Digital Commons Network^™

Employee Influenza Immunization: Education And A Directive To Increase Immunization Rates, Ashley Roman

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Purpose: The aim of this quality improvement project was to improve the influenza vaccination rate of health care workers at an ambulatory care center to meet the national benchmark of 90%.

Background: Influenza is a communicable disease that affects over 130,000 people causing 7,000 deaths (CDC, 2017b). Over the last 3 years the influenza immunization rates at the facility of interest have been on a downward trend despite multiple interventions, resulting in 43% last season. A directive was published at the beginning of the 2017-2018 influenza season mandating each employee to either get a vaccine or decline in writing. This …

Epidemiological Evaluation Of An Acinetobacter Baumannii Outbreak Observed At An Intensive Care Unit, Tuğba K. Atik, Bülent Atik, Osman Kilinç, Bayhan Bektöre, Hülya Duran, Burak M. Selek, Nihan Ceken, Orhan Baylan, Mustafa Özyurt

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To reveal the relationship between clinical and environmental isolates, analyzing both phenotypic and molecular aspects, in an Acinetobacter baumannii ( A. baumannii ) epidemic, and to use the epidemiological data to determine the source of the epidemic, to identify potential risk factors, and inform the effort to prevent and manage future epidemics. Methods: Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from 5 clinical samples in Sultan Abdulhamid Han Training and Research hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, for a week period. To determine potential sources of infection we established cultures surveillance. Microbiological identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing of A. baumannii were performed using conventional methods …

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery In Syrian Refugees: Outcomes In A Turkish Tertiary Center, Mazlum Şahin, Semi Ozturk, Tuğba İ. Mert, Gündüz Durmuş, Mehmet Mustafa Can

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess outcomes of Syrian refugees undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery in a tertiary hospital in Turkey. Methods: We sought for in-hospital mortality and one year all-cause mortality as the main outcomes. We reviewed records of 67 Syrian and 427 Turkish patients undergoing isolated coronary bypass surgery between 2015 January and 2017 January retrospectively. Results: History of coronary, peripheral and carotid artery diseases and obesity were more frequent in Syrian patients. C-reactive protein levels were higher in Syrian patients whereas lipid profiles and systolic functions of the 2 groups were similar. Syrian patients more frequently presented with the acute …

A Cholera Model Linking Between-Host, Within-Host And Environmental Disease Dynamics, Conrad Ratchford

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Cholera is an acute intestinal illness caused by infection with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. The dynamics of the disease transmission are governed by human-human, environment-human, and within-human sub-dynamics. In this paper, a model is presented to incorporate all three of these dynamical components. The model is divided into three subgroups where the dynamics are analyzed according to their respective time scales. Specifically, the within host system incorporates the interaction of virus and immune cell interaction with the vibrios. For each subgroup, we discuss the existence and uniqueness of a DFE (Disease Free Equilibrium) by calculation of the Basic Reproduction number …

Prevalence Assessment Of The Amphibian Chytrid Fungus Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Across Two Habitat Types In East Tennessee, Paul-Erik M. Bakland

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

In light of the biodiversity crisis facing amphibian populations globally, studies investigating the pathogenic amphibian fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) are a foremost priority for biologists. Understanding effects of habitat variation on Bd prevalence is important for identifying populations that are most at risk and can help to inform management decisions. Using American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) and Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans) as study organisms, this research sought to investigate how prevalence of Bd varies between natural wetlands and urban retention ponds in East Tennessee while also examining relevant habitat factors and morphometrics. A total of 373 frogs were sampled across six …

Survey Assessment Of Community Knowledge And Prevention Of Chagas Disease And Its Vector In Hidalgo And Cameron Counties, Adam Dennis Wiejaczka

Theses and Dissertations

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, kills thousands of people annually and is the dominant cause of infectious myocarditis worldwide. Kissing bugs are vectors that carry T. cruzi . and are found in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). There is no vaccination nor cure for Chagas. The best mechanism of prevention is to control vector infestations. Little research is available regarding the level of understanding local communities have about Chagas.

