Digital Commons Network^™

Organizational Characteristics As Predictors Of Hospital Accreditation, Rebecca B. Graystone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Hospital accreditation has had wide and longstanding acceptance as a key quality tool to drive efficient, effective healthcare. Researchers have more recently questioned factors commonly related with accreditation achievement given accreditation’s general association to better patient care, risk management, and cost reduction. Even less information was known about predictors of accreditation failure, which could be addressed by hospital administrators in advance of seeking application. Accordingly, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine if hospital structures and processes were predictors of accreditation failure. The research questions explored hospital size, ownership status, geographic location, hospital leadership, empowerment, practice, and …

Down Syndrome And Alzheimer's Disease: A Scoping Review Of Functional Performance And Fall Risk, Selena E Washington, Emily Cler, Cameron Lowery, Susan L Stark

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Alzheimer's disease (AD) occurs in aging adults with Down syndrome (DS) at a higher prevalence and an earlier age than in typical aging adults. As with the general aging adult population, there is an urgent need to understand the preclinical and early phases of AD progression in the adult population with DS. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesize the current state of the evidence and identify gaps in the literature regarding functional activity performance and falls and their significance to disease staging (i.e., mild, moderate, and severe defined staging criteria) in relation to Alzheimer's disease and …

Tourism‑Supported Working Lands Sustain A Growing Jaguar Population In The Colombian Llanos, Matthew Hyde, Esteban Payán, Jorge Barragan, Diana Stasiukynas, Sanmantha Rincón, William L. Kendall, Jerónimo Rodríguez, Kevin R. Crooks, Stewart W. Breck, Valerie Boron

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding large carnivore demography on human-dominated lands is a priority to inform conservation strategies, yet few studies examine long-term trends. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are one such species whose population trends and survival rates remain unknown across working lands. We integrated nine years of camera trap data and tourist photos to estimate jaguar density, survival, abundance, and probability of tourist sightings on a working ranch and tourism destination in Colombia. We found that abundance increased from five individuals in 2014 to 28 in 2022, and density increased from 1.88 ± 0.87 per 100 km² in 2014 to 3.80 …

Estimating Northern Spotted Owl (Strix Occidentalis Caurina) Pair Detection Probabilities Based On Call-Back Surveys Associated With Long-Term Mark-Recapture Studies, 1993–2018, Katie M. Dugger, Alan B. Franklin, Damon B. Lesmeister, Raymond J. Davis, J. David Wiens, Gary C. White, James D. Nichols, James E. Hines, Charles B. Yackulic, Carl J. Schwarz, Steven A. Ackers, L. Steven Andrews, Larissa L. Bailey, Robin Bown, Jesse Burgher, Kenneth P. Burnham, Peter C. Carlson, Tara Chestnut, Mary M. Conner, Krista E. Dilione, Eric D. Forsman, Scott A. Gremel, Keith A. Hamm, Dale R. Herter, J. Mark Higley, Rob B. Horn, Julianna M. Jenkins, William L. Kendall, David W. Lapmphear, Christopher Mccafferty, Trent L. Mcdonald, Janice A. Reid, Jeremy T. Rockweit, David C. Simon, Stan G. Sovern, James K. Swingle, Heather Wise

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina; hereinafter NSO) was listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act in 1990 and population declines have continued since that listing. Given the species’ protected status, any proposed activities on Federal lands that might impact NSO require consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and part of that consultation often includes surveys to determine presence and occupancy status of the species in the proposed activity area. The objective of this report is to present study-area specific estimates of the probability of detection for NSO pairs from twelve 2-week seasonal survey periods …

Covid-19 Isolation Compliance Among Students And Employees Of A Large Public University, Nicolette Harmon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Isolation has been used to prevent the spread of many infectious diseases including COVID-19. The CDC’s isolation recommendations have changed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, currently infected individuals must stay at home for 5 full days. The CDC cites low compliance rates as one of the reasons for the recent reduction to the number of days in isolation. However, the CDC could only cite studies from other countries due to the lack of studies on isolation compliance in the United States. This study aimed to determine what percentage of UNLV students and staff complied with the isolation guidelines …

Salesperson-Customer Dyads In The Casino Gaming Industry: How Sales Competencies And Relationship Lifecycles Influence Customer Satisfaction And Account Profitability, Alicia Lechtenberger

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Developing extraordinary relationships between sales personnel and customers is essential to corporate success. To meet the increasing demands of customers within the hospitality industry, corporations must ensure they pair customers with salespeople who are highly competent, possessing refined and adaptable skill sets that directly increase customer satisfaction and account profitability. Corporations spend billions of dollars annually on hiring and training salespeople; yet, salespeople often quit or miss their quota targets. Considering this industry-wide business problem, the purpose of this dissertation study was to determine how sales competencies influence customer satisfaction and account profitability while taking into consideration the duration of …

The Effectiveness Of Virtual Reality For Pain Management Among Palliative Care Patients, Jenna Canfield, Niang Man, Aisha Suleiman, Ivy Oginga, Rachael Valentz Dr.

