Digital Commons Network^™

Bullet Wound Amputation, Laura Flaherty

UROP Posters

Bullet Wound Amputation

Laura Flaherty, Depts. of Anthropology and History, with Dr. Bernard Means, Dept. of Anthropology

"The limbs of soldiers are in as much danger from the ardor of young surgeons as from the missiles of the enemy."

-Surgeon Julian John Chisholm, 1864

Civil War medicine was highly dependent on the profession and education of those practicing medicine on the battlefield. Throughout the states that were involved with the war are burial grounds of soldiers or partial remains post amputation. Are there indicators of differing probabilities of survival of amputees at field hospitals or (traditional) established hospitals? Were soldiers …

The Effect Of Education On Knowledge Of Dental Care And Hygiene In Adults, Jenifer Euceda Nunez, Tatiana Kohlmann

UROP Posters

The Effect of Education on Knowledge of Dental Care and Hygiene in Adults

Jenifer Euceda Nunez, Dept. of Homeland Security, with Dr. Sarah Raskin, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

Introduction: Dental care and hygiene are a common worry and often overlooked by adults. It is paid less attention to due to dental problems not occurring as often as other medical conditions and simply not having the sufficient knowledge. Individuals’ lack of knowledge on dental care and hygiene may reflect other educational gaps. This study assessed the relationship between educational attainment and knowledge of oral health among …

Parent-Child Perception Of Cancer-Specific Quality Of Life And Relationship To Medication Adherence, Tiara Bolden, Evrosina Isaac

UROP Posters

Parent-Child Perception of Cancer-Specific Quality of Life and Relationship to Medication Adherence

Tiara Bolden, Dept. of Psychology, and Evrosina I. Isaac, VCU School of Medicine Medical Student, with Dr. Jennifer M. Rohan, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU

Background: Medication adherence has a significant impact on health outcomes in pediatric cancer with adherence <95% indicating a significant increase in relapse risk. In recent years, the literature on medication adherence in pediatric oncology has increased. However, there is a lack of research on determining what specific factors may result in nonadherence. The current research was conducted to address the gaps in the literature regarding parent-child perceptions of cancer-specific quality of life and medical adherence. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between quality of life and medication adherence in the pediatric oncology setting. We also aim to examine the discrepancies of parent and child perceptions in cancer-specific quality of life. To our knowledge, there is limited literature on parent-child rater discrepancies in pediatric cancer studies. Methods: Children/adolescents ages 7 to 19 years old (N=139; Mage = 12.29 ± 3.44)diagnosed with cancer who were in the maintenance phase of treatment were monitored over fifteen months by using Medication Event Monitoring System devices to examine medication adherence. Parents and patients completed an assessment battery, which included a Parent- and Child-Report of PedsQL Quality of Life Inventory.. Assessments were taken at baseline, six months, and 15 months. Results: A bivariate (Pearson) correlation suggested that there was a significant relationship between parent and child reports of cancer-specific quality of life across all domains from baseline to 15 months (p<.05) We also identified three group-based trajectories of quality of life, including an optimal, moderate, and low quality of life group across 15 months. Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggested the importance of examining both patient and parent-reported cancer specific quality of life as parents and patients may not always report congruent perceptions of quality of life during cancer treatment. Future interventions should explore strategies for improving quality of life and medication adherence in pediatric cancer.

Tobacco Use Prevention: Culturally-Specific Protective Processes In College Students With Asthma, Vanessa Atra

UROP Posters

Tobacco Use Prevention: Culturally-Specific Protective Processes in College Students with Asthma

Vanessa Atra, Depts. of Biology, Psychology, & Chemistry, with Dr. Rosalie Corona, Dept. of Psychology

The African American and Latinx communities are disproportionately affected by health disparities such as cancer. Recent cancer statistics shows death rates of African American men and women at a high of 33% and 16%, respectively, as compared to Caucasian men and women1 it is the leading cause of death in Latinx individuals.2 Minority college students of this group have higher risk of developing cancer later in life; thus this study focuses on examining associations …