Our goal was to test the knowledge of several communities in the LRGV on Chagas disease. Our hypothesis states that local communities do not have sufficient …

The Benefits Of Information System Of Water Pollution At Bedadung River Towards Oral And Dental Health Of The Community, Heru Ernanda, Zahreni Hamzah, Dyah I. Setyowati, Ary Tw. Handayani, Tecky Indriana

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science

Objective: The purpose of creating the river water pollution information systems related to oral and dental health community is to facilitate the analysis of diseases caused by water pollution.

Material and Methods: The Environment-based Health Management Information System based on GIS is based on real data of Bedadung River-Jember Regency, East Java, Indonesia includes the location of the dumping points, photo dumping points, the area of garbage accumulation, and tooth and mouth disorders that arise due to contamination of river water, which is associated with community dental and oral health data that taken by survey.

Results: Through the Environmental Health …

Correlation Between Mental Health And Caries Status In Primary School Students, Ayub I. Anwar

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science

Objective: This study aims to determine the correlation of mental health and caries status of students in Mulia Bhakti Makassar Primary School.

Material and Methods: Analytical observational research with cross-sectional study design. The subject of this research was all the students of Primary School Mulia Bhakti Makassar.

Results: The results showed a correlation between mental health and caries status with Pearson correlation test, p = 0.004 (p <0.05) and correlation coefficient, r = 0.266. There is a high index of DMF-T in students whose mental health is not normal.

Conclusion: There was a correlation between mental health status and dental caries status of students at Mulia Bhakti Makassar Primary School.

Methods For Detection Of And Therapy For Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae, Olivia Tateoka Brown

Theses and Dissertations

As antibiotic resistant bacterial strains are becoming more prevalent in healthcare settings, it is necessary to find alternative methods of detecting and treating these infections. One of the antibiotic resistant strains of interest is the carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). CREs have the ability to evade some of the most potent antibiotics currently in use and employ carbapenemases to negate the effect of antibiotics. The three most common carbapenemase genes, found in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae along with a gene found only in Escherichia coli were chosen to create a qPCR assay for rapid detection of resistant infections. The carbapenemase genes are KPC, VIM …

Circulating Rotavirus G And P Strains Post Rotavirus Vaccination In Eastern Mediterranean Region

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To detect changes in circulating strains of rotavirus in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) post rotavirus immunization drive. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library and specific database website (Nutrition and Food Sciences) for relevant articles. Our search included websites of a number of relevant organizations in addition to gray. literature search. Of the 2198 articles found, we included only 35 studies after excluding irrelevant, ineligible, duplicated, and very low-quality papers. Results: Thirty pre-vaccination studies reported frequent rotavirus strains among children below 5 years of age. G1P[8] has been identified as the most dominant type prior …

Conjunctivitis, Infant >/= 29 Days Of Age Or Child, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways (Formally Known As Care Process Models)

No abstract provided.

The Rational Design, Synthesis, Characterization, And Biological Evaluation Of Cancer-Targeting Immunostimulatory Peptide-Protein Conjugates And Tripeptides, Keith Smith

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

With the advent of cancer immunotherapy and the rise in applications of synthetic biologics, there has been a steady decline in the incidence of cancer. Despite this trend, there is an anticipated 1.7 million new cancer cases with an estimated 610,000 deaths expected by the end of 2018.2 Therefore, the call for continued efforts in creating more effective treatment options are still in high demand. In this thesis, the rational design of a semi-synthetic cancer-targeting immunostimulatory peptide-protein bioconjugate—using N-succinimidyl carbamate chemistry is described. This bio-orthogonal chemistry approach was used to conjugate the synthetic Pep42, cancer-targeting peptide (CTP) and the immunostimulatory …

Trichuris Muris Whey Acidic Protein Induces Type 2 Protective Immunity Against Whipworm, Neima Briggs

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Human whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) infects approximately 1 in 15 people worldwide, representing the leading infectious cause of colitis and subsequent, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Current control measures focused on mass deworming have had limited success due to low drug efficacies. Vaccination would be an ideal, cost-effective strategy to induce protective immunity, leading to control of infection and transmission. Here we report the identification of whey acidic protein, a whipworm secretory protein, as a strong immunogen for inducing protective efficacy in a surrogate mouse T. muris infection model. The near full-length recombinant WAP protein (rTm-WAP49), as well …

