Digital Commons Network^™

Asthma-Copd Overlap: Economic Burden And Medication Adherence, Mona Nili

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In many older adults, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) coexist as “Asthma-COPD overlap” (ACO). This dissertation pursued three Aims: 1) estimate the economic burden of ACO and its contributory factors; 2) evaluate the association of ACO to “cost-related medication nonadherence” (CRN); and 3) identify adherence trajectory patterns and examine the impact of initial maintenance therapies (IMT) type (inhaled corticosteroids monotherapy (ICS) vs. fixed-dose combination of ICS and long-acting beta agonist (ICS/LABA)) on adherence trajectory patterns among older adults Medicare Beneficiaries. The first and second Aims were cross-sectional studies by using Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data. For the third …

Assessment Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Diego Gomez, Christie Petrenko, Maristela Monteiro, Omar A. Rahman

Books: Munroe-Meyer Institute

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) represent a range of physical, mental, and behavioral disabilities caused by alcohol use during pregnancy, or prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). FASDs are considered to be one of the leading preventable causes of developmental disability. Despite its high prevalence, FASD is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, making interventions more challenging or delayed. Earlier diagnosis yields greater benefits for affected children, which include a reduction in secondary disabilities such as substance use disorders and learning and cognitive disabilities leading to school failure, and improved life outcomes. Most importantly, diagnosis provides a context for understanding a child’s behavior. When …

Athletic Training Assessment Of Knowledge Inconsistent With Perceptions Of Knowledge Needs: Part Ii, Jessica R. Edler, Lindsey E. Eberman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Continuing education (CE) is intended to promote continued competence beyond the level required for entry-level practice. Previous research suggests that athletic trainers are unable to identify their knowledge gaps regarding their clinical practice. The purpose of this research study was to determine if athletic trainers’ perceived need for CE aligns with their performance on an actual knowledge assessment. Method: We used a correlational design conducted on Qualtrics, a web-based platform. Four hundred, forty-four (444) athletic trainers completed all the CE Needs Assessment and over 60% of the athletic training assessment of knowledge. The CE Needs Assessment determined participant’s perceived …

Impact Of An Interprofessional Education Quality Of Life Forum On Students’ Perceptions And Commitment To Addressing Local Health Disparities And The Social Determinants Of Health, Jamie Bayliss, Erin Hofmeyer, Bc Charles-Liscombe, Kristin Clephane, Sandra Matthias, Donna Glankler, Nicole Harshbarger

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Healthcare providers and educational programs share a challenge where limited resources make interprofessional education (IPE) and collaboration difficult. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of IPE, specifically The Greater Cincinnati Quality of Life Forum within the School of Health Science at Mount St. Joseph University, on students’ perceptions of communication skills, collaboration, and values of interprofessional practice as they relate to emergent topics within the community and healthcare. Methods: Consenting participants completed an electronic survey with five reflection questions. Qualitative assessment included analysis of text for emergent themes. Results: Four themes evolved impacting future …

Weight Changes Post-Phentermine Use, Cassandra S. Towns, Roschelle A. Heuberger, Jack Logomarsino, Arturo Olivera Jr.

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Evaluate weight maintenance in subjects who lost weight while taking phentermine (PTM). Methods: This study was conducted by utilizing a validated survey to collect self-reported data about weight changes post-PTM use. The survey was sent to 19,986 email addresses of current and former patients of a PTM-based outpatient clinic, located in Chicago, IL; 546 participants completed the survey. Results were analyzed using a variety of techniques. Results: At the time of the survey, 42% of responders maintained all the weight lost while on PTM, and 25.2% had maintained a weight loss of at least 10% of their body weight. …

Comparing The Perceptions Of Interprofessional Socialization Among Health Profession Students, Karen Aul, Jody Long

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Based on a review of literature, there is a gap of knowledge on how students perceive the professional roles and responsibilities of other disciplines. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of interprofessional socialization among health profession students. Subjects: Participants included 300 undergraduate and 114 graduate students from eight health disciplines: nursing, communication disorders, physical therapy, social work, radiological science, occupational therapy, clinical lab science, and nutritional science. Methods: Data were collected using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21). The participants rated 21 items about their beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes of interprofessional socialization on a …

