Digital Commons Network^™

A Southwestern United States Pilot Investigation Of Triatomine–Mite Prevalence, Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Hanna Waltz, Mary K. Lynn, Stephen A. Klotz, Justin O. Schmidt, Alvaro Romero, Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino, Jose Ricardo Palacios Valladares, Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

An estimated 70 million persons in the Western Hemisphere are living at risk for Chagas disease, a parasitic infection transmitted to humans by over 156 different competent triatomine insect vector species. Prior Pan American Health Organization insecticide campaigns throughout Latin America in the 1990s and 2000s demonstrated that domestic insecticide spraying had temporary effects, which resulted in the re-establishment of triatomine species within a few years. Serendipitously, our team found ectoparasitic mites parasitizing triatomines collected from the field in multiple locations in the southwestern United States, where human–triatomine interaction was high but human parasite infection remains low. Upon further investigation …

Comparison Of The Upper Airway Volume In Orthodontically Treated Cases With First Premolar Extractions, Krystal Park

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Introduction: Comprehensive orthodontic treatment often entails extraction of teeth to accomplish treatment goals. A potential side effect of extraction therapy is arch length shortening resulting in decreased space for the tongue which may cause a low tongue posture and a possible reduction in airway space. The purpose of the study was to retrospectively determine if extractions of all first premolars during orthodontic treatment and the resulting movement of mandibular incisors are correlated with a reduction in airway volume.

Materials and Methods: The T1 and T2 CBCT’s of 80 patients were collected and reviewed. The cases were divided into treatment (extraction) …

Delirium In Frail Older Adults, Min Ji Kwak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Delirium and frailty are prevalent geriatric syndromes and important public health issues among older adults. The prevalence of delirium among hospitalized older adults ranges from 15% to 75%, while that of frailty ranges from 12% to 24%. The exact pathophysiology of these two conditions has not been clearly identified, although several hypotheses have been proposed. However, these conditions are considered to be multifactorial in etiology and are associated with inflammation related to aging, alterations in vascular systems, genetics, and nutritional deficiency. Furthermore, clinically, they are significantly associated with frailty, which increases the risk of delirium by almost two- to three-fold …

Anna Justina Magee: A Woman Of Determination And Vision, John F. Ditunno Jr., Chris S. Formal

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty Papers

This article tells the story of Anna J. Magee (AJM), the founder of the Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, one of the country’s premier medical rehabilitation institutions. AJM’s life was shaped by her family, her times, and her city. The daughter of one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Railroad, she emerged in the late 19th century as an independent woman of elite Philadelphian society, demonstrating a special devotion to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church at 10^th and Market Streets and, inspired by her personal physician, a determination to serve the rehabilitative needs of physically disabled patients, regardless of their …

Examining Health Inequity In Ancient Egypt, Samantha Rose Gonzalez

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis explores the history of medicine in ancient Egypt between the Middle and New Kingdoms, and offers a case study highlighting the use of religion and magic in healing and analyzing health inequity. I am interested in medical practices, treatments, diagnosis methods, and access to healthcare in the ancient world. I seek to bridge the gaps and help unify the knowledge surrounding ancient Egyptian medical practices and contribute to the studies in the history of medicine. I explore types of diseases that commonly affected the ancient Egyptians and how they integrated religion and magic into their understanding and treatment …

Innovative Computational Methods For Pharmaceutical Problem Solving A Review Part Ii: Serious Gaming, Heather R. Campbell, Robert A. Lodder

Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Serious gaming has begun to take a foothold in pharmaceutical problem-solving. Companies such as Akili's Interactive are seeing success in the form of positive clinical trial results and FDA approval of digital therapeutics. Academic researchers have begun exploring novel uses for serious gaming in the way of protein design and more with promising results. This paper provides a review of such topics in addition to topics of game repurposing- repurposing a game originally intended for entertainment into a serious game-such as Minecraft and America's Army. Reviewing these topics this paper shows the utility of serious gaming as a tool for …

