Digital Commons Network^™

Orchestrated Architecture Dismantling: Borrelia Burgdorferi’S Coordinated Destruction Of Adaptive Immune Responses, Craig A. Land

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Borrelia burgdorferi represents the most prevalent vector-borne bacteria in North America, affecting ~476,000 Americans annually yet persisting despite robust immune responses. This project reveals spirochetes target adaptive immunity through coordinated lymphatic colonization and precision immune dysregulation.

Using comparative host models (C57BL/6 vs. reservoir Peromyscus leucopus), we demonstrate lymph node colonization within 48-hours, with spirochetes exploiting LYVE-1-positive lymphatic structures as dissemination highways while avoiding the interior of follicular regions. Critically, we identify targeted CD4+ T-cell elimination in germinal center border zones at 21-DPI, precisely when these cells should be coordinating protective immunity. Concurrent upregulation of inhibitory receptor CD32b creates molecular …

Resistance Training Load-Volume Effects On Maximal Strength, Isometric Force-Time Characteristics, And Force-Velocity Relationships, Chieh-Hsin Yu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The investigations concerned the effects of resistance training programs with different load–volume configurations on multiple strength characteristics, including maximal strength, isometric force–time properties, and force–velocity (F–v) relationships. Following a review of training interventions across these variables, two ecologically valid resistance training prescriptions were compared: high-load, low-volume (HLLV) and moderate-load, moderate-volume (MLMV). Fourteen recreationally trained participants were grouped into either HLLV (three sets of two repetitions at ≥ 80% 1RM) or MLMV (three sets of ten repetitions at 60–80% 1RM), incorporated into the main lifts of a 4-week program. Strength was assessed using back squat one-repetition maximum …

The Impact Of Estrogen Loss On Caveolin Expression And Cardiac Myocyte Remodeling In Ovariectomized Mice Following Chronic Sympathetic Stimulation, Juliana Barnie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease (CVDs) remains the top cause of death globally, with postmenopausal women at higher risk due to estrogen decline. Beta-Adrenergic (β-AR) signaling is a major regulator of heart function. Caveolins, structural proteins of caveolae, coordinate cell signaling activities in the heart by co-localizing with estrogen receptors and β-AR and contribute to maintaining healthy cardiac function. The caveolin scaffolding domain (CSD), a binding component of caveolin, has shown therapeutic potential in animal models of heart disease. However, most studies on CSD have been completed in male mice. This thesis evaluates the therapeutic potential of CSD in female mouse models and …

Proto-Oncogene Hras Transcript Level And Overall Survival In Stages Ii And Iii Colorectal Cancer, Donghyun Kim, Saima Sharif, Juan Antonio Raygoza Garay, Avanish S. Bhakta, Patrick M. Boland, Michael J. Cavnar, Michelle L. Churchman, Hassan Hatoum, Lyen C. Huang, Joseph Kim, Richard Kim, Robert W. Lentz, Sarbajit Mukherjee, Mary T. O'Donnell, Benjamin Quartey, Matthew J. Reilley, Robert J. Rounbehler, Bodour Salhia, Bryan P. Schneider, Carlos H. Chan

Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: Mutational landscape is prognostic in colorectal cancer (CRC). Rat sarcoma (RAS) oncogenes, such as KRAS and NRAS, with driver mutations, portend poor survival outcomes, whereas pathologic mutations in HRAS are extremely rare, and their prognostic value remains uncertain. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN) alliance tumor RNA-Seq data in Stages II and III CRC to investigate the association between RAS gene expression and survival outcomes. Results: High transcript levels of HRAS were associated with superior overall survival (OS). The high HRAS-associated OS benefit was most pronounced in patients with right-sided primary expressing low …

Β-Aminopropionitrile-Induced Thoracic Aortopathy Is Refractory To Cilostazol And Sildenafil In Mice, Samuel C. Tyagi, Sohei Ito, Jacob C. Hubbuch, Michael K. Franklin, Deborah A. Howatt, Hong S. Lu, Alan Daugherty, Hisashi Sawada

