. Daly, Jonathan M. Hodgson, Joshua R. Lewis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Provision of vascular imaging results has been investigated to prompt changes towards healthy lifestyle behaviours, but effects on body composition and muscle health are unknown. Aim: This secondary analysis of a 12-week parallel-group randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to explore body composition and muscle health effects of providing healthy lifestyle education (Ed) with and without abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) results. Methods: A total of 240 Australian community-dwelling older men and women (mean ± SD age 68 ± 5 years; 58% female; 57.1% with evidence of AAC) were randomised to AAC + Ed (n = 121) or Control + Ed …

Over A Century Of Global Decline In The Growth Performance Of Marine Fishes, Helen F. Yan, Hannah V. Watkins, Alexandre C. Siqueira, David R. Bellwood

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Human-driven pressures are causing large-scale changes in the ecologies and life histories of fishes. Growth performance is a composite life-history trait that captures the trade-off between two fundamental traits: growth and body size. Here, we assess the impacts of fishing and temperature on the growth performance of marine teleost fishes globally over the last century. Using 7683 growth curves encompassing 1479 species, we find a global pattern of decline in growth performance from 1908 onwards, with the greatest declines in commercially valuable fishes. Indeed, managed fisheries experienced a 9% decline in growth performance over the last century, which can equate …

Adding A Weight To Constrain The Trunk Increases Knee Joint Kinetics During Sidestep Cutting In Female Athletes, Daniel Kadlec, J. Jordan, Jacqueline Alderson, Sophia Nimphius

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sidestep cutting exposes the knee to high multiplanar loads that both challenge tissue capacity and provide an opportunity to develop resilience through progressive exposure. This study investigated task constraints applied at the trunk and preparatory step and changes in lower-body joint kinetics associated with ACL injury risk during sidestepping in female athletes. Twenty-one trained female athletes performed six sidestep conditions: pre-planned and unplanned sidesteps, each with and without trunk (holding ~ 5–7.5% body mass at chest level) and preparatory-step (ducking under an adjustable rope at eye height) constraints. Relative joint power at the hip, knee, and ankle was analysed using …

Unpacking Environmental Racism Through Dependency Theory In The Case Of Second-Hand Goods Export To West Africa, Prince Nii Koi Kotei, Adusei-Asante, Shajimon Peter, Portia Nana Ama Brempong

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The second-hand goods export market is complex and inextricably intertwined with environmental racism and dependency theories. Studies have shown that the adverse impacts of second-hand goods exports outweigh their benefits. West African countries are marginalised and are trapped in a dependency cycle. The literature discusses secondhand goods exports; however, it rarely situates this within the context of the dependency theory and environmental racism. This study seeks to address this gap by integrating several studies under a common theoretical framework connecting dependency theory to environmental racism. This study unpacks environmental racism through dependency theory in the export of second-hand goods. Specifically, …

Linking Sustainability Performance To Stock Resilience During And After Covid-19 Crisis: Evidence From Southeast Asia, Khalilul Rahman, Retnosari Retnosari, Sanda Patrisia Komalasari, Muhammad Wafiq

Jurnal Akuntansi dan Keuangan Indonesia

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted markets. While sustainability performance measured by ESG scores theoretically buffers against shocks, its efficacy in emerging markets with nascent sustainability frameworks remains underexplored. Method: We analyze a balanced panel of 1,395 observations from 279 non-financial Southeast Asian firms (2020–2024). Using OLS, lagged, and fixed effects models, we compare the impact of sustainability performance on stock resilience during the 2020–2022 and post-pandemic (2023–2024) periods. Findings: Sustainability performance (ESG scores) significantly enhanced stock resilience during the pandemic. However, this protective effect dissipated post-pandemic. Results confirm a statistically significant improvement in overall resilience following the crisis, as …

The Future Of Nature-Based Recreation In Warming Tropical Cities, Perrine Hamel, Emma E. Ramsay, Shawnda A. Morrison, Su Li Heng, Winston T. L. Chow, Beatrice H. Ho, Pearl Min Sze Tan, Moshe Mandelmilch, Lancy Sim, Jason Kai Wei Lee

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Nature-based recreation promotes health in tropical cities but is increasingly threatened by rising heat. This review presents recent evidence on the issue of humid heat stress and outdoor recreation in tropical cities and outlines key adaptation strategies – addressing hazard, exposure, and vulnerability – to enable ‘heat-smart’ nature-based activities. Despite existing solutions, critical research gaps remain, especially in integrating social, physiological, and technological insights to better address humid heat stress in tropical urban environments.