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

Management of pain in palliative care patients remains to be a highly complex and individualized process that involves a combination of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions (Garrett et al., 2020). However, despite current standards for care, pain remains to be poorly controlled compared to all other symptoms (Guenther et al., 2022; Natoli et al., 2015). Due to the prevalence and severity of pain among palliative care patients, many non-pharmacological interventions have been explored to improve quality of life. Recent studies have shown virtual reality (VR) to be successful in the management of acute pain (Chan et al., 2018). However, the …

Temporal Trends In Lipoprotein(A) Concentrations: The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Matthew R. Deshotels, Caroline Sun, Vijay Nambi, Salim S. Virani, Kunihiro Matsushita, Bing Yu, Christie . M. Ballantyne, Ron C. Hoogeveen

Office of the Provost

Background: Plasma lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) concentrations are primarily determined by genetic factors and are believed to remain stable throughout life. However, data are scarce on longitudinal trends in Lp(a) concentrations over time. Therefore, it is unclear whether measurement of Lp(a) once in a person's life is sufficient for cardiovascular risk assessment in all adults.
Methods and Results: Lp(a) concentrations, specifically apolipoprotein(a) concentrations, were measured at visits 4 and 5, ≈15 years apart, in 4734 adult participants of the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study (mean age at visits 4 and 5, 60.7±5.1 and 75.5±5.2 years, respectively). Participants were categorized by baseline …

Temporal Trends In Lipoprotein(A) Concentrations: The Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Matthew R Deshotels, Caroline Sun, Vijay Nambi, Salim S Virani, Kunihiro Matsushita, Bing Yu, Christie M Ballantyne, Ron C Hoogeveen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Plasma lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) concentrations are primarily determined by genetic factors and are believed to remain stable throughout life. However, data are scarce on longitudinal trends in Lp(a) concentrations over time. Therefore, it is unclear whether measurement of Lp(a) once in a person's life is sufficient for cardiovascular risk assessment in all adults.

Methods and Results: Lp(a) concentrations, specifically apolipoprotein(a) concentrations, were measured at visits 4 and 5, ≈15 years apart, in 4734 adult participants of the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study (mean age at visits 4 and 5, 60.7±5.1 and 75.5±5.2 years, respectively). Participants were categorized by baseline …

Molecular Analysis Of Short- Versus Long-Term Survivors Of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma, Elaine Stur, Emine Bayraktar, Graziela Zibetti Dal Molin, Sherry Y Wu, Lingegowda S Mangala, Hui Yao, Ying Wang, Prahlad T Ram, Sara Corvigno, Hu Chen, Han Liang, Shelley S Tworoger, Douglas A Levine, Susan K Lutgendorf, Jinsong Liu, Kathleen N Moore, Keith A Baggerly, Beth Y Karlan, Anil K Sood

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Despite having similar histologic features, patients with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) often experience highly variable outcomes. The underlying determinants for long-term survival (LTS, ≥10 years) versus short-term survival (STS, < 3 years) are largely unknown. The present study sought to identify molecular predictors of LTS for women with HGSC. A cohort of 24 frozen HGSC samples was collected (12 LTS and 12 STS) and analyzed at DNA, RNA, and protein levels. OVCAR5 and OVCAR8 cell lines were used for in vitro validation studies. For in vivo studies, we injected OVCAR8 cells into the peritoneal cavity of female athymic nude mice. From RNAseq analysis, 11 genes were found to be differentially expressed between the STS and LTS groups (fold change > 2; false discovery rate < 0.01). In the subsequent validation cohort, transmembrane protein 62 (TMEM62) was found to be related to LTS. CIBERSORT analysis showed that T cells (follicular helper) were found at higher levels in tumors from LTS than STS groups. In vitro data using OVCAR5 and OVCAR8 cells showed decreased proliferation with TMEM62 overexpression and positive correlation with a longevity-regulating pathway (KEGG HSA04213) at the RNA level. In vivo analysis using the OVCAR8-TMEM62-TetON model showed decreased tumor burden in mice with high- vs. low-expressing TMEM62 tumors. Our results demonstrate that restoring TMEM62 may be a novel approach for treatment of HGSC. These findings may have implications for biomarker and intervention strategies to help improve patient outcomes