Surgery Faculty Publications

Thoracic aortopathies are life-threatening diseases including aneurysm, dissection, and rupture. Cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 inhibitor, and sildenafil, a PDE5 inhibitor, have been used clinically for peripheral arterial disease and erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension, respectively. Recent studies report their effects on abdominal aortic aneurysm formation. However, their impacts on thoracic aortopathy remain unknown. In this study, we investigated whether cilostazol and sildenafil affect thoracic aortopathy induced by β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) administration in mice. Bulk RNA sequencing analysis revealed that BAPN administration upregulated Pde3a transcription in the ascending aorta and Pde5a in both ascending and descending regions before thoracic aortopathy formation. …

Artificial Intelligence And The Law: A Discussion And Selections From The Collection, Wolf Law Library, William & Mary Law School

Library Book Displays

On display in the Wolf Law Library August 2025 - January 2026.

Molecular And Clinical Insights Into Role Of Gper In Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Hcc), Hossain Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), encompassing stages from steatosis (MASLD) to steatohepatitis (MASH), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, yet molecular markers of progression remain limited. The G protein–coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), a non-genomic estrogen receptor with metabolic and anti-inflammatory roles, emerges as a candidate regulator in hepatic pathophysiology. In this Dissertation thesis, we have delineated for the first time clinicopathological assessment of liver biopsies across MASLD stages revealing a robust inverse correlation between GPER expression and disease severity. Higher GPER levels in early MASLD associated with favorable metabolic and biochemical profiles, …

Multi-Crop Systems And Crop-Switching Strategies To Enhance Water Use Efficiency And Climate Resilience In Arid Agricultural Regions, Shahryar Fazli, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Agriculture in the Lower Colorado River (LCR) region faces mounting challenges from climate change, arid conditions, and water scarcity. This study evaluates water use efficiency (WUEc) and crop-switching strategies under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios for 2025–2049, 2050–2074, and 2075–2099. Using historical data, climatic drivers such as temperature and precipitation were analyzed for their influence on key crops, including durum wheat, winter wheat, and corn. Results show SSP2-4.5 supports water use reductions up to 16%, stable profits (80–90%), and modest calorie increases (up to 15%), while SSP5-8.5 poses severe challenges, with water use reductions of 2–5%, profits dropping to around 20%, …

Wildfires Classification In Canadian Boreal Forest: A Comparative Study Of Logistic Regression And Xgboost Models, Brandon Tran, Elijah James Duran, Mike Luu, Hesham Morgan, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In recent years, Canada has faced a growing number of wildfires. These events have devastated ecosystems, displaced communities, and posed severe health risks. To minimize the damage caused by such disasters, this study aims to develop an early warning system that predicts wildfire occurrences. Two machine learning models for binary classification of wildfire occurrence in Canadian wild forests, Logistic regression and XGBoost, will be compared and evaluated. The models are used to predict the likelihood of wildfire events based on various environmental and climatic factors. The models are evaluated using a 70-30 split validation approach and their performance is assessed …

Decoding Teleconnection Impacts On Hydrological Switches In The Conus Using Wavelet Analysis, Surendra Maharjan, Wenzhao Li, Shahryar Fazli, Hesham Morgan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Hydrometeorological teleconnections are key drivers of hydrological processes, representing the influence of large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns on regional climates. Understanding these teleconnections provides crucial insights into the mechanisms underlying hydrometeorological phenomena, particularly hydrological switches—rapid transitions between extreme events such as droughts and floods. These switches have become increasingly prevalent across the contiguous United States (CONUS), fueled by climate variability and evolving atmospheric patterns. This study utilizes cross-wavelet transform analysis to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of hydrological switches and their correlations with major teleconnection indices, including NAO, ONI, WP, PDO, PNA, and QBO. The findings indicate significant coherence between …