Role Of Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated Kinase In Cardiac Autophagy And Glucose Metabolism Under Ischemic Conditions, Patsy Thrasher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), a serine/threonine kinase primarily located in the nucleus, is typically activated in response to DNA damage. Individuals with mutations in ATM gene develop a disease called Ataxia telangiectasia (AT). These individuals are more susceptible to ischemic heart disease and metabolic disorder. Our lab has previously shown that ATM plays a critical role in β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) - and myocardial infarction (MI)-stimulated myocyte apoptosis and cardiac remodeling. This study tested the hypothesis that ATM plays a critical role in cardiac autophagy and glucose metabolism following MI and ischemia, respectively. Early during MI (4 hours after its onset) …

On Quasi-Stationary Distributions Of Stochastic Sis Epidemic Models, Boyoung Hur

All Theses

We study a stochastic SIS (Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible) epidemic model, in which individu-als in a population are divided into two classes: “Susceptible” to the infection of a disease, and “Infected” by the disease. We assume the population size N is fixed. The state process, which measures the num-ber of infected individuals, is modeled as a continuous time Markov chain (CTMC). The CTMC has an absorbing state 0, and it will eventually die out by reaching the absorbing state. However, it appears to be persistent over a long time period before extinction. Such behavior can be understood by the study of quasi-stationary distributions. …

Bone Graft Donor Site Infection With A Rare Organism, Aeromonas Hydrophila: A Typical Location, Presentation And Organism With 2 Years Follow-Up: Case Report, Obada Hasan, Wajiha Khan, Muneeba Jessar, Aly Zaheer Pathan, Riaz Hussain Lakdawala

Section of Orthopaedic Surgery

Introduction: Aeromonas are Gram-negative bacilli often causing necrotizing fasciitis or sepsis in immunocompromised patients. Aeromonas Hydrophila is most often found in immunocompromised patients or those with burns or aquatic trauma. When patients present with a discharge and infection on bone graft donor site and progressive sepsis, an Aeromonas hydrophila infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Presentation of Case: We report here a rare case of Aeromonas hydrophila with surgical site sep- sis/infection in an immunocompromised 69 years old female, with several comorbids. Here we are reporting infection on donor surgical graft site, sparing major surgical site with the …

International Volunteerism And Urethral Stricture Disease: A Review, Jason K. Frankel, Gregory P. Murphy

Open Access Publications

Global health is an ever-expanding area of interest for many healthcare workers around the world. In recent years, it has become apparent that much of the global disease burden is surgical. Urologic disease is no exception-many international organizations send volunteers around the world to support Urologic services in countries that lack capacity and resources. Urethral stricture represents a unique opportunity for specialized surgical management that vastly improves long term morbidity. Here we review the prevalence, etiology, and management of urethral stricture from a global perspective while highlighting impact of international urologic volunteer efforts.

An In Vitro Analysis Of The Relative Efficacies Of Antibiotic Solutions Vs. Antiseptics In Breast Augmentation And Reconstruction Surgery, Victoria Noyes

Honors Theses

Breast augmentation and reconstruction procedures are among the most popular plastic surgeries in the U.S. Opportunistic bacterial pathogens introduced during surgery can lead to surgical site infections, capsular contractures, biofilm formation, and lymphoma. To prevent these infections, an antibiotic solution containing Cefazolin, Gentamicin, and Bacitracin (Adams’ Antibiotic Solution - AS) has traditionally been used for irrigation. Due to antibiotic resistant pathogens and a debate over the efficacy of irrigation by AS to reduce infections, alternatives must be found. This study considers the use of the antiseptic chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) as an alternative irrigation solution. In vitro, we exposed pure cultures …

Protecting And Serving Yourself: The Mental Health Of Police Officers In Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Caina Weiner

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The service learning hours performed at the Kaukauna Police Department served as a valuable learning experience to better understand an organization that is involved in public health. Although some may view this as non-traditional, the police department is quite involved in the community’s health. They work closely with public health officials and are also involved in certain public health programs, such as drug and alcohol programs. The health of a police officer must also be considered as a public health topic. A police officer is part of a vulnerable population of individuals that are “first responders.” These individuals are at …

