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Towards Understanding The Role Of Small Mammals In The Transmission Of Lyme Disease In Virginia, Usa, Robert K. Rose, Laura Bitzer, Wayne Hynes, Holly D. Gaff, Robyn Nadolny, Jory Brinkerhoff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Larvae and nymphs of many species of ticks select small mammals, reptiles, and birds as hosts. Since 2011, we have examined more than 1,000 small mammals of 10 species and collected a small tissue sample as well as all visible ticks; rates of infestation range from 18% in harvest mice to 53% in meadow voles. Identification of immature ticks is challenging and requires molecular or genetic methods beyond classification as being from the genus Ixodes or another genus. Ixodes ticks include Ixodes scapularis, the species that transmits the Lyme disease-causing bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi to humans. Of the approximately 2,300 ticks …

Modernizing Midwifery: Managing Childbirth In Ontario And The British Isles, 1900–1950, Gwenith Cross

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation considers the differences, as well as the similarities, between midwifery and childbirth practices in Ontario and in Britain in the first half of the twentieth century. Addressing the modernization of medical practices on either side of the Atlantic, the periodization of this project reflects the increasing concerns about maternal and infant morbidity and mortality alongside medical and political attempts to ensure the involvement of trained medical professionals during pregnancy and childbirth. In Britain, the establishment of the 1902 Midwives Act regulated midwifery so that only midwives approved by the Central Midwives’ Board were allowed to practice. British midwives …

Defence In Depth: An Anatomy Of Containment From Quarantine To Resilience, Jessica West

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation investigates the logic of resilience as a prevailing mode of national security. Struck more by its familiarity than its novelty, I turn my attention to public health as a way of better understanding what resilience does and how it works. Using interpretive methods to read resilience theoretically as a function of complex systems and concretely as a set of homeland security policy practices in the United States, I situate the emergence and implementation of resilience as a redeployment of long-standing motifs and modes of “containment,” recast as an immune system. Specifically, I claim: 1) containment is a spatial …

A Qualitative Study Of Families’ Experiences With Food Insecurity In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Elias Omer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Ethiopia has shown considerable progress in alleviating the decades-long food insecurity problem, but still, in the context of urban areas such as Addis Ababa families continue to struggle to make ends meet. The overall purpose of this research is to explore families’ lived experiences and coping mechanisms with food insecurity. Framed with the narrative-empowerment theoretical framework this ethnographic study outlines the findings of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion of 35 adults and children and observational notes. Participants were able to tell their perception, causes, and impacts of food insecurity in their families. They outlined the daily strategies they employ …

Effects Of Tobacco Smoke And Electronic Cigarette Vapor Exposure On The Oral And Gut Microbiota In Humans: A Pilot Study, Christopher J. Stewart, Thomas A. Auchtung, Nadim J. Ajami, Kenia Velasquez, Daniel P. Smith, Richard De La Garza Ii, Ramiro Salas, Joseph F. Petrosino

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) has increased drastically over the past five years, primarily as an alternative to smoking tobacco cigarettes. However, the adverse effects of acute and long-term use of ECs on the microbiota have not been explored. In this pilot study, we sought to determine if ECs or tobacco smoking are associated with differences in the oral and gut microbiota, in comparison to non-smoking controls.

Methods: We examined a human cohort consisting of 30 individuals: 10 EC users, 10 tobacco smokers, and 10 controls. We collected cross-sectional fecal, buccal swabs, and saliva samples from each participant. …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology: Example Chapter Section, Manuscript Of The Aspidogastrea By Klaus Rohde, Klaus Rohde

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

This is an example chapter section for Concepts in Animal Parasitology. It is a manuscript of the section titled The Aspidogastrea, written by by Klaus Rohde. This is an example of a section written without using the optional template for Parts 2-5 of the textbook. The associated images are included in a supplemental file.

Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment Completion And Predictors Of Noncompletion Among Visa Holders In The Rural Setting, Scott Hutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), a product of exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), can lead to tuberculosis (TB) and further cause death if untreated. Fortunately, TB can be prevented with LTBI treatment. Targeting newly arrived visa holders for LTBI screening and treatment is an effective strategy for decreasing future TB burden. However, LTBI treatment completion rates are low, and researches had primarily focused on the nonrural U.S. setting. This study, using a retrospective cohort design under the epidemiological disease triangle framework evaluated (a) the treatment completion rates for 2 cohorts of visa holders (i.e., immigrants, N = 31 and refugees, N …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On The Blood Culture Contamination Rate In Acutely Ill Adults, Kandace Vanhoozer

DNP Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to assess the knowledge of nurses that collect blood culture specimens at University of Louisville Hospital and to implement an educational intervention among those nurses. It was expected that the educational intervention implemented for this project would increase nurses’ knowledge regarding the proper technique for blood culture specimen collection and decrease in the rate of contaminated blood cultures.

METHODS: This study included a prospective pre- and post-test of nursing knowledge followed by an educational intervention as well as a retrospective comparison of the pre- and post-education blood culture contamination rates.

RESULTS: Of the …

Antibiotic Prescribing For Treatment Of Acute Pediatric Illnesses By Advanced Practice Nurses, Deborah J. Whitehurst

DNP Projects

Antibiotic over-prescribing by physicians for the treatment of acute respiratory tract illnesses have been examined in a variety of settings. Different studies have examined nurse practitioner (NP) prescribing practices both in the United States and various international settings. There have been limited studies specifically examining antibiotic prescribing practices in the pediatric population. However, no studies were found which compared population specific NP groups. The purpose of this study was to understand differences in antibiotic prescribing practices among advanced practice pediatric providers.

The goal of this project was to describe and compare antibiotic prescribing practices of pediatric nurse practitioners (PNP) and …

Evaluation Outcomes Of A Modified Early Warning System For Early Identification Of Sepsis In The Adult Population Requiring Acute Care, Gavin M. Turpin

DNP Projects

Objectives: To examine the use of a Modified Early Warning System (MEWS) for sepsis identification and evaluate its effects on treatment and outcomes for those patients diagnosed with sepsis after admission, during their stay at an acute care facility.

Design: A retrospective chart audit was conducted on the electronic medical records (EMRs) of patients who developed, and were diagnosed with, sepsis post admission. Specifically, a retrospective separate sample pretest posttest design was used to examine the accuracy of the MEWS, differences in outcomes (ICU days, length of hospital stay, qSOFA Score and mortality rates), and treatment initiation time (fluid resuscitation, …

Increasing Influenza Vaccination Rates In A Primary Care Clinic: A Quality Improvement Study, Cassandra R. Roshel

DNP Projects

Background

According to the most recent CDC statistics, the influenza virus kills between 12,000 and 56,000 people per year in the United States. Although influenza vaccination is recommended each year, only about half of all Americans are actually receiving the vaccine annually. The goal of this quality improvement project was to increase influenza vaccination rates at a large academic medical center in Kentucky. At baseline, there was no standardized screening protocol in place prior to this study.

Methods

This study implemented a pre-test post-test design to evaluate the impact of a process change intervention on vaccination status from September 1, …

Pdms-Silver Nanocomposite For Bendable And Stretchable Conductive Stripes, Porapak Suriya

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In this research, a simple and low-cost protocol for fabricating PDMS-silver composite as flexible conductive polymer is presented. Rod-shaped silver acetate (RS-AcOAg) was synthesized and fabricated into a solvent-cast RS-AcOAg film. The film was thermally decomposed into porous silver structures at 300ºC. The thermal decomposition of RS-AcOAg film induced the formation of silver microparticles (AgNPs) on the surface of RS-AcOAg with the expense of RS-AcOAg rod. AgNPs sintered into bigger particles and turned RS-AcOAg film into porous silver film consisting of interconnected quasi-sphere silver microparticles (AgMPs). The sintered structures transformed porous silver into rigid structures and affected the electrical resistivity …

Online Social Media And Applications Use Engaing In Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Hiv Infected Men Who Have Sex With Men In Bangkok, Thailand, Sasithorn Bureechai

