Digital Commons Network^™

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals Genetic Variants Associated With Hiv-1c Infection In A Botswana Study Population, Andrey Shevchenko, Daria V. Zhernakova, Sergey Malov, Aleksey Komissarov, Sofia Kolchanova, Gaik Tamazian, Alexey Antonik, Nikolay Cherkasov, Sergey Kliver, Anastasiia Turenko, Mikhail Rotkevich, Igor Evsyukov, David Vlahov, Prisca K. Thami, Simani Gaseitsiwe, Vladimir Novitsky, Myron Essex, Stephen James O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Although there have been many studies of gene variant association with different stages of HIV/AIDS progression in United States and European cohorts, few gene-association studies have assessed genic determinants in sub-Saharan African populations, which have the highest density of HIV infections worldwide. We carried out genome-wide association studies on 766 study participants at risk for HIV-1 subtype C (HIV-1C) infection in Botswana. Three gene associations (AP3B1, PTPRA, and NEO1) were shown to have significant association with HIV-1C acquisition. Each gene association was replicated within Botswana or in the United States–African American or United States–European American AIDS …

Applying The Nominal Group Technique For Specifying The Interacting Dimensions Affecting Adherence To Post–Sharps Injury Follow-Up Services, Abdullah Aliff Abdul Wahab, Rosnah Ismail, Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah, Noor Dalila Inche Zainal Abidin, Nurul Asyikin Mustaffa, Halim Ismail

The Qualitative Report

Scale of adherence to post–sharps injury follow-up services among healthcare workers is uncommon compared to medication adherence scale. To develop a novel and culturally adapted scale, stakeholders should be consulted to specify dimensions by deducing it from the existing framework. This study was to demonstrate how health stakeholders were consulted to specify the dimensions.

This study employed two sessions of Nominal Group Technique. Each session consisted of 12 purposive-sampled mixed participants i.e., healthcare managers and providers. A four-step sequential protocol was used for collecting participants’ key ideas on what adherence factors in post–sharps injury follow-up services: silent idea generation, round-robin …

Collegiate Athletic Trainers’ Experiences Planning For Return-To-Sports During Covid-19: A Qualitative Research Study, Eric G. Post, Justin S. Disanti, Christianne M. Eason, Hayley J. Root, Thomas E. Abdenour

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the role of intercollegiate head athletic trainers in the process of planning to resume sport, as well as their experiences across the course of the pandemic to identify key strategies, challenges, and future considerations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study was conducted via one-on-one semi structured interviews through the Zoom video conference technology. Twenty-four head athletic trainers across NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions participated in the study. Results: Emerging themes included the development of detailed, institution-specific plans with shared elements such as policies for testing …

Athletic Trainers’ Hand Hygiene Behaviors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Olivia Jackson, Matthew J. Rivera, Kenneth E. Games, Lindsey E. Eberman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Hand hygiene (HH) is a cost-effective public health intervention to prevent infectious disease transmission, including COVID-19. Health care professionals have shown poor adherence to HH best practices, and little is known about athletic trainer (AT) HH. ATs typically work in dynamic, unpredictable environments, creating barriers to HH compliance. The purpose of this study was to understand the self-reported behaviors and challenges with adherence to HH of secondary school ATs, particularly related to mitigating infection transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this qualitative study, we conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with secondary school ATs actively engaged in direct patient care …

The Meaning Of Rebo Buntung For Pringgabaya Villager, East Lombok During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Dharmika Ida Bagus, Gede Yoga Kharisma Pradana Dr.

The Qualitative Report

Rebo Buntung is a Sasak cultural tradition performed on the island of Lombok in Indonesia, primarily aimed at preventing disasters. Although the government warned people in Lombok to engage in social distancing and to reduce activities outside to reduce the risk of infection associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, Rebo Buntung was carried out by Sasak people amid the pandemic. This purpose of this paper is to describe results from qualitative research, framed within religious theory and structural-functional theory, that explore the meaning of Rebo Bunting in the village of Pringgabaya, East Lombok and its role during the COVID-19 Pandemic. For …

The Experiences Of Iranian Nurses In Critical Events And Natural Disasters: A Qualitative Study, Ali Hasanpour Dehkordi, Shahriar Salehi Tali, Reza Ganeigheshlagh

The Qualitative Report

Medical staff and healthcare providers are always involved in earthquakes; therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the experience of nurses in dealing with critical events and natural disasters. A qualitative study was conducted by semi-structured interviews with 12 medical staff. Data were analyzed by qualitative analysis hermeneutic approach. Four categories were developed as follows: “confusion,” “coercion,” “psychological disturbance,” and “wasting of resources.” The categories led to the development of the main theme of “miss management.” Earthquakes are considered serious challenges for nurses and health professionals involved in such disasters. It will culminate in dire consequences including physical, …

