Digital Commons Network^™

Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms Knowledge And Breast Cancer In Texas, Ejike Roland Egwuekwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breast cancer is a world health problem and is a leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States. However, breast cancer risks were reported to be reduced through exposure to Vitamin D through its Receptors identified as the p53 target gene. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between VDR gene polymorphisms knowledge/awareness and decisions to reduce breast cancer risks and likelihood of mammogram screening among women in Texas. Data from survey were used. Roy adaptation model was the theoretical framework that guided this quasi- experimental, quantitative research. The dependent variables were decisions to …

Adhesive Transparent Chlorohexidine Gluconate Tegaderm™ Gel Dressing For Central Venous Catheter, Peter Kimiti Mwangi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) occur during the insertion or change of the dressing of the central venous catheter (CVC) and are reportable healthcare-associated infections at the state and the national level. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to evaluate and synthesize available evidence to establish the effectiveness of using an adhesive transparent chlorohexidine gluconate (CHG) Tegaderm™ gel dressing for CVC in the prevention of CLABSIs. The logic model was used as a framework to guide the review of the literature to establish how an intervention that is not currently practiced can contribute to CVC prevention of …

Dicer Regulates Activation Of The Nlrp3 Inflammasome, David M. Ojcius, Ardavan Jafari, Laxmi Yeruva, Christian W. Schindler, Ali A. Abdul-Sater

All Dugoni School of Dentistry Faculty Articles

Inflammation plays a critical role in initiation of adaptive immunity, pathogen clearance and tissue repair. Interleukin (IL)-1β is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine and therefore its production is tightly regulated: its secretion requires the assembly of a macromolecular protein complex, termed the inflammasome. Aberrant activation of the inflammasome has been linked to debilitating human diseases including chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Thus, there is a great interest in understanding how inflammasomes are regulated. Here we show that Dicer, an enzyme necessary for the production of mature micro-RNAs (miRNAs), is required for optimal activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in bone marrow macrophages. Our …

The Effect Of Maternity Care Practices On The Duration Of Breastfeeding, Lisette Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The natural practice of breastfeeding has been strongly noted as one of the most cost-effective, health promoting, disease-prevention strategies of the 21st century. Although primary health organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life with added complementary foods and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or longer, many mothers do not breastfeed their infants for the recommendation length of time. Applied policies and health practices, such as those described under the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, have been noted as contributing factors that can considerably …

Increasing Uninsured Patients' Compliance With Return Primary Care Visits, Dorothy Clare Carleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients who are unable to comply with their health care regimen are almost 3 times more likely to have an adverse health outcome and are more likely to suffer irreversible progression of a chronic disease process. Increasing patient return clinic visits is essential, not only to curtail rapidly rising costs of health care but also to improve patient outcomes. This project focused on an uninsured patient population of a clinic in a rural community in the southeastern United States. The purpose of the project was to conduct a systematic review of the literature and identify the barriers and motivating factors …

Effect Of The Breakthrough Student Assistance Program On Grades, Behavior, And Attendance, Regina Shoppe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is estimated that 9-14% of children from birth to age 5 experience social and emotional problems that may significantly affect their ability to learn later in life and students of any age may experience an array of problems resulting in difficulty learning. Although interventions are available to address these issues within the school context, government funding for programs is often limited to those that are evidence based. Student Assistance Programs (SAPs) address a variety of barriers to learning but many are not supported by empirical evidence. The purpose of the study was to determine if Breakthrough, a specific SAP, …

Leptin Level Variance In Adults With And Without Cancer, Vilisa Chatman-Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

In 2018, health statistics revealed that, despite the many preventive measures established,

cancer was the second leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause

of death in 22 states, exceeded only by heart disease. With obesity/leptin levels reaching

pandemic levels worldwide, and cancer having a well-known association with obesity,

both chronic diseases represent a large proportion of public health challenges. Guided by

the social ecological model, the purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to

examine if a significant difference exists in leptin levels among adults with different

types of obesity-associated and common cancers and …

Poverty, Demographics, And Hepatitis C Infection In The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Wilson J. Washington Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hepatitis (HCV) is a communicable disease that impacts many Americans. The scholarly literature lacked the knowledge pertaining to the relationships between poverty and HCV diagnosis and prescription for HCV medication. The purpose of the study was to measure the magnitude and statistical significance of these relationships, as modeled by the health belief model and public health surveillance and action framework. Specifically, the study was designed to determine whether there is a statistically significant relationship between living below the poverty line and being diagnosed with HCV, as well as living being below the poverty line and being prescribed HCV medication. A …

