Digital Commons Network^™

Rapamycin Rescues Vascular, Metabolic And Learning Deficits In Apolipoprotein E4 Transgenic Mice With Pre-Symptomatic Alzheimer’S Disease, Ai-Ling Lin, Jordan B. Jahrling, Wei Zhang, Nicholas Derosa, Vikas Bakshi, Peter Romero, Veronica Galvan, Arlan Richardson

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele is a common susceptibility gene for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Brain vascular and metabolic deficits can occur in cognitively normal apolipoprotein E ɛ4 carriers decades before the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The goal of this study was to determine whether early intervention using rapamycin could restore neurovascular and neurometabolic functions, and thus impede pathological progression of Alzheimer's disease-like symptoms in pre-symptomatic Apolipoprotein E ɛ4 transgenic mice. Using in vivo, multimodal neuroimaging, we found that apolipoprotein E ɛ4 mice treated with rapamycin had restored cerebral blood flow, blood–brain barrier integrity and glucose metabolism, compared …

Relationship Between Perioperative Risk And Cardio-Respiratory Fitness After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Cheng-Ming Chiu, Kuan-Cheng Chen, Chia-To Wang, Chen-Liang Chou

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Introduction and objectives: The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (euroSCORE II) is a validated model for predicting perioperative mortality after cardiac surgery. The role of cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF), expressed as peak metabolic equivalents (METs), as a predictor of long-term survival in patients who have previously undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is well established. However, the correlation between perioperative risk and CRF has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perioperative risk and CRF in patients after CABG. Methods: Patients who underwent CABG from January 2012 through December 2013 at …

Developed An Interactive Visual Dashboard To Assess The Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Elderly, Weichiao Lu, Shuchuan Wu, Hsihsun Su, Chingjen Cang, Tienlung Sun, Chienhua Huang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

The main purpose of data visualization is to provide an overview of data characteristics. In this study, a data visualization-based interactive exploration environment was developed to assess the risk of falling among community-dwelling elderly adults. The research goal was to enable clinicians to apply their expert knowledge to quickly derive information from the data and analyze the risk of falling. By visualizing the data to derive information, the clinicians were able to analyze preliminary screening results to identify elderly adults at a high risk of falling and subsequently advise them to return to hospital for a comprehensive geriatric assessment. In …

Effect Of Individualized Bladder Rehabilitation Program In Patients With Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction, A Pilot Study, Peir-Renn Wang, Wei-Che Wang, Sung-Lang Chen, Yu-Hui Huang, Yu-Fen Lai, Hsiu-Chun Yang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objectives: Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is one of the major sequelae after spinal cord injury (SCI) and a cause of increased morbidity and mortality in SCI patients. Current treatment strategies for NLUTD include medication, non-invasive conservative management, minimally invasive therapy, and surgical intervention. However, there are no studies regarding non-invasive conservative management that combines pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises and electrical stimulation (ES). This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of individualized bladder rehabilitation programs, which included education on voiding behavior, PFM exercise training combined with electromyography (EMG) biofeedback, and ES (for bladder inhibition or PFM strengthening), …

Correlation Between Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Stiffness After Radiation Therapy And Quality Of Life In Patients With Head And Neck Cancer, Shih-Chung Chang, Peir-Renn Wang, Hsien-Chun Tseng, Su-Ju Tsai, Yu-Li Cheng

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Objective: Radiation-induced fibrosis after radiation treatment frequently results in neck and shoulder pain/dysfunction, trismus, dysphagia, muscle stiffness and lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with head and neck (H&N) cancer. Here, we access the correlation between neck muscle stiffness after radiation therapy and HRQOL, and the effect of rehabilitation on muscle stiffness and HRQOL. Method: We used real-time sonoelastography to evaluate sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) stiffness after radiation therapy. We used the EORTC QLQ-30 and EORTCQLQ H&N35 to evaluate the HRQOL of H&N cancer patients. Each participant received real-time sonoelastography and an HRQOL evaluation twice with the course of …

Suppression Of F1 Male-Specific Lethality In Caenorhabditis Hybrids By Cbr-Him-8, Vaishnavi Ragavapuram, Emily Elaine King, Scott Everet Baird

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Haldane's Rule and Darwin's Corollary to Haldane's Rule are the observations that heterogametic F1 hybrids frequently are less fit than their homogametic siblings and that asymmetric results often are obtained from reciprocal hybrid crosses. In Caenorhabditis, Haldane's Rule and Darwin's Corollary have been observed in several hybrid crosses, including crosses of Caenorhabditis briggsae and Caenorhabditis nigoni. Fertile F1 females are obtained from reciprocal crosses. However, F1 males obtained from C. nigoni mothers are sterile and F1 males obtained from C. briggsae die during embryogenesis. We have identified cbr-him-8 as a recessive maternal-effect suppressor of F1 hybrid male-specific lethality …

The War At Home, Joseph A. Altobelli Mr.

