Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Egyptians' Knowledge, Perceptions, And Attitudes Towards Generic Medicines, Radwa Ahmed Elmoneer

Theses and Dissertations

Medicines are vital component of any health system worldwide, and ensuring accessibility of affordable, effective and safe medications is a critical public policy goal considered by every country. Egypt has, recently, faced aggravated challenges in ensuring the availability of medications countrywide. In response, the Egyptian government has adopted a number of pharmaceutical policies and interventions, mainly, targeting the supply side of the market. Promoting the use of generic medicines is an effective policy intervention that addresses the demand side, a highly recommended intervention given other countries’ experiences. As the main users of medications, patients are a crucial source of knowledge …

Assessing The Impact Of South Carolina’S Medicaid Adult Dental Policy On Dental Emergency Department Visits, Victor Kirksey

Theses and Dissertations

Since the implementation of the South Carolina Medicaid adult dental benefit, there has been limited public knowledge on how effective the policy has been in increasing access to dental services for Medicaid adults.The South Carolina Medicaid eligibility dataset, all payer emergency department dataset and, Medicaid dental claims dataset were examined from the period of December 2011- December 2017. Approximately 16% of enrollees had a dental visit since policy initiation. In the adjusted analysis, ED visits made by Medicaid enrollees during the second and first period before policy initiation were more likely to have a non-traumatic dental diagnosis, with respective adjusted …

Dietary Advanced Glycation End-Products (Ages) And Breast Cancer Risk And Survival, Omonefe Opeyemi Omofuma

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases including cancer. AGEs are produced endogenously and are also consumed from foods. High amounts of AGEs are found in animal products and processed foods, and AGE formation is accelerated during cooking at high temperatures. Using data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO), we assigned and quantified NƐ-carboxymethyl-lysine (CML)-AGE content in food and investigated the association between dietary AGE intake and breast cancer (BrCa) risk. We assessed whether the risk was modified by race/ethnicity, obesity status, fruit and vegetable intake, BrCa invasiveness …

Longitudinal Trajectories Of Depressive Symptoms Among Youth And Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: Predictors And Health Outcomes, Melanie Whitmire Sutherland

Theses and Dissertations

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is one of the most frequently diagnosed chronic illnesses among youth, and has many long-term complications, including retinopathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular disease. The risk of these complications may be reduced through maintaining glycemic control and one potential risk factor for failure to achieve optimal glycemic control is elevated depressive symptoms among youth and young adults (YYA) with T1D. YYA with T1D are at increased risk of depression, which has been associated with adverse outcomes such as poor adherence to self-management and poor glycemic control. Although a robust body of research exists on the association between comorbid …

Two Studies Conceptualizing Physical Literacy For Assessment Of High School Students In The United States, Chelsee Shortt

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Toward the advancement of physical literacy (PL) in the United States, the purpose of this dissertation was to operationalize the construct and work toward a foundational framework to which PL can be assessed. The purpose of Study 1 was to develop an operational conceptualization of PL via a modified Delphi approach. The purpose of Study 2 was to expand upon the findings from Study 1 by exploring adolescents' perceptions of PL using repertory grid analysis (RGA).

Methods: Study 1 used a sequential, mixed methods design. Participants (N=22) were national and international PL academics with peer-reviewed publications on PL or …

Health Insurance Program For The Poor, Out-Of-Pocket Costs, And Catastrophic Health Expenditures In India, Shyamkumar Sriram

Theses and Dissertations

Background

India is currently taking steps to provide Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as envisaged in its National Health Policy 2017. Financial protection is considered the backbone of UHC. In India, OOP expenses accounts for about 62.6% of total health expenditure - one of the highest in the world. Out of 1.324 billion people in India, around 12.4% of the population is below the poverty line. Lack of health insurance coverage and inadequate coverage are important reasons for high OOP health expenditures. High OOP health expenditures push many households into poverty. The objective of this research is to examine the effect …

Motivational And Physiological Dysregulation Due To Development And Onset Of Obesity Via Melanocortin 4 Receptor +/- Haploinsufficiency, Alex Steiner

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is one of the leading most health risks around the world, being especially problematic in the United States. A combination of high-fat diets and genetic abnormalities are to blame for the ever-growing number of obese individuals.

