Digital Commons Network^™

Early Palliative Care Implementation In Metastatic Lung Cancer Patients: A Quality Improvement Project, Megan Joan Biegler, Erin Hamar, Stephanie Spinolo

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This was a quality improvement project that will allow improvements to be made in healthcare services offered and the overall health status of Stage IV metastatic lung cancer patients receiving palliative care referrals. Data was collected retrospectively from electronic medical records of Stage IV metastatic lung cancer patients with palliative care referrals between January 2019 and March 2020. The palliative care referrals between January 2019 and August 2019 were given per oncologist discretion in timing compared to August 2019-March 2020 when new patients received nurse navigator driven palliative care referrals immediately upon diagnosis. Data analysis looked at correlations for each …

Evaluating Potential Effects Of Solar Power Facilities On Wildlife From An Animal Behavior Perspective, Rachel Y. Chock, Barbara Clucas, Elizabeth K. Peterson, Bradley Blackwell, Daniel T. Blumstein, Kathleen Church, Esteban Fernández-Juricic, Gabriel Francescoli, Alison L. Greggor, Paul Kemp, Gabriela M. Pinho, Peter M. Sanzenbacher, Bruce A. Schulte, Pauline Toni

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Solar power is a renewable energy source with great potential to help meet increasing global energy demands and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. However, research is scarce on how solar facilities affect wildlife. With input from professionals in ecology, conservation, and energy, we conducted a research-prioritization process and identified key questions needed to better understand impacts of solar facilities on wildlife. We focused on animal behavior, which can be used to identify population responses before mortality or other fitness consequences are documented. Behavioral studies can also offer approaches to understand the mechanisms leading to negative interactions (e.g., collision, singeing, …

Temporal And Spatial Blood Feeding Patterns Of Urban Mosquitoes In The San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico, Matthew W. Hopken, Limarie J. Reyes-Torres, Nicole Scavo, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Zaid Abdo, Daniel Taylor, James Pierce, Donald A. Yee

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Simple Summary: Understanding the biodiversity of urban ecosystems is critical for management of invasive and pest species, conserving native species, and disease control. Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are ubiquitous and abundant in urban ecosystems, and rely on blood meals taken from vertebrates. We used DNA from freshly blood-fed mosquitoes to characterize the diversity of vertebrate host species in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico. We collected two mosquito species that fed on a variety of vertebrates. Culex quinquefasciatus fed on 17 avian taxa (81.2% of blood meals), seven mammalian taxa (17.9%), and one reptilian taxon (0.85%). Aedes aegypti blood meals were …

Best Management Practices For Trapping Furbearers In The United States, H. Bryant White, Gordon R. Batcheller, Edward K. Boggess, Clifford L. Brown, Joseph W. Butfiloski, Thomas A. Decker, John D. Erb, Michael W. Fall, David A. Hamilton, Tim L. Hiller, George F. Hubert Jr., Matthew J. Lovallo, John F. Olson, Nathan M. Roberts

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Humans have used wild furbearers for various purposes for thousands of years. Today, furbearers are sustainably used by the public for their pelts, leather, bones, glands, meat, or other purposes. In North America, contemporary harvest of furbearers has evolved along with trap technologies and societal concerns, and is now highly regulated and more closely coupled with harvest analysis and population monitoring. Traps and regulated trapping programs provide personal or cultural rewards that can also support conservation, and can assist with advancing ecological knowledge through research, protecting endangered species, restoring populations or habitats, protecting personal property, and enhancing public health and …

Strategic Considerations For Invasive Species Managers In The Utilization Of Environmental Dna (Edna): Steps For Incorporating This Powerful Surveillance Tool, Jeffrey Morisette, Stanley Burgiel, Kelsey Brantley, Wesley M. Daniel, John Darling, Jeanette Davis, Thomas Franklin, Keith Gaddis, Margaret Hunter, Richard Lance, Tracy Leskey, Yale Passamaneck, Antoinette Piaggio, Brian Rector, Adam Sepulveda, Melissa Smith, Carol A. Stepien, Taylor Wilcox