“Practice Basic Hygiene, And You’Ll Stay Healthy”: How Primary School Reading Textbooks Transmitted Cultural Education In The Soviet Union, Victoria Storozenko

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Russia’s Cultural Revolution, beginning after the October Revolution in 1917, produced a broadly defined understanding of culture and cultural education at Russian schools that encompassed even basic hygiene and health. Drawing from postdoctoral research, this paper discusses the Cultural Revolution’s impact and its ideas on cultural education as presented in textbooks for 10-year general education schools in the Soviet Union. Discourse analysis revealed that the schoolbooks acted as an interface between a functional education system and changes in its surrounding environment, especially changes due to the Cultural Revolution. Amid today’s COVID-19 pandemic, the study’s findings raise several questions about what …

Mental Health Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Older Adults, Elizabeth Kerr

Dissertations

Problem: Significant psychological effects such as anxiety, depression, stress, and loneliness are shown to affect the older adult population, aged 65 years and older. The social isolation and disconnectedness related to the COVID-19 pandemic potentially worsens anxious and depressive feelings, increasing the risk for adverse outcomes in the high-risk older adult population. This project aimed to identify older adults at risk for acute, situational mental health issues associated with the pandemic.

Methods: A descriptive study design was used. Telephone interviews were conducted to explore effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health responses in older adults. A convenience sample …

The Impact Of Participation In A Mentored Cycling Program, Dana Bolduc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Physical activity (PA) has the potential to have a positive impact on mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and self-esteem. In particular, this project focused on self-esteem because low self-esteem can lead to increased risk of developing anxiety or depression. In contrast, high self-esteem can have a protective effect against anxiety and depression. Group PA programs combined with mentorship have been shown to build relationships and enhance self-esteem. The purpose of this DNP project was to determine the impact of participation in a rural midwestern, mentored cycling program on self-esteem in an at-risk adolescent population. Self-esteem was measured using …

Brown Treesnake Mortality After Aerial Application Of Toxic Baits, Scott M. Goetz, Eric T. Hileman, Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Amanda R. Bryant, Robert N. Reed, Shane R. Siers

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Quantitative evaluation of control tools for managing invasive species is necessary to assess overall effectiveness and individual variation in treatment susceptibility. Invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) on Guam have caused severe ecological and economic effects, pose a risk of accidental introduction to other islands, and are the greatest impediment to the reestablishment of extirpated native fauna. An aerial delivery system for rodent‐based toxic baits can reduce brown treesnake abundance and heterogeneity among individuals may influence bait attraction or toxicant susceptibility. Previous baiting trials have either been simulated aerial treatments or relied on slightly different bait capsule compositions and the results …

Assessing The Role Of The Inequitable Food Environment In The Obesity Epidemic, Samuel G. Latzsch

PCOM Capstone Projects

The prevalence of obesity has more than doubled in the United States within the past forty years, and children that are raised obese are more likely to have health complications and a shorter lifespan. The onset of the obesity epidemic coincided with numerous factors which likely played a significant role in drastically shifting the food environment and dietary habits of Americans. The food production industry notable capitalized on industrialism and innovative technology to mass produce packaged products that are energy-dense and full of preservatives to increase shelf-life duration. These measures which aimed to secure widespread food availability have resulted in …

Mental Illness Diagnosis And The Construction Of Stigma, Katie Lynn Walkup

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores how mental health legislation and related policy documents contribute to identification, diagnosis, and stigmatization. Using a mixed methods approach including content and stylometric text analysis with R as a heuristic for close and critical reading, I demonstrate how these documents normalize mental health concerns as a public threat. To do this work, I analyze how the Florida Mental Health Act (Chapter 394) and the Florida Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (SB 7026) circulate and sustain dominant narratives about mental illness. I trace where these narratives are distributed into Florida school districts’ mandatory mental health …

Mast Cell Involvement In Fibrosis In Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease, Ethan Strattan, Gerhard Carl Hildebrandt

