Public Health Commons^™

Forced Oscillation Technique In Pneumothorax (Pneumofot) Study, Niranjan Ananda Setty, Carolyn J. Mcintyre, John Blakey, Yun Chor Gary Lee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Forced Oscillation Technique in Pneumothorax (PneumoFOT) study A single-centre prospective pilot feasibility study designed to assess the feasibility of performing FOT measurements in patients with pneumothorax. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PLAN Version 24.05.2026

Cannabinoid Impacts On Ethnic Modulation Of Atrial Septal Defect Prevalence Usa, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To conduct a detailed epidemiological exploration of the relative contributions of cannabis and ethnicity to US atrial septal defect (ASD) rates (ASDR). Study design: State-based ASDR data from the US National Births Defects Prevention Network, substance use, income and ethnicity data analyzed in RStudio. Results: Ethnic effects were significant with relative risks amongst African Americans and American Indians and Alaskan Natives of 2·40 (95%C.I. 2·27, 2·54) and 2·31 (2·19, 21·43), Cohen’s D of 1·44 and 1·46 and P values of 2·94 × 10⁻¹⁶⁸ and 3·01 × 10⁻¹⁷² compared to others, respectively. In general, additive models inclusion of …

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 5: Sustainable Food Practices (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Audrey Elford, Connie N. Ihlein, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Caterina Benati, Fiona Champion, Bek Clancy, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Katie Dix, Kirsty Elliott, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Lorraine Hingston, Karen Krist, Deana Leahy, Rebecca Lindberg, Stacey Mckenzie, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Asha Rojahn, Blake Stewart, Leah Stuart-Douglas, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Sandra Vale, Jill Whelan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

ECEC food environments are uniquely positioned to support sustainability by implementing practices that can reduce environmental impacts while creating meaningful opportunities for children to experience and explore the interconnections between people, animals, plants, lands and water through food.

The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (Version 2.0) recognises sustainability as an important consideration for children’s learning and development and that educators and children have active roles to play in contributing to more sustainable communities.1 Through the food provided, mealtimes, and food education, ECEC services can provide meaningful opportunities for children to experience and engage with sustainable food practices.

This Sustainable Food …

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 4: Staff And Family Engagement (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Audrey Elford, Connie N. Ihlein, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Fiona Champion, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Katie Dix, Kirsty Elliott, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Yuna Ribeiro Ferreira Alves, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Lena Harle, Jill Whelan, Karen Krist, Ashton Leach, Deana Leahy, Stacey Mckenzie, Lauren Moore, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Asha Rojahn, Blake Stewart, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Courtney Trezona, Sandra Vale, Kathy Cologon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Engaging with families is a core responsibility of ECEC services and staff. By building positive, personal relationships with families, ECEC staff are able to share concerns or queries about the children in their care in a sensitive way.

One of the more sensitive topics that can come up is food – what they are eating, how much they are eating, their eating behaviours and skills, and everything in between. Through quick conversations at drop-off or via formal communication platforms, services can share a range of information about a child’s eating patterns and behaviours, and also gather information from families to …

Factors That Impede Women's Contraceptive Care Needs During And Immediately After Incarceration In New South Wales, Australian. Qualitative Perspectives Of Professional Staff Working With Incarcerated Women, Helene Smith, Mandy Wilson, Basil Donovan, Jocelyn Jones, Tony Butler, Paul Simpson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Women with a history of incarceration report higher rates of pregnancy and abortion, lower contraception use and poorer birth outcomes compared to other women in the community. This suggests family-planning and reproductive-health needs that are not well served by current models of care. Despite this, little is known about how contraception is provided within Australian carceral settings, or the structural barriers experienced by professional staff working in these environments. We report findings from a qualitative study conducted in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, describing professional staff's views of factors that support or impede women's contraceptive care needs both during …

Implementation Strategies For Evidence-Based Healthcare Interventions In Rural And Remote Settings: A Scoping Review, Anna Chapman, Cadeyrn J. Gaskin, Hannah Beks, Charlene Wright, Skye Marshall, Elizabeth A. Johnston, Rebecca J. Bergin, Sharina Riva, Fiona Crawford-Williams, Camille E. Short, Nicole Kiss, Sze Lin Yoong, Nicolas H. Hart, Anna Wong Shee, Helena Rodi, Hannah Jongebloed, Anna Ugalde