Determinants Of Reproductive Freedom Among Israeli Women Ages 18-50: A Mixed Methods Study, Abby Kra-Friedman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Reproductive freedom is a social determinant of health (SDOH) that reduces health disparities and increases health equity. Through the National Health Insurance Plan, Israeli women can access a range of contraceptive methods. Scant data on Israeli women limits development of policies and interventions to meet international benchmarks for reproductive freedom. The purpose of this dissertation study is to synthesize current international multidisciplinary literature using the capability approach for reproductive freedom, explore determinants of reproductive freedom among Israeli women ages 18-50 using Nussbaum's capability approach, and make recommendations for nursing research, practice, and theory.

Methodology: Using Whittemore and …

Intra-Operative Language Assessment For Adult Brain Tumor Survivors: A Systematic Review, Carissa Jolley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Awake craniotomy and language assessment procedures for brain tumor survivors can drastically affect patient outcomes and quality of life. The goal of intra-operative language mapping is to help preserve vital communicative functions. However, there is currently no standardized set of measures for intra-operative language assessment. This systematic review identified behavioral language measures used during intra-operative procedures and the resulting outcomes for adult brain tumor patients, with the aim of helping clinicians and researchers select intra-operative language assessments supported by the highest levels of evidence.

PRISMA guidelines were used to systematically identify articles. Patient demographic and medical information, neuroimaging data, intra-operative …

Coping Strategies For Inner Conflicts Between Gay Bear Identity And Health Concerns, Chichun Lin, Darren D. Moore

The Qualitative Report

Gay bear refers to a burly gay man with a hirsute body and face. Chinese gay bear men are highly homogeneous and strictly emphasize a uniform bear appearance; however, obesity is an obvious health issue in this population. This study aims to explore the Chinese gay bear men's inner conflicts between bear identity and health concerns. Eleven Chinese gay bear men including four Taiwanese, two mainland Chinese, two Hong Kong, two Malaysian, and one Singaporean were interviewed. The study used a thematic analysis approach and found three coping strategies including (a) Eat healthy but maintain a minimal bear standard; (b) …

“The Worst Part About My Pregnancy Was Stuff That Didn’T Have To Do With My Pregnancy”: Medicaid Beneficiaries’ Pregnancy Intentions & Experiences In South Carolina, Andrew Michael Chen

Senior Theses

Low-income women and women of color experience adverse birth outcomes at disproportionately higher rates in the United States than most people who give birth. This thesis examines individual interviews conducted with 30 low-income women whose most recent birth was covered by Medicaid, the United States’ largest means-tested public health insurance program. The aim of this thesis is to examine how the women in the study thought about pregnancy, and how they described their intentions to become or avoid becoming pregnant at various times in their life. While public health researchers often frame pregnancy as an event that is either intended …

Comparative Effectiveness Of Jade Stone Mobilisation, Non-Abrasive Cupping, And Manual Drainage Technique In Subjects With Chronic Sinusitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial, Monali Gandhi, Peeyoosha Gurudut Dr.

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Sinusitis in recent times has been known as one of the major causes for reduced quality of life and work absenteeism. Chronic sinusitis being one of the health hazards affecting QOL of subjects of any age and gender requires a specific therapeutic intervention. Clinical trials that can demonstrate the effectiveness of manual therapy intervention in sinusitis cases are lacking. Hence, this study aims to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of three manual therapy techniques in subjects with chronic sinusitis. Method: The current study is a prospective, parallel arm, randomised clinical trial performed at physiotherapy OPD, tertiary health …

Real-Time Fmri Neurofeedback And Ptsd: Efficacy In Symptom Relief And Neural Circuit Restoration, Sophia F. Ryker

University Honors Theses

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is recognized by the DSM-V as resulting from exposure to a traumatic event and the subsequent, prolonged experience of intrusive symptoms, avoidance behavior, altered cognitive functioning and hyperarousal. Current treatments often do not provide relief from symptoms and there is a need for neuro-scientifically informed interventions.

Methods: Through the review of all available studies using real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rt-fMRI-NF) as a treatment for PTSD, the efficacy of this therapeutic intervention was analyzed in order to make specific recommendations for the neurofeedback protocols of future studies.

Results: Evidence demonstrated successful reduction in symptom severity and normalizing …

Does Gender Impact A Diagnosis Of Ankylosing Spondylitis?, Mark C Hwang, Martin Rozycki, David Kauffman, Theresa Arndt, Esther Yi, Michael H Weisman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: The study objective was to explore differences in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) diagnosis experiences between men and women by examining the coding of health events over the 2 years preceding AS diagnosis.