Melanocortin 4 receptors are vital for regulating energy expenditure and feeding behaviors; mutations of the receptors have been found to be the leading monogenetic cause of obesity. Using MC4R +/- haploinsufficient rats being fed a range of dietary fat, we investigated the physiological and motivational differences using a locomotor task, an operant task with fixed and progressive ratios, as well as a distraction …

Analysis Of Hpv16 Variants In The Carolina Women’S Care Study And A Comparison Of Gene Expression Profiles Of Exfoliated Cervical Cells From Women Who Either Clear Or Do Not Clear An Hpv16 Infection, Erica Shirlene Green

Theses and Dissertations

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiologic agent for cervical cancer with HPV type 16 (HPV16) being found in about 50% of cervical cancers worldwide. HPVs vary in genomic (DNA) sequence not only between types, but also within types, known as variants. Variants of a particular HPV type may differ by up to 2% in nucleotide sequence in the coding region and up to 5% in the noncoding region. Variants within HPV16 have been identified and grouped into six distinct phylogenetic branches, which segregate geographically: European (E), Asian-American (As.A), African-1 (Af-1), African-2 (Af- 2), Asian (As), and North American (NA). However, …

The Association Of Health Insurance And Prescription Drug Coverage On Cost-Related Non-Adherence And Hospitalization Across Age-Related Groups Of Individuals With Copd, Shamika Martin Walls

Theses and Dissertations

Background: COPD patients have poor adherence to prescribed treatment. Individuals with COPD have higher out-of-pocket treatment cost than individuals without COPD. The significant out of pocket COPD related treatment cost can lead to prescription drug non-adherence especially for individuals without health insurance or prescription drug coverage.

Significance: Since the implementation of Medicare Part D on January 1, 2006, there are no studies that have used national data to evaluate the association of health insurance and prescription drug coverage on cost related non-adherence and hospitalization among individuals 50-64 years old with COPD compared to individuals 65 years and older …

Investigating The Relationship Of Copd, Lung Cancer, And Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons From Ambient Air Pollution, Daniel John Kilpatrick

Theses and Dissertations

Polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of chemically-related compounds with a well-established body of evidence of adverse human health impacts. Additionally, there is a growing area of research on the health outcomes following PAH exposure via air pollution, specifically with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and lung cancer. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the strength of associations among PAHs, COPD, and lung cancer from ambient (outdoor) air pollution. The first objective was to determine if there is a potential environmental link among PAHs, COPD, and lung cancer occurrence among nonsmokers using data from the National Health …

The Relationship Between The Electronic Health Record Patient Portal And Shared Decision Making, Gloria Esoimeme

Theses and Dissertations

Shared decision making (SDM) is a collaborative decision-making style where the patient and the physician are involved in the clinical decision-making process. The goal of this dissertation project was to examine the relationship between the patient portal of an electronic health record (EHR) and SDM.

The SDM process has three main components: information sharing, deliberation and decision making. Patients participate in SDM at varying levels: some patients may prefer to share information and deliberate but leave the final decision making to the provider while others prefer to participate in all the three components of SDM. The patient portal of an …

The Development Of Multi-Functional System That Combine Patterned Hydrogels, Plasmin-Degradable Nanoparticles And Stem Cells For Applications In Tissue Engineering And Growth Factors Delivery, Safaa I. Kader

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis spots the light on the development of a novel multi-functionalized system for application in tissue engineering and on-demand morphogens delivery. Three types of materials used in this study are synthetic polymer, biopolymer, and nanomaterials. Polyethylene glycol (PEG), a synthetic polymer was chosen in this study because of its high biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, inert nature, ease of modification, and reduces protein denaturation to provide a wide range of physical and mechanical properties. Here, PEG is used one time as a hydrogel, linear polyethylene glycol-co-lactide (LPELA), and another time as peptide-PEG based nanoparticles (PxSPCP). Gelatin, a natural polymer has been widely …

Younger Residents Through The Looking Glass: Perceptions Of The Residential Experience Of Non-Traditionally Aged Residents Living In The Long Term Care Setting, Sara J. English