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Globally, people living in rural and remote areas experience poorer healthcare access and outcomes than urban populations. Applying implementation strategies that support the translation of evidence-based healthcare interventions may help reduce these inequities; however, real-world implementation is complex, and it remains unclear how strategies are applied and tailored to rural and remote contexts. This scoping review synthesised evidence on implementation strategies for healthcare interventions in rural and remote settings of high-income countries. Five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science) were searched for peer-reviewed studies published between 1/1/2000 and 25/10/2024. Extracted data were synthesised using a descriptive …

Predictors Of Quality Of Family Planning Counselling In Ethiopia: Multilevel Analysis Of The Spa Survey 2021/22, Kalayu Brhane Mruts, Tesfay Brhane Gebremariam, Amanuel Tesfay Gebremedhin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: High-quality family planning (FP) counselling is essential for informed contraceptive choice, reducing discontinuation, and improving reproductive health. However, many women in sub-Saharan Africa continue to face barriers. This study examined client-, provider-, and facility-level determinants of FP counselling quality in Ethiopia using nationally representative, multi-source data. Methods: We analysed data from the 2021/22 Ethiopia Service Provision Assessment, including 2,224 women who received or were prescribed injectables, pills, or implants. Counselling quality was assessed using a 15-item checklist derived from direct observations and client exit interviews. Multilevel ordinal logistic regression was applied to identify predictors at the client-, provider-, and …

Covid And The Great Retrenchment, Samuel R. Bagenstos

Articles

The past six years have seen two dramatic shifts in federal health and benefits policy. First, during the COVID pandemic, the government dramatically expanded public benefits. These expansions had incredibly positive effects, and recipients were largely satisfied with them. But after a relatively short time, Congress rolled back nearly all of the expansion. Worse, the immediate pullback set the stage for even more significant retrenchments in the second Trump Administration. Where in 2023 the United States came closest to universal health care in its history—with a record low uninsured rate of 7.7%—the Trump Administration’s Medicaid cuts and failure to extend …

Una Nueva Herramienta Para Estimar El Volumen Muscular Independientemente De La Edad, El Sexo Y El Nivel De Actividad Física, José J. Rivera-Sánchez, Laura P. Burgos-Morelos, Daniel Castillo-Castillo, Gerardo Méndez-Suárez, Juan C. Lopez-Alvarenga, Damián Carrillo-Ruíz

School of Medicine Publications

Antecedentes: Actualmente, la evaluación del volumen muscular requiere técnicas invasivas o de imagen, lo que aumenta los costos y retrasa la evaluación, y las mediciones antropométricas con frecuencia son inexactas.

Objetivo: Desarrollar una fórmula matemática para estimar el volumen del cuádriceps.

Material y métodos: Se evaluaron 127 sujetos: 40 adultos sedentarios de 20 a 35 años, 47 atletas adultos de 20 a 45 años y 40 adultos sedentarios de 70 a 94 años. Se dividieron en grupos de desarrollo y de validación. Se realizaron mediciones de variables antropométricas y fuerza de agarre, y se desarrolló la fórmula de predicción del …

Engineering Osteo-Mucosal Constructs: A Review Of Adhesion Mechanisms And Innovations, Sanaz Mihandoust, Ali Seyed-Monir, Mehrsima Ghavami-Lahiji, Keyvan Moharamzadeh, Lobat Tayebi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Developing a laboratory-grown construct integrating viable bone and oral mucosal tissues with strong adhesion between the hard and soft tissue layers presents a significant challenge. This engineered tissue construct holds promise as a versatile graft material for diverse oral surgeries and as an in vitro model for evaluating dental materials, dental implants, and oral healthcare products, potentially replacing the need for in vivo studies. Additionally, it offers a valuable tool for investigating various aspects of oral diseases and evaluating the efficacy of different treatments, eliminating the need for animal models. The success of such osteo-mucosal constructs depends on achieving proper …