A Proposal For A Social Dance Intervention To Improve Health In Older African Americans Living In Community Settings, Olivia M. Alsamadi

UROP Posters

A proposal for a social dance intervention to improve health in older African Americans living in community settings

Olivia Alsamadi, Dept. of Dance & Choreography, with Dr. Ana Diallo, VCU School of Nursing

Introduction: Older low-income African Americans are at high risk for health problems such as falls, hypertension, stress, and depression, partly due to limited physical activity. Despite the fact that most healthcare professionals prescribe exercise, older adults are likely to drop out of exercise programs or avoid them altogether due to multiple barriers, including lack of interest. Social dance interventions offer innovative solutions for introducing exercise to interested …

Correlation Of Acculturation In The U.S. And Oral Health Knowledge, Silvia Manzano, Tatiana Kohlmann

UROP Posters

Abigail Manzano, Dept. of Kinesiology, and Tatiana Kohlmann, with Dr. Aderonke A. Akinkugbe, VCU School of Dentistry and Dr. Sarah Raskin, L. Douglas Wilder School

Introduction: The United States (U.S.) is one of the top leading nations among developed countries, with the highest infant mortality rates, obesity rates, and chronic disease rates. Healthcare disparities and inequalities across the U.S. are becoming an increasing problem; low-income and minority families are regularly denied basic healthcare or simply cannot afford care. Thus, the current study assessed the relationship between time since settling in the U.S. and the oral health knowledge of a sample …

Quantification And Characterisation Of Microplastics Ingested By Selected Juvenile Fish Species Associated With Mangroves In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Trishan Naidoo, Sershen, Richard C. Thompson, Anusha Rajkaran

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Applicability, Safety, And Biological Activity Of Regulatory T Cell Therapy In Liver Transplantation, A Sánchez‐Fueyo, Gavin Whitehouse, Nathali Grageda, Matthew E. Cramp, Tiong Y. Lim, Marco Romano, Sarah Thirkell, Katie Lowe, Laura Fry, Julie Heward, Alex Kerr, Jakia Ali, Chris Fisher, Gillian Lewis, Andrew Hope, Elisavet Kodela, Mike Lyne, Farzin Farzaneh, Shahram Kordasti, I Rebollo‐Mesa, Lozano J Jose, Niloufar Safinia, Nigel Heaton, Robert Lechler, M Martínez‐Llordella, Giovanna Lombardi

Peninsula Medical School

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are a lymphocyte subset with intrinsic immunosuppressive properties that can be expanded in large numbers ex vivo and have been shown to prevent allograft rejection and promote tolerance in animal models. To investigate the safety, applicability, and biological activity of autologous Treg adoptive transfer in humans, we conducted an open-label, dose-escalation, Phase I clinical trial in liver transplantation. Patients were enrolled while awaiting liver transplantation or 6-12 months posttransplant. Circulating Tregs were isolated from blood or leukapheresis, expanded under good manufacturing practices (GMP) conditions, and administered intravenously at either 0.5-1 million Tregs/kg or 3-4.5 million Tregs/kg. …

Tyre Wear Particles: An Abundant Yet Widely Unreported Microplastic?, Lydia J. Knight, Florence N.F. Parker-Jurd, Maya Al-Sid-Cheikh, Richard C. Thompson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Gone With The Wind: Seasonal Distribution And Habitat Use By The Reef Manta Ray ( Mobula Alfredi ) In The Maldives, Implications For Conservation, Joanna L. Harris, Peter K. Mcgregor, Yvonne Oates, Guy M.W. Stevens

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) are one of the ocean's largest and most charismatic species. Pressure from targeted and bycatch fisheries coupled with their conservative life-history traits including slow growth, late maturity, and low fecundity has led to catastrophic declines of the global population. The species is now listed as Vulnerable to Extinction on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The global M. alfredi population is widely distributed in highly fragmented subpopulations. The Maldives supports the world's largest known subpopulation that undergoes seasonal migrations which are thought to be linked to peaks in ocean productivity induced by the South Asian …

The Impact Of Potting For Crustaceans On Temperate Rocky Reef Habitats: Implications For Management, Sarah C. Gall, Lynda D. Rodwell, Sarah Clark, Tim Robbins, Martin J. Attrill, Luke A. Holmes, Emma V. Sheehan

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Feasibility, Acceptability And Cost Efficiency Of Using Webinars To Deliver First‐Line Patient Education For People With Irritable Bowel Syndrome As Part Of A Dietetic‐Led Gastroenterology Service In Primary Care, M. Williams, Y. Barclay, L. Harper, C. Marchant, L. Seamark, M. Hickson

School of Health Professions

No abstract provided.