Theses and Dissertations

This embedded case study describes perceptions of the residential experience of non- traditionally aged persons (between the ages of 18-64), living in the Long Term Care (LTC) setting. Prior research identifies non-traditionally aged persons as the fastest growing group admitting to residential LTC care. Due to the complexity of need, younger residents may potentially languish in LTC for twenty, thirty, or more years. Non-traditionally aged residents currently comprise about 15% of the total residential LTC population; yet, little is known about this burgeoning group of younger persons, including how they perceive themselves as residents in LTC settings and how they …

Hiv Care Location: An Evaluation Of Single Versus Multi Facility Utilization Of Hiv/Aids Care Services And Patient Health Outcomes And Clinical Indicators In South Carolina, Melanie Gwynn

Theses and Dissertations

Background: On the HIV/AIDS care continuum, the “retention in care” metric does not distinguish between single-facility (SF) or multi-clinic utilization (MC), also described as HIV care location (or type). SF utilization is vital as it has been linked optimal clinical outcomes among People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). Published research detailing the prevalence of HIV care type and its association with health outcomes/clinical indicators, has been studied only in limited urban settings. Additionally, coinfections such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), have yet to be evaluated as potential predictive factors for HIV care type.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used …

Susceptibility To Metabolic Disease And Individual Variations In Unfolded Protein Response In Deer Mice (Peromyscus Maniculatus), Amanda Rose Havighorst

Theses and Dissertations

The endoplasmic reticulum is the site where integral membrane and secreted proteins are synthesized and folded, and is also the site of synthesis of steroids, lipids, and other macromolecules. While ER is found in most cell types, hepatocytes in particular contain large amounts of both rough and smooth ER to facilitate their tasks, which include lipoprotein assembly and secretion, cholesterol biosynthesis, and lipid metabolism. As such, stress in the ER – and the cells’ ability to respond to it – plays a key role in disease pathogenesis. In particular, hepatic steatosis, or fatty liver, is linked to ER stress. However, …

Applying The Health Action Process Approach (Hapa) In Program Evaluation Of A Theory-Based Parental Hiv Disclosure Intervention Among Parents Living With Hiv (Plh) In China, Wendi Da

Theses and Dissertations

With prolonged lives thanks to antiretroviral therapy, parents living with HIV (PLH) face challenges regarding telling their HIV-positive status to children (i.e., parental HIV disclosure). With aims to assist PLH in making a well-planned and developmentally appropriate HIV disclosure to their uninfected children, a theory-driven intervention was conducted among 791 PLH with children aged between 6-15 years in Guangxi, China.

Guided by the stage model of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), three critical disclosure stages were defined: 1) the pre-intention stage, in which people have not yet decided to disclose; 2) the intention stage, in which people have decided …

Age At Menarche, Measures Of The Midlife Gut Microbiome, And Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Yan Wang

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction Early menarche has been associated with greater risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD-related mortality but the mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that early menarche and CVD may share as a common cause, changes in the natural history of the gut microbiome. Methods We obtained data on 2,400 adult female twins from the TwinsUK registry. Participants reported their age at menarche retrospectively and underwent anthropometric and clinical laboratory measures in 1992-2014. They provided fecal samples in 2007-2012. Microbial DNA sequences represent the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. OTU-picking was done using open-reference strategy in QIIME and the …

Examining Teacher Perceptions Of The Stronge Teacher Effectiveness Performance Evaluation System, Tiffany A. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this convergent, parallel mixed methods research study was to gather and analyze data from teachers who have been observed and evaluated using the Stronge Teacher Effectiveness Performance Evaluation System, with regards to it being able to create positive change in both instruction and student achievement, as well as the quality of feedback received on observations and summative evaluations. Data were collected using three instruments: a survey, interviews, and an analysis of summative evaluation scores, and the data led to six emerging themes. The participants did not perceive that the system had the potential to bring about change, …

Vlerat Nutricionale (Ushqyese) Të Dredhzës Dhe Ndikimi Në Shëndetin E Njeriut, Sara Selimi

Theses and Dissertations

Dredhëzat (Fragaria x Ananassa Duch.) si fruta vlerësohen të jenë të rëndësishme në dietën tonë për shkak të karakteristikave të tyre senzorike dhe vlerave ushqyese. Dredhëzat janë shumë të dobishme për aktivitetin biologjik në shëndetin e njeriut. Qëllimi i këtij studimi ishte analizimi e cilësisë ushqyese duke u bazuar në parametrat kimik të mostrave të dredhëzave të freskëta të marra nga plantacionionet në Kosovë pas fazës së pjekjes.Parametrat e mëposhtëm të cilësisë të cilat u përcaktuan në frutin e dredhëzës janë: pH, materia e thatë, materiet e ngurta të tretshme (TSS) e shpehur në shkallën ◦Brix, aciditeti total (TA), raporti …