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The purpose of this study is to identify the pattern of social media use and risky sexual behavior of men who have sex with men in Bangkok, Thailand by using a mixed method.This is a cross-sectional study based upon quantitative and qualitative data collection. The target population is Bangkok MSM aged over 15 who visit a research institute for consultancy. The data collection took 6 months from June to November 2018, and the subjects participating in this study total at 201. All subjects respond to a set of close-end and open-end questions. The data is analyzed with SPSS V.22 with …

Application Of Needle-Free Injection Technology For Foot And Mouth Disease Vaccination Via Intradermal Route, Sirirat Wataradee

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is an endemic disease in Thailand and caused severe economic loses. In order to prevent and control disease, the vaccination program is routinely administered for 2-3 times a year via subcutaneous route (SC). Even though, the vaccination is performed regularly, the outbreaks have often reported. The outbreaks occur due to the failure of number of immunity animal in population or herd immunity. The limitation of vaccine distribution to all animal population and difficulty of cattle restraint are forcible several farmers to failing to vaccinate their animals. Based on previous studies, the intradermal route (ID) can …

Biological Activities Of Phenolic Compounds Extracted From Some Plant Species From East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, Franxisca Mariani

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Ten medicinal plants used in this study are based on the experience of Dayak tribes. The scientific information about these plants are still limited, therefore, the objective of the present study was to analyze their phenolic content and biological activities. A selected species was subjected to successive extraction and compound isolation. The total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity were analyzed by using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the phosphomolybdenum method, respectively. DPPH and ABTS assays were used for analyzing antioxidant activities. The antibacterial activity was performed against six bacterial strains by agar well diffusion and microdilution methods. The anti-tyrosinase activity used …

Comparison Of The Ocular Microbiome On Ocular Surface Between Chronic Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Patients And Healthy Subjects, Thanachaporn Kittipibul

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) usually causes ocular surface disease. 35% of these patients develop chronic ocular sequelae including symblepharon, limbal stem cell deficiency, etc. The sequelae from SJS may also affect the alteration of ocular microbiome. Subjects: 20 chronic SJS patients and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled for specimen collection from inferior conjunctiva for microbiome analysis by using conventional culture and next-generation sequencing(NGS) methods Methods: Prospective, age and sex matched analytical study Results: A significant higher proportion of culture-positive specimen was demonstrated in SJS group (SJS group 60%, healthy 10%, p-value=0.001). In SJS group, we found significantly higher severity score …

The Dislodgement Of The Sponge Head Of Novel Thai-Produced Sponge Brushes, Nawachat Meechumna

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective. To perform an in vitro investigation on the dislodgement of sponge head of different manufactured sponge brushes (Sakura shape, Sunstar BUTLER, Japan, and 4 novel Thai-produced sponge brushes; combination of two shapes (round and Leelawadee) and two textures (soft and hard), King Dental Innovation Foundation; KDIF , Thailand. Methods. In order to evaluate the dislodgement of sponge head, strength test measurement was performed according to ISO 20126:2012(E). Five types of polyurethane foam were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The density of the foam was evaluated as the weight of foam in the air per unit volume of …

Bone Marrow Derived Progenitor Cells And Their Contributions To The Thymic Stroma, Mohammed Hoque

Dissertations and Theses

The thymus serves as the primary lymphoid organ responsible for the development and selection of a self-tolerant T cell repertoire. In paradox to its critical functions for the adaptive immune response, the thymus undergoes a profound age associated decline beginning in early adult life resulting in significant decline in T-cell function.Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are the most critical component of the thymic microenvironment and undergo rapid turn-over, so understanding the cellular mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of TEC number and organization will be critical in counteracting age associated involution, particularly in cancer patients, due to enhanced degeneration in response to …

Well-Being And Academic Performance In Immigrant Students: The Role Of Inequality Of Country Of Origin And Resilience, Yumiko Yamaguchi

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

Research on the psychology of immigrants has primarily focused on their socioeconomic status, but has not factored in macroeconomic indicators. These provide a deeper understanding of the stressors experienced by immigrants through the lens of cultural gaps between home and host countries. This study examined predictors of psychological well-being (PWB) and academic performance among 376 immigrant college students by employing Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of development (1994) consisting of four levels of environmental factors: Macrosystem, exosystem, mesosystem and microsystem. The results revealed that higher PWB was predicted by mesosystem variables (lower perceived stress, lower acculturative stress) and microsystem variables (higher …