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is most commonly a treatment for inborn defects of hematopoiesis or acute leukemias. Widespread use of HSCT, a potentially curative therapy, is hampered by onset of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), classified as either acute or chronic GVHD. While the pathology of acute GVHD is better understood, factors driving GVHD at the cellular and molecular level are less clear. Mast cells are an arm of the immune system that are known for atopic disease. However, studies have demonstrated that they can play important roles in tissue homeostasis and wound healing, and mast cell dysregulation can lead …

Think Twice Before Prescribing Antibiotics For That Swollen Knee: The Influence Of Antibiotics On The Diagnosis Of Periprosthetic Joint Infection., Graham S Goh, Javad Parvizi Md

Rothman Institute Papers

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a rare but devastating complication after total joint arthroplasty. An estimated 7-12% of patients have negative cultures despite clear clinical evidence of infection. One oft-cited reason for this occurrence is the administration of antibiotics in the weeks prior to obtaining cultures. This article reviews the influence of antibiotics on the diagnosis of PJI. Specifically, we examine the effect of prophylactic and therapeutic antibiotic administration on the diagnostic accuracy of microbiological cultures as well as serum and synovial biomarkers. We also explore the potential of molecular techniques in overcoming these limitations in patients who have received …

Atrial Fibrillation In Covid-19: A Descriptive Study Of Incidence, Mortality And Related Factors, Diana L. Taylor

DNP Research Projects

Abstract

This scholarly project determined the relationship of atrial fibrillation (AF) occurrences in COVID-19, as it is the most frequent arrhythmia in the U.S. and is driven by inflammatory pathology. In COVID-19 positive patients with AF occurrences understanding the relationship between these conditions could help identify patients with poor prognosis, higher morality, and other factors earlier in the hospital course.

This single-center scholarly project was a retrospective descriptive chart review to determine the relationship between AF and COVID-19 over a 6-month timeline in Chattanooga, TN. Of the 565 hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients included, 82 (14.5%) had AF occurrences. A higher …

Cardiovascular Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation And Bimanual Training In Children With Cerebral Palsy, Manda L. Keller-Ross, Daniel P. Chantigian, Samuel Nemanich, Bernadette T. Gillick

Occupational Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose:

To determine the influence of combined transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the motor cortex (M1) and bimanual training on cardiovascular function in children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods:

Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and HR variability (HRV) were measured immediately before and after 20 minutes of cathodal tDCS to contralesional M1 and bimanual training on days 1, 6, and 10 of a 10-day trial in 8 participants (5 females, 7-19 years).

Results:

Baseline MAP and HR were similar across days (93 ± 10 mm Hg and 90 ± 10 bpm, P > .05). MAP was similar from …

Reimbursement Of Mental Health Service For Individuals Seeking Services At Primary Care Facilities, Keith Avant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between primary care services, mental health services, patient visits, and insurance reimbursement for individuals with a mental health diagnosis who visit primary care facilities. The theoretical integrated theory of health behavior changes has been vital in identifying the contributing factors to the relationship between primary care, mental health services, and insurance reimbursement. The research questions explored whether any relationship existed between mental health diagnosis and office visits, outpatient versus inpatient, the amount paid for treatment, and reimbursement of services. This study used a quantitative approach along with a Pearson …

Dietary Flexibility Of Wood Storks In Response To Human-Induced Rapid Environmental Change, Betsy A. Evans, Jessica A. Klassen, Dale E. Gawlik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC) has altered landscape processes and negatively impacted many species globally. Some of the most dramatic changes have been in wetlands where flows have been disrupted, and new wetlands have been created to retain runoff. In response to disrupted natural wetland conditions, Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) populations in South Florida have significantly declined over the past several decades. Despite the well-documented sensitivity of Wood Storks to natural wetland conditions, Wood Storks are often observed foraging in roadside created wetlands; however, the availability of prey in created wetlands is currently unknown. We sampled natural and created wetlands …