Qualitative Analysis Of Student Physical Therapist Reflective Writing: Does An Interprofessional Discharge Planning Simulation Increase Their Understanding Of The Role They Play In Discharge Planning?, Leslie M. Smith, Benjamin Sachs, Karen Berg, Megan Keiser, Laura J. Smith, Carman Turkelson, Amy Yorke

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The Core Competencies for Entry-Level Practice in Acute Care Physical Therapy provides an expectation of entry-level practice in acute care for physical therapists including discharge planning (DP). Physical therapists (PT), despite having appropriate clinical reasoning and unique skills for determining the functional abilities of patients, are less often a part of the DP process. The purpose of this study was to determine, by use of qualitative analysis of reflective writing, if an interprofessional discharge planning simulation will increase students’ understanding of the role of physical therapy in DP. Methods: Students from physical therapy (n=57), undergraduate nursing (n=36), graduate …

Characterization Of The Biochemical Properties Of Nudt8, A Novel Coa-Degrading Enzyme That Localizes To The Mitochondria, Evan W. Kerr

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coenzyme A (CoA) is a vital cofactor that is required for a variety of metabolic reactions including the TCA cycle and the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids, amino acids and ketone bodies. The importance of CoA is underscored by its tight regulation, as prolonged elevations or inability to synthesize adequate amounts of this cofactor lead to severe metabolic dysfunction. Regulation of CoA biosynthesis has been extensively characterized, however less is known about regulation of CoA and its thioesters via degradation. Presently, two CoA-degrading enzymes, Nudt7 and Nudt19 have been identified as regulators of the peroxisomal pool of (acyl-)CoA in …

The Influence Of Additives On The Fate Of Plastics In The Marine Environment, Exemplified With Barium Sulphate, Andrew Turner, Montserrat Filella

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Physical Activity Wearables In The Police Force (Paw-Force) Study: Acceptability And Impact, Sa Buckingham, K Morrissey, Aj Williams, L Price, J Harrison

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Abstract Background Policing is a highly stressful and increasingly sedentary occupation. The study aim was to assess the acceptability and impact of a mobile health (mHealth) technology intervention (Fitbit® activity monitor and ‘Bupa Boost’ smartphone app) to promote physical activity (PA) and reduce sedentary time in the police force. Methods Single-group, pre-post, mixed methods pilot study. Police officers and staff (n = 180) were recruited from two police forces in South West England. Participants used the technology for 12 weeks (an ‘individual’ then ‘social’ phase) followed by 5 months of optional use. Data sources included Fitbit®-recorded objective step count, questionnaire …

A Bite Of Nostalgia: The Influence Of Nostalgia In Consumers’ Loyalty Intentions At Traditional Restaurants, Qian Chen, Rong Huang, Aiping Zhang

Plymouth Business School

No abstract provided.

Evidence Of Fostering In An Internally Brooding Sea Anemone, Sarah M. Lane, Mark Briffa, Alastair J. Wilson, Manuela Truebano, Nicola L. Foster

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Extreme-Tolerance Mechanisms In Meiofaunal Organisms: A Case Study With Tardigrades, Rotifers And Nematodes, Lorena Rebecchi, Chiara Boschetti, Diane R. Nelson

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Stakeholder Perceptions Of Health Needs In Refugee Populations In The Greater Richmond Area, Ashley Koo, Matt Tessama, Tatiana Brown, Jay Lawson

UROP Posters

Stakeholder Perceptions of Health Needs in Refugee Populations in the Greater Richmond Area

Ashley Koo, Depts. of Medical Anthropology and Chemistry, Matt Tessama, and Tatiana Brown, with Dr. Dina Garcia, Dept. of Health Behavior and Policy

A refugee is a person outside of the country of his or her nationality who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on her race, religion, nationality, or membership in a certain social group. The United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees estimates that in 2018, approximately 22,500 refugees were resettled in the …

Plant Volatiles Induced By Herbivore Eggs Prime Defences And Mediate Shifts In The Reproductive Strategy Of Receiving Plants, Foteini G. Pashalidou, Lisa Eyman, James Sims, James Buckley, Nina E. Fatouros, Moraes Cm De, Mark C. Mescher

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.