Cilësia Dhe Vlerat Ushqyese Të Ushqimit Për Foshnja, Diellza Azemi

Theses and Dissertations

Ushqimi komercial për fëmijë perfshinë ato produkte që bëhen zakonisht me drithëra,fruta dhe perime,sheqer dhe aditivë të ndryshëm. Ashtu si produktet ushqimore të destinuara për përdorime të veçanta ushqyese, ushqimet për fëmijë dhe për foshnja kërkojnë seri udhëzimesh të rrepta si cilësia dhe siguria ushqyese, shtimi dhe kontrollimi i aditivëve dhe etiketimi. Sidoqoftë, duke qenë një shtesë e rëndësishme për dietën e foshnjave dhe fëmijëve dhe për përshtatjen e tyre me ushqimin e zakonshëm, cilësinë ushqyese e ushqimit komercial për foshnja dhe fëmijë të bazuar në drithëra,fruta dhe perime ka rendesi shumë të madhe. Shembuj të ushqimit komercial për foshnja …

Mindfulness And Blood Pressure Across Demographics: Analyses From The Serenity Study, Gabrielle R. Chin

Theses and Dissertations

Mindfulness, as a state, trait, and training, is linked with myriad positive mental and physical health outcomes. Understanding the individual characteristics potentially influencing links between mindful traits, mindfulness training, and physical health, is therefore important, yet remains under-addressed. Utilizing data from the ongoing Serenity Study (NCT02371317), the current project examines if (1) at baseline, higher trait mindfulness relates to lower BP consistently as a function of demographics, (2) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training lowers BP consistently across demographic subgroups and initial levels of trait mindfulness, and (3) if change in trait mindfulness following MBSR training correlates with change in BP …

Comparison Of Play Frequency In Four Sympatric Monkey Species In Kibale National Park, Uganda, Sara G. Lucci

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes play in red colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus), grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena), black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza), and redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius) to test Instinct-Practice Theory. Solitary locomotor play was different among the species. Rough-and-tumble play was different between male and female redtail monkeys. These results partially support Instinct-Practice Theory.

Exploring Innovation And Behavioral Flexibility In African Lions (Panthera Leo) And Snow Leopards (Panthera Uncia), Victoria L. O'Connor

Theses and Dissertations

Intelligence may have evolved to help animals problem-solve in their physical and/or social environments, which enables them to cope with changes in their environments. Humans can reduce wildlife conflict by understanding how species that face harsh environments assess a situation and alter their behavior. Tests for cognitive behavior aim to formulate clear behavioral criteria for inferring an animal’s mental processes. We designed a custom multi-access puzzle box (MAB) to present a simple and effective behavioral test for exploring innovation in two species, African lions (Panthera leo) and snow leopards (Panthera uncia). Despite being vastly underrepresented in …

Biofilm Formation And Physiological Heterogeneity Of Listeria Monocytogenes, Yue-Jia Lee

Theses and Dissertations

A contributing factor in recurrent Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) food contamination is that this bacterium produces biofilms on surfaces to persist in food-processing environments. Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system utilized by bacteria within biofilms to collaborate and adapt to environmental stresses. However, the details of how the QS-dependent network contributes to biofilm development of L. monocytogenes have yet to be well understood. By comparing the transfer rates of planktonic and biofilm (sessile) L. monocytogenes from stainless steel blades to bologna slices, we found that sessile bacteria had reduced transferability onto a single slice but caused the increase …

Characterization Of Xylaria Sp., The Causal Agent Of Taproot Decline In Mississippi Soybean, Hope Becton