Associations Between Modifiable Lifestyle Risk Factors And Abdominal Aortic Calcification In The Uk Biobank Imaging Study, Nicola P. Bondonno, Abadi K. Gebre, Benjamin H. Parmenter, Jonathan Hodgson, Lauren C. Blekkenhorst, Catherine P. Bondonno, Richard Woodman, John P. Kemp, James Webster, Carl Schultz, Cassandra Smith, Afsah Saleem, Syed Zulqarnain Gilani, Emma L. Duncan, Joseph Hung, Wai H. Lim, Parminder Raina, John T. Schousboe, Nicholas C. Harvey, Marc Sim, Joshua R. Lewis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background and aims: Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) reflects subclinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), but its lifestyle determinants remain uncertain. We investigated how a Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS) relates to AAC and whether AAC mediates the HLS-ASCVD association. Methods and results: Participants from the UK Biobank Imaging study were assessed for AAC from DXA images. A Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS), based on smoking, physical activity, diet quality, alcohol consumption, sleep, and BMI was developed, and categorised as low, moderate and high. Cross-sectional associations with (i) any AAC (AAC≥1) and (ii) high AAC (AAC≥6) were analysed using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. The …

Combined Effects Of Cumulative Triglyceride-Glucose And Blood Pressure On Stroke In Middle-Aged And Older Chinese Adults: A Longitudinal Analysis, Xinyue Wang, Wen Zheng, Xiangqian Jin, Hongzhi Liu, Jiheng Hao, Liyong Zhang, Yuanyuan Gu, Haifeng Hou, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has increasingly been recognised an indicator for stroke risk. We aimed to explore the relationship between TyG and blood pressure (BP) and the combined effects of cumulative TyG (CumTyG) and cumulative BP (CumBP) on stroke risk in a cohort of Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Methods: We enrolled 5138 participants from the 2011–2018 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Cumulative TyG and BP exposures were recorded between 2011 and 2015, and stroke incidence was then followed up until 2018. We conducted a cross-lagged panel analysis to address the temporal and directional relationships …

Quantifying The Fatal And Non-Fatal Burden Of Disease Associated With Child Growth Failure, 2000–2023: A Systematic Analysis From The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2023, Gbd 2023 Child Growth Failure Collaborators, Amanuel Gebremedhin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Child growth failure (CGF), which includes underweight, wasting, and stunting, is among the factors most strongly associated with mortality and morbidity in children younger than 5 years worldwide. Poor height and bodyweight gain arise from a variety of biological and sociodemographic factors and are associated with increased vulnerability to infectious diseases. We used data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023 to estimate CGF prevalence, the risk of infectious diseases associated with CGF, and the disease mortality, morbidity, and overall burden associated with CGF.

Methods: In this analysis we estimated the all-cause and …

The Ihs Strategic Plan: Improving The Health Of American Indian And Alaska Native People Through Collaboration And Innovation, Indian Health Service

Native Health Database Full Text

The IHS Strategic plan entails four goals: Build Healthy Communities, Achieve Parity in Access by 2010, Provide Compassionate Quality Health Care, and Embrace Innovation. Each of these goals are outlined alongside their respective strategies for accomplishment.

Sugar Consumption In Aboriginal Children Explored From A Social Practice Perspective, Amy Budrikis, Angela Durey, Dan Mcaullay, Paul Ward, Hanny Calache, Thierry Ng, Roma Winmar, Linda Slack-Smith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Australian Aboriginal children have higher sugar intake and are disproportionately affected by sugar-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes and dental caries than non-Aboriginal children. The intention of this paper was to highlight the need for approaches that can capture the complexity of health practices without reducing them to either individual choice or structural determination. We explore sugar consumption in Aboriginal children from a social practice perspective. Here, the unit of analysis is the practice, not the individual, where the elements of a social practice (competence, materials and meanings) are integrated into its performance. We conducted qualitative research using elements of …

The Best Practice Guide For Early Childhood Education And Care Food Environment: Module 3: Food Education (Version 1.0), Ros Sambell, Connie N. Ihlein, Audrey Elford, Lochie Clark, Amanda Devine, Helen Alexiou, Lennie Barblett, Fiona Champion, Penelope Clark, Kathy Cologon, Wendy Cook, Katie Dix, Leanne Elliston, Amanda Ferguson, Ricky Gelman, Jodie Gray, Natalie Gulberti, Debbie Jordan, Karen Krist, Deana Leahy, Stacey Mckenzie, Sandra Murphy, Merryn Netting, Ciara O’Flaherty, Asha Rojahn, Blake Stewart, Aimee Sullivan, Suzanne Tamone, Henry Tan, Sandra Vale, Danielle Waterson, Jill Whelan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Food education (FE) in early learning settings is more than cooking – it is an opportunity to experience food in ways that include cooking but go far beyond. Food education gives children the opportunity for exploration, experimentation, learning, teamwork, skill building and much more. At the same time, services must balance safety, regulatory requirements, diverse developmental and cultural needs, family expectations and practical constraints such as time and staffing.

