Digital Commons Network^™

A Patient’S Narrative Of Engaging Hiv Care: Lessons Learned To Harness Resources And Improve Access To Care, David Lessard, Serge Vicente, Patrick Keeler, Bertrand Lebouché

Patient Experience Journal

In Canada and the USA, about 30% of people with HIV are uninsured or not covered by government-subsidized health insurance. This paper presents a patient’s narrative of his experience being diagnosed with HIV and accessing care in the midst of his process of immigrating to and studying in Canada. The narrative explores how Vincent Croft (pseudonym) has coped with the chronicity of the infection and its associated social stigma, and the temporary solutions he found to access treatment. Engaging with healthcare providers, researchers, and other people living with HIV has allowed Croft to share his experience, including the barriers he …

His Story: “I Would Be Better Off Dead”, Ronald Wyatt Md

Patient Experience Journal

A physician shares the story of his brother’s experience in an ICU, how the hospital caring for him failed him as a human being, and how the pain of not being properly cared for and not being treated with dignity and respect left the patient feeling he would be better off dead. In the back of his mind the patient wondered if it was because he is Black. The story prompts the author to reflect on patient rights as a reminder that healthcare is called to serve, to love, to be empathetic, to be respectful, to be humble, to listen, …

August 4, 2021 Greenmail, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

GreenMail (student newsletter through 2024)

No abstract provided.

Application Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning In Chemistry, Niraj Verma

Chemistry Theses and Dissertations

In the last four years, I have been exposed to various topics in scientific research under the supervision of Dr. Kraka in the CATCO group. Numerous involved chemistry projects were undertaken to gain an understanding of the basic laws of nature involving vibrational spectroscopy, molecular acidity, and catalysts based on transition metals for halogen chemistry. The insights from computational chemistry were then applied to model and predict various complicated problems in chemistry via artificial intelligence. With the help of classical artificial intelligence, the non-covalent interactions governing the properties of proteins and water properties were analyzed. Significant improvements were made in …

Pulmonary Function Decline In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Terry D. Heiman-Patterson, Ossama Khazaal, Daohai Yu, Michael E. Sherman, Edward J. Kasarskis, Carlayne E. Jackson, Peg Niv Study Group

Neurology Faculty Publications

Background: There has been no comprehensive longitudinal study of pulmonary functions (PFTS) in ALS determining which measure is most sensitive to declines in respiratory muscle strength. Objective: To determine the longitudinal decline of PFTS in ALS and which measure supports Medicare criteria for NIV initiation first. Methods: Serial PFTs (maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), maximum inspiratory pressure measured by mouth (MIP) or nasal sniff pressure (SNIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)) were performed over 12 months on 73 ALS subjects to determine which measure showed the sentinel decline in pulmonary function. The rate of decline for each …

Effectiveness Of The Nurse-Practitioner-Driven Enteral Nutrition Protocol, Jho Mary Tangcora

Dissertations

The delay in initiating enteral feeding (EF) in the critical care unit is known to cause malnutrition which may lead to poor patient outcomes. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative project was to determine if the nurse practitioner (NP)-driven enteral nutrition protocol recommended by the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) will psychologically empower the NP toward reducing the delay on initiating EF and lowering the length of stay (LOS) of adult patients an intensive care unit in urban California over four weeks. This project utilized the theoretical foundation of …

Weight Status Perceptions And Food Choice, Christopher R. Gustafson

Cornhusker Economics

Does your weight status—whether your height and weight put you into the normal weight, overweight, or obese category—predict your food choices, or even the types of food you’ll pay attention to when making a choice? What about the weight status you perceive yourself to be? These are important questions because the percentage of the population that is overweight or obese in the U.S.—and world-wide—has been increasing for decades despite a wide range of efforts aimed at slowing/reversing its growth. In the U.S., over 70 percent of the population is overweight or obese. High body weight has numerous consequences for individuals …

Acoustic Interaction Between A Pair Of Owls And A Wolf, Barbara Marti-Domken, Vicente Palacios, Shannon M. Barber Meyer

Western North American Naturalist

During summer 2019, we recorded an apparent vocal interaction, lasting just under 4 min, between a pair of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) and a gray wolf (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such an acoustic interaction in the scientific literature. The increased use of passive acoustic recorders, which record spontaneous vocalizations emitted by animals over long periods, will allow us to better document and study the importance of such interspecific interactions.


Durante el verano de 2019, grabamos una aparente interacción vocal entre una pareja de búhos …

A Call For A Better Understanding Of Aquatic Chytrid Biology, Davis Laundon, Michael Cunliffe

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

The phylum Chytridiomycota (the “chytrids”) is an early-diverging, mostly unicellular, lineage of fungi that consists of significant aquatic saprotrophs, parasites, and pathogens, and is of evolutionary interest because its members retain biological traits considered ancestral in the fungal kingdom. While the existence of aquatic chytrids has long been known, their fundamental biology has received relatively little attention. We are beginning to establish a detailed understanding of aquatic chytrid diversity and insights into their ecological functions and prominence. However, the underpinning biology governing their aquatic ecological activities and associated core processes remain largely understudied and therefore unresolved. Many biological questions are …

Teachers Attitudes Regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma-Informed Educational Practices, And Student Resiliency, Alyson Reynolds Kohl

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this convergent parallel design mixed methods case study was to determine how training on Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Educational Practice affected the attitudes of teachers, in Shasta County’s Enterprise Elementary School District (EESD), regarding students who had experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). A further purpose of this study was to understand if teachers in EESD perceived training in ACE and Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TIEP) was effective in changing their classroom practices to support the resiliency of students who had experienced ACEs.

Methodology: The methods for this research included: an online survey, The Attitudes Regarding Trauma-Informed …

Associations Between Community Built Environments With Early Care And