Digital Commons Network^™

Association Of Electronic Health Records With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection In A National Sample, Eric Weaver

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between advanced electronic health record (EHR) use in hospitals and rates of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in an inpatient setting. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Annual Survey are combined in the retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. A twenty percent simple random sample of the combined 2009 NIS and HIMSS datasets included a total of 1,032,905 patient cases of MRSA in 550 hospitals. Results of the propensity-adjusted logistic regression model revealed a statistically significant association between advanced EHR and MRSA, with patient cases from an advanced EHR being less likely to …

Caregiver Contribution To Heart Failure Self-Care (Cachs), Karen Harkness, Harleah G. Buck, Heather Arthur, Sandra Carroll, Tammy Cosman, Michael Mcgillion, Sharon Kaasalainen, Jennifer Kryworuchko, Sheila O'Keefe-Mccarthy, Diana Sherifali, Patricia H. Strachan

Nursing Faculty Publications

Aim: While caregivers (CGs) make an important contribution to the self-care of heart failure (HF) patients, there are no reliable and valid tools for measuring such contributions. Current interventions that strive to optimize patient outcomes through self-care strategies neglect to account for CG contributions, a potential confounder on outcomes. The aim of the study was to develop an instrument that measures CG contributions to HF patients’ self-care.

Design: The study design follows an established process for instrument development.

Methods: A systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews of CGs were conducted to identify measureable CG activities. Items were derived from thematic …

Reciprocal Moderation By Toxoplasma Gondii Seropositivity And Blood Phenylalanine – Tyrosine Ratio Of Their Associations With Trait Aggression, Ashwin Jacob Mathai, Xiaoqing Peng, Christopher A. Lowry, Thomas B. Cook, Lisa A. Brenner, Lena Brundin, Maureen W. Groer, Ina Giegling, Annette M. Hartmann, Bettina Konte, Marion Friedl, Dan Rujescu, Dietmar Fuchs

Nursing Faculty Publications

We previously reported that trait aggression, proposed as an endophenotype for suicidal behavior, is positively associated with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) seropositivity in females, but not in males. Additionally, older males seropositive for T. gondii had lower scores on measures of trait aggression, including self-aggression. Trait aggression may be influenced by dopaminergic signaling, which is known to be moderated by gender and age, and potentially enhanced in T. gondii positives through the intrinsic production of dopamine by the microorganism. Therefore, we investigated associations between trait aggression and interactions between T. gondii enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay (ELISA) IgG titer-determined seropositivity …

Complement System, A Target For Therapy In Spinal Cord Injury, Aarti Narang

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The complement system is well known as a means of host defense but its excessive or prolonged activation can be counterproductive. Evidence points towards a dual role of complement in mediating spinal cord injury (SCI), however, the precise mechanism of its activation after SCI is still not known. In these studies, we attempted to elucidate the role of complement in SCI in a clinically relevant context by inhibiting the complement cascade at different activation/amplification steps. This knowledge is necessary to design optimal inhibitory strategies that can limit secondary injury while keeping the homeostatic effects of complement intact. Natural IgM antibodies …

Inhibiting Histone Deacetylases Preserves The Retinal Pigment Epithelium Barrier, Danielle Desjardins

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Diabetic retinopathy is the foremost cause of blindness of working-age adults in the developed world. Diabetic macular edema (DME), accumulation of fluid within the retina, is the most common blindness-causing lesion in this population. Edema arises with dysfunction of the dual blood-retina barriers (BRB). The outer BRB, comprised of tight junctions between retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells plays a significant role in fluid homeostasis in the retina but is less well-studied than the inner BRB. Recent work in the RPE shows advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which accumulate due to elevated glucose levels, induce barrier dysfunction in a vascular endothelial growth …

Human Papillomavirus And Ceramide Signaling In Sensitization Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma To Therapeutic Treatment, Raquela June Thomas

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The five-year survival rate for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is 50% and has not improved since the 1960’s. Interestingly, patients with HNSCC associated with Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection demonstrate a 72% decrease in disease-specific mortality compared to HPV-negative HNSCC patients. As ceramide-mediated lethal mitophagy is known to play an important role in the response of HNSCC to treatment, we asked whether this novel form of cell death may be involved in the enhanced response. Using cell lines generated from HPV-negative or HPV-positive HNSCC tumors, we examined a possible role for ceramide signaling in response to cisplatin. We …