The FE module has been developed to support Early Childhood Education and Care settings (ECEC), for children from birth to 5 years, to create food experiences that are safe, engaging, inclusive …

Governing Professional Mobility: An Llm-Assisted Framework And Empirical Taxonomy Of Health-Professional Mobility Agreements, David C. Benton, Andrew D. Benton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Health-professional mobility agreements (eg, compacts, mutual recognition arrangements, memoranda of understanding) are increasingly used to address workforce shortages, support crossborder practice, and enable new technology-mediated modes of service delivery. Regulators need rapid, reproducible ways to assess whether such instruments protect the public while facilitating proportionate professional mobility.

Purpose: To develop and internally test a 10-dimension, 41-subdimension assessment framework for health-professional mobility agreements; examine whether large language model (LLM)–assisted coding can approximate expert legal regulatory assessment; and derive an empirical taxonomy of mobility and other similar instruments.

Methods: A focused documentary synthesis of legal instruments, academic literature, and intergovernmental guidance …

Machine Learning Prediction Of Incident Hypertension In Australian Men: Integrating Survey, Pharmaceutical And Healthcare Utilisation Data From The Ten To Men Cohort, Ebenezer Afrifa-Yamoah, Emmanuel Peprah-Yamoah, Victor Opoku-Yamoah, Eric Adua

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Hypertension is a leading modifiable contributor to cardiovascular disease. We developed and evaluated machine learning models to predict incident hypertension in Australian men using baseline survey data linked to pharmaceutical (PBS) and healthcare utilisation (MBS) administrative records from the Ten to Men cohort.

Methods: Among 13,519 men free of hypertension at baseline (2014), incident hypertension over 10 years was ascertained from PBS antihypertensive dispensing. Twenty-five baseline features spanning sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, clinical and administrative domains were used to train logistic regression, random forest, gradient boosting and XGBoost models, evaluated by five-fold cross-validation with out-of-fold prediction. Discrimination, calibration and threshold-based …

Pharmacist-Led Educational Intervention To Improve Knowledge, Medication Adherence, And Asthma Control Among Asthma Patients At Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital: A Protocol For Randomized Controlled Trial, Mekuriaw Dereje Tekele, Goitom Belay Kassa, Yainu Welegerima Welekidane, Derbew Fikadu Berhe, Abadi Kahsu Gebre, Afewerki Gebremeskel Tsadik

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a pharmacist-led educational intervention on medication knowledge, adherence, and asthma control among adult asthma patients at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia.

Methods: A single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial will be conducted. All eligible adult asthma patients on active follow-up at the chest clinic of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital will be included. Participants will be randomly assigned via a computer-generated sequence to an intervention group (structured pharmacist-led education using teach-back, illustrated pamphlets, a follow-up phone call and SMS) or a control group (routine care). Outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation. Outcomes will be …

A Qualitative Analysis To Identify Implementation Strategies For A Deprescribing Clinical Practice Guideline Using The Cfir-Eric Matching Tool: Perspectives From Consumers And Professional Stakeholders, Hui Wen Quek, Xisco Reus, Kenneth Lee, Veronika Seda, Leon Adams, Osvaldo P. Almeida, Gillian E. Caughey, Jennifer Gowan, Kerryn Hart, Andrew Heredia, Anne Marie Hill, Lisa Kalisch Ellett, Dina Logiudice, Arduino A. Mangoni, Anthony Marinucci, Treasure Mcguire, Nilufeur Mckay, Vasi Naganathan, Christopher Ng, Maz Osborne, Kevan R. Polkinghorne, Constance D. Pond, Sepehr Shakib, Angela Shiu, Andrew Stafford, Tim Whitmore, Christopher Etherton-Beer, Amy Page

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Deprescribing is the planned withdrawal or dose reduction of medicines when harms outweigh benefits or when they are no longer required. Following publication of the Clinical Practice Guideline for Deprescribing in Older People in September 2025, supporting its uptake into routine practice is a critical next step.