Medication Beliefs And Behaviors Of Hypertensive Caribbean Immigrants Living In New York City, Nadia Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension remains a worldwide health phenomenon with serious health consequences including heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, and heart failure. Beliefs about medicines have been shown to influence hypertension outcomes. Medication adherence has emerged as a vital component of hypertension control and management. However, there has been limited research which addresses beliefs about medicines and medication adherence in Blacks of Caribbean origin. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to identify the beliefs about medications held among hypertensive Caribbean immigrants living in New York City using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire to identify what factors/barriers were related to these specific medication …

Demographics And 30-Day Readmissions For End-Stage Renal Disease Patients, Shelia Concepcion Perez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is increasingly a problem in the United States, and factors such as race/ethnicity and gender may not only worsen the risk of the disease but also correspond to worse treatment access. This is significant because ESRD is a heavy economic burden not only on patients, but on caregivers and the health care system, especially as disparities remain between different demographic groups. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental, historical, correlational design was to determine the extent to which gender and race/ethnicity predict 30-day readmission rates after hospitalization for ESRD patients. The theoretical framework for the current study …

Exploring Standardized Persons' Expectations For Practice-Readiness Among Student Pharmacists, Channing R. Ford, Kevin N. Astle, Kimberly B. Garza, Erika L. Kleppinger

Research, Publications & Creative Work

Although patient expectations and preferences for healthcare selection have been described in the literature, there are no studies exploring what qualities and behaviors standardized persons (SPs) identify for the practice-ready pharmacist. This manuscript explores those qualities and behaviors within an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) to determine SP interest in having the student as their pharmacy provider. Methods: Using open-ended questions via a Qualtrics survey, SPs were asked to provide qualities and behaviors they associated with each of three practice-readiness rating levels. Using a constant comparative approach, the researchers coded the collected data over multiple stages to allow for authentic …

Opioid Free Anesthesia, Sarah Medina

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Patients undergoing surgery are often given opioids intraoperatively. Administration of opioids is associated with untoward side effects that include nausea, respiratory depression, constipation, ileus, hyperalgesia, prolonged length of stay, and the potential for dependence (Garimella & Cellini, 2013). Emerging research on the topic of opioid-free anesthesia (OFA) is available and indicates several benefits of OFA, including reduction in postoperative pain, reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting, reduction in postoperative shivering, and improved oxygen saturation levels (Mulier et al., 2018). This quality improvement project aimed to advance anesthesia providers' understanding of OFA by creating an OFA guideline and providing a learning …

Antibiotic Use Prior To Hospital Presentation Among Individuals With Suspected Enteric Fever In Nepal, Bangladesh, And Pakistan, Krista Vaidya, Kristen Aiemjoy, Farah Naz Qamar, Samir K. Saha, Dipesh Tamrakar, Shiva R. Naga, Shampa Saha, Caitlin Hemlock, Ashley T. Longley, Kashmira Date

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Antibiotic use prior to seeking care at a hospital may reduce the sensitivity of blood culture for enteric fever, with implications for both clinical care and surveillance. The Surveillance for Enteric Fever in Asia Project (SEAP) is a prospective study of enteric fever incidence in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Nested within SEAP, we evaluated the accuracy of self-reported antibiotic use and investigated the association between antibiotic use and blood culture positivity.
Methods: Between November 2016 and April 2019, we collected urine samples among a subset of SEAP participants to test for antibiotic use prior to the hospital visit using …

Carfilzomib, Lenalidomide, And Dexamethasone Plus Transplant In Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma, Jagoda K Jasielec, Ravi Vij, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

In this phase 2 multicenter study, we evaluated the incorporation of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) into a carfilzomib-lenalidomide-dexamethasone (KRd) regimen for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). Transplant-eligible patients with NDMM received 4 cycles of KRd induction, ASCT, 4 cycles of KRd consolidation, and 10 cycles of KRd maintenance. The primary end point was rate of stringent complete response (sCR) after 8 cycles of KRd with a predefined threshold of ≥50% to support further study. Seventy-six patients were enrolled with a median age of 59 years (range, 40-76 years), and 35.5% had high-risk cytogenetics. The primary end point …