Inhibitory Receptor Blockade Synergizes With Cytokine Supplementation To Improve The Efficacy Of Adoptive T Cell Therapy Of Melanoma With Polarized T Cell Subsets, Daniel Neitzke

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) has shown promise as a cancer treatment, resulting in cures for many patients who have failed conventional therapies [1-5]. Two potential approaches to further improve ACT response rates are use of polarized T cell subsets, particularly Tc1 and Th17 [6-8], and alleviation of tumor-induced T cell dysfunction. We pursued these two approaches in separate aims, which are linked by their emphasis on the role of IL-2 receptor gamma chain (IL-2Rγ-chain) cytokines, and responsiveness to these cytokines, in the efficacy of T cell-based anti-cancer therapy. We hypothesized that T cells polarized into the Th17 subset are …

Change In Perceived Teacher Self-Efficacy Of Agricultural Educators After A Greenhouse Management Workshop, Shari R. Dutton

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Agricultural educators encounter unique teaching challenges as they teach applications of plant production in the greenhouse classroom. The teacher self-efficacy construct has been used broadly to link student learning outcomes to teachers' beliefs in their ability to attain certain instructional goals in the classroom. Few studies have used this construct to examine teacher-efficacy in the greenhouse classroom. This study uses the teacher self-efficacy construct within the agricultural educator domain. It seeks to measure change in agricultural educator self-efficacy beliefs using established self-efficacy scales to determine if a professional development experience in greenhouse operation and management effects educator beliefs in their …

Calcitriol Increases Ceramide, Diacylglycerol, And Expression Of Genes Involved In Lipid Packaging In Skeletal Muscle, Grace Elizabeth Jefferson

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Background: Vitamin D is crucial for skeletal muscle function. 25-hidroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) has been correlated with skeletal muscle mass and intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content. The purpose of this study was to understand how calcitriol, the active vitamin D metabolite, directly affects myocellular size and lipid partitioning.

Methods: C₂C₁₂ myotubes were treated with calcitriol (100nM) or vehicle control for 24 or 96 h. Myotube diameter and protein synthesis rate were measured to determine effects of calcitriol on myocellular size. Intramyocellular triacylglycerol (IMTG), diacylglycerol (DAG), and ceramide content were measured by LC/MS. Expression of genes involved in lipid packaging …

The Who, What, And Where Of Learning Strategies, Amber D. Dumford, Cindy A. Cogswell, Angie L. Miller

Department of Leadership, Policy, and Lifelong Learning

Learning strategies have been shown to be an important part of success in the classroom, but little research exists that examines differences across major fields concerning the use and faculty emphasis of learning strategies. This study uses data from the National Survey of Student Engagement and the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement to explore whether there is congruence for academic disciplines between the student use and faculty encouragement of learning strategies. Patterns in the results suggest that are certain fields, including health professions, biology, agriculture, natural resources, and social service professions most frequently emphasizing and using learning strategies, while others, …

Rethinking International Envrionmental Linkages: A Functional Cohesion Agenda For Species Conservation In A Time Of Climate Change, Erica Lymann

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

Inquiry Into The Implementation Of Bush's Executive Order 13211 And The Impact On Environmental And Public Health Regulation, Elizabeth Glass Gettlemen Jd, Llm, Gunwant Gill Jd, Miriam Jovanovic

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

Molecular Cause And Functional Impact Of Altered Synaptic Lipid Signaling Due To A Prg-1 Gene Snp, Johannes Vogt, Jenq-Wei Yang, Arian Mobascher, Jin Cheng, Yunbo Li, Xingfeng Liu, Jan Baumgart, Carine Thalman, Sergei Kirischuk, Petr Unichenko, Guilherme Horta, Konstantin Radyushkin, Albrecht Stroh, Sebastian Richers, Nassim Sahragard, Ute Distler, Stefan Tenzer, Lianyong Qiao, Klaus Lieb, Oliver Tüscher, Harald Binder, Nerea Ferreiros, Irmgard Tegeder, Andrew J. Morris, Sergiu Gropa, Peter Nürnberg, Mohammad R. Toliat, Georg Winterer, Heiko J. Luhmann, Jisen Huai, Robert Nitsch

Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Faculty Publications

Loss of plasticity‐related gene 1 (PRG‐1), which regulates synaptic phospholipid signaling, leads to hyperexcitability via increased glutamate release altering excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance in cortical networks. A recently reported SNP in prg‐1 (R345T/mutPRG‐1) affects ~5 million European and US citizens in a monoallelic variant. Our studies show that this mutation leads to a loss‐of‐PRG‐1 function at the synapse due to its inability to control lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) levels via a cellular uptake mechanism which appears to depend on proper glycosylation altered by this SNP. PRG‐1^+/− mice, which are animal correlates of human PRG‐1^+/mut carriers, showed an altered cortical network …

Adolescent Health: Parity And Nutritional Status Among Married Women What Is Unique For Adolescents And What Is Similar To Older Women?, Lindsey Hiebert

Public Health Theses

Abstract

Introduction

In Bangladesh, there is a high prevalence of child marriage, early initiation of childbirth, and high rates of undernutrition among adolescents. Pregnancy and childbirth pose unique risks for adolescents due to the intersection of reproductive and physical development.

Objective

This analysis sought to describe the relationship of parity and other reproductive exposures with nutritional outcomes for adolescents and older women ages 20-35 years, describing both the similarities and differences between the two age groups. The overall objective was to help inform improved adolescent health interventions and direct future needed research.

Methods

A secondary data analysis of the Bangladesh …

Seroprevalence And Risk Factors For Leptospirosis In An Urban Community Of Puerto Rico, Emily Ann Briskin

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Leptospirosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Puerto Rico, but the full burden remains unknown due to underreporting and misdiagnosis as dengue fever.

Methods: A cross-sectional study paired with rodent trapping was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors for prior Leptospira infection in an urban community within San Juan, Puerto Rico. A mixed effect model was built to test for risk factors while controlling for grouping effects across neighborhood blocks.

Results: Among 202 human individuals enrolled, 55 (27.3%, 95% CI: 20.9-33.3%) had Leptospira agglutinating antibodies indicative of previous exposure to the bacteria. MLST …

Doc 2016-01 Creation Of The Department Of Electro-Optics And Photonics, University Of Dayton. School Of Engineering. Office Of The Dean

Senate Documents

Legislative Authority. DOC 2014-04: Actions Pertaining to Degree Programs and Academic Departments

Producer Concerns And Perceptions Regarding The Effect Of Methane On Cattle Production And The Environment, Bradley M. Boyd, Amanda Burken, Lisa Franzen- Castle Castle, Karla Jenkins, Richard J. Rasby, Matt K. Luebbe, Rick Stowell, Samodha C. Fernando, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Knowledge of producer concerns and perceptions on methane production from cattle and its impact on the environment is unknown. Therefore, the objectives of this survey were to determine what producers know about methane production by cattle and to determine if different age groups, regions of Nebraska, and production size/ type affects producer opinions on enteric methane production and climate change. Producers felt that methane production has little impact on animal performance but were not very confident in their knowledge. Most producers received information related to animal agriculture from veterinarians; therefore, veterinarians should continue to be a major target for extension …

Evaluating Syngenta Enhanced Feed Corn Processed As Dry- Rolled Or High- Moisture Corn On Cattle Performance And Carcass Characteristics, Melissa L. Jolly- Breithaupt, Curtis J. Bittner, Dirk Burken Burken, Galen E. Erickson, Jim C. Macdonald, Matt K. Luebbe

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A finishing trial was conducted as a 2x2x2 factorial to determine the effect of Syngenta Enhanced Feed Corn™ containing an alpha amylase enzyme trait (SYT- EFC) compared with the parental isoline control corn without the amylase enzyme trait (Negative Isoline) on cattle performance and carcass characteristics. Th e two types of corn grain were processed as either dry- rolled corn (DRC) or high- moisture corn (HMC) and fed with either 18% modifi ed distillers grains plus solubles (MDGS) or 35% Sweet Bran. Cattle fed SYT- EFC DRC with MDGS had a 3.9% improvement in feed conversion compared to Negative Isoline …