Capstones

This site was made to show how the cuts to and politics behind the Veterans Affairs Hospital in New York affects the veterans it is set up to care for.

Impact Of Parental Stress On Asthma Management Behaviors And Health Outcomes: A Longitudinal Analysis Of Inner City School-Aged Children, Amanda Constance Green

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Background. Asthma is a prevalent chronic condition with excess disease burden in school-aged, minority children from low income inner-city communities. Conceptualized within a nursing and socio-ecological framework, the purpose of this secondary analysis of a prospective study of inner-city school-aged children with asthma (School Inner-City Asthma Study [SICAS]) was to examine associations between characteristics of children and parents, parents stress, parent asthma management behaviors (AMB) and child asthma outcomes, including emergency (ED) visits for asthma, missed school and asthma control.

Methods. The sample included 351 school-aged children (7.9 years old, SD= 1.9 years; 53.0% male; 95.7% minority). Parents reported their …

The Utility Of Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament Test In Detecting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome With Clinical Stage, Nerve Conduction Study, And Sonography Correlations, Lin-Yi Wang, Jyun-Ying Li, Yu-Chi Huang, Mei-Yun Liaw, Tsung-Hsun Yang, Yi-Jung Hsin, Willie Lee, Jui-Kun Chang, Ya-Ping Pong

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background and purpose: Nerve conduction study (NCS) and ultrasonography (US) are used to support the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The ability of the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test (SWMT), a sensibility threshold test, to detect CTS, and its relationship to clinical severity, NCS, and US, remain controversial. We conducted this study to address this controversy. Method: Thirty-three patients presenting with typical symptoms and signs of CTS and 20 normal subjects were enrolled. SWMT on the index finger, NCS, and US of the cross-sectional area of the median nerve at the pisiform level (PCSA) were performed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves …

Faktor-Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kenaikan Cd4 Pada Pasien Hiv Yang Mendapat Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy Dalam 6 Bulan Pertama, Indria Yogani, Teguh Harjono Karyadi, Anna Uyainah, Sukamto Koesnoe

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Pendahuluan: HIV adalah infeksi yang menyerang sistem kekebalan tubuh dengan CD4 sebagai sel targetnya. Ditemukannya Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) diharapkan mampu menurunkan angka morbiditas dan mortalitas HIV. Namun, kenaikan CD4 tidak sama untuk setiap pasien serta terdapat faktor lain yang berhubungan dengan kenaikan CD4 pada pasien HIV.

Metode: Studi kohort retrospektif dilakukan pada pasien HIV rawat jalan di Unit Pelayanan Terpadu HIV Rumah Sakit dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) Jakarta selama Mei- Juni 2014.. Data penelitian didapatkan dari rekam medis selama Januari 2004-Desember 2013. Analisis data menggunakan program SPSS dengan uji Mann Whitney, uji Chi Square atau Fisher …

Association Between Depression And Aggression In Rural Women, Laetitia Meyrueix, Gabriel Durham, Jasmine Miller, K. Bryant Smalley Phd, Psyd, Jacob C. Warren Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Rural women represent approximately 20% of women living in the United States, yet research on the specific mental health needs of rural women is limited. Given the well-recognized gender-linked disparity in depression, its correlated symptoms in women still need much investigation. While emerging notions of depression in men embrace potential symptoms related to irritability and aggression, less research has focused on the potential role of aggression in depressed women. This connection may be particularly relevant for rural women who face unique mental health stressors in comparison to their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to examine if aggression …

"There’S More To Us Than This:" A Qualitative Study Of Black Young Adults’ Perceptions Of Media Portrayals Of Hiv, Maya Corneille, Anna Lee, Roseina Britton, Judith C. Barker