Occupants’ Satisfaction In Breeam Excellent Certified Buildings, A Montazami, S Korsavi, G Howell

School of Art, Design and Architecture

This paper examines occupants’ satisfaction of three BREEAM excellent certified buildings at Coventry University in the UK. Occupants’ satisfaction is evaluated against passive and active sustainable approaches used in these buildings to improve Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). This paper adopts a quantitative approach by running a seven-point rating scale questionnaire to obtain occupants’ overall satisfaction score in each building. A total of 180 occupants were surveyed to investigate occupants’ satisfaction of the thermal environment, indoor air quality, visual and acoustic environment during summer and winter. The results show that average satisfaction scores are towards the more acceptable part of the …

Managing Clinic Variability With Same-Day Scheduling, Intervention For No-Shows, And Seasonal Capacity Adjustments, Kum Khiong Yang, Tugba Cayirli

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study investigates demand and capacity strategiesfor managing clinic variability. These include (i) same-day scheduling tocontrol random walk-ins, (ii) no-show intervention, where the clinic callsadvance-booked patients a day before to identify and release canceled slots tosame-day patients, and (iii) adjustments to daily number of appointments foradvance-booked patients to match seasonal variations in same-day demand. Thesestrategies are tested over the individual-block/fixed-interval (IBFI) and theDome appointment rules. The resulting appointment systems are tested underscenarios with different levels of same-day demand, demand seasonality,no-shows and cost ratios. The goal is to minimize the weighted sum of patients’wait time and physician’s idle-time and overtime. Our …

May Day: The Green Vision Of Chicago’S Gilded Age Anarchists, Colin Fisher

History: Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Nursing Research Priorities In Critical Care, Pulmonary, And Sleep: International Delphi Survey Of Nurses, Patients, And Caregivers: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report, Maureen George, Carme Hernandez, Sheree Smith, Georgia Narsavage, Mary C. Kapella, Margaretann Carno, Jill L. Guttormson, Rebecca T. Disler, Diana E. Hart, Mary Beth Happ, Zijing Chen, Breanna Hetland, Ana F. Hutchinson, Helga Jonsdottir, Nancy S. Redeker, Hildy Schell-Chaple, Monica Fletcher, Janelle Yorke

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The objective of this workshop was to determine current nursing research priorities in critical care, adult pulmonary, and sleep conditions through input from consumer (patient, family, and formal and informal caregivers) and nursing experts around the world. Working groups composed of nurses and patients selected potential research priorities based on patient insight and a literature review of patient-reported outcomes, patient-reported experiences, and processes and clinical outcomes in the focal areas. A Delphi consensus approach, using a qualitative survey method to elicit expert opinion from nurses and consumers was conducted. Two rounds of online surveys available in English, Spanish, and Chinese …

The Societal Influence On Individual Identity And The Relationship Of Costume Design In Caryl Churchill’S Cloud 9, Laura Kay Plikerd

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cloud 9 is a play written by Caryl Churchill in 1978. Act one of the play takes place in 1870, British Occupied Africa and act two takes place in contemporary London. In our production, contemporary London was set in 2018. The dramatic shift in time during the two acts brings attention to the changing societal ideals and practices of each era. The costumes for this production of Cloud 9, illuminated the differences between the times by highlighting the stark differences in societally accepted fashion in the chosen time periods and regions.