Statistics Used In The Nebraska Beef Report And Their Purpose

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Th e purpose of beef cattle and beef product research at University of Nebraska– Lincoln is to provide reference information that represents the various populations (cows, calves, heifers, feeders, carcasses, retail products, etc.) of beef production. Obviously, the researcher cannot apply treatments to every member of a population; therefore, he/she must sample the population. Th e use of statistics allows the researcher and readers of the Nebraska Beef Report the opportunity to evaluate separation of random (chance) occurrences and real biological effects of a treatment. Following is a brief description of the major statistics used in the beef report. For …

Evaluation Of Varying Corn Grain (And Byproduct) Inclusion In Beef Cattle Finishing Diets, Andrea K. Watson, Matt K. Luebbe, Galen E. Erickson Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A pooled- analysis of UNL feedlot trials examined the impact of starch (corn grain) on cattle performance. Cattle age (calf- fed or yearling) affected DMI, ADG, and F:G, but not marbling score or fat depth. Intake, ADG, F:G, and fat depth were optimized with 50– 70% corn grain in the diet. Marbling was not maximized until the diet contained > 75% corn. Removing either all the corn or all the byproduct from diets did not maximize performance. Including a minimum of 20% byproduct and 20% corn in the diet is biologically advantageous, while the remaining 60% of the diet is flexible …

2016 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report (Complete)

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Contents

Cow/Calf: Effects of Wintering System on Cow and Calf Performance in a Summer-Calving Intensive Production System ● How Many Clean-up Bulls Are Needed after Estrus Synchronization and Artificial Insemination? ● Economics of Rebreeding Non-pregnant Females ● Effect of MGA vs CIDR Estrus Synchronization on Estrus Response and Pregnancy Rates in 311 d Old Beef Heifers ● Comparison of TAI at GnRH Injection and Delayed Insemination of Non-estrus Beef Heifers ● Effect of Dam Age on Offspring Productivity ● Cows with Excess Androgen are Anovulatory and Have Differing Patterns of Progesterone Secretion ● Granulosa Cell Exposure to Excess Androgens Inhibits …

Assessment Of Ovarian Reserve: Anti-Mullerian Hormone Versus Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Zehra Jamil, Syeda Sadia Fatima, Zahra Cheema, Safia Baig, Roha Ahmed Choudhary

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the strength of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in reflecting the antral follicle count (AFC) in infertile females.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 females, visiting infertility clinic for assisted reproduction. Serum samples collected on the 3rd day of the cycle were assayed for FSH, luteinizing hormone, and AMH while AFC was assessed via transvaginal ultrasound. The study cohort was segregated into three groups based on AFC.
Results: Chronological age and FSH was significantly high in females with very low AFC (P < 0.01 and 0.009, respectively), yet they failed to discriminate patients with normal and higher follicle count (P = 0.65 and 0.84). Conversely, AMH reported highly significant difference between very low AFC and with those having either normal AFC (P = 0.002) or higher AFC (P = 0.001). Moreover, a significant difference in AMH was observed between normal and higher AFC group (P = 0.04).
Conclusion: Compared to female's age …

Kcnq1 Rs2237895 Polymorphism Is Associated With Gestational Diabetes In Pakistani Women, Syeda Sadia Fatima, Bushra Chaudhry, Taseer Ahmed Khan, Saad Farooq

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background and Objective: Genetic studies on gestational diabetes (GDM) are relatively scarce; moreover, limited data is available for KCNQ1 polymorphism in Pakistani pregnant women. We aimed to determine the frequency of KCNQ1 rs2237895 in GDM and normal pregnant controls and its association with GDM-related phenotypes.
Methods: A total of 637 pregnant females (429 controls and 208 cases) in their second trimester were classified according to the International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study criteria in this study. Their blood samples were genotyped for KCNQ1 SNP rs2237895 using PCR-RFLP method and sequencing. Fasting and two hour-post glucose load blood levels, …

Anti Mullerian Hormone: Ovarian Response Indicator In Young Patients Receiving Long Gnrh Agonist Protocol For Ovarian Stimulation, Zehra Jamil, Syeda Sadia Fatima, Rehana Rehman, Faiza Alam, Sara Arif