Aim: This study aimed to identify implementation strategies, informed by stakeholder-perceived barriers, to support the implementation of deprescribing guidelines.

Method: A qualitative analysis was undertaken of open-text responses collected during the guideline public consultation (24 April–31 May 2025). Inductive thematic analysis identified implementation barriers, which were then deductively mapped to the Consolidated …

Precision Prevention For Health: The Global Alliance Framework For The Promotion Of Physical Activity, Jürgen M. Steinacker, Willem Van Mechelen, Lars Engebretsen, Evert Verhagen, Mats Börjesson, Marcela González-Gross, Mark R. Hutchinson, Petra Zupet, Herbert Löllgen, Dina C. Janse Van Rensburg, Norbert Bachl, Sergio Migliorini, Pieter D‘Hooghe, Christian Schneider, Jiao Jiao, Ka Ki Wong, Jeroen Swart, Leigh Gordon, Victoria Badtieva, Borja Muniz-Pardos, Tony Lei Shi, Li Xiangchen, Feng Qiang, Guoping Li, Minhao Xie, Xia Zhang, Uğur Erdener, Federica Fagnani, Fabio Pigozzi, Chiara Fossati, Luigi Di Luigi, Francisco Arroyo, Jean-François Kaux, Camille Tooth, Shulin Cheng, Xiuqiang Wang, Emin Ergen, Bülent Ülkar, Frederic Dutheil, Ruediger Reer, Theodora Papadopoulou, Clea Papaellina, Demitri Constantinou, Jason Constantinou, Merling Phaswana, Mamosilo Lichaba, Philippe Gradidge, Mandisa Simamane, Georgia Torres, Natalia Neophytou, Elelwani D. Nevhufumba, Bernhard Schwaab, José Antonio Casajús Mallen, Martin Halle, Martine Duclos, Daniel Neunhaeuserer, Andrea Ermolao, Francesca Battista, Federica Duregon, Julio Motta-Pensabene, Yiannis Koutedakis, Wilhelm Bloch, Nicolaas P. Pronk, Anastasia Fischer, Lisset Pantoja-Arévalo, Ana V. Cintrón, Adewale S. Adebero, Jill Borresen, Johannes Zwerver, Diana M. Ramos-Caballero, Erica M. Mancera-Soto, Pedro Manonelles, Benedict Tan, Ingrid Burrowes, Carl Ward, Kim R. Quimby, Christina Howitt, Robert Clive Landis, Hans Hauner, Mikio Hiura, Luz Divina De La Cruz Lastre, Gunnar Treff, Fotini Tsofliou, José Kawazoe Lazzoli, Umutcan Kayıkçı, Mourad Ghrairi, Vincent Onywera, Robert Ojiambo, Robert Sallis, Sophia Papamichalopoulos, Maher Zahar, Christine Joisten, Bernd Wolfarth, Sandra Rozenstoka, Hashel Al Tunaiji, Kiera Wason, Felix Drummond, Wolfgang Schobersberger, Vahur Ööpik, Eve Unt, Anna Jegier, Stéphane Doutreleau, Seung Hoon Han, Jörg F. Debatin, Nils Schumacher, Luís B. Sardinha, Lenka Dienstbach-Wech, Tuba Melekoğlu, Sheng Zeng, Maurizio Casasco, Kristy Howells, Eva-Maria Klinkisch, James Bilzon, Gregory Heath, Thomas Horstmann, Eduardo H. De Rose, Nick Webborn, Klaus-Michael Braumann, Li Jing, Xiao Xu, Elizabeth Moxley, Yi Zheng, Alison V. September, Malcolm Collins, Olena Andrieieva, Svitlana Drozdovska, Andreas Michael Nieß, Rikke Helene Moe, Carolin Knoke, Silvano Zanuso, Francesco Zanatta, Veronika Všetíčková, Spyridon Zormpas, Christoforos D. Giannaki, Brian P. Carson, Matthew P. Herring, Ciara Mccormack, Marco Vecchiato, Thomas Yvert, Makro Korenjak, Benjamin Billet, Andréia Lópes Azevedo, Naama Constantini, Sigmund Loland, Aaron Leigh Baggish, Luis Monteiro, Nuray Yazihan, Yannis P. Pitsiladis

