Digital Commons Network^™

Satisfaction Data Collected By Email And Smartphone For Emergency Department (Ed) Patients: How Do Responders Compare To Non-Responders?, Jeffrey Charles Strickler

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The University of North Carolina ED developed an electronic survey method (Bivarus) which sends a web-link by email or text to patients. This study evaluated this method by considering differences between the key characteristics (age, gender, disposition, race, ethnicity, and payor classification) of the responders and non-responders to this survey from July to December 2013 (22,750 records). An evaluation of the key characteristics showed no difference related to age and disposition, but differences related to sex, race, ethnicity, and payor classes. This difference could therefore lead to under representation of the patient experience from those populations.

Elderly Patient Adherence To Ocular Pharmaceuticals; Impact Of Educational And Physical Barriers, Lucky Wagner

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research was to assess and evaluate elderly patient's attitudes and behavior regarding educational and physical barriers and the impact on adherence to ocular pharmaceuticals. A 19 question survey was developed and in order to collect data. The survey was administered in person at the Edina Senior Center and the Burnsville Senior Center and online via Zoomerang survey software regarding elderly patient attitudes on educational and physical barriers and their impact on ocular pharmaceutical adherence. Findings from this study indicate elderly patients treating an ocular condition with ocular pharmaceuticals expressed strong agreement with improving upon both educational …

A Comparison Of Vitamin D Levels In Children With Early Childhood Caries, Vanessa O. Hofilena

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To determine if there is an association between early childhood caries (ECC) and vitamin D deficiency, as measured via a serum sample. An exploratory goal was to investigate the possibility of measuring vitamin D with a salivary assay. Methods: Serum samples of patients who were scheduled for a dental or otolaryngology procedure under general anesthesia were assessed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), parathyroid hormone and calcium. Results: Our analysis indicates that the vitamin D levels of the controls and ECC group were significantly different. There were significant inverse correlations between: 1) PTH levels and vitamin D and 2) decayed, missing, …

Major Histocompatibility Complex Class Ii Dextramers: New Tools For The Detection Of Antigen-Specific, Cd4 T Cells In Basic And Clinical Research, Chandirasegara Massilamany, Bharathi Krishnan, Jay Reddy

Jay Reddy Publications

The advent of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramer technology has been a major contribution to T cell immunology, because tetramer reagents permit detection of antigen-specific T cells at the single-cell level in heterogeneous populations by flow cytometry. However, unlike MHC class I tetramers, the utility of MHC class II tetramers has been less frequently reported. MHC class II tetramers can be used successfully to enumerate the frequencies of antigen-specific CD4 T cells in cells activated in vitro, but their use for ex vivo analyses continues to be a problem, due in part to their activation dependency for binding with T …

Institutional Aggression: Psychometric Development Of A Predictive Risk Assessment Screening Tool, Lauren Spotts M.S.

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Aggression among those with mental illnesses has been extensively reviewed. Research has shown that aggression within an institutional or hospital setting, that is presently termed “Institutional Aggression,” threatens the ability to provide a safe and therapeutic environment for both patients and staff. Although earlier measures have been designed to address this construct, the present study examines Institutional Aggression based on the parameters of the Overt Aggression Scale (OAS; Yudofsky, Silver, Jackson, Endicott, & Williams, 1986). The purpose of the current study was to determine the predictive relationship between clinical and sociodemographic factors and the rate of Institutional Aggression with the …

A Critical Analysis Of Infant Mortality In Kalamazoo County, Audrey Jensen

Honors Theses

The following is a review of the state of infant and fetal health in Kalamazoo County in the 21st century. Since infant health is a marker for the effectiveness of health care, this review will analyze the leading causes of infant mortality in Kalamazoo County. Statistical indicators show that Kalamazoo County falls below both state and national IMR averages. The leading causes of infant mortality in Kalamazoo are considered preventable infant deaths. Therefore, this review will make recommendations for the reduction of IMR through the improvement of preventative prenatal healthcare practices.

Study Of Novel Nanoparticle Transport And Drug Release For Cancer Treatment., Christopher Gene England 1988-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nano-scale particles sized 10—400 nm administered systemically preferentially extravasate from tumor vasculature due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Therapeutic success remains elusive, however, because of inhomogeneous particle distribution within tumor tissue. Insufficient tumor vascularization limits particle transport and also results in avascular hypoxic regions with non-proliferating cells, which can regenerate tissue after nanoparticle-delivered cytotoxicity or thermal ablation. In this study, gold nanoparticles were functionalized with phosphatidylcholine (two-layer) or phosphatidylcholine and HDL (three-layer) in the formation of “layered” nanoparticles. The diffusivity of both two- and three layered colloidal gold nanoparticles and silica gold nanoshells were examined in 3D cell …