Influenza-Associated Parotitis During The 2014-2015 Influenza Season In The United States., Melissa A. Rolfes, Alexander J. Millman, Pamela Talley, Lina I. Elbadawi, Natalie A. Kramer, Joh R. Barnes, Lenee Blanton, Jeffrey P. Davis, Stefanie Cole, John J. Dreisig, Rebecca Garten, Thomas Haupt, Mary Anne Jackson, Anna Kocharian, Daniel Leifer, Ruth Lynfield, Karen Martin, Lisa Mchugh, Sara Robinson, George Turabelidze, Lori A. Webber, Meghan Pearce Weinberg, David E. Wentworth, Lyn Finelli, Michael A. Jhung

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Background: During the 2014-2015 influenza season in the United States, 256 cases of influenza-associated parotitis were reported from 27 states. We conducted a case-control study and laboratory investigation to further describe this rare clinical manifestation of influenza.

Methods: During February 2015-April 2015, we interviewed 50 cases (with parotitis) and 124 ill controls (without parotitis) with laboratory-confirmed influenza; participants resided in 11 states and were matched by age, state, hospital admission status, and specimen collection date. Influenza viruses were characterized using real-time polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing. We compared cases and controls using conditional logistic regression. Specimens from additional reported …

A Modern Plague: U.S. Racial And Ethnic Vaccination Disparities During The 2009 H1n1 Influenza Pandemic, Andrew E. Burger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

On June 11, 2009 the World Health Organization announced that a novel strain of H1N1 influenza was being classified a Phase 6 pandemic, the highest level of alarm indicating that the disease was present worldwide and its spread was inevitable. While seasonal influenza epidemics occur annually, the 2009 H1N1 strain was the first novel pandemic influenza since the 1968 Hong Kong flu. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic provides a case study of how the U.S. population responded to an emergent and potentially lethal infectious disease. The richness and variety of public health data presents an opportunity to examine predictors of vaccination …

Chbe 9335 A – Global Health And Preparedness, Andrew Hansen

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course will focus on global public health and preparedness for domestic and global emergencies. Students will explore patterns of health and disease around the world, and compare them to public health issues in the United States. An ecological framework will be employed to illustrate the complex political, social, economic, and environmental determinants of global health inequity. Concepts from the social sciences, epidemiology, health systems, and policymaking will be incorporated. The course will emphasize issues related to humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters both globally and domestically, and the need to build public health infrastructure and preparedness to mitigate them.

Epid 7135-A – Epidemiology Of Infectious Disease, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the principles and practices of infectious diseases epidemiology with focus on how the presence and control of communicable diseases affects public health locally, nationally and internationally. Topics to be covered include: 1) general principles of infectious diseases epidemiology, including outbreak investigation, surveillance, analysis of infectious diseases data, and laboratory testing of specimens; 2) major modes of infectious disease transmission, including airborne, food and water, zoonotic, insect vector, blood, and sexual transmission; 3) different control strategies for infectious diseases, including infection control, antimicrobial management, immunization, risk factor modification, and screening; …

Epid 7233– Public Health Surveillance Methods, Jian Zhang

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course will provide students with a strong foundation in public health surveillance of both health conditions and risk factors. The course will teach the theory and practice of surveillance supported by many examples of surveillance systems from the developed and developing world. The class will build on and reinforce basic epidemiologic concepts. Students will be given the opportunity to design and evaluate a surveillance system.

Epid 8130 – Field Methods In Epidemiology, Kelly L. Sullivan

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course addresses practical aspects of management and implementation of research studies and will focus on the conduct of research consistent with the scientific method. Topics include planning study activities, questionnaire design and implementation, and operations research.

Epid 9132 – Epidemiology Of Infectious Diseases Transmitted Via Bodily Fluids (Aka "Infectious Disease 2" Listed In Folio), Isaac Chun-Hai Fung

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course covers advanced topics in epidemiology of infectious diseases transmitted via bodily fluids, primarily sexually transmitted infections and bloodborne infections. Important themes may include outbreak preparedness and response, surveillance, and interventions that prevent and control transmissions. Computational, mathematical and statistical tools relevant to the practice of infectious disease epidemiology will be introduced.