Particle Filters For State Estimation Of Confined Aquifers, Graeme Field

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mathematical models are used in engineering and the sciences to estimate properties of systems of interest, increasing our understanding of the surrounding world and driving technological innovation. Unfortunately, as the systems of interest grow in complexity, so to do the models necessary to accurately describe them. Analytic solutions for problems with such models are provably intractable, motivating the use of approximate yet still accurate estimation techniques. Particle filtering methods have emerged as a popular tool in the presence of such models, spreading from its origins in signal processing to a diverse set of fields throughout engineering and the sciences including …

Adolescent Medicine Trials Network For Hiv/Aids Interventions Data Harmonization: Rationale And Development Of Guidelines, Micah Mccumber, Demetria Cain, Sara Legrand, Kenneth H. Mayer, Debra A. Murphy, Matthew A. Psioda, Arlene C. Seña, Tyrel J. Starks, Michael Hudgens

Publications and Research

Background: The Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN) research program aims to defeat the rising HIV epidemic among adolescents and young adults in the United States.

Objective: This study aims to optimize cross-study analyses and comparisons of standardized measures (variables) collected in the ATN. Methods: Guidelines were developed for harmonizing measures to be collected across ATN studies.

Results: Eight domains were identified for harmonization—Demographics and Socioeconomic Characteristics, Sexual Behavior and Risk, Substance Use and Abuse, HIV-Positive Cascade, HIV-Negative Cascade, Mental Health, Social Support and Isolation, and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Cascade.

Conclusions: The collection of selected key measures in a …

Examining Nursing Practices For Management Of Sepsis In Low Income Countries: The Case Of Uganda, Cliff Aliga, Judith Mutyabule, Grace Nakate, Abigail Emelonye

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Examining nursing practice guidelines to improve quality of care for patients with sepsis in low income countries is required.

A large amount of information about best practice standards in sepsis management is available for healthcare professionals; however, implementation and adherence to practice guidelines recommended by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign remains low in low income countries.

A formal scope of practice for nursing and midwifery as a professional guideline is absent and national clinical guideline for Uganda remains unclear regarding the specific management of sepsis.

Inadequate documentation of patient care in Uganda makes sepsis cases difficult to be early detected.

Research …

Nursing And Midwifery Research Output In Africa: A Review Of The Literature, Rose Chalo Nabirye, Alison Annet Kinengyere, Grace Edwards

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Nurses and midwives form the backbone of health service delivery and satisfaction with care often depends on the competencies of nurses and midwives who provide the care (World Health Organization [WHO], 2002). Healthcare has become complex, challenging, and demanding across diverse sociocultural and socioeconomic changes and environments. To optimize their impact, nurses and midwives therefore need to be prepared with evidence-based competences. Nursing research therefore, is the cornerstone for evidence-based practice and for establishing the professional status of nursing and building research capacity. However, although nursing research began in the 19th century, it is limited in Africa, with little …

Nevada Desert Dust With Heavy Metals Suppresses Igm Antibody Production, Deborah E. Keil, Brenda J. Buck, Dirk Goossens, Brett Mclaurin, Lacey Murphy, Mallory Leetham-Spencer, Yuanxin Teng, James E. Pollard, Russell Gerads, Jamie C. Dewitt

Geoscience Faculty Research

Systemic health effects from exposure to a complex natural dust containing heavy metals from the Nellis Dunes Recreation Area (NDRA) near Las Vegas, NV, were evaluated. Several toxicological parameters were examined following lung exposure to emissive dust from three geologic sediment types heavily used for recreational off-road activities: yellow sand very rich in arsenic (termed CBN 5); a shallow cover of loose dune sand overlying a gravelly subsoil bordering dune fields (termed CBN 6); and brown claystone and siltstone (termed CBN 7). Adult female B6C3F1 mice were exposed by oropharyngeal administration to these three types of geogenic dusts at 0.01–100 …