Theses and Dissertations

Taproot decline (TRD), caused by an undescribed species of Xylaria, is an emerging root disease of soybean in Mississippi. Xylaria sp. isolates were collected from soybean roots and used to characterize TRD distribution as well as optimal growth temperature, pathogenicity, alternative host range, in vitro pathogenicity, and fungicide sensitivity. The 24 selected Xylaria sp. isolates from the 2016 collection had a mean optimal growth temperature of 26.7°C, and were pathogenic to soybean; however, differences in virulence occurred among isolates. Five selected Xylaria sp. isolates produced stroma on six hosts: corn, cotton, peanut, rice, sorghum, and wheat. Xylaria sp. colonized corn, …

Effects Of Various Concentrations Of Soybean Hull Supplementation On Performance, Digestion And Serum Chemistry Of Weaned Beef Cattle Fed Ryegrass Baleage, Paige N. Tipton

Theses and Dissertations

Graded concentrations of soybean hull pellets (SHP) fed to calves consuming annual ryegrass baleage was evaluated in two experiments. Experiment one evaluated performance and serum glucose of animals fed three treatments. Treatments were: 0.0% (TRT 0), 0.5% (TRT 0.5), 1.0% (TRT 1) body weight (BW) of SHP fed daily while calves had ad libitum access to baleage. Average daily gain and BW increased for calves receiving TRT 1 (P < 0.05). Experiment two evaluated passage rate of treatments using ytterbium chloride as a marker. Passage rate of diet decreased for TRT 1 compared to TRT 0 (10.9 h vs. 16.72 h TRT 1 and TRT 0 respectively, P < 0.05). Calves receiving TRT 0.5 had greater ADG than calves fed TRT 0 (0.54 kg/d and 0.30 kg/d respectively; P < 0.05). Diet passage rate decreased as supplement amount increased (P < 0.05). Serum glucose concentrations were not affected.

The Impacts Of Pregnancy Status, Abortion Risk, And Other Factors On Replacement Female Values In Mississippi Cattle Auctions, Tori Lee Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

A replacement female's value is primarily determined by her reproductive potential and the expected value of calves produced. To improve sales revenues, sellers benefit from understanding the buyers' valuation of physical characteristics related to reproductive potential and calf values. The goal of this research is to identify the impact of physical characteristics on the valuation of individual replacement females through a hedonic pricing model. Results suggest all facets of pregnancy (i.e. pregnancy status, months pregnant, expected due-date, and cow-calf pairs) are crucial to the valuation. Particularly, pregnant replacement females are discounted relative to non-pregnant, ascending in value as months pregnant …

The Silent Epidemic: Disparities And Obstacles In Obtaining Oral Care, Heather Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

American’s agree that dental health is important and vital to our overall wellbeing. However, not every American is achieving the same degree of oral health. Obstacles that American’s face include dental health disparities, limited access to affordable dental care, and limited access to dental insurance. This study examined how disease risk is shaped within the culture of oral health in Florida. This study examined those who provide dental care, those who cannot afford dental health insurance but earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid, and those with dental insurance. Hypotheses two and three were proven to be true, while …

Purification And Preliminary Characterization Of Zinc(Ii) Dependent Transcription Factor Adcr, Asm Saem

Theses and Dissertations

Transition metals are essential micronutrients for organisms. Excess zinc can be lethal to bacterial survival. Zinc homeostasis is crucial and is regulated by zinc uptake and efflux system. Streptococcus pneumoniae AdcR (Adhesin competence regulator) transcription factor is the member of MarR (multiple antibiotic resistance regulator) family proteins that suppress the zinc upregulation transporter. In the absence of zinc, AdcR has less affinity to bind DNA and uptake genes are expressed in order to transport zinc inside the cell. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram-positive human pathogen that is capable of colonizing in the human nasopharynx, especially in young children and leads …

Rice (Oryza Sativa) Response And Management Following Exposure To Sub-Lethal Rates Of Non-Target Herbicides, Benjamin Lawrence

Theses and Dissertations

Research was conducted at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center from 2015 to 2018 to (1) determine the effects of sub-lethal concentrations of paraquat, metribuzin, fomesafen, and cloransulam-methyl applied at different rice growth stages, determine the effects on rice growth of simulated off-target paraquat applications at varying concentration based on a proportionally decreased carrier volume characterize rice response to a sub-lethal concentration of paraquat in combination with common POST and residual herbicides, assess whether starter N fertilizer or different N fertilizer management strategies can aide in rice recover after exposure to a sub-lethal concentration of paraquat, and …