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This conceptual, implementation-oriented paper proposes a framework for precision prevention centred on physical activity promotion and early risk mitigation, aiming to support a shift from reactive disease management toward proactive prevention. The proposed framework focuses on the early identification of risk trajectories by integrating biological, environmental, and social determinants of health through systems thinking, multi-omics technologies, digital health, and behavioural science. It aims to inform tailored, context-sensitive interventions that will help to mitigate chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while supporting lifelong resilience. Within this framework, physical activity is positioned as the central, modifiable anchor behaviour through which personalised prevention strategies may …

The Role Of Participant–Clinician Relationality And Intervention Source In A Violence Reduction Trial: A Qualitative Study, Paul Leslie Simpson, Freya Stephenson, Patricia Morgan, Emaediong I. Akpanekpo, Jocelyn Jones, Peter William Schofield, Lee Knight, Tony Butler

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Violence and domestic violence are global public health problems with prevention programs showing limited effectiveness. The form of delivery of such programs can influence their utility yet delivery characteristics are often poorly described. We analysed interviews with clinicians (n = 5) and participants (n = 12) involved in ReINVEST, a violence reduction clinical trial, to identify key elements of delivery. Three themes were identified: (1) clinician accessibility; (2) clinicians as participant advocates; and (3) humane care, reflecting participant–clinician ‘relationality’ as a central component of program delivery. We propose that this relationality is more likely to emerge in interventions delivered independently …

The Effects Of Abused Drugs On Ferroptosis Pathways: Potential Therapeutic Targets For Substance Use Disorders, Tamara Bouchard, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Tina Nguyen, Yan Cheng, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain major public health concerns worldwide, particularly in developed countries. SUDs are characterized by persistent neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in the brain. Despite decades of extensive investigation, the detailed mechanisms underlying SUDs remain elusive. Ferroptosis is a highly regulated cell death process deeply affected by iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and antioxidant systems. It has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic stroke. Recently, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of ferroptosis in drug-induced pathological changes. Various types of abused substances including alcohol, cocaine, …

The Effects Of Abused Drugs On Ferroptosis Pathways: Potential Therapeutic Targets For Substance Use Disorders, Tamara Bouchard, Brooke Russell, Liam Liyang Guo, Tina Nguyen, Yan Cheng, Yan Y. Sanders, Ming-Lei Guo

Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences Faculty Publications

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain major public health concerns worldwide, particularly in developed countries. SUDs are characterized by persistent neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in the brain. Despite decades of extensive investigation, the detailed mechanisms underlying SUDs remain elusive. Ferroptosis is a highly regulated cell death process deeply affected by iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and antioxidant systems. It has been implicated in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and ischemic stroke. Recently, emerging evidence has highlighted the role of ferroptosis in drug-induced pathological changes. Various types of abused …

Improving The Continuity Of Care For Opioid Use Disorder: Investigating Fentanyl Overdose Outcomes And Pharmacy-Level Buprenorphine Access, Lyn Yuen Choo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Opioid overdose (OD) deaths remain a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States (US) and approximately 76,516 drug OD deaths were predicted in the past year prior to April 2025. While previous research has focused on fatal opioid ODs, less is known about outcomes following non-fatal opioid ODs (NFOO) involving fentanyl. Patients who experienced a fentanyl OD may develop significant morbidity and inpatient mortality due to fentanyl’s high potency, rapid onset of action, and decreased response to naloxone. Research efforts to improve continuity of care for opioid use disorder (OUD) are highly needed to ensure appropriate follow-up care …

Effectiveness Of Occupational Therapy-Inspired Educational Sessions For Mothers Accessing Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) Services, Samantha Annette Merew

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This doctoral capstone project examined the effectiveness of occupational therapy (OT)-inspired group and one-on-one educational sessions designed to support the emotional, mental, and social well-being of pregnant and postpartum mothers accessing Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) services in Onslow County, North Carolina. Grounded in the Model of Human Occupation and Cognitive Behavioral Frame of Reference, the program aimed to address gaps in holistic maternal health support, particularly among low-income and at-risk populations. Eight structured group sessions and five one-on-one sessions were developed, implemented, and evaluated, focusing on topics such as stress management, emotional regulation, self-care, role transition, and self-advocacy. A …

Increasing Documentation Of Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressures: A Quality Improvement Initiative For Flight Crew Providers, Matthew D. Noss

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

ABSTRACT

Background: There was a lack of documentation of endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressures (CPs) by flight crew providers at Base 1 of HealthNet Aeromedical Services. A three-month pre-intervention data collection showed 1.8% of patients had initial CPs documented. Inadequate documentation and monitoring of ETT CPs can lead to patient complications such as tracheal injury and aspiration making this an important area for quality improvement.

Purpose: To increase documentation of ETT CPs through education and evidence-based interventions.

Intervention: This project implemented an educational in-service on ETT cuff syringe manometry for flight crew providers. The educational intervention consisted of …

Risk Of Gestational Diabetes By Aerobic And Resistance Exercise During The First And Second Trimesters, Takaki Tanamoto, George Saade, Leryn J. Reynolds, Tetsuya Kawakita

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Objective

While some studies have shown that exercise reduces the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), there is limited evidence on whether aerobic or resistance exercise is more beneficial. This study aimed to examine the rate of GDM according to the type of exercise during early pregnancy.

Study design

We analyzed data from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be (nuMoM2b), a prospective cohort of individuals enrolled during the first and second trimesters. We excluded participants with pregestational diabetes or delivery < 20 weeks. The primary exposure was either aerobic or resistance exercises in the first or second trimester. For each trimester, the metabolic equivalent of task hours per week (MET-h/week) was calculated for each exercise. Participants were grouped as follows: "Aerobic exercise" (≥7.5 MET-h/week from aerobic exercises), "Resistance exercise" (≥2 times/week from resistance exercises), "Both types of exercise" (≥7.5 MET-h/week from aerobic exercise and ≥2 times/week from resistance exercises), and "Insufficient exercise" (≤7.5 MET-h/week from aerobic exercise and ≤2 times/week from resistance exercises). Our primary outcome was GDM. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using modified Poisson regression, adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

In both the first and second trimesters, analyses included 9049 individuals. In the first trimester, individuals who performed …

The Taper Sign: Sonographic Representation Of Uterine Dehiscence In Severe Cases Of Placenta Accreta Spectrum, Uma Deshmukh, Anna M. Modest, Alfred Abuhamad, Alireza A. Shamshirsaz, Jonathan L. Hecht, Scott A. Shainker

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Prenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) depends on reliable ultrasound markers and skilled image interpretation. Existing PAS markers emphasize placental features suggestive of abnormal adherence and require advanced image optimization. However, emerging hypotheses suggest that uterine dehiscence—not placental invasion—is the central mechanism underlying PAS, particularly in severe (Grade 3) disease. Despite this, few established ultrasound markers address this uterine dehiscence. We describe a novel ultrasound marker, the taper sign, which uniquely represents the uterine dehiscence in severe PAS with anterior placenta previa, and outline a standardized technique for image acquisition and interpretation.

Methods: This descriptive report details the …

Low-Lying Placenta Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Hemorrhage And Severe Maternal Morbidity: A Nationwide Analysis, May Abiad, Giulia Bonanni, Nikan Zargarzadeh, Ali Javinani, Scott A. Shainker, Anna M. Modest, George R. Saade, Kjersti Aagaard, Alireza A. Shamshirsaz

Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Faculty Publications

Background

Placenta previa (PP) is a well-recognized obstetric complication with established maternal risks, particularly hemorrhage, that contribute significantly to maternal morbidity. In contrast, low-lying placenta (LLP) has historically been grouped with previa in both coding and clinical practice, limiting our ability to study its imparted associated outcomes as a distinct entity. However, in 2017, coding revisions allowed for a parsed diagnosis of LLP and PP and enabled the current study of differentiated associated outcomes.

Objectives

To describe and compare the independent rates of hemorrhage and severe maternal morbidity (SMM) associated with LLP and PP relative to normal placentation.

Methods

We …