Insights From Swot Data On Transboundary Upstream-Downstream Impacts In The Nile Basin, Hesham Morgan, Wenzhao Li, Ali Elgendy, Surendra Maharjan, Rejoice Thomas, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study utilizes high-resolution data from NASA's Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission to investigate water dynamics and upstream-downstream impacts across key reservoirs in the Nile Basin. Focusing on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Rosaries Dam, Merowe Dam, and the Aswan High Dam, the analysis spans 15 months (August 2023 to October 2024). By systematically selecting 30 points across each reservoir, monthly boxplots of surface water elevation were generated, revealing significant temporal and spatial variability. The results show that GERD’s filling phase led to a steady increase in water levels (peaking at ~615 meters from June to October …

Principles And Practice In Pediatric Vascular Trauma: Part 1: Scope Of Problem, Team Structure, Multidisciplinary Dynamics, And Solutions, Matthew T Harting, Natalie A Drucker, Mary T Austin, Matthew R Greives, Bryan A Cotton, S Keisin Wang, Derrick P Williams, Joseph J Dubose, Charles S Cox

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

As of 2020, penetrating injuries became the leading cause of death among children and adolescents ages 1-19 in the United States. For the patients who initially survive and receive advanced medical care, vascular injuries are a significant cause of morbidity and additionally trigger notable trauma team angst. Moreover, penetrating injuries can lead to life-threatening hemorrhage and/or limb-threatening ischemia if not addressed promptly. Vascular injury management demands timely and unique expertise, particularly for pediatric patients. As the frequency of vascular injuries requiring operative management increases, it becomes clear that an ad hoc approach is not ideal. An integrated team would provide …

Enigmatic Roles Of Complement Anaphylatoxin Signaling In Health And Disease, Anthony Shadid, Kathryn D Hok, Aleksey Y Domozhirov, Tingting Weng-Mills, Marie-Françoise Doursout, Nirmal K Banda, Marcos I Restrepo, Pooja Shivshankar

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Complement anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a are potent immunomodulators whose impact extends well beyond their traditional roles in innate immunity. Acting through G protein-coupled receptors C3aR, C5aR1, and C5aR2, these peptides take part in coordinating immune cell recruitment, vascular tone, and tissue remodeling. Yet their functions are deeply context-dependent: while they play essential roles in microbial clearance and immune coordination, their overactivation contributes to immunopathology in a wide range of diseases. The anaphylatoxins play key roles in early pathogen containment but can also drive cytokine storm and tissue damage, as in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and bacterial sepsis. In autoimmune conditions, …

From The Battlefield To The Archive: Tracing Testimony In Holocaust Memory, Tiana M. Taliep

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

This thesis portfolio examines the evolving role of testimony in shaping public memory of World War II and the Holocaust. As the last generation of eyewitnesses passes, societies increasingly rely on preserved, mediated forms of testimony to understand and remember traumatic pasts. Testimony, whether handwritten, oral, visual, or digital, is not a neutral historical record but an interpretive act shaped by cultural, political, and technological forces. This portfolio argues that testimony functions as evidence and expression: it transmits trauma across generations while simultaneously reflecting the changing frameworks through which war and genocide are remembered.

The portfolio explores testimony in personal, …

Outcomes And Microbiological Patterns Of Bacteremia In Chemotherapy-Related Febrile Neutropenia At A Tertiary Facility In Kenya, Abhijit Ghose, Jasmit Shah, Anne Mwirigi, Charles Makasa, Felix Riunga

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Introduction: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with malignancy post-chmotherapy. Current guidelines for managing FN recommend starting empiric antibiotic therapy (EAT) promptly. The choice of antibiotic is based on the patient’s condition, local data on common microorganisms isolated, and their resistance patterns. Of note, there is a growing trend of isolating multi-drug–resistant gram-negative bacteria in these patients. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are insufficient data on the mortality rates of FN. There is also a lack of local epidemiologic data on the frequently isolated microorganisms and their antibiotic resistance patterns. This makes it challenging …