Methods: Claims data (January 2006-April 2019) from the MarketScan databases were examined. Patients who had received two or more AS diagnoses at least 30 days apart and had at least 2 years of insurance enrollment before their first AS diagnosis were analyzed. Men were matched 1:1 to women by age, diagnosis date, insurance type, and enrollment duration. Health events (diagnosis and provider codes) were examined over 2 years …

Assessment Of Oral Human Papillomavirus In Pediatric And Adult Patients Within A Multi-Ethnic Clinic Population, Melissa Kornhaber

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) encompasses a large family of oncogenic viruses responsible for increasing rates of both cervical and oral cancer, particularly among minority and low-income populations. Although this represents an increasingly significant public health risk, few studies have screened for oral HPV within Nevada. Based upon this information, the primary objective of this study was to provide a temporal analysis of oral HPV screening among a primarily low-income, minority patient population.

Methods: This retrospective analysis was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). In brief, unstimulated saliva samples were previously obtained from clinical patient volunteers that provided …

An Efficient Method Of Evaluating Multiple Concurrent Management Actions On Invasive Populations, Amy J. Davis, Randy Farrar, Brad Jump, Parker Hall, Travis Guerrant, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Evaluating the efficacy of management actions to control invasive species is crucial for maintaining funding and to provide feedback for the continual improvement of management efforts. However, it is often difficult to assess the efficacy of control methods due to limited resources for monitoring. Managers may view effort on monitoring as effort taken away from performing management actions. We developed a method to estimate invasive species abundance, evaluate management effectiveness, and evaluate population growth over time from a combination of removal activities (e.g., trapping, ground shooting) using only data collected during removal efforts (method of removal, date, location, number of …

Body Mass Index (Bmi): A Screening Tool Analysis, Deepesh Khanna, Cadynce Peltzer, Payal Kahar, Mayur S. Parmar

HPD Articles

Body mass index (BMI), a measurement based on a person's height and weight, allows the classification of individuals into categories such as obese or overweight. With these classifications, we can assess risk for hypertension, diabetes, cancer, hypercholesterolemia, and other chronic diseases. Furthermore, childhood BMI serves as a prediction method for health and disease later in life. Along with BMI, researchers also study waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio in correlation with the above-mentioned chronic illnesses. This brief review explores the associations between body mass index, waist circumference, and the waist-hip ratio as measurements and their capability as predictors for persistent conditions …

Three Waves: The United States Opioid Crisis, Ryan B. Santoro

Senior Scholars Papers in Science, Technology, and Society

The past two and a half decades have witnessed widespread suffering, addiction, and death at the hands of the opioid crisis. This paper analyzes the crisis through a series of time periods, broken down into “waves.” Drawing upon primary material in relation to OxyContin advertisements in the 1990’s, this research takes aim at the origin of widespread opioid abuse disorder. By building upon analysis done on the Sackler Family, Purdue Pharma, heroin abuse, fentanyl overdoses, the COVID-19 pandemic and opioids and addiction in modern pop culture, this thesis shows how despite constant change in public policy, the opioid crisis continues …

Relationships Between Stress Self-Management, Social Support, And Health In Hispanic Informal Caregiver Burnout Prevention, Nicole Alexandra Mas Román

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout syndrome is a psychological disorder characterized by physical, emotional, and mental distress and exhaustion resulting in feelings of depression, anxiety, irritability, and negative attitudes. If left unattended, burnout syndrome can lead to new or worsening health outcomes. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between stress self-management, perceived social support, health status, and burden among Puerto Rican informal caregivers. The theoretical foundations for this research were the informal caregiving integrative model and the individual and family self-management theory. Survey data were collected from 415 participants. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship …

Relationships Between Stress Self-Management, Social Support, And Health In Hispanic Informal Caregiver Burnout Prevention, Nicole Alexandra Mas Román

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout syndrome is a psychological disorder characterized by physical, emotional, and mental distress and exhaustion resulting in feelings of depression, anxiety, irritability, and negative attitudes. If left unattended, burnout syndrome can lead to new or worsening health outcomes. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between stress self-management, perceived social support, health status, and burden among Puerto Rican informal caregivers. The theoretical foundations for this research were the informal caregiving integrative model and the individual and family self-management theory. Survey data were collected from 415 participants. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship …

Screening For Severe Mental Illness In A Correctional Setting Using The Brief Jail Mental Health Screening Tool, Stephanie Kohl