Inhibition Of Aminoglycoside 6’-N-Acetyltransferase Type Ib [Aac(6′)-Ib]: Structure-Activity Relationship Of Substituted Pyrrolidine Pentamine Derivatives As Inhibitors, Kenneth Rocha, Jesus Magallon, Craig Reeves, Kimberly Phan, Peter Vu, Crista L. Oakley-Havens, Stella Kwan, Maria S. Ramirez, Travis Lavoi, Haley Donow, Prem Chapagain, Radleigh Santos, Clemencia Pinilla, Marc A. Giulianotti, Marcelo E. Tolmasky

Mathematics Faculty Articles

The aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase type Ib [AAC(6′)-Ib] is a common cause of resistance to amikacin and other aminoglycosides in Gram-negatives. Utilization of mixture-based combinatorial libraries and application of the positional scanning strategy identified an inhibitor of AAC(6′)-Ib. This inhibitor’s chemical structure consists of a pyrrolidine pentamine scaffold substituted at four locations (R1, R3, R4, and R5). The substituents are two S-phenyl (R1 and R4), an S-hydroxymethyl (R3), and a 3-phenylbutyl (R5) groups. Another location, R2, does not have a substitution, but it is named because its stereochemistry was modified in some compounds utilized in this study. Structure-activity …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Global Research In Stem, Michelle Hoang, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

A global public health emergency like the Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic requires accurate and timely data collection in the research community. High impact research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been prioritized in the fight against COVID-19. The present study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on STEM research and the collaboration between global research institutions and industries. It was noted that COVID-19 had caused significant delays in non-COVID-19-related research projects and the onset of several remote studies. Most importantly, researchers in the STEM fields directed their attention and expertise to help mitigate virus transmission, treat patients, …

Persistent Dyspnea, Declined Moderate To Vigorous Physical Activity, Functional Status, And Quality Of Life During The Post-Acute Phase Of Covid-19 Infection: A Pilot Case Control Study., Hussain Aslan Mph. Ed., Msc., Corey Tomczak Phd, Darcy Marciniuk Md, Scotty Butcher Phd

Journal for Sports Neuroscience

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the multifaceted impacts of post-acute phase of COVID-19 infection on the sense of dyspnea, select intensities of physical activity, functional, and psychological variables among survivors compared to age matched healthy participants and their implications for rehabilitation programs in this population.

Methods: Seventy-eight (male, female age 30-70 yrs.) participants (39 COVID-infected, CI and 39 age-matched healthy controls, HC). Four questionnaires were used to assess the variables in this study: dyspnea scale of the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ), and the RAND-36 measure …

Full Issue

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Building Cultural Competency Among Emerging Public Health Professionals: Student Experiences In Panama, Matthew Fifolt, Meena Nabavi, Erika L. Austin, Lisa C. Mccormick

Experiential Learning & Teaching in Higher Education

One of the prerequisite skills of effective public health and health practitioners is cultural competency. Cultural competency, however, requires a deep and profound understanding of individuals who are shaped by different life experiences than one’s own. Previous authors have described study abroad and service-learning as established strategies for enhancing cultural competency among emerging health professionals. This article describes how students made meaning of an international study abroad experience in Panama through analysis of student-produced work including reflective journal entries, blog posts, and photo journaling.

In summer 2019, 13 undergraduate and graduate students participated in a four-week travel course to explore …

Sharksrx Newsletter Summer 2021, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Stigma And Feasibility Of Opening A Safe Injection Facility In Baltimore City: A Qualitative Case Study, Timothy Dupree, Caroline I. Wood, Andrea M. Brace

The Qualitative Report

Supervised injection facilities (SIFs) are medically supervised facilities designed to provide a hygienic environment in which drug users can consume illicit drugs intravenously. SIFs can be cost saving, help to reduce transmission of disease, and decrease drug overdoses. There are no SIFs in the United States. In this study we used a multiple case study design to understand the stigma surrounding the use of a SIF and the feasibility of implementing the drug prevention strategy in Baltimore City by comparing experiences with opening a SIF in Sydney, Australia. We interviewed one healthcare worker at the Sydney SIF and ten community …

Effects Of Covid-19 On Global Healthcare Research And Management, Stephanie Autore, Santanu De

Biology Faculty Articles

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected most nations at all levels of functioning, individual to governmental. Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the effects the virus has had on one of the most important socioeconomic global sectors – healthcare. This comprehensive literature review explores key, recent research and management strategies that have been undertaken in healthcare systems around the world in order to make meaningful attempts at identifying the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment the disease, and combating the spread of this deadly virus. Healthcare facilities have implemented a variety of changes, all geared towards reducing non-emergency patient …

Association Of Hypothermia With Increased Mortality Rate In Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Naaz Fatteh, Glen E. Sutherland, Radleigh Santos, Rita Zeidan, Alexandra P. Gastesi, Christopher D. Naranjo

Mathematics Faculty Articles

Objective

We observed patients to have variable temperatures. The objective of the study was to identify if hypothermia in a patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a higher than expected mortality.