Synergistic Enhancement Of Tribological Behavior And Colloidal Stability In Cuo Nanolubricants Via Ligand Tuning, Sherif Elsoudy, Sayed Akl Akl Dr, Sayed Akl A. Akl Dr, Esm Lane, Abas Hadawey, Philip D. Howes

Mechanical Engineering

Nanoparticle-based lubricants, or nanolubricants, can exhibit superior tribological properties compared to unmodified base oils. However, these performance gains are highly dependent on the nanoparticle surface chemistry, particularly in maintaining stable colloidal dispersions. This study explores the influence of oleic acid (OA) and oleylamine (OAm) functionalization on the tribological and colloidal properties of CuO nanoparticles dispersed in an SAE 20W50 base oil. We present a hybrid optimization framework combining Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Bayesian Optimization (BO) to identify the optimal OA to OAm ratio (OA–OAm) for CuO nanolubricants. Unlike prior studies that employed either RSM alone or trial-and-error approaches, this …

2025 August, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for August of 2025.

Pre-Emptive Analgesia For Periodontal And Implant-Related Surgery: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Christos Gousias, Zainab Alsuwaiyan, Alissa Fial, Shengtong Han, Dimitris N. Tatakis, Vrisiis Kofina

Library Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

This systematic review aimed to answer the question: In patients undergoing periodontal and peri-implant surgery, gingival augmentation, implant site development or placement, are pre-emptive analgesics effective in controlling post-operative pain compared with patients not receiving pre-emptive medications?

Materials and Methods

After comprehensive electronic and manual literature searches, randomised placebo-controlled clinical trials on adults undergoing the aforementioned surgeries were included. A meta-analysis was performed comparing pain (standardised mean difference) between pre-emptive medication and placebo at post-operative hours 1, 3, 6, 8, 24 and 72.

Results

Two reviewers screened 1995 titles, included 18 studies in the systematic review (open flap debridement, …

The Pharmacology Of Gpr171 Ligands In The Treatment Of Pain: An In Vitro And In Vivo Preclinical Characterization, Max V. Mcdermott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Opioids are addictive, ineffective for long-term treatment, readily produce withdrawal and tolerance, and can cause overdose and death. These properties have contributed to an epidemic of addiction and overdose, which continues unabated in the United States. Therefore, new drugs to treat acute and chronic pain are needed. Opioids bind to receptors belonging to a superfamily of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). GPCRs are the most commonly targeted proteins among FDA-approved drugs. As such, under-researched GPCRs are a viable source of new targets in the field of drug development. One such underexplored GPCR is GPR171. Studies have demonstrated that a …

Investigating The Impact Of Instructor Presence In Lecture Videos On Learning Experiences: A Comparative Study, Keone K. Fuqua

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

As online learning continues to grow, understanding how instructional design features influence student experience becomes increasingly important. One critical feature in video-based instruction in instructor presence - the degree to which the instructor is visually or vocally present in the lesson. The purpose of this study was to investigate how varying levels of instructor presence in asynchronous lector videos affect students' perceived relatedness, satisfaction, engagement, content retention, and cognitive effort.

A mixed methods experimental design was employed, with 93 undergraduate and graduate students from a public university randomly assigned to one of three video lesson conditions: Full Presence (instructor visible …

Connecting The Dots: Teacher Self-Efficacy, Student-Teacher Relationships, And Behavior Management In Early Childhood, Courtney Lewis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This study was designed to explore the relationships between teacher self-efficacy, student-teacher relationships, and use of behavior management strategies in early childhood education. Previous research suggests that effective early childhood education improves a child’s academic and social outcomes. This study sought to explore factors contributing to teacher effectiveness in preschool teachers. The hypotheses were that (1) teacher self-efficacy will directly affect student teacher relationships, (2) that studentteacher relationships will directly affect teacher’s frequency, confidence, and success of their behavior management strategies, and (3) that student-teacher relationships will act as a mediating variable between teacher self-efficacy and the frequency, confidence, and …

Out-Of-Band Anomaly Detection For Real Time Operating Systems, Jeffrey K. Holifield