In Cloud 9, the costumes create a …

Obesity And Obstructive Airways Disease: Clinical Correlates And Therapeutic Considerations, John Magagna, Cali Loblundo, Raymond B. Penn, Deepak A. Deshpande, Ajay P. Nayak

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Obese patients are more likely to suffer from severe asthma symptoms and less likely to be able to control them. In obese patients, there is evidence that shows decreased efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids and beta-2 adrenergic agonists, the core treatment options for achieving and maintaining asthma control. This may be due to mechanical reasons like decreased ventilation and medication delivery, but there are many more pathologies of obesity that interact with pathways of both asthma pathology and asthma control. This review explores the epidemiological significance of obesity, many physiological changes in patients with obesity, the physiological interactions of asthma and …

21st Century Reform Efforts In Undergraduate Quantitative Biology Education: Conversations, Initiatives, And Curriculum Change In The United States Of America, Carrie Diaz Eaton, M. Drew Lamar, Maeve L. Mccarthy

All Faculty Scholarship

In the United States, there are multiple reports from both mathematics and biology communities that address the quantitative preparation of undergraduate life science students. Many of these reports make broad recommendations for the revision of life science curriculum to incorporate more quantitative techniques. Here, we review initiatives and progress in the United States on the state of quantitative biology education in the context of the mathematics education, biology research frontiers, and the funding system and other sources of support for systemic change to meet new demands.

The U.S. Posture On Global Access To Medication & The Case For Change, Michael Palmedo, Srividhya Ragavan

Faculty Scholarship

The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of including intellectual property rights within the larger agenda of trade. While the marriage between trade and intellectual property was always uncomfortable, COVID-19 exposed the flaws, failures and the inadequacy of the trade agenda to harmonise intellectual property rights, particularly for patents in pharmaceuticals. Typically, the United States through its questionable United States Trade Representative (USTR) process exposed the vulnerabilities of the intellectual property systems of the rest of the world. COVID-19 exposed the manner in which the so-called ‘superior’ intellectual property regime of the US left the country with a weak health-care …

Covid-19, Serendipity, And Strange Interlude: Gloria In Absurdicum With An Apology To Ovid, Lawrence Charles Parish, W Clark Lambert

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology Faculty Papers

The absurd edicts initially issued by several governors, including those of Michigan and New York, prohibiting physicians from ordering hydroxychloroquine for patients suspected of or diagnosed with COV-19 are reprehensible. Their reasoning is beyond the pale.

Hydroxychloroquine was first approved by the FDA in 1955 and has a remarkable safety record in its use as a preventative for malaria and in the treatment of several immunologic and/or light induced diseases. Its use came about serendipitously, and its mechanism of action is unclear, but the fact remains that it seems to work.

Spatial Patterns Of Adverse Birth Outcomes Among Black And White Women In Massachusetts – The Role Of Population-Level And Individual-Level Factors, Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger, Madeline Haynes

Sustainability and Social Justice

This study explores spatial distribution of adverse birth outcomes (ABO), defined as low birth weight (<=2500 g) and preterm deliveries (gestational age <37 weeks), in black and white mothers in the state of Massachusetts, USA. It uses 817877 individual birth records from 2000-2014 aggregated to census tracts (census enumeration unit with population of approximately 4500 people). To account for small numbers of births in some tracts, an Empirical Bayes smoother algorithm is used to calculate ABO rates. The study applies ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial regression to examine the relationship between ABO rates, seven individual-level factors from birth certificates and nine population-level factors (income level, education level, race) from census data. Explanatory power of these factors varies between the two races. In models based only on individual-level factors, all seven factors were significant (p<0.05) in the black mothers’ model while only three were significant in the white mothers’ model. Models based only on population-level variables produced better results for the white mothers than for black mothers. Models that included both individual and population-level variables explained 40% and 29% of ABO variance for black and white women respectively. The findings from this study give health-care providers and health-care policy-makers important information regarding ABO rates and the contributing factors at a local level, thus enabling them to isolate specific areas with the highest need for targeted interventions.