The Adopted Procurement Systems In Theconstruction Processes Of The Informal Settlementsin Beirut, Khaled Sadek Senior Lecturer,, Ibtihal El-Bastawissi Professor, Faculty Of Architecture, Design And Built Environment, Rokia Raslan Senior Lecturer, Institute Of Environmental Design & Engineering, Samer Sayary Assistant Professor, Faculty Of Architecture-Design And Built Environment

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Compared to other cities, the construction of informal settlements in the city of Beirut is caused by a range of interrelated factors including population growth, ruralurban migration and political intrigues. These settlements follow a reverse development process where people occupy the land, then build on it, install infrastructures, and finally, acquire ownership. The aim of this study is to identify the adopted procurement methods in the construction process of informal settlements in Beirut through the different construction phases of these settlements. The methodology used in this study is based on a qualitative analysis of the informal housing in Beirut as …

A Unique Type Of Loneliness: Infertility In Nineteenth-Century America, Abigail Butler

Theses and Dissertations from 2020

Many diaries and letters written by nineteenth-century Americans display the aching for parenthood and pain of loss due to miscarriage. Though some women felt joy or relief when they recognized they had miscarried or were not pregnant, infertility negatively affected the everyday lives of many men and women in the nineteenth century. Infertility not only disturbed their personal beliefs of family and their role in society, but could cause marital discord, feeling outcast from society, and could lead to other health problems. Women in slavery faced even more serious consequences that included being sold away from their family and/or receiving …

Environmental Surveillance As A Tool For Identifying High-Risk Settings For Typhoid Transmission, Jason R. Andrews, Alexander T. Yu, Senjuti Saha, Jivan Shakya, Kristen Aiemjoy, Lily Horng, Farah Qamar, Denise Garret, Stephen Baker, Samir Saha, Stephen P. Luby

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Enteric fever remains a major cause of morbidity in developing countries with poor sanitation conditions that enable fecal contamination of water distribution systems. Historical evidence has shown that contamination of water systems used for household consumption or agriculture are key transmission routes for Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi A. The World Health Organization now recommends that typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCV) be used in settings with high typhoid incidence; consequently, governments face a challenge regarding how to prioritize typhoid against other emerging diseases. A key issue is the lack of typhoid burden data in many low- and middle-income countries where TCV …

Positive Women: Emotion, Memory, And The Power Of Narrative In Women Organized To Respond To Life-Threatening Diseases, 1991-2020, Eleanor Naiman

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal

Note: In lieu of an abstract, this is the article's first paragraph.

"By 1992, the AIDS epidemic in the United States had reached seemingly catastrophic proportions. Over ten years after the first published report of AIDS-related lung infection, the number of AIDS cases in the United States far exceeded 100,000. It would be four years until the FDA approval of the first protease inhibitor. Over ten thousand women had been diagnosed with the disease, and experts expected over ninety thousand more were already infected. The disease, lacking effective treatment, increasingly struck women and people of color in the early 1990s; …

Ethical Considerations For Outpatient Behavioral Healthcare In North Texas, Carolyn B. Guillory

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study was to examine caregivers’ perceptions of practices for outpatient behavioral health care. Effort was made to gain insight into the components of ethical service delivery. Significant data on the providers’ perceptions of care was identified in literature reviews, though it was not the case for perspectives of consumers or caregivers. This population has been identified as one which is likely to experience unaffordable, fragmented, and confusing behavioral health systems (Baker, 2015). Attempts to inform research by addressing the quality of treatment was a focus. The Research Problem: Since 2016, the suicide …

Nurse Practitioner Occupational Burnout: A Focus On The Variables And Themes, Tanya G. Schlemmer

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose: The prevalence of occupational burnout is high amongst service professionals and the nursing profession is no different. The rate of occupational burnout amongst nursing professionals and medical professionals is high. The themes or impact of occupational burnout amongst Nurse Practitioners is not well described in the literature. Herein this article describes the investigation into the issue of nurse practitioners and occupational burnout.

Data Sources: Scientific literature review, CINHAHL Complete and other online literature databases and resources. A State of the Science systematic review was conducted to further examine this issue to identify the prevalence of the problem amongst nurse …