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS) are increasing present throughout the industrial, business, defense, and healthcare spaces. These lightweight and efficient operating systems are designed to run on embedded, resource constrained devices, often within cyber-physical systems (CPS). A defining characteristic ofRTOSs is that they are deterministic. Tasks are scheduled to run on fixed timelines within guaranteed execution windows. In Industry 4.0 applications for example, sensors must receive and process inputs within a fixed schedule to ensure products are properly manufactured. This requires guaranteed service at fixed time periods. To accomplish this, RTOSs must conform to worst case execution times (WCETs) as …

The Global Neurodegeneration Proteomics Consortium: Biomarker And Drug Target Discovery For Common Neurodegenerative Diseases And Aging, Farhad Imam, Rowan Saloner, Jacob W Vogel, Varsha Krish, Gamal Abdel-Azim, Muhammad Ali, Lijun An, Federica Anastasi, David Bennett, Alexa Pichet Binette, Adam L Boxer, Martin Bringmann, Jeffrey M Burns, Carlos Cruchaga, Jeff L Dage, Amelia Farinas, Luigi Ferrucci, Caitlin A Finney, Mark Frasier, Oskar Hansson, Timothy J Hohman, Erik C B Johnson, Mika Kivimaki, Roxanna Korologou-Linden, Agustin Ruiz Laza, Allan I Levey, Inga Liepelt-Scarfone, Lina Lu, Niklas Mattsson-Carlgren, Lefkos T Middleton, Kwangsik Nho, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Ronald C Petersen, Eric M Reiman, Oliver Robinson, Jeffrey D Rothstein, Andrew J Saykin, Artur Shvetcov, Chad Slawson, Bart Smets, Marc Suárez-Calvet, Betty M Tijms, Maarten Timmers, Fernando Vieira, Natalia Vilor-Tejedor, Pieter Jelle Visser, Keenan A Walker, Laura M Winchester, Tony Wyss-Coray, Chengran Yang, Niranjan Bose, Simon Lovestone, The Global Neurodegeneration Proteomics Consortium (Gnpc)

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

More than 57 million people globally suffer from neurodegenerative diseases, a figure expected to double every 20 years. Despite this growing burden, there are currently no cures, and treatment options remain limited due to disease heterogeneity, prolonged preclinical and prodromal phases, poor understanding of disease mechanisms, and diagnostic challenges. Identifying novel biomarkers is crucial for improving early detection, prognosis, staging and subtyping of these conditions. High-dimensional molecular studies in biofluids ('omics') offer promise for scalable biomarker discovery, but challenges in assembling large, diverse datasets hinder progress. To address this, the Global Neurodegeneration Proteomics Consortium (GNPC)-a public-private partnership-established one of the …

Associations Between Social Support, Social Control, And Stage Of Change With Self-Reported And Objectively Assessed Physical Activity In Adult Latino Dyads, Jemima C John, Minjae Lee, Soo K Park, Lorna H Mcneill, Deanna M Hoelscher, Susan M Schembre, Belinda M Reininger, Larkin L Strong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Health behaviors such as physical activity (PA) are socially influenced, such that individuals from shared social networks or living environments may exhibit similar habits. This cross-sectional study examined associations of social support, social control, and family member stage of change with moderate-to-vigorous self-reported and objective PA in dyads of adult Hispanic family members. We used the Godin Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire to assess self-reported PA and accelerometry for objective PA. Validated scales assessed social support, social control, and stage of change. We performed multivariable multilevel analysis using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to account for within-dyad correlations. We conducted multivariable negative …