Adolescent Obesity Intervention In An Outpatient Primary Care Setting, Chinyere Susanna Awamba-Agu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of education in the outpatient setting related to causes, complications, and prevention of obesity is associated with high rates of obesity in adolescents 12 to 19 years of age. The gap in the adolescents' and family members' knowledge of obesity contributes to the adolescents' high calorie consumption and the development of obesity. The purpose of this project was to develop a staff education guideline for use by clinicians to educate adolescents and their families on how to develop nutritious food plans and decrease obesity. The project practice question asked whether educating the primary care providers in the primary care …

Blubber Transcriptome And Proteome Responses To Repeated Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Administration In A Marine Mammal, Jared Deyarmin

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Chronic physiological stress impacts animal fitness by catabolizing metabolic stores and suppressing reproduction and immunity. This can be especially deleterious for capital breeding carnivores, such as marine mammals, which rely on lipid stores accrued during intensive foraging to sustain prolonged periods of fasting associated with reproduction. Therefore, chronic stress may cause a decrease in fitness in these animals, leading to population declines and potentially detrimental shifts in food web dynamics as a result. However, the impacts and indicators of chronic stress in animals are currently poorly understood. To identify downstream mediators of repeated stress responses in marine mammals, adrenocorticotropic hormone …

Increasing Daily Exercise Adherence In Women By Examining Motivational Factors, Victoria Wozniak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women ages 20–39 years old have seen the most dramatic increase in obesity levels in the United States over the last 2 decades. Researchers have indicated the need for studies to increase motivation in women to promote daily exercise. There is a gap in the literature about what motivational factors are most effective with increasing exercise in daily life. Using the transtheoretical model of change (TM) as the grounding theory, this study measured daily exercise adherence. A selective sampling of women ages 20–39 years old in the United States were recruited to complete an online survey. The online survey included …

African American, Postrelease, Opioid, Female Offenders' Experiences In Job Interviews, Wanda Dunmore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasing recidivism rate for African American female offenders is exacerbated by postrelease job candidates' difficulties with interviewing for employment. The purpose of this hermeneutical, phenomenological study was to examine experiences from postrelease, African American, female, opioid offenders when interviewing with potential employers. Critical race Black feminist theory was used as the ontological lens for this research. Criterion sampling was used to recruit 12 female African American opioid female research participants. Data collection occurred via 12 semistructured, face-to-face interviewees. Thematic analysis was used to develop common emergent themes from the lived experiences of postrelease, African American, female, opioid offenders. Results …

Leadership Practices Principals Believe Reduce Reading Achievement Gaps For Economically Disadvantaged Students, Andrew Richard Buchheit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests that principals' practices influence student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the beliefs elementary school principals in the mid-Atlantic United States had about which leadership practices have been instrumental in reducing the achievement gap between economically-disadvantaged students and all other students at their schools. The leadership model that Kouzes and Posner developed, which identified 5 practices of exemplary leaders, served as the conceptual framework for this study. Eleven principals who were leaders at schools where the achievement gap in reading had been reduced compared with the state average were interviewed. A combination of a …

Positive Deviance Behaviors And Definition In Nursing, Stacy L. January

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of positive deviance (PD) has not been studied in the context of nursing. Grounded in narrative inquiry and combined with vocabularies of motive and symbolic interactionism, the purpose of this study was to explore whether PD behaviors existed in nursing, and if so, to develop an operational definition of PD for nursing. The research question addressed what PD behaviors, if any, were present in nurses’ workplace stories. Using posted flyers, eight participants either self-selected or were selected by snowball method to participate. Interviews were conducted in locations decided on by each participant. Interview data were obtained, transcribed, then …

A Lifestyle Modification Toolkit To Increase Physical Activity Among Young Adults, Anthonia Ninikanwa Nwanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substantial decreases in physical activity have been observed between early to late adolescence in males and females, with decreases in levels of activity into adulthood. Physical inactivity among young adults leads to medical conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, stroke, ischemic heart disease, falls resulting in hip fractures, and depression later in life. Advanced Nurse Practitioners have a significant impact on the problem of physical inactivity among young adults through education to improve knowledge regarding physical activity participation. The focus of this project was to develop a toolkit on lifestyle modification as a resource for physical education teachers and nurses …