Methods

We reviewed 331 charts from patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 between March 9 to April 20, 2020.

Results

The probability of death was 2.06 times higher for those with hypothermia than those without [95% C.I. (1.25, 3.38)]. In ventilated patients, there were 32 deaths. Of those, 75% had been hypothermic. In a prior review of 10,000 non-SARS-CoV-2 patients with sepsis, the mortality rate in patients with hypothermia was …

“I Was Like An Autumn Leaf That Looks Pretty From The Outside, But Would Break Once You Touched It”: A Case Study Of The Lived Experience Of Breast Cancer Survival, Wafa Hamad Almegewly, Dinah Gould, Sally Anstey

The Qualitative Report

In this hermeneutic phenomenological case study, we explored the lived experiences of one Saudi Arabian woman, Sahara, living with breast cancer and after, identifying her culture’s impact on the “meaning-making” process. We derived the data from a semi-structured interview and analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). The themes were: (1) “discourse”: being a breast cancer patient; (2) “sociality”: the complex sense of living with visibility and invisibility; and (3) “selfhood”: regaining the sense of being normal. The study benefits healthcare providers, who need to understand women’s life-world, the impact of culture when designing a program of survival care, and the …

Increasing The Frequency Of Periodic Spatial Disturbance Decreases Surface Attachment Protein Expression In Staphylococcus Aureus, Ivana M. Barraza

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause a variety of acute and chronic illnesses. The severity of these illnesses such as sepsis, necrotizing pneumonia, and toxic shock syndrome is measured through the virulence that S. aureus inflicts on its host. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is commonly associated with secondary infections and is challenging to treat given the limited selection of antibiotics that are effective against it. Accordingly, novel approaches to reduce S. aureus pathogenicity are required. S. aureus regulates pathogenesis through a cell-to-cell communication system referred to as quorum sensing. Effective communication determines the production of two broad …

Navigating Covid-19-Based Challenges To Global Education, Research, And Management In Healthcare And Stem, Stephanie Autore, Jessica Hallett, Michelle Hoang

Undergraduate Student Symposium

The Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected most nations at all levels of functioning, individual to governmental. This study provides a comprehensive review of the global consequences of the pandemic on key socioeconomic sectors – healthcare management, and education and research in healthcare as well as science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM). COVID19 halted face-to-face classes and meetings in schools and colleges worldwide, necessitating virtual instruction as academic institutions sought to continue education safely, yet effectively. This adversely impacted every field of learning, especially STEM and healthcare education since STEM degrees entail rigorous curricula integrating lectures and laboratory exercises …

Com Outlook (Spring 2021 - Volume 22 Issue 1), Nova Southeastern University

COM Outlook

No abstract provided.

A Crucial Role For Antimicrobial Stewardship In The Midst Of Covid-19, Bindu Mayi, Manda Mainville, Rida Altaf, Michelle Lanspa, Sheel Vaniawala, Thomas A. Ollerhead, Aarti Raja

Biology Faculty Articles

As the world deals with a pandemic, there remains another global challenge that cannot be ignored. Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may be justified, as we are trying to treat a novel disease condition, which, in turn, could lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance. We can decrease morbidity, mortality, and health care costs by controlling antimicrobial resistance, but it requires antimicrobial stewardship. Major components of effective and timely antimicrobial stewardship are diagnostic stewardship, infection prevention and control, and integration of COVID-19-specific flags into electronic health records, all of which may be integrated into current strategies of COVID-19 mitigation and management. …

A Crucial Role For Antimicrobial Stewardship In The Midst Of Covid-19, Bindu S. Mayi, Manda Mainville, Rida Altaf, Michelle Lanspa, Sheel Vaniawala, Thomas A. Ollerhead, Aarti Raja

Biology Faculty Articles

As the world deals with a pandemic, there remains another global challenge that cannot be ignored. Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may be justified, as we are trying to treat a novel disease condition, which, in turn, could lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance. We can decrease morbidity, mortality, and health care costs by controlling antimicrobial resistance, but it requires antimicrobial stewardship. Major components of effective and timely antimicrobial stewardship are diagnostic stewardship, infection prevention and control, and integration of COVID-19-specific flags into electronic health records, all of which may be integrated into current strategies of COVID-19 mitigation and management. …

The Lived Experience Of Syrian Refugees In Canada: A Phenomenological Study, Khaldoun Aldiabat, Enam Alsrayheen, Catherine Aquino-Russell, Michael Clinton, Roger Russell