A Large-Scale Genome-Wide Study Of Gene-Sleep Duration Interactions For Blood Pressure In 811,405 Individuals From Diverse Populations, Pavithra Nagarajan, Thomas W Winkler, Amy R Bentley, Clint L Miller, Aldi T Kraja, Karen Schwander, Songmi Lee, Wenyi Wang, Michael R Brown, John L Morrison, Ayush Giri, Jeffrey R O'Connell, Traci M Bartz, Lisa De Las Fuentes, Valborg Gudmundsdottir, Xiuqing Guo, Sarah E Harris, Zhijie Huang, Mart Kals, Minjung Kho, Christophe Lefevre, Jian'an Luan, Leo-Pekka Lyytikäinen, Massimo Mangino, Yuri Milaneschi, Nicholette D Palmer, Varun Rao, Rainer Rauramaa, Botong Shen, Stefan Stadler, Quan Sun, Jingxian Tang, Sébastien Thériault, Adriaan Van Der Graaf, Peter J Van Der Most, Yujie Wang, Stefan Weiss, Kenneth E Westerman, Qian Yang, Tabara Yasuharu, Wei Zhao, Wanying Zhu, Drew Altschul, Md Abu Yusuf Ansari, Pramod Anugu, Anna D Argoty-Pantoja, Michael Arzt, Hugues Aschard, John R Attia, Lydia Bazzanno, Max A Breyer, Jennifer A Brody, Brian E Cade, Hung-Hsin Chen, Yii-Der Ida Chen, Zekai Chen, Paul S De Vries, Latchezar M Dimitrov, Anh Do, Jiawen Du, Charles T Dupont, Todd L Edwards, Michele K Evans, Tariq Faquih, Stephan B Felix, Susan P Fisher-Hoch, James S Floyd, Mariaelisa Graff, Charles Gu, Dongfeng Gu, Kristen G Hairston, Anthony J Hanley, Iris M Heid, Sami Heikkinen, Heather M Highland, Michelle M Hood, Mika Kähönen, Carrie A Karvonen-Gutierrez, Takahisa Kawaguchi, Setoh Kazuya, Tanika N Kelly, Pirjo Komulainen, Daniel Levy, Henry J Lin, Peter Y Liu, Pedro Marques-Vidal, Joseph B Mccormick, Hao Mei, James B Meigs, Cristina Menni, Kisung Nam, Ilja M Nolte, Natasha L Pacheco, Lauren E Petty, Hannah G Polikowsky, Michael A Province, Bruce M Psaty, Laura M Raffield, Olli T Raitakari, Stephen S Rich, Renata L Riha, Lorenz Risch, Martin Risch, Edward A Ruiz-Narvaez, Rodney J Scott, Colleen M Sitlani, Jennifer A Smith, Tamar Sofer, Maris Teder-Laving, Uwe Völker, Peter Vollenweider, Guanchao Wang, Ko Willems Van Dijk, Otis D Wilson, Rui Xia, Jie Yao, Kristin L Young, Ruiyuan Zhang, Xiaofeng Zhu, Jennifer E Below, Carsten A Böger, David Conen, Simon R Cox, Marcus Dörr, Mary F Feitosa, Ervin R Fox, Nora Franceschini, Sina A Gharib, Vilmundur Gudnason, Sioban D Harlow, Jiang He, Elizabeth G Holliday, Zoltan Kutalik, Timo A Lakka, Deborah A Lawlor, Seunggeun Lee, Terho Lehtimäki, Changwei Li, Ching-Ti Liu, Reedik Mägi, Fumihiko Matsuda, Alanna C Morrison, Brenda Wjh Penninx, Patricia A Peyser, Jerome I Rotter, Harold Snieder, Tim D Spector, Lynne E Wagenknecht, Nicholas J Wareham, Alan B Zonderman, Kari E North, Myriam Fornage, Million Veteran Program, Adriana M Hung, Alisa K Manning, James Gauderman, Han Chen, Patricia B Munroe, Dabeeru C Rao, Diana Van Heemst, Susan Redline, Raymond Noordam, Heming Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although both short and long sleep duration are associated with elevated hypertension risk, our understanding of their interplay with biological pathways governing blood pressure remains limited. To address this, we carried out genome-wide cross-population gene-by-short-sleep and long-sleep duration interaction analyses for three blood pressure traits (systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure) in 811,405 individuals from diverse population groups. We discovered 22 novel gene-sleep duration interaction loci for blood pressure, mapped to 23 genes. Investigating these genes' functional implications shed light on neurological, thyroidal, bone metabolism, and hematopoietic pathways that necessitate future investigation for blood pressure management that caters to sleep health …

Corporate Ownership, Health System Affiliation, And Market Concentration Of Home Health Agencies, Kun Li, Shekinah Fashaw-Walters, M Kate Bundorf, Yucheng Hou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This cross-sectional study examines how growing health system affiliation and corporate ownership models may potentially contribute to home health agency (HHA) market concentration.