DNP Projects

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prisoners who are detained in jails and detention centers have higher rates of Severe Mental Illness (SMI) compared to the general population. However, SMI is often unidentified in this population, largely due to lack of assessment using effective SMI screening tools and lack of knowledge among prison staff about the prevalence of SMI and the importance of identification in the correctional setting. Prisoners with SMI often act out violently against others and themselves. Current standard practice for SMI screening varies significantly across jails. Many jails use standard medical questionnaires which help obtain a brief medical history but often …

A Meta-Analysis Of Associations Between Weight Bias Internalization And Conceptually-Related Correlates: A Step Towards Improving Construct Validity, Kelly A. Romano, Kristin E. Heron, Cassidy M. Sandoval, Lindsay M. Howard, Rachel I. Macintyre

Psychology Faculty Publications

Weight bias internalization (WBI), a process of weight-based self-devaluation, has been associated with adverse mental and physical health. However, there are limitations with the existing conceptualization and operationalization of WBI that raise questions about the implications of this evidence-base. To address these limitations, the present study investigated the construct validity of WBI by conducting a meta-analysis of associations between WBI (as currently operationalized) and conceptually-related correlates. Studies identified through October 2021 that provided zero-order correlations for associations between WBI and conceptually-related constructs were examined. Meta-regression determined whether these associations differed across WBI measures and demographic (age, sex/gender, race, BMI) and …

Professional Behavior Attributes: A Survey Of Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives, Taylor A. Gurley, Kate E. Decleene Huber, Angella Chen, Kristen Dyson, Hannah Hackman, Paige Mcintire, Erika Wilson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professionalism in occupational therapy has been challenging to define due to differing values and behaviors across contexts and professions. There is a difference between how occupational therapy students and faculty view and comprehend professionalism suggesting that occupational therapists may not have an established sense of professionalism when entering the health care field for the first time. The study's purpose was to examine occupational therapy faculty’s perceptions of essential professional behavior attributes that students should possess to succeed in occupational therapy practice. This study utilized a survey methodology to anonymously collect opinions from 150 occupational therapy faculty members across the United …

Egg-Derived Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Immunoglobulin Y (Igy) With Broad Variant Activity As Intranasal Prophylaxis Against Covid-19, Lyn R Frumkin, Traci L Bricker, Astha Joshi, Adrianus C M Boon, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: COVID-19 emergency use authorizations and approvals for vaccines were achieved in record time. However, there remains a need to develop additional safe, effective, easy-to-produce, and inexpensive prevention to reduce the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection. This need is due to difficulties in vaccine manufacturing and distribution, vaccine hesitancy, and, critically, the increased prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with greater contagiousness or reduced sensitivity to immunity. Antibodies from eggs of hens (immunoglobulin Y; IgY) that were administered the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were developed for use as nasal drops to capture the virus on the nasal mucosa. …

Conserving Endangered Black-Footed Ferrets: Biological Threats, Political Challenges, And Lessons Learned, Travis M. Livieri, Steven C. Forrest, Marc R. Matchett, Stewart Breck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There may be few stories in the annals of wildlife management that are as dramatic as the near demise and comeback of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes). Endemic only to North America, this charming little carnivore found only in the continent’s central grasslands was hardly known to science until the mid-20th century. By then, vast colonies of the prey it depended on for food and shelter, the prairie dog (Cynomys spp.), had been wiped out through disease (sylvatic plague) and an agricultural industry with little tolerance for burrowing and grazing rodents. At its low point, the species’ …

No One Told Me What Infertility Would Be Like For A Black Man. That's Because Nobody Knows., Keith "Jared" Wright, Zachary Smith

Capstones

I am a 34-year-old, 6-foot-3 Black man who weighed over 330 pounds. In navigating my infertility journey, I noticed a major disparity in donors throughout sperm banks all over the country. Additionally, I noticed that while male infertility is rarely discussed in general, it is significantly more suppressed in Black and Brown communities. An open dialogue and more transparency can hopefully ensure that those suffering from this condition can have an easier road in their journey than their predecessors.

https://zacharysmith90.github.io/capstone/

¡Presente!: Affirming Latinx Voices Within Health Sciences Library Scholarship, Aidybert Weeks, Adela V. Justice, Ruby Nugent, Bredny Rodriguez, Brenda Linares

Library Faculty Research

Increasing diverse author representation within medical librarianship scholarship among BIPOC information professionals is an important endeavor that requires closer examination. This commentary looks to examine the ways in which the profession can support Latinx librarians and library workers in fully participating within the scholarly pipeline by exploring our unique and authentic voices, structural barriers, hesitation and fears, Whiteness in the profession and knowledge production, bias in the peer review process, lack of resources and support, and finally, a call to action.