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 …

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.

Forest-Linked Livelihoods In A Globalized World, Johan A. Oldekop, Laura Vang Rasmussen, Arun Agrawal, Anthony J. Bebbington, Patrick Meyfroidt, David N. Bengston, Allen Blackman, Stephen Brooks, Iain Davidson-Hunt, Penny Davies, Stanley C. Dinsi, Lorenza B. Fontana, Tatiana Gumucio, Chetan Kumar, Kundan Kumar, Dominic Moran, Tuyeni H. Mwampamba, Robert Nasi, Margareta Nilsson, Miguel A. Pinedo-Vasquez, Jeanine M. Rhemtulla, William J. Sutherland, Cristy Watkins, Sarah J. Wilson

Geography

Forests have re-taken centre stage in global conversations about sustainability, climate and biodiversity. Here, we use a horizon scanning approach to identify five large-scale trends that are likely to have substantial medium- and long-term effects on forests and forest livelihoods: forest megadisturbances; changing rural demographics; the rise of the middle-class in low- and middle-income countries; increased availability, access and use of digital technologies; and large-scale infrastructure development. These trends represent human and environmental processes that are exceptionally large in geographical extent and magnitude, and difficult to reverse. They are creating new agricultural and urban frontiers, changing existing rural landscapes and …

Divergent Density Feedback Control Of Migratory Predator Recovery Following Sex-Biased Perturbations, Daisuke Goto, Martin J. Hamel, Mark A. Pegg, Jeremy J. Hammen, Matthew L. Rugg, Valery E. Forbes

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Uncertainty in risks posed by emerging stressors such as synthetic hormones im-pedes conservation efforts for threatened vertebrate populations. Synthetic hor-mones often induce sex-biased perturbations in exposed animals by disrupting gonad development and early life-history stage transitions, potentially diminishing per capita reproductive output of depleted populations and, in turn, being manifest as Allee effects. We use a spatially explicit biophysical model to evaluate how sex-biased perturbation in life-history traits of individuals (maternal investment in egg production and male-skewed sex allocation in offspring) modulates density feedback control of year-class strength and recovery trajectories of a long-lived, migratory fish—shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus)—under spatially …

Physiological Adaptations To Training And Associations With Performance In Division I Cross-Country Runners, Kailyn Renae Sanchez

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Acute Fatigue On Reactive Strength Index In Modern Dancers, Jordan Tingman

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of acute fatigue on stretch shortening cycle (SSC) performance measured by the Reactive Strength Index (RSI) derived from a drop jump. Methods: Twelve professional modern dancers (8 female, 4 male) participated in this study. Two force plates were utilized to record the force-time data during drop jumps (DJ) before and after an acute, fatiguing protocol. Dancers performed a 5-10 minute self-selected warm up followed by 3-5 practice trials of DJs onto the force plates. Three trials were recorded from each dancer with 30-60 seconds (s) of rest between trials. …

Asia Pacific Perspectives Vol. 16 No. 2, 2020, University Of San Francisco

Asia Pacific Perspectives

Contents:

Editor's Introduction by Melissa S. Dale

We are pleased to announce the publication of the latest issue of Asia Pacific Perspectives. In vol. 16, no. 2 (2020), we present the multifaceted ways in which scholars in the humanities and social sciences are looking at food and culture in the Asia Pacific. Beyond satisfying our curiosity about food trends and consumption patterns both past and present, our latest issue also considers themes important for our understanding of East Asia during the 20th and 21st centuries including global modernity, imperialism, the history of food in East Asia, the history of animal …

Shrub Management Handbook For Utah Rangelands, Rebecca Mann, Tom Monaco, Kari E. Veblen, Eric Thacker, Elizabeth A. Burritt

All Current Publications

This handbook is a guide to developing realistic project plans and implementing appropriate management strategies by enhancing your understanding of basic shrub biology, ecological concepts,and management principles.