The Current Prevalence Of Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus In Midwestern Goat Herds, Bradley Todd Jones

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) is an incurable disease of goats that has both social and economic impacts. Clinical disease in goats includes encephalitis in kids; chronic arthritis, inflammatory mastitis and progressive respiratory disease in adults. In the last 25 years there have been significant changes in the United States goat industry with rapid growth in the meat and dairy industries. Recent prevalence studies are lacking and historic studies may not reflect changes in the industry. The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence of CAEV in Midwestern herds that are not routinely acquiring new animals from known negative …

Surface Attachment Induces Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Virulence, Albert Siryaporn, Sherry L. Kuchma, George A. Ou2019toole, Zemer Gitai

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infects every type of host that has been examined by deploying multiple virulence factors. Previous studies of virulence regulation have largely focused on chemical cues, but P. aeruginosa may also respond to mechanical cues. Using a rapid imaging-based virulence assay, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa activates virulence in response to attachment to a range of chemically distinct surfaces, suggesting that this bacterial species responds to mechanical properties of its substrates. Surface-activated virulence requires quorum sensing, but activating quorum sensing does not induce virulence without surface attachment. The activation of virulence by surfaces also requires the surface-exposed protein PilY1, …

"It's Just A Way Of Fitting In:" Tobacco Use And The Lived Experience Of Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Appalachians, Keisa Bennett, Janelle M. Ricks, Britteny M. Howell

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people are affected by multiple health disparities and risk factors, including tobacco use. Few studies to date have examined tobacco use specifically in rural LGB populations, and none has investigated the intersections of identity, rural LGB culture, and tobacco. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspective of Appalachian LGB people regarding tobacco use.

METHODS: Nineteen LGB-identified Appalachian residents participated in audiotaped, semi-structured interviews. Two authors analyzed and coded transcripts through constant comparison, and determined themes through consensus.

RESULTS: Five themes emerged: the convergence of Appalachian and LGB identities, tacit awareness …

The Avian Thrombocyte Is A Specialized Immune Cell, Farzana Ferdous

All Dissertations

Thrombocytes are the most abundant circulating cells next to red blood cells in avian blood. Avian thrombocytes are homologous in function to mammalian platelets. Avian thrombocytes and the mammalian platelet are widely recognized contributors to inflammatory responses upon stimulation with various microbial stimulants. However, some observed responses of the avian thrombocyte depart from a standardized model ascribed to innate cells. To help unravel the role of thrombocytes in innate immunity, and possibly adaptive immunity, first we examined the surface features of chicken thrombocytes. Chicken thrombocytes constitutively express transcripts for different Toll-like receptors (TLRs) that are crucial for the innate immune …

Relationship Of Mitochondrial Enzymes To Fatigue Intensity And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Men With Prostate Cancer Receiving External Beam Radiation Therapy, Kristin Filler

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue is often described by patients as a lack of energy, mental or physical tiredness, diminished endurance, and prolonged recovery after activity. Etiologic mechanisms underlying CRF are not well understood. Methods: A literature review was conducted to examine studies that had investigated the association of mitochondrial dysfunction with fatigue. The major conclusion from this review was that alterations in energy metabolism may contribute to fatigue. Therefore, the dissertation study focused on laboratory techniques for measuring mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation enzymes (complexes I-V) and a mitochondrial-specific oxidative stress marker (superoxide dismutase 2 [SOD2]). The primary aim of the dissertation research …

Risk Factors For Gi Adverse Events In A Phase Iii Randomized Trial Of Bevacizumab In First-Line Therapy Of Advanced Ovarian Cancer: A Gynecologic Oncology Group Study, R. A. Burger, M. F. Brady, M. A. Bookman, B. J. Monk, J. L. Walker, H. D. Homesley, J. Fowler, S. C. Rubin, N. Katsumata, S. X. Liang, +4 Additional Authors

Journal Articles

Purpose To evaluate risk factors for GI adverse events (AEs) within a phase III trial of bevacizumab in first-line ovarian cancer therapy. Patients and Methods Women with previously untreated advanced disease after surgery were randomly allocated to six cycles of platinum-taxane chemotherapy plus placebo cycles (C)2 to C22 (R1); chemotherapy plus bevacizumab C2 to C6 plus placebo C7 to C22 (R2); or chemotherapy plus bevacizumab C2 to C22 (R3). Patients were evaluated for history or on-study development of potential risk factors for GI AEs defined as grade 2 perforation, fistula, necrosis, or hemorrhage. Results Of 1,873 patients enrolled, 1,759 (94%) …

Impact Of Positive And Negative Health Behaviors On Female Mice And/Or Their Offspring, Kristen M. Platt