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species surveillance programs can utilize environmental DNA sampling and analysis to provide information on the presence of invasive species. Wider utilization of eDNA techniques for invasive species surveillance may be warranted. This paper covers topics directed towards invasive species managers and eDNA practitioners working at the intersection of eDNA techniques and invasive species surveillance. It provides background information on the utility of eDNA for invasive species management and points to various examples of its use across federal and international programs. It provides information on 1) why an invasive species manager should consider using eDNA, 2) deciding if eDNA can …

Reproductive Trade-Offs In The Colorado Checkered Whiptail Lizard (Aspidoscelis Neotesselatus): An Examination Of The Relationship Between Clutch And Follicle Size, Hannah E. Caracalas, S. S. French, S. B. Hudson, B. M. Kluever, A. C. Webb, D. Eifler, A. J. Lehmicke, Lise M. Aubry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Life history theory predicts that there should be an inverse relationship between offspring size and number, because individuals cannot simultaneously maximize both when resources are limited. Although extensively studied in avian species, the occurrence and determinants of reproductive tradeoffs in oviparous reptiles are far less understood, particularly in parthenogenetic species. We studied this trade-off in the Colorado Checkered Whiptail, Aspidoscelis neotesselatus, a female-only parthenogenetic lizard. Using data previously collected in 2018 and 2019, we tested for clutch and egg size trade-offs and determined whether this relationship could be influenced by female size and aspects of physiological condition. Physiological condition …

Modelling The Factors Affecting The Probability For Local Rabies Elimination By Strategic Control, Johann L. Kotzé, John Duncan Grewar, Aaron M. Anderson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Dog rabies has been recognized from ancient times and remains widespread across the developing world with an estimated 59,000 people dying annually from the disease. In 2011 a tri-partite alliance consisting of the OIE, the WHO and the FAO committed to globally eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030. Regardless of global support, the responsibility remains with local program managers to implement successful elimination programs. It is well known that vaccination programs have a high probability of successful elimination if they achieve a population-coverage of 70%. It is often quoted that reducing population turnover (typically through sterilizations) raises the probability for …

Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (Nasis) 2021 Methodology Report, Bureau Of Sociological Research

Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS)

No abstract provided.

Civil Affairs Operations, United States Army

United States Army: Field Manuals

Civil Affairs Operations, United States Army Field Manual FM 3-57

Occurrence Of Tick-Borne Diseases And Parasites Of American Black Bears In Lakewood And Hiles, Wisconsin, Daniela Mathieu

Undergraduate Honors College Theses 2016-

We conducted a study of 159 American Black Bears (Ursus Americanus) to establish the occurrence rates of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis as well as the presence of their vectors Dermacentor variabilis and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. There are many factors that influence the prevalence of not only the ticks, but tick-borne diseases as well including seasonal and environmental changes, interactions between humans and their domestic animals, as well as changes observed in the tick and host species themselves. We studied the effects of sex, location, and the presence of fecal parasites based on the tick …

Advances In Lipid-Based Nanoparticles For Cancer Chemoimmunotherapy, Tianqi Wang, Yusuke Suite, Saradha Miriyala, Jordan Dean, Nikos Tapinos, Jie Shen

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Nanomedicines have shown great potential in cancer therapy; in particular, the combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy (namely chemoimmunotherapy) that is revolutionizing cancer treatment. Currently, most nanomedicines for chemoimmunotherapy are still in preclinical and clinical trials. Lipid-based nanoparticles, the most widely used nanomedicine platform in cancer therapy, is a promising delivery platform for chemoimmunotherapy. In this review, we introduce the commonly used immunotherapy agents and discuss the opportunities for chemoimmunotherapy mediated by lipid-based nanoparticles. We summarize the clinical trials involving lipid-based nanoparticles for chemoimmunotherapy. We also highlight different chemoimmunotherapy strategies based on lipid-based nanoparticles such as liposomes, nanodiscs, and lipid-based hybrid …