Regulating Quiescence And Division In Escherichia Coli, Eric Charles Dibiasio

Open Access Dissertations

The decision for a bacterium to grow and divide may seem like a simple process, but in reality, there are many factors that influence and regulate this choice. Bacteria have been known to respond to many environmental signals or cues that represent either favorable or non-favorable growth conditions, as well as cues, secreted from other bacteria or, in the case of a pathogen, the host. It is not uncommon for bacteria that find their environment unfavorable, to alter their growth, and in some cases, even enter into a type of non-proliferative state, which we term, dormancy. Bacterial dormancy has many …

Lsvt®Big Exercise-Induced Neuroplasticity In People With Parkinson’S Disease: An Assessment Of Physiological And Behavioral Outcomes, Christine Marie Clarkin

Open Access Dissertations

Background and Purpose

The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of LSVT.BIG, an intensive, whole-body, amplitude-based exercise protocol for people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD), on functional mobility, quality of life, and markers of neuroplasticity. A secondary aim was to evaluate correlations between neurobiological measures (serum brain derived neurotrophic factor - sBDNF) and functional changes associated with the intervention.

Methods

Nine people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD), age = 69.9 years Å} 4.9, were recruited from the local community and enrolled in LSVT BIG, which includes 16, one-hour individual treatment sessions delivered over one month (4 sessions per …

Pre-Columbian Rock Mulching As A Strategy For Modern Agave Cultivation In Arid Marginal Lands, Hector Ortiz-Cano, Jose Antonio Hernandez-Herrera, Neil C. Hansen, Steven L. Petersen, Michael T. Searcy, Ricardo Mata-Gonzalez, Teodoro Cervantes-Mendivil, Antonio Villanueva-Morales, Pil Man Park, J. Ryan Stewart

Faculty Publications

Cultivation of C3 and C4 crops in semi-arid regions will be severely constrained as global temperatures rise. Consequently, alternative crops need to be sought out that adapt well to heat and drought and are productive despite limited access to water. Traits, such as crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), enable economically important species such as those in the Agave genus adapt to drought and high temperatures. The succulence and high efficiency of agaves, which enables them to produce biomass with little water, underscores their feasibility as an alternative crop for semi-arid regions, such as the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern U.S. In …

Nutrient Cycling-Tree Species Relationships In Appalachian Forests, Philip Michael Crim

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since the colonization of North America by Europeans, ecosystems in Appalachia and across the continent have been in a prolonged state of flux. Areas particularly rich in natural resources, such as Appalachia, have historically borne the brunt of these swift changes, often with devastating consequences. Downwind of much of the power generation facilities of the Ohio Valley, Appalachian forests have been geographically predisposed to high rates of acidic deposition, a circumstance mitigated by the passage of Clean Air Legislation beginning in the 1970s. Nevertheless, decades of elevated nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) inputs had a profound impact on the ecology …

The Effects Of Acute Photobiomodulation On Anaerobic Exercise Performance, Jillian Danielle Forsey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Optimal performance in sport requires a balance between training stress and recovery. Therapeutic modalities that allow athletes to maintain this balance while training hard are in high demand, but many lack research. Photobiomodulation is a red and near-infrared light therapy that is proposed to enhance exercise performance and hasten recovery. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute whole body photobiomodulation, applied pre-exercise, on anaerobic exercise performance.

Forty-eight healthy, active subjects participated in this single-blind, crossover study. Subjects visited the lab three times to complete a repeat Wingate test, with one week between each visit. All …

Injury-Related Infant Mortality In West Virginia, 2010-2014, Wilson A. Koech

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background and objective

Infant mortality in United States is high relative to other more developed nations. Therefore, there is a need to curb this trend, especially in states with high infant mortality rates. Hence, this research investigated and examined characteristics associated with injury-related infant death in West Virginia. The objective of this retrospective study was to 1) investigate maternal and infant characteristics associated with injury-related infant deaths in West Virginia, 2) examine the relationship between unintentional-injury-related infant death and rurality in West Virginia, holding other variables in the model constant, and 3) compare differences in the unintentional-injury related infant mortality …