The Qualitative Report

Health care providers in Canada are expected to take care of people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and it is difficult for health care providers to deeply understand the lived experiences of some individuals to provide them with culturally sensitive care. Syrian refugees comprise one such group of newcomers to Canada. This phenomenological study aimed to uncover the meaning of the lived experiences of Syrian refugees using Giorgi’s (2009) method. Seven participants’ descriptions were viewed through the lens of the social determinants of health model. Seven essences of the general structural description or the meaning Syrian refugees gave to …

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies New Loci Associated With Risk Of Hbv Infection And Disease Progression, Zheng Zeng, Liu Hankui, Xu Huifang, Lu Haiying, Yu Yanyan, Xu Xiaoyuan, Yu Min, Zhang Tao, Tian Xiulan, Xi Hongli, Guan Liping, Zhang Jianguo, Stephen James O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Background: Recent studies have identified susceptibility genes of HBV clearance, chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and showed the host genetic factors play an important role in these HBV-related outcomes.

Results: In order to discover new susceptibility genes for HBV-related outcomes, we conducted a genome-wide association study in 1031 Chinese participants, including 275 HBV clearance subjects, 92 asymptomatic persistence infection carriers (ASPI), 93 chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB), 188 HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis patients (DC), 214 HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients (HCC) and 169 healthy controls (HC). In the case-control study, we observed novel locus significantly associated with CHB …

The Current - Volume 31 Issue 17, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Neuropilin-1 In Covid-19, Bindu Mayi, Jillian A. Leibowitz, Arden T. Woods, Katherine A. Ammon, Alphonse E. Liu, Aarti Raja

Biology Faculty Articles

Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a member of a family of signaling proteins, was shown to serve as an entry factor and potentiate SARS Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infectivity in vitro. This cell surface receptor with its disseminated expression is important in angiogenesis, tumor progression, viral entry, axonal guidance, and immune function. NRP-1 is implicated in several aspects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection including possible spread through the olfactory bulb and into the central nervous system and increased NRP-1 RNA expression in lungs of severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Up-regulation of NRP-1 protein in diabetic kidney cells hint at its importance in a population at …

Inequality, Covid-19, And Human Rights: Whose Lives Matter?, Barbara Stark

ILSA Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Exploring Living Conditions And Asthma Among Migrant Farmworkers, Jenelle Williams

Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Migrant farmworkers are exposed to many physical, chemical, and biological hazards that pose human health risks. Quality of housing is a major factor that contributes to asthma disparities around the world; however, no study to date has explored the factors associated with the high rates in this population. Poor housing conditions are associated with a wide range of health conditions, including respiratory infections and asthma. Addressing housing issues offers public health practitioners an opportunity to address an important social determinant of health. Using the Social Ecological Model, the objective of this quantitative, cross-sectional dissertation study is to examine the presence …

Assessment Of Psychological Functioning In Retired Firefighters, Jordana Simone Pepper

Theses and Dissertations

The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in clinical attention directed to mental health problems in firefighters. The basis for heightened activity in this area is the convergence of evidence indicating that firefighters demonstrate significantly high levels of psychological disorders such as depression and PTSD (Henderson et al., 2016). A previously unexplored risk factor for psychopathology in firefighters is active retirement. Retirement can lead to a decline in psychological functioning, as well as a decline in a person’s self-concept clarity through group loss (Slotter, Winter & Soto, 2015). This loss has the potential to cause, or enhance, feelings of …

Are Youtube Videos In Turkish Useful As An Information Source For Dental Treatment During The Covid-19 Pandemic?, Gözde Işık, Meltem Özden Yüce

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Since the start of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with dental conditions find it difficult to consult their physicians and to preserve the continuity of dental treatment. All routine appointments were suspended and postponed indefinitely so that infection control procedures could be administered. This study aimed to assess the value of Turkish videos for patients seeking information on dental treatments during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: Videos on YouTube were screened using the following keywords: ‘Coronavirus, diş tedavileri’, ‘COVID-19, diş tedavileri’ and ‘SARS-Cov-2, diş tedavileri’. The search results were limited to the first 100 videos. Videos were analysed independently …

The Role Of Social Media In Human Trafficking Victimization, Alicia Marie Terwilliger

Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, and receipt of people. Humans are one of the only global commodities that can be sold and used repeatedly (Jones et al., 2007), helping to make trafficking a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. There are several types of trafficking, including forced labor, debt bondage, organ harvesting, and sexual exploitation. Often, trafficking includes threats, the use of force, coercion, abduction, and fraud for exploitation, labor, harvested organs, or sex. Human trafficking occurs domestically and across international borders, with over 45 million victims globally (Bonilla & Mo, 2019). Every state in the United States is affected …