The Impact Of Covid-19 And The Lockdown On The Uk Economy, Elliot Wylie

Honors Program Theses

This thesis analyses the macroeconomic impacts of Covid-19 and the lockdown on the UK’s economy. GDP in the second quarter of 2020 fell by 19%, the largest quarterly decrease in GDP for the UK on record. Consumption and investment in this quarter decreased significantly resulting in the large decrease in GDP. The unemployment rate remained relatively low, for the large decrease in GDP, throughout the pandemic and only increased to 5.0% in December 2020. The effective Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) have kept unemployment low. The schemes have paid for 12.2 million workers’ …

18. The Medical Staff Of Elmhurst Hospital Supplemental Information, Stephen Gaies

Doctors and Nurses as Rescuers in Humanitarian Crises Exhibition

Supplemental information for the Medical Staff of Elmhurst Hospital exhibit panel.

To see the associated exhibit panel, click the Related Work button.

Evolutionary Clustering And Community Detection Algorithms For Social Media Health Surveillance, Heba Elgazzar

Faculty Research at Morehead State University

The prominent rise of social networks within the past decade have become a gold mine for data mining operations seeking to model the real world through these virtual worlds. One of the most important applications that has been proposed is utilizing information generated from social networks as a supplemental health surveillance system to monitor disease epidemics. At the time this research was conducted in 2020, the COVID- 19 virus had evolved into a global pandemic, forcing many countries to implement preventative measures to halt its expanse. Health surveillance has been a powerful tool in placing further preventative measures, however it …

Nasis 2021: Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey Questionnaire, Bureau Of Sociological Research

Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS)

No abstract provided.

Concerning The Department Of Agriculture’S Authority To Control Pests., Colorado General Assembly

Session Laws 2001-Present

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Potential Antimicrobial Properties Of Herbal Medicines Compared To Antibiotics On Human Gut Microbes, Raian (Ryan) Counsman

Theses & ETDs

This thesis evaluated the effect of modern antibiotics and traditional herbal medicines on bacteria isolated from the human gut. Antibiotics are medicines that are used on humans or animals to kill or slow down the growth of bacteria (Davies, 2017). Due to improper antibiotic usage, antibiotic resistance, the acquired ability of bacteria to avoid the antimicrobial effects of antibiotics, is becoming more prevalent (Davies, 2017). Resistance prevents antibiotics from clearing infections, creating dangerous bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, abbreviated as MRSA (Sakoulas, 2004). Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are problematic in our modern-day world (Sakoulas, 2004). When antibiotics are used incorrectly, more …

Drawing The Line: An Analysis Of Residential Segregation In Chicago, Cassidy Myers

Theses & ETDs

Institutional racism is pervasive across many different economic and social sectors. This thesis studies the relationship between these sectors and residential segregation in hopes of better understanding the degree to which institutional inequity is driven by racial differences in location. The literature review examines these relationships nationally, while the second and third chapters look specifically at Chicago. We examine demographic data from 76 neighborhoods in Chicago as reported by the 2019 American Community Survey to empirically evaluate the effects of segregation, educational attainment and unemployment on median income. We also complete a sector analysis on Chicago Public Schools and the …

Covid-19 Vaccine Passports: The Moral Debate, Nicos Ledakis

Theses & ETDs

No abstract provided.

Vaccination: Religious Exemptions And Reasoning Of Individuals With Vaccine Hesitancy, Emmelia Lukensbull

Theses & ETDs

Vaccination is a major public health accomplishment that acts to protect citizens, but it also acts as an exertion of state control that citizens may resist for multiple reasons. My thesis explores the intersections between religion and vaccination with a focus on religiously motivated vaccine hesitant decision making. I conducted a general population survey and a series of interviews with vaccine hesitant individuals. The goal of the interviews was to understand motivations around vaccine decision making, particularly religious motivations. The survey outcomes were focused on religion’s impact on vaccination, mass vaccination opinions, and new vaccine decisions making. My findings suggest …

Mask Wearing And The Cultural Divide: A Snapshot From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacob Spence