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences

Obesity is an ever-growing concern in the developed world that carries with it a plethora of health issues. For example, obesity increases an individual’s risk for Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Pregnancy is a vital time for a woman to maintain optimal health, both for her own benefit as well as that of her offspring, and yet almost half of women in the United States who are of age to bear children are overweight or obese. In mice, we found that offspring born to dams fed a high fat diet did not have impaired glucose tolerance, contrary to our …

Prevention, Recognition, And Treatment Of Pediatric Obesity In The Ambulatory Care Setting, Susan Farrus-Brown

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1995 described obesity as a chronic disease and one of the most important public health threats and in 2000 reported obesity as a “global epidemic.” The numbers of obese children are increasing in society; moreover, the onset of obesity is occurring at even a younger age than in the past. The prevalence of pediatric obesity is staggering and interventions need to be developed to decrease the risk for chronic and related psychological diseases.

The objective of this project was to provide education on utilization of a tool kit to increase the nurse practitioner (NP) …

Noongar Women's Birth Experience, Judith Pamela Wilson

Theses

This qualitative study used a descriptive interpretive approach that drew heavily on the methodological underpinnings of interpretive phenomenology in order to explore the lived experience of Noongar women in childbirth. The aim of the study was to give voice to Noongar women, who despite having poorer outcomes than the wider population, remain marginalised and mute in childbirth reform. The purpose of the study was to acknowledge as authoritative, Noongar women’s wisdom and understanding of their childbirth experience.

This study was conducted at the cultural interface, by a non-Indigenous researcher who implemented a collaborative and power sharing model of enquiry. Ten …

The Limits Of Autonomy: Force-Feedings In Catholic Hospitals And In Prisons, Ann Neumann

NYLS Law Review

No abstract provided.

Ua3/9/7 Cancer Study, Wku President's Office - Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Email from WKU president Gary Ransdell to faculty & staff regarding cancer research.

Military Nurses Caring For The Enemy, Sharon Thompson, Beth Mastel-Smith, Gloria Duke, Barbara K. Haas, Shellye Vardaman, Susan Yarbrough

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study described the lived experience and aftermath of U.S. military nurses assigned enemy detainees during Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. Two themes emerged: Insurgent Assignments (subthemes included identification of and interactions with insurgents; training, precautions, and ethical issues, thoughts and feelings, coping, and meanings of insurgent care) and The Aftermath (subthemes were mental, emotional, personal, professional, and positive). Conclusions: Insurgent assignments caused ethical dilemmas and challenged theoretical constructs related to caring. Formal training is needed to prepare nurses for the practicalities of and responses to insurgent assignments.

This work is the dissertation manuscript of Sharon Thompson, completed …

A Content Analysis Of Music Therapy Theses And Dissertations From 2000 To 2012 From Amta Approved Graduate Programs, Liisa G. Flores

Masters Theses

The purpose of this content analysis was to categorize, code, and analyze trends related to graduate music therapy theses/dissertations completed from the year 2000 to 2012. Information was gathered related to what American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) approved schools have graduate programs and how many students have graduated from these institutions. Research questions addressed in this study were to determine (1) who were the thesis/dissertation advisors for students, (2) what was the type of goal for the research, (3) what types of studies were completed, and (4) what populations were studied.

Results included 35 schools offering graduate music therapy degrees. …

Rural Acute Myocardial Infarction Survey (Ramis), Nikiah Nudell Ba, Nrp, Tom Bouthillet Nremt-P, Don Rice Md, John A. Gale Ms, Gary Wingrove Emt-P

Rural Hospitals (Flex Program)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate why current treatment goals for patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) are not being achieved despite a large body of evidence supporting regionalized ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) systems. An online survey tool,developed by the research project team, was used to poll the Critical Access Hospitals in Nebraska in order to understand delay factors and other barriers to executing a STEMI system in a rural area. The authors found that the rural STEMI care system lacks a coordinated systems considered to be essential for urban areas. Several areas of potential failure in …

Sleep Homeodynamics And Wellbeing In Asymptomatic Hiv-Seropositive African American Women, Tabetha Lynn Gayton

Wayne State University Dissertations

SLEEP HOMEODYNAMICS AND WELLBEING IN ASYMPTOMATIC HIV–SEROPOSITIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN

by

TABETHA LYNN GAYTON

December 2013

Advisor: Hossein N. Yarandi, PhD

Major: Nursing (Urban Health)

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

BACKGROUND: HIV–related sleep disruption is a common complaint of persons with HIV infection. With the demographical shifts, African American women have now emerged as one of the fastest growing HIV populations today, yet they remain a vulnerable and underrepresented population in the sleep literature.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the dynamics of HIV–related sleep disruption and wellbeing in asymptomatic HIV–seropositive AA women of childbearing age within …

Dr. William Gorgas And His Management Style In The Eradication Of Yellow Fever During The Panama Canal Construction: A Historical Case Study, Faisal H. Aboul-Enein