Staff Education: Hypertension Management For Adults In Primary Care Settings, Doris Adediwura Obaze

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Management of hypertension and its complications requires health care providers to

understand the reason for developing the disease. Complications of hypertension (HTN)

are more prevalent when patient interventions are not consistently performed by staff. A

gap in staff knowledge regarding the management of patients with HTN was noted at an

outpatient clinic in the southwestern United States. A staff education project based on

the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC-8) guidelines for HTN management was

developed to address the gap in knowledge. This DNP project sought to understand the

impact of an evidence-based staff education program in improving the knowledge of …

Utilizing Food Safety Knowledge In Comprehensive Patient Care Among Harlem Hospital Physicians, Sean Alexander Shivers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people throughout the world become sick every year from consuming contaminated foods, which impacts countries’ socioeconomic development, straining their healthcare system, travel and tourism, and foreign trade markets. To help alleviate the impact foodborne illness (FBI) has on society, scholars suggest physicians incorporate food safety in their standard work practice. The purpose of this study was to determine if Harlem Hospital physicians utilized food safety knowledge in comprehensive patient care with a diagnosis of FBI, in addition to how physicians passed this food safety information onto the patient. A qualitative methodology using an …

The Impact Of Campus Health Services On The Attitudes, Perceptions, Beliefs, And Behaviors Of Historically Black College And University Students, Micah Mccray Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African Americans suffer worse health outcomes related to chronic disease than any other racial or ethnic group. The negative effects associated with poor dietary habits and a low propensity to exercise impact young adult African Americans who attend Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) and can lead to higher mortality rates. It is important for HBCU campus health centers to address the perceptions and beliefs of students to positively impact health behaviors associated with diet and exercise. At the time of this study, there was limited research on-campus health centers and their impact on HBCU student health beliefs and behaviors. Therefore, this …

Factors That Influence Physical Activity Among African American Mothers At Recreation Centers, Nichole Leigh Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical activity is a critical factor in preventing obesity and other chronic illnesses. African American women experience higher rates of physical inactivity than the general population. As a key figure in the family, African American mothers should model healthy behaviors to the family, especially their children. This qualitative study explored the physical activity attitudes of African American mothers who frequently visit a recreation center in the Columbus, Ohio, area. The research questions focused on the possible barriers and motivators for physical activity engagement. The theory of planned behavior, which emphasizes behaviors, intentions, and attitudes when exploring health behaviors, guided the …

Why The Legal Strategy Of Exploiting Immigrant Families Should Worry Us All, Jamie Abrams

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

This article applies a family law lens to explore the systemic and traumatic effects of modern laws and policies on immigrant families. A family law lens widens the scope of individuals harmed by recent immigration laws and policies to show why all families are affected and harmed by shifts in state power, state action, and state rhetoric. The family law lens reveals a worrisome shift in intentionality that has moved the state from a bystander to family-based immigration trauma to an incendiary agent perpetrating family trauma.

Modern immigration laws and policies are deploying legal and political strategies that intentionally sever …

Nutritional Education Program Using The Dash Diet For African Americans, Angela B. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension (HTN) is a serious yet common condition that can be prevented or

controlled. Complications of uncontrolled HTN can lead to cardiac failure, renal disease,

and stroke. In the United States, HTN is greater among African Americans than any other

ethnic group and is prevalent in the community in which this project was conducted. To

address the problem of HTN and its effect on members of the African American (AA)

population in the site community, a program of HTN self-management emphasizing

patient education and healthy behaviors for the AA community was developed. The

purpose of this project was to search …

Some Current Trends And Challenges In Philippine Aquaculture, With An Emphasis On Synergies With Biodiversity Initiatives, Ronald Allan L. Cruz, Vikas Kumar, Janice A. Ragaza

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Multiple Paths To Self-Sufficiency: A Phenomenological Study Of South Florida Refugees’ Lived Experience, Regina Bernadin

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

The United States resettles more refugees within its borders than any other country. The federal government and its partners measure success by determining if the refugee has achieved self-sufficiency. Self-sufficiency is achieved when a refugee becomes employed shortly after arrival. With a resettlement program that is almost forty years-old and unprecedented budget cuts, refugees themselves can aid in redefining the goals of the program. Using the theories of Human Needs and Social Identity to analyze the data, the aim of this study was to address the following questions: “What is the lived experience of refugees seeking self-sufficiency?” and “How do …