Parvovirus B19 Seroprevalence In Turkish Blood Donors, Şeni̇z Göral, İdi̇l Yeni̇cesu, Gülendam Bozdayi, Aysu Duyan Çamurdan, Ayli̇n Altay Koçak

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Background/aim: Parvovirus risk in blood transfusion has become a popular research topic since there are limited data on parvovirus seroprevalence in blood donors in Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate parvovirus seroprevalence in blood donors in Turkey. Materials and methods: Blood samples of 988 blood donors admitted to a university blood bank were obtained for parvovirus B19 IgM and IgG detection. The samples were analyzed using the ELISA method. Results: IgM positivity of 3.92% and IgG positivity of 58.9% was detected in the blood samples. Parvovirus IgM positivity was found to be the highest in the age …

Urban Scrawl: Satire As Subversion In Banksy's Graphic Discourse, Joshua Carlisle Harzman

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the ways in which Banksy’s street art installations are used to critique sociopolitical injustices. The street has long existed as a platform for social and political movements. In particular, street art offers unique opportunities for voicing criticisms in pioneering ways that have been proven successful in upsetting normative power structures. Anne Theresa Demo’s analysis on the Guerilla Girls’ comic politics of subversion offers an appropriate conceptual lens to analyze Banksy’s employment of perspectives by incongruity as strategies for subversion. Therefore, this thesis analyzes how Banksy’s subversive satire is rhetorical by examining three techniques that have successfully exposed …

Vector Competence Of Northern California Mosquitoes For Dirofilaria Immitis (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), Rebekah Lynn Dian

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Dirofilaria immitis, commonly known as dog heartworm, is a dangerous filarial nematode that is transmitted by a mosquito vector. Although this parasite is historically localized to regions closer to the equator, the last few decades have experienced an increase in the amount of dog heartworm cases in Northern California, most notably in Lake and San Joaquin Counties. The primary vector of D. immitis in Northern California is Aedes sierrensis, but it is not prevalent enough in some counties to explain the increase in infections. Because of this, more prevalent and abundant species should be assessed for their ability to transmit …

Increasing Blacks' Representation And Utilization On The Bone Marrow Registry: An Action-Oriented Needs Assessment, Indria Gillespie

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action-oriented needs assessment was to ascertain the knowledge, motivation, and culture (KMC) needs of Blacks regarding joining the Be The Match bone marrow registry and participating in the bone marrow donation process. This needs assessment will be utilized to lay the foundation for an educational and research based nonprofit organization, Angels In Disguise, that I developed. This study will also be used to inform the bone marrow registry of the KMC needs of the Blacks who participated in this study. The data collection came from nine observations, four post-observation surveys, five donor interviews, two prototype development …

Evaluation Of New Antimalarial Drug Combinations, Robert Tyrone Higginbotham

Honors Theses

Malaria is a disease that has affected people throughout the world for centuries and is still responsible for over 200 million clinical cases per year. While a number of developed countries have eradicated the disease, its prevalence in tropical regions poses a significant global health challenge. The disease is caused by the Plasmodium genus, an obligate, intracellular parasite that is carried by the female Anopheles mosquito. While there are effective antimalarial drugs in clinical use, Plasmodium's resilient nature has allowed it to develop resistance to multiple drugs. This fact makes it imperative to seek out novel drugs to combat resistant …

Prevalence Of Hla-B*5701 In A Kenyan Population With Hiv Infection, Reena Shah, H. Nabiswa, Nancy Okinda, Gunturu Revathi, Mark Hawken, Nelson M.

Internal Medicine, East Africa

We read with interest the article published in your Journal entitled “Real-world persistence with antiretroviral therapy for HIV in the United Kingdom: a multicentre retrospective cohort study”1 which concluded that treatment discontinuation attributable to toxicity profile is not an uncommon event. They also acknowledged lack of data collection on HLA-B*5701 status, which would heavily influence initial ART regimen and the choice to discontinue medication. Of the 25.6 million living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Africa, an estimated 1.6 million people live in Kenya.2 With an HIV prevalence of 5.6%, Kenya has upscaled HIV treatment and care in the past …