Theses & ETDs

COVID-19 has killed millions of people worldwide, and while multiple studies have shown that face masks are effective at mitigating the spread of the virus there are many people who refuse to wear them. Using qualitative and quantitative survey data collected online through pro- and anti-face mask Facebook groups, this study attempts to trace whether or not empathy or other determinants play a role in one’s decision to wear a face mask in public. While the findings do not show a direct link between empathy and mask wearing in public, other determinants such as political affiliation and news sources were …

An Assessment Of The Minnesota Dnr 2001 Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus) Management Plan, Adam Reinschmidt

Theses & ETDs

Federal and state agencies are frequently faced with numerous challenges when drafting wildlife management policies for species of concern. There are often several stakeholder groups with differing management objectives, and a limited amount of funding, resources and available biological data make it challenging for these agencies to balance public, private and scientific concerns. One useful tool for providing a more informed picture of a species’ population status is to perform a population viability analysis (PVA), where aggregated life-history data is input into a simulation to model the projected population dynamics and evaluate the risk of extinction for the species. The …

The Covid-19 Pandemic, Brownfields, And Racism: Environmental Perspectives On Crisis Multipliers, Charlie Leavengood

Theses & ETDs

COVID-19 is a global pandemic highlighting historic, systemic inequities. The inequities are demonstrated through raw data of disease risk and severe outcomes of hospitalization or death. This thesis focuses on insights from the Multicultural Health Institute (MHI) during the Summer and Fall of 2020. MHI developed information about the infectious disease COVID-19 and through weekly strategic intervention community meetings. The work emphasized mitigating public health disparities through analysis of social determinants of health. The thesis focuses on Marian Anderson Place, a brownfield in Sarasota, Florida, because of its proximity to the historic Newtown district, the area of Sarasota with the …

Tusm–Mmc Maine Track: Undergraduate Medical Education Teaching Partnership 2021, Maine Medical Center

Annual Reports

2021 Program Report

Effects Of The Needle Exchange Program Implemented In West Virginia, Amber Graves, Anthony B. Uriarte, Katherine Duty

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: West Virginia has had a recent spike in infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis due to increased rates of injectable drug use. The rising costs associated with such diseases have been a cause for concern in the sector of healthcare and public health. In the state, the exchanging of dirty needles has resulted in the spread of bloodborne pathogens, however, the implementation of needle exchange programs has sought to decrease the rates of infection, improve health outcomes, and lower healthcare costs. However, there is a question as to the effectiveness of such programs.

Purpose of Study: …

Peddlers In Means Of Public Transportation In Egypt A Discussion Of Policy Options/ الباعة المتجولين في وسائل النقل العام في مصر: نقاش حول بدائل السياسات, Dina Ahmed Ali, Shatha El Sherif, Zainab Mahmoud Taha

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

The Metro and railway stations play crucial roles in Greater Cairo. Most working-class residents use the Metro and trains as the main transport means to reach their workplace. The Metro carries around 4 million passengers daily, whereas the railways take around 1.4 million passengers per day (Saif Eldien, 2019).

This policy paper is tackling the issue of the informal transportation peddlers namely in the Metro (subway) and railway stations. The authors dealt with this kind of informal peddlers as an occupational segment of the society that contributes to the national economy rather than groups of people who are distorting the …

Vaccinating Urban Populations In Response To Covid-19: Legal Challenges And Options, James G. Hodge, Jr., Jennifer L. Piatt, Leila F. Barraza, Rebecca Freed, Summer Ghaith

Fordham Urban Law Journal

No abstract provided.

2021 National Institutes Of Health Sleep Research Plan

United States Natonal Institutes of Health: Materials

The 2021 National Institutes of Health Sleep Research Plan is a comprehensive approach to address the critical knowledge gaps and research opportunities.

Your Guide To Anemia

United States Natonal Institutes of Health: Materials

This booklet provides an overview of anemia for health consumers, covering causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.

Influenza H3n2v: Key Facts For People Exhibiting Pigs At Fairs, Tennessee State University

Extension Publications

No abstract provided.