Short-Term Exposure To Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Does Not Alter Stress Responses In Breeding Tree Swallows, Bradley D. Scholten, Abigail R. Beard, Hyeryeong Choi, Dena M. Baker

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Recent studies suggest that visual and acoustic anthropogenic disturbances can cause physiological stress in animals. Human-induced stress may be particularly problematic for birds as new technologies, such as drones, increasingly invade their low-altitude air space. Although professional and recreational drone usage is increasing rapidly, there is little information on how drones affect avian behavior and physiology. We examined the effects of drone activity on behavior and physiology in adult, box-nesting tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Specifically, we monitored bird behavior during drone flights and in response to a control object and measured telomere lengths and corticosterone levels as indicators of longer-term …

Navigating Refugee Subjecthood: Cambodian American Education, Identity, And Resilience, Yvonne Y. Kwan

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

To investigate trauma formation associated with the intricacy of Cambodian-specific experiences, this study examines how refugee identities and daily diasporic experiences shape the larger subject positions of subsequent generations—particularly through the concept of refugee subjecthood. Cambodia American students’ navigation of ethnic and racial identity reveals that in comparison to the available discursive narratives about their history (given to them through multicultural education), the younger generations’ is an inexact fit. To draw out the relationships between collective feelings and social experiences, this article addresses how Cambodian American students not only come into recognition about their positions as refugee subjects but also …

Testing Gene-Environment Interactions For Rare And/Or Common Variants In Sequencing Association Studies., Zihan Zhao, Jianjun Zhang, Qiuying Sha, Han Hao

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The risk of many complex diseases is determined by a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Advanced next generation sequencing technology makes identification of gene-environment (GE) interactions for both common and rare variants possible. However, most existing methods focus on testing the main effects of common and/or rare genetic variants. There are limited methods developed to test the effects of GE interactions for rare variants only or rare and common variants simultaneously. In this study, we develop novel approaches to test the effects of GE interactions of rare and/or common risk, and/or protective variants in sequencing association studies. We …

2020 School Performance Report: Innovation In Learning, Grand Valley State University

Charter School Portfolio Performance Reports

No abstract provided.

Moral Education In The Classroom: A Lived Experiment, Rebecca Konyndyk Deyoung

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

What would a course on ethics look like if it took into account Alasdair MacIntyre’s concerns about actually teaching students ethical practices? How could professors induct students into practices that prompt both reflection on their cultural formation and self-knowledge of the ways they have been formed by it? According to MacIntyre, such elements are prerequisites for an adequate moral education. His criticism of what he terms “Morality” includes the claim that most courses don’t even try to teach the right things. He charges that academic teaching has little if anything to do with character formation, whereas thick practices can transform …

A Pilot Study Exploring The Impact Of Interprofessional Simulation On Role Clarity And Student Readiness For Collaborative Clinical Practice, Shira Schecter Weiner, Laura Hagan, Julie F. Kardachi

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Interprofessional collaboration is recognized as a healthcare practice paradigm that may decrease overall costs and minimize errors. Yet it remains common for practitioners to provide care within silos, inadequately considering the impact of their decisions on other providers and overall costs, which ultimately may negatively impact the patient. Integrating interprofessional collaboration in school curricula can establish the importance of this approach to healthcare. For optimal efficacy, every professional in the healthcare team must recognize their unique role and the roles of others, to allow for seamless interprofessional collaboration. Simulation is a teaching tool that provides students with the opportunity …

Commentary On Meritor Savings Bank, Fsb V. Vinson, Trina Jones

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Where’S Social Work? A Critical Analysis Of Gender Invisibility, Ethical Conflict, And Advocacy In Medical Teams, Roxanna Duntley-Matos, Robert M. Ortega, Maria M. Matos

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The traditional biomedical and person-in-environment (PIE) perspectives are often found in conflict when framed within broader gender discrimination and consumerist health care practices. Our critical feminist analysis addresses the case of Katie, a vulnerable health care recipient, whose intersecting identities fall outside of the “margins of acceptability.” Communication deficits among team members and a lack of clear care protocols become evident. Insurance demands to justify coverage undermine the processes of beneficence and the ethic of care required for emancipatory advocacy. We present the tripartite paradigm of transformative complicity, cultural humility, and systems-based empowerment to address the complex ethical dilemmas that …