The Comparison Of Effects Of Synthetic And Natural Arachidin-3 On Rotavirus Infected Cells, Rebekah Napier-Jameson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotavirus (RV) causes severe, life-threatening diarrhea, in infants, young children and immunocompromised adults. There are several effective vaccines for young children, however they are strain specific and are not protective against many RV strains in developing countries. Therefore, it is important to investigate anti-RV therapeutic agents. Our laboratory has shown arachidin-1 (A1) and arachadin-3 (A3) significantly inhibit RV replication in two cell lines, however the molecular mechanism(s) of action are not known. A synthetic molecule of A3 (sA3) has been produced, but its’ antiviral effects have not been examined. Our hypothesis is that sA3 produces the same effects on RV-infected …

"I Refuse To Die": Exploring The Relationship Between Spirituality And Persistence Among African American Ph.D. Students And Graduates, Kerley Perminio Most

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

African American doctoral students experience the highest levels of attrition (60%) in the nation and the most social and academic challenges in higher education. Concurrently, research supports that African Americans are among the most spiritual people in America. This study applied hierarchical logistic regression to investigate the relationship between spirituality and persistence among African American doctoral students (N = 179). Tinto’s model of attrition, a systematic framework to predict degree completion based on suicide theory, was employed. Reliable instruments, the Institutional Integration Scale and the Spirituality Scale, were utilized. Results revealed that (a) different levels of spirituality were related to …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Physical And Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Among Women Living With Hiv In Uganda, Cynthia R. Young, Angela Kaida, Jerome Kabakyenga, Winnie R. Muyindike, Nicholas Musinguzi, Jeffrey N. Martin, Peter W. Hunt, David Bangsberg, Jessica E. Haberer, Lynn T. Matthews

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant global health problem. Women who experience IPV have increased HIV incidence, reduced antiretroviral adherence, and a lower likelihood of viral load suppression. There is a lack of evidence regarding how to effectively identify and support women living with HIV (WLWH) experiencing IPV, including uncertainty whether universal or targeted screening is most appropriate for lower-resourced settings. We examined physical and sexual IPV prevalence and correlates among WLWH in Uganda to understand the burden of IPV and factors that could help identify women at risk.

Methods: We utilized data from women receiving …

Consensus Treatment Plans For Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis Refractory To Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs And/Or With Active Spinal Lesions., Yongdong Zhao, Eveline Y. Wu, Melissa S. Oliver, Ashley M. Cooper, Matthew L. Basiaga, Sheetal S. Vora, Tzielan C. Lee, Emily Fox, Gil Amarilyo, Sara M. Stern, Jeffrey A. Dvergsten, Kathleen A. Haines, Kelly A. Rouster-Stevens, Karen B. Onel, Julie Cherian, Jonathan S. Hausmann, Paivi Miettunen, Tania Cellucci, Farzana Nuruzzaman, Angela Taneja, Karyl S. Barron, Matthew C. Hollander, Sivia K. Lapidus, Suzanne C. Li, Seza Ozen, Hermann Girschick, Ronald M. Laxer, Fatma Dedeoglu, Christian M. Hedrich, Polly J. Ferguson, Chronic Nonbacterial Osteomyelitis/Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis Study Group And The Childhood Arthritis And Rheumatology Research Alliance Scleroderma, Vasculitis, Autoinflammatory And Rare Diseases Subcommittee

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

OBJECTIVE: To develop standardized treatment regimens for chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO), also known as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO), to enable comparative effectiveness treatment studies.

METHODS: Virtual and face-to-face discussions and meetings were held within the CNO/CRMO subgroup of the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA). A literature search was conducted, and CARRA membership was surveyed to evaluate available treatment data and identify current treatment practices. Nominal group technique was used to achieve consensus on treatment plans for CNO refractory to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) monotherapy and/or with active spinal lesions.

RESULTS: Three consensus treatment plans (CTPs) were developed …