2010-2016 Archived Posters

This study describes the style of management of Dr. William Gorgas as he led the public health effort to reduce diseases to a level that permitted the completion of the Panama Canal construction. Initially, Gorgas was skeptical of the mosquito vector theory. He fully accepted this theory after participating in Walter Reed's massive cleanup of Havana, Cuba during the Spanish American War of 1898. During 1905 to 1914, Gorgas was selected to lead the sanitary effort during the construction of the Panama Canal. The lessons learned from this historical case study provide public health administrators with guidance to effectively lead …

Risk Of Childhood Asthma In A Tropical African Urban Setting: A Case - Control Study At The Aga Khan Hospital, Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, Lynda C. Koech

Master of Medicine in Family Medicine

Objective: To determine the modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for childhood asthma in children aged between two and 15years in a tropical urban East-African setting. Methods: Hospital based case-control study matched for age + two months and sex. Data were obtained from parents of cases and controls using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 226 cases of two to 15years old, with physician-confirmed asthma, who met a set of defined clinical criteria and 226 controls with no previous diagnosis or symptoms of asthma matched by sex and age (+two months). The Risk Factors included in this study …

Validation Of The Ottawa Ankle Rules At A Tertiary Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study, Mark Karanja Tharao

Master of Medicine in General Surgery

Introduction: Ankle joint and foot injuries are among the commonest injuries seen at the Accident and Emergency Department of any hospital. Within the United States it is the second most common musculoskeletal injury seen by physicians. Assessment of these injuries is done clinically and when deemed necessary a radiograph is requested. Studies have shown that radiographs are ordered in over 95% of cases yet the prevalence of fractures is in the range of 15-20%. This means that more than 80% of patients are exposed to unnecessary radiation. The Ottawa ankle rules have been designed to reduce the need for performing …

An Acoustic Description Of Vowels Spoken By Speakers With Cajun Ethnicity In Southern Louisiana, Ali Beslin

LSU Master's Theses

This study aimed to provide selected acoustic data for vowels of one portion of the southern region (Southern LA) in recognition that a variety of Southern dialects have not been recognized on the American English dialect map. To examine dialectical variations in vowel acoustics, this study included a relatively greater number of acoustic parameters including: vowel duration, F1 and F2 from the temporal midpoint of the vowel, trajectory length, and F2 slope. Ten participants between the ages of 18 to 24 were selected from the Southern Louisiana dialect region. Speech stimuli, which have been used in prior research regarding dialect, …

Moving Toward Leadership: A Case Study Of Latina Adolescents And Effective Communication, Isela Estrada

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The problem addressed in this study is the need for Latina adolescents to develop effective communication and leadership skills that will support their success in U.S. culture and society. This thesis is a case study of two Mexican-American adolescents who participated in a twelve-session leadership program at a dance studio. The goal of the study was to test the effectiveness of Rena Kornblum’s (2002) Disarming the Playground curriculum as a social skills program to improve leadership, effective communication skills, and group cohesion. This study included video footage of the adolescents engaging in movement-based role-play scenarios, which was examined using qualitative …

Risk Factors Associated With Death In In-Hospital Pediatric Convulsive Status Epilepticus, Tobias Loddenkemper, Tanvir U. Syed, Sriram Ramgopal, Deepak Gulati, Sikawat Thanaviratananich, Sanjeev V. Kothare, Amer Alshekhlee, Mohamad Z. Koubeissi

Neurology Faculty Publications

Objective

To evaluate in-patient mortality and predictors of death associated with convulsive status epilepticus (SE) in a large, multi-center, pediatric cohort.

Patients and Methods

We identified our cohort from the KID Inpatient Database for the years 1997, 2000, 2003 and 2006. We queried the database for convulsive SE, associated diagnoses, and for inpatient death. Univariate logistic testing was used to screen for potential risk factors. These risk factors were then entered into a stepwise backwards conditional multivariable logistic regression procedure. P-values less than 0.05 were taken as significant.

Results

We identified 12,365 (5,541 female) patients with convulsive SE aged …

The Abcc Collection In The Texas Medical Center Library As A Nuclear Age Memory, Philip Montgomery

Library Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

The Culture Of Risk, Pain, And Injury Among Certified Athletic Trainers, Anastasia Elizabeth Nemec

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

INTRODUCTION: Athletes who participate in sport experience the risk of pain and injury. In today’s sports culture, playing with pain and injury has been normalized, which can leave athletes with severe chronic injury, incessant pain, and potential irreversible damage. Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) uphold a professional responsibility to manage injuries and care for the health of athletes under their attention. According to Nixon (1992), ATCs are members of a social network found in sport, called a “sportsnet.” Nixon has blamed sportsnet members, including ATCs, for the normalization of injury in sport - a charge that contradicts ATCs’ standards of practice …