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Objective: Anti Mullerian hormone (AMH) is gaining place as ovarian marker, chiefly in infertility assistance. We explored its correlation with oocytes retrieval after long GnRH agonist protocol for stimulation, in younger and older infertile population.
Methods: This retrospective analysis compiled data of 166 females, receiving ICSI treatment from June 2014 to March 2015. Serum FSH, LH, Estadiol, AMH and antral follicle count were assessed. Outcomes were measured as good (5 to 19 oocytes) and bad responders.
Results: Higher discriminatory power of AMH (AUROC; 0.771; p < 0.05) was seen in comparison to FSH (0.692; p < 0.05) and AFC (0.690; p < 0.01). AMH reported strongest association with oocyte retrieved (odds ratio of 15.06). Subgroup analysis reported 68.6 % risk of bad response with AMH levels of less than 1.37ng/ml. This association was observed more significant in young infertile patients <35 year of age (r=0.245; p=0.012) versus older population >35 year (r=0.169; p>0.05).
Conclusion: Our study reaffirms that serum AMH correlates well with …

Use Of Follicular Output Rate To Predict Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Outcome, Rehana Rehman, Rozina Mustafa, Mukhtiar Baig, Sara Arif, Muhammad Faisal Hashmi

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Background: The measurement of follicular output rate (FORT) has been proposed as a good indicator for evaluating follicular response to the exogenous recombinant folliclestimulating hormone (rFSH). This places FORT as a promising qualitative marker for ovarian function. The objective of the study was to determine FORT as a predictor of oocyte competence, embryo quality and clinical pregnancy after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out on a group of infer- tile females (n=282) at Islamabad Clinic Serving Infertile Couples, Islamabad, Pakistan, from June 2010 till August 2013. Downregulated females were stimulated in injection gonadotropins …

Anti-Mullerian Hormone: Above And Beyond Conventional Ovarian Reserve Markers, Zehra Jamil, Syeda Sadia Fatima, Khalid Ahmed, Rabia Malik

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

Management of ovarian dysfunctions requires accurate estimation of ovarian reserve (OR). Therefore, reproductive hormones and antral follicle count (AFC) are assessed to indicate OR. Serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a unique biomarker that has a critical role in folliculogenesis as well as steroidogenesis within ovaries. Secretion from preantral and early antral follicles renders AMH as the earliest marker to show OR decline. In this review we discuss the dynamics of circulating AMH that remarkably vary with sex and age. As it emerges as a marker of gonadal development and reproductive disorders, here we summarize the role of AMH in female …

A New Model Of Master Of Philosophy In Physiological Sciences, H R. Ahmad, F M. Arain, N A. Khan

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

The objectives of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Physiological Sciences are: 1) to describe the new ways in which anatomy, biochemistry and physiology on one hand, and microbiology, pathology and pharmacology on other hand meet their functional requirements through multidisciplinary integrated concepts; 2) to elucidate relationships between cell biology, molecular biology and molecular genetics by connecting dots of how cell functions are driven by molecules and being controlled by genes. This forms the basis of cell, molecular and genetics [CMG] module upon which 7 multidisciplinary modules of Physiological Sciences follow; 3) these 24 credit hours provide the physiological basis for …

How To Write A Doctoral Thesis, H R. Ahmad

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

René Girard, Sacrifice, And The Eucharist, Michael Joseph Darcy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I examine the Sacrament of the Eucharist in light of the theory of sacrifice proposed by René Girard. Specifically, I consider the Eucharist within the context of the sacrificial nature of Christianity, a matter of some controversy as regards both the early thought of Girard and those who have taken up and developed his thought. In his early work Girard rejects the notion of a Christian sacrifice. In later works, the realization that Christian and archaic sacrifice are analogous realities that have a typological relation helps him come to accept the notion of a Christian sacrifice, but …

Microflora Of The Equine Gut And Its Ramifications On The Development Of Laminitis; A Comparison Of Fecal And Cecal Diversity And Illumina And Roche 454 Sequencers, Matthew John Jevit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laminitis is characterized by the separation of the phalanx and the hoof wall. It can be induced in horses by ingesting high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), which changes the hindgut microflora. However, fecal bacteria may not be representative of the cecum. In addition, in horses results from more recent sequencers (Illumina) have never been compared to previously used sequencers (454). To determine if there are functional differences alpha and beta-diversity, core biomes, and shifts in hindgut bacteria in response to NSC were compared between fecal and cecal communities and the MiSeq and 454 method. The results suggest that MiSeq …