Chance Or Strategy? Assessing The Unanticipated Policy Window For Active Transportation During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review, Katja Siefken, Michael Pratt, Juliana Mejía-Grueso, Adrian Bauman, Deborah Salvo, Catherine B Woods, Wanda Wendel-Vos, Justin Richards, J Jaime Miranda, Pedro C Hallal, Andrea Ramírez Varela

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Physical activity (PA) policy is essential for promoting population-level PA by coordinating efforts across various sectors. Global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic can open policy windows, enabling rapid implementation of innovative policies. This study examined how policy windows shaped active transportation (AT) policies during the pandemic, resulting in infrastructural changes.

Methods: A systematic review using PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest-Coronavirus Research Database, Web of Science, WHO COVID-19 Research Database, PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus conducted to characterize AT policy during the pandemic (2020-2023). Descriptive analyses were conducted in Stata. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42025644930.

Results: The search retrieved 3879 articles; 1162 were duplicates, leaving 2716 …

Accelerometer-Measured Chronoactivity And Type 2 Diabetes Risk: A Prospective Study In Uk Biobank Participants, Qiuyu Feng, Gali Albalak, Ko Willems Van Dijk, Jeroen H P M Van Der Velde, Qian Xiao, Raymond Noordam, Diana Van Heemst

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: We assessed whether timing of physical activity, independent from the total activity amount, - which we refer to as chronoactivity - is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk.

Methods: We included UK Biobank participants with valid accelerometry data (UK, exposure measurement: 2013-2015, follow-up till November 2023) and without diabetes mellitus at baseline (N = 89,439; mean age: 61.7 [SD:7.9] years). Relative hourly physical activity was calculated by dividing the average hourly clock time physical activity by the average hourly physical activity in a week. Participants were categorized into different chronoactivity clusters using k-means cluster analysis on relative hourly …

Evaluating The Antimicrobial Properties Of Different Dental Cleaning Tablets Against S Aureus Grown On Two Denture Base Materials, Sindi Vishaj, Alissa Villhauer, Mandi Morris, Donald M Belles, Daher Antonio Queiroz, Maria D Gonzalez, Ransome Van Der Hoeven

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of three commercially available denture cleaning tablets Efferdent, Polident, and Val-clean against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms formed on two denture base materials: milled polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and 3D printed denture resin.

Material and methods: Eighty samples were fabricated, with 40 specimens per denture base material: CAD/CAM milled PMMA (Lucitone Digital Fit LT; Dentsply Sirona, Charlotte, NC, USA) and 3D printed resin (Denture Base Resin; Formlabs Inc., Somerville, MA, USA). Each group was divided into four subgroups (n = 10), Efferdent, Polident, Val-clean, and deionized water (control). Surface roughness was measured using a …

Genome-Wide Approaches To Bacterial Strain Typing: A History And Review Of Recent Methodological Advances, William C Shropshire, Blake M Hanson, Samuel A Shelburne

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose of review: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has transformed bacterial strain typing, an essential tool for outbreak detection, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and tracking clonal emergence across clinical, research, and public health settings. Herein, we will review recent advances in WGS-based bacterial strain typing methods for purposes of comparison and classification with a focus on improvements in variant identification, strain classification, and transmission assessment.

Recent findings: Advances in sequencing technologies as well as variant calling methodologies and parameter optimization have enhanced the precision and accuracy of single nucleotide variant identification. Hierarchical clustering of gene-by-gene strain typing, combined with novel data management …