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The extent to which the targeted group attends to and is engaged by HIV/STI prevention messages is one component of effective health communication. Through an empirical examination of the cumulative perceptions of HIV/STI prevention media messages targeted to Black youth and young adults, this qualitative study privileges the voices of Black/ African American young adults as a group that is frequently targeted in HIV prevention campaigns. Semi-structured interviews with 23 Black/African American young adults yielded key themes that suggest barriers to effective health communication. Traditionally, health promotion has advocated for targeted messages as a means to increase risk perception and …

Community Based Participatory Research: The Application And Lessons Learned From A Study With Lgb College Students, Caitlin M. Stover

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are members of a vulnerable group where health disparities have been identified. To gain a better understanding of the LGB college student healthcare experience and its contribution to the healthcare disparities found in LGB population, a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used to fill the gap. This paper will outline the CBPR process with an emphasis on how the principle investigator applied the tenets of CBPR when working with a local LGB college community. Several lessons learned from the research process are also shared in this paper.

Social Determinants Of Late Stage Hiv Diagnosis And Its Distributions Among African Americans And Latinos: A Critical Literature Review, Alison M. Chopel, Meredith Minkler, Amani Nuru-Jeter, Megan Dunbar

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

ABSTRACT

This critical literature review was conducted to identify both individual- and environmental-level social determinants of health using an ecological framework as a way to contextualize risk for, and distributions of, late HIV diagnosis among African Americans and Latinos in the United States.

Background: Late diagnosis, defined as a diagnosis of AIDS simultaneously with or within one year of an initial HIV diagnosis,¹ disproportionately affects African American and Latino communities;^2,3 disparities in this health problem thus represent a preventable inequity. Such disparities affect not only late diagnosed individuals but also population levels of HIV incidence, as transmission is …

Factors Associated With Providers’ Perceptions Of Mental Health Care In Santa Luzia’S Family Health Strategy, Brazil, Angela R. Ghesquiere, Rogerio M. Pinto, Rahbel Rahman, Anya Y. Spector

Publications and Research

Brazil has a unique mental health care system, characterized by universal coverage delivered by interdisciplinary teams both in the community and in specialized centros de atenção psicossocial (CAPS—psychosocial care centers). Provision of patient-centered mental health care is an important principle of Brazilian mental health care, but this topic has not been well-studied. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of 151 community health workers (CHWs), nurses, and physicians in Santa Luzia, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Chi-squares, t-tests and multivariate regression analyses examined differences in socio-demographics, caseload, engagement in evidence-based practices (EBPs), and transdisciplinary collaboration between providers who reported providing high …

Exploring End User Experience: How Can We Achieve Lifelong Engagement With Physical Activity Tracking Devices?, Mohammed Karim Impelee

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Activity tracking devices provide biofeedback information and encourage people to be active, however, their long-term usage has been problematic. This study explored the theory of reinforcement techniques and the theory of self- determination to enhance long-term usage of activity tracking devices.

A sample of 43 people was surveyed to examine their experience with activity tracking devices. A multi-regression analysis demonstrated significant results(R square=71.6% Sig level=0.012 N=43). The result indicates how individuals with different orientations likely to perceive the supportiveness of their devices and how likely they were to continue using or stop using their devices. Conclusion: understanding the principles of …

Black–White Latino Racial Disparities In Hiv Survival, Florida, 2000–2011, Diana M. Sheehan, Mary Jo Trepka, Kristopher P. Feenie, Guillermo Prado, Miguel Angel Cano, Lorene M. Maddox

Department of Epidemiology

This research aimed to estimate Black/White racial disparities in all-cause mortality risk among HIV-positive Latinos. Florida surveillance data for Latinos diagnosed with HIV (2000–2008) were merged with 2007–2011 American Community Survey data. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were calculated using multi-level Cox regression. Of 10,903 HIV-positive Latinos, 8.2% were Black and 91.9% White. Black Latinos were at increased mortality risk compared with White Latinos after controlling for individual and neighborhood factors (aHR 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–1.62). In stratified analyses, risk factors for Black Latinos included: age ¥60 years compared with ages 13–19 (aHR 4.63, 95% CI 1.32–16.13); …

Results Of A Community Randomized Study Of A Faith-Based Education Program To Improve Clinical Trial Participation Among African Americans, Paula M. Frew, Jay T. Schamel, Kelli A. O'Connell, Laura A. Randall, Sahithi Boggavarapu