Unmanned Aerial System And Satellite-Based High Resolution Imagery For High-Throughput Phenotyping In Dry Bean, Sindhu Sankaran, Juan José Quirós, Phillip N. Miklas

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Dry bean breeding programs are crucial to improve the productivity and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Phenotyping is a key process in breeding that refers to crop trait evaluation. In recent years, high-throughput plant phenotyping methods are being developed to increase the accuracy and efficiency for crop trait evaluations. In this study, aerial imagery at different resolutions were evaluated to phenotype crop performance and phenological traits using genotypes from two breeding panels, Durango Diversity Panel (DDP) and Andean Diversity Panel (ADP). The unmanned aerial system (UAS) based multispectral and thermal data were collected for two seasons at multiple time …

Review Of Hunger In The Land Of Plenty: A Critical Look At Food Insecurity. James D. Wright, Amy Donley, And Sara Strickhouser Vega, Kaipeng Wang

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

James D. Wright, Amy Donley, and Sara Strickhouser Vega, Hunger in the Land of Plenty: A Critical Look at Food Insecurity. Lynne Rienner Publishers (2019), 183 pages, $65.00 (hardcover).

A Compromised Liver Alters Pcb Toxicity And Nutrient Metabolism, Jazmyne D. L. Barney

Theses and Dissertations--Toxicology and Cancer Biology

Environmental contamination is a public health concern. In particular persistent organic pollutants like Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) have been associated with multiple chronic inflammatory diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD prevalence has steadily increased and is expected to continue to rise with an estimated 25% of the world’s population and 80-100 million people affected in the United States alone. Importantly, the liver is the primary site for endobiotic and xenobiotic metabolism, hence its proper function is critical for the body’s response to innate and extrinsic molecules. One way to combat the deleterious effects of PCB toxicity and fatty liver …

Surviving Climate Change In America: Toward A Rural Resilience Framework, Laurie Ristino

Western New England Law Review

This Article argues that rural America—a land mass encompassing the majority of the nation and the locus of much of our ecosystem services, including the provisioning of food and water—is critical to our nation’s survival and prosperity in the climate change era. Further, this Article posits a key role for rural Americans as stewards of those resources and producers of food and fiber. Given the environmentally and economically compromised state of rural America, this Article proposes using the concept of resilience as the foundation of a framework to guide social investments and policy efforts to better address our economic and …

Foreword—Anthropocenic Disruption, Community Resilience And Law, René Reich-Graefe

Western New England Law Review

Since the First Agricultural (or Neolithic) Revolution, humans have been the primary agents of both biospheric and sociospheric change. Modern human societies evolved in an ecosystem of abundance in which human agency and consumption could conveniently ignore the problem of natural capital. At today’s peak of humanity, first-world humans personally produce virtually nothing to sustain their respective individual lives. Instead, distant agro-industrial systems and global economies of scale mass-produce the resources that modern humans simply acquire through, often anonymous, exchange transactions in order to satisfy their survival and welfare needs. By the second half of the twenty-first century, the Anthropocene …

Transcript—Complex Reciprocity In A Local Food System, Sarah Waring

Western New England Law Review

During the Western New England Law Review’s October 2019 symposium on Anthropocenic Disruption, Community Resilience and Law, Sarah Waring, the Vice President for Grants and Community Investments at the Vermont Community Foundation, gave a presentation on local place-based food systems and the powerful impact they have in combating the anthropocenic disruption we face at-large. Community is complicated. And yet, the ability to self-organization and innovate relies to a large extent on the relational strength of the community. Working within a small rural region, and focusing on place-based food systems, the growing importance of relational strength within community …

Transcript—Kitchen Tables, Board Rooms, And Other Potentially Disruptive Locales: The Role Of Consumer Action In Carbon Emission Reduction, Elizabeth A. Stanton

Western New England Law Review

During the Western New England Law Review’s October 2019 symposium on Anthropocenic Disruption, Community Resilience and Law, Elizabeth A. Stanton, the Director and Senior Economist at the Applied Economic Clinic, gave a presentation that analyzed the overall impact that consumers and businesses have, in their everyday decisions, with respect to climate change and Anthropocenic disruption. In her presentation, she intentionally explores and parses through several questions geared towards underlying the key distinctions between individual consumer choices, known as kitchen table choices, and decisions made by businesses, or board room decisions. Additionally, she pursues a conversation on the …