Aluminium Based Hydrotalcite Like Compounds For Direct Lithium Extraction: A Critical Review On Crystallography And Structure Selectivity Design, Amin Sarmadi, Yasaman Boroumand, Mohammad Mahdi A. Shirazi, Magdalena Wajrak, Shayan Abrishami, Matthew Myers, Muhammad Rizwan Azhar, Amir Razmjou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The accelerating demand for lithium is intensifying interest in direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies that minimise the environmental footprint of conventional solar evaporation ponds. Among sorbent-based DLE concepts, aluminium based hydrotalcite like compounds (Al-HTlc), particularly lithium aluminium layered double hydroxide (LiAl-LDH), are considered the most mature sorbent options, offering facile lithium (Li+) recovery and high selectivity in highly saline chloride based solutions. Both properties arise from a distinct intercalation mechanism wherein Li+ and its counter-anions (e.g. Cl− or SO42−) are co-intercalated into the crystal structure upon brine exposure. Li+ selectivity arises partly from a steric match between Li+ (ionic radius …

Chlorinated Drinking Water Exposure Enriches Antimicrobial Resistance Pathways In The Infant Gut Microbiome: A Randomized Trial, Kimberley Parkin, Claus T. Christophersen, Valerie Verhasselt, Debra J. Palmer, Matthew N. Cooper, Susan L. Prescott, Desiree Silva, David Martino

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Water chlorination is essential for controlling harmful microbes in drinking water; however, the antimicrobial effects of chlorine-based disinfectants present in tap water may influence early-life gut microbial ecology.

Objective: To investigate the functional and compositional impact of chlorinated drinking water on the gut microbiome of infants.

Design: The waTer qUality and Microbiome Study (TUMS) was an Australian-based double-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Six-month-old infants (n = 197) received either de-chlorinated drinking water via benchtop filtration (treatment, n = 99), or regular chlorinated water (control, n = 98) for twelve months. Tap water and stool samples were collected at baseline and …

Lessons Learned From A Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Digital Intervention Targeting Eating Disorder Symptoms In Cisgender Sexual Minoritized Men, Emma Austen, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Siân A. Mclean, Beth O’Gorman, Katie Bishop, Hannah K. Jarman, Susan J. Paxton, Rachel F. Rodgers, An Dang, Emily A. Harris, Felicity Angelopoulos, Wesley Grey, Suku Sukunesan, Alexandra Parker, Adrian Shatte, Long Khanh-Dao Le, Scott Griffiths

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: There is an unmet need for evidence-based and accessible interventions designed to treat eating disorders in sexual minoritized men, given their heightened vulnerability to developing disordered eating. Digital interventions are a promising avenue for eating disorder treatment because of their accessibility and flexibility in delivery. Here, we present a randomised controlled trial of Seed, a 10-week treatment-focussed digital intervention for eating disorders, among sexual minoritized men.

Methods: Participants (N = 126 sexual minoritized men) with a binge-spectrum eating disorder diagnosis (e.g., bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder) were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: (1) a waitlist control (2) a …

The Relationship Between Dietary Sodium Intake And Cognitive Function: A Narrative Review, Samantha L. Gardener, M. Fu, L. Morini, T. Schwartzkopff, G. Savage, R. N. Martins, S. R. Rainey-Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose of Review: This narrative review provides discussion on current evidence regarding the relationship between sodium intake and cognitive function in animal and human studies, as well as potential mechanisms underlying this relationship. Recent Findings: Recent evidence suggests high sodium intake is associated with development of cognitive impairment and neural dysfunction. Additionally, studies have proposed that high sodium intake is associated with increased aggregation of Aβ-amyloid and that hypertension (for which high sodium intake is a risk factor) modulates the relationship between Aβ-amyloid and development of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. However, while animal studies demonstrate a consistent relationship between …

Green Waste Biochar And Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Enhance Tomato Growth Under Combined Nutrient Deficiency And Salinity Stress, Soumaya Tounsi-Hammami, Munawwar Ali Khan, Mahra Alqemzi, Salama Ali Almehairi, Aneesa Rasheed Anwar

All Works

This study characterized a green-waste-derived biochar from date palms and ghaf trees and investigated its potential as a soil amendment with halotolerant Bacillus spp. to improve tomato seedling quality under dual stress of salinity and nutrient deficiency. Biochar was produced through pyrolysis at 450 °C and then characterized for yield, pH, electrical conductivity, proximate analysis, surface morphology, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and heavy-metal content. Its effectiveness was tested both alone and in combination with a Bacillus sp. mix, using a completely randomized design with varying NPK fertilizer levels and saline irrigation. Tomato seedlings were evaluated 45 days after planting for various …