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

This is a report of a cluster randomized clinical trial evaluating the effectiveness of a church-based educational intervention aimed at improving African Americans’ (AA) participation in clinical trials. Two hundred and twenty-one AA subjects ages ≥50 years from six predominantly AA churches were randomized to intervention or control condition. The intervention included three educational sessions about clinical trials and health disparities; control participants completed questionnaires. Primary endpoints of the study were differences in individual subjects' intentions to obtain clinical trial information and intention to join a clinical trial, as determined by 10 point scale items at baseline, three and six …

Implementation Of A Wellness Program To Address Health Disparities In A Vulnerable Population, Patricia Clark Pappas

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement a Wellness program to address the health disparities in a vulnerable population. The population targeted was a local population that was served at a mental health facility for socioeconomically disadvantaged. The program focused on improving knowledge of cardiovascular health, empowerment and communication skills. Significance: The significance of the project is the improvement in ones wellness by provision of education, empowerment and communication skills. The attaining of these skills can translate into other areas of wellness and improved health outcomes. Populations at risk due to socioeconomic and racial differences can …

Initiating A Bystander Awareness Program At A State University, Kristine B. Sparks

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Crime in schools, colleges and universities is a troublesome social problem. It affects not only those involved in the criminal incident, but it also inhibits societal growth and stability. To address this issue, the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act (SaVE Act) of 2013 requires that colleges participating in federal student aid programs must provide “primary prevention and awareness programs” for new students and employees, as well as ongoing crime prevention and awareness campaigns. Implementation was mandated to be started by October 1, 2014. Most prevention programs teach students how to avoid situations, abusive behaviors and potential attacks. This project initiates …

Improving Patient Care Outcomes To Reduce Recurrent Admissions Of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Lisa Maria Friedrich

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Purpose:Transitional care is time-limited, with the goal of ensuring safety and health continuity for at-risk patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as they move from one setting to the next. An acute care episode of COPD ranges from relatively healthy adults to adults with multiple chronic conditions or those in the end-of-life phase. The primary quality concern of an urgent need to improve health care is in response to the gaps of sufficient experience to manage patients with COPD, leading to hospital readmissions. Implementation of standards of care for the improvement of health-related quality of life (HRQL) of COPD …

When Free Is Not For Me: Confronting The Barriers To Use Of Free Quitline Telephone Counseling For Tobacco Dependence, Christine Sheffer, Sharon Brackman, Charnette Lercara, Naomi Cottoms, Mary Olson, Luana Panissidi, Jami Pittman, Helen Stayna

Publications and Research

Remarkable disparities in smoking rates in the United States contribute significantly to socioeconomic and minority health disparities. Access to treatment for tobacco use can help address these disparities, but quitlines, our most ubiquitous treatment resource, reach just 1%–2% of smokers. We used community-based participatory methods to develop a survey instrument to assess barriers to use of the quitline in the Arkansas Mississippi delta. Barriers were quitline specific and barriers to cessation more broadly. Over one-third (34.9%) of respondents (n = 799) did not have access to a telephone that they could use for the quitline. Respondents reported low levels of …

Filter Presence And Tipping Paper Color Influence Consumer Perceptions Of Cigarettes, Richard J. O’Connor, Maansi Bansal-Travers, K. Michael Cummings, David Hammond, Jim Thrasher, Cindy Tworek

Faculty Publications

Background: Cigarettes are marketed in a wide array of packaging and product configurations, and these may impact consumers’ perceptions of product health effects and attractiveness. Filtered cigarettes are typically perceived as less hazardous and white tipping paper (as opposed to cork) often conveys ‘lightness’.

Methods: This study examined cigarette-related perceptions among 1220 young adult (age 18-35) current, ever, and never smokers recruited from three eastern U.S. cities (Buffalo NY, Columbia SC, Morgantown WV). Participants rated three cigarette sticks: two filtered cigarettes 85 mm in length, differing only in tipping paper color (cork versus white), and an unfiltered 70 mm cigarette. …

“That’S True Love:” Lived Experiences Of Puerto Rican Perinatally Hiv-Infected Youth Within Their Families’ Context, Georgina Silva-Suarez, Elena Bastida, Silvia E. Rabionet, Consuelo Beck Sague, Irma Febo, Carmen D. Zorrilla

Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

The burden of HIV affects not only HIV-infected patients but also their families and caregivers. It is also known that family support is crucial for people living with HIV. A qualitative study was conducted to explore the life experiences, within the family context, of perinatally HIV-infected (pHIV-I) youth in Puerto Rico. Twenty in-depth interviews were performed and audio-recorded. Within the family context, study participants experienced acceptance, love and support but also stigma and discrimination. They reported that family is an essential component in their lives and treatment. Losing one or both parents at a young age was considered more difficult …

Dysregulation Of The Haem-Haemopexin Axis Is Associated With Severe Malaria In A Case-Control Study Of Ugandan Children., Robyn E Elphinstone, Frank Riley, Tian Lin, Sarah Higgins, Aggrey Dhabangi, Charles Musoke, Christine Cserti-Gazdewich, Raymond F. Regan, H Shaw Warren, Kevin C Kain

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Malaria is associated with haemolysis and the release of plasma haem. Plasma haem can cause endothelial injury and organ dysfunction, and is normally scavenged by haemopexin to limit toxicity. It was hypothesized that dysregulation of the haem-haemopexin pathway contributes to severe and fatal malaria infections.

METHODS: Plasma levels of haemin (oxidized haem), haemopexin, haptoglobin, and haemoglobin were quantified in a case-control study of Ugandan children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Levels at presentation were compared in children with uncomplicated malaria (UM; n = 29), severe malarial anaemia (SMA; n = 27) or cerebral malaria (CM; n = 31), and evaluated …

Advocacy In Action: A Framework For Implementation Of The American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies On A Local Level, Jeffrey M. Lown

Educational Specialist, 2009-2019

Despite calls from within the professional field and external forces, counselors have faced ongoing challenges in their efforts to be effective advocates for their clients and themselves. A review of the literature reveals that throughout the history of the profession, prominent figures have called on counselors to assume advocacy roles, and that some initiatives have been successful in fostering lasting change. However, as counselors and their clients’ needs continue to evolve, so too must strategies to address these needs be reevaluated and new initiatives put into place.

In this paper, I have outlined a committee structure and agenda that seeks …

Implementation Of A Warming Protocol To Prevent Inadvertent Perioperative Hypothermia In The Ambulatory Surgical Setting, Joan Abigail Slagle

Master's Projects and Capstones

The implementation of a standardized warming protocol aims to improve patient outcomes by preventing inadvertent perioperative hypothermia (IPH) and its complications in the ambulatory surgical setting. All patients, regardless of age or gender, are at risk for experiencing a 1-2° C drop in body core temperature within thirty minutes of anesthesia induction. The global aim of this project is to prevent IPH and its complications in the ambulatory surgical setting by implementing a warming protocol at a freestanding ambulatory surgery center. While an audit of the microsystem revealed a normothermia rate of 28%, a standardized warming protocol is expected to …

Impetus To Transform: Essential Nursing Leadership Development Through Simulation, Mary J. Mette

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

A nurse manager’s ability to effect positive change and inspire others to higher levels of achievement is related to his or her leadership style in the practice setting, as well as the culture present in the organization as a whole. The aim of this Doctor of Nursing evidence-based change in practice project was to create an educational modality that supported training nurse leaders through innovation and creative problem solving in today’s acute healthcare setting.

A survey was administered to 48 frontline managers in a Northern California healthcare system to access the gaps and voids in their ability to integrate …

The Creation And Implementation Of Guidelines For The Appropriate Termination Of Patient-Provider Relationships, Rowena D. Nolasco

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Primary care providers have terminated patient-provider relationships when they deem them no longer therapeutic. Healthcare providers are increasingly considering this an acceptable practice. However, the criteria for this decision remain unclear. As providers discharge challenging or difficult patients from their practices, questions to support this decision arise. Discharged patients face displacement and healthcare is disrupted. This project will (a) describe problematic patient-provider relationships and its effects, (b) identify possible alternatives to the firing of patients, (c) list appropriate reasons for termination, and (d) present recommended procedures to avoid allegations of medical abandonment. The project's product is an Appropriate Discharge or …

Fnp Led Mobile Health Services For The Homeless Population, Tenzin D. Lama

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

A small percentage of the U.S. population uses the greatest portion of the healthcare services. Homeless people are often such a group of “super-utilizers” of the healthcare system. Due to multiple medical and psychosocial conditions, people experiencing homelessness face numerous barriers to accessing healthcare, thus leading increased utilization of hospitals and emergency departments (EDs) services. Many of these events are preventable through improved primary care interventions. The literature on Respite/Recuperative Care, Transitional Care, and Mobile Health interventions have shown effectiveness in providing safe and quality care to homeless individuals during the critical transitional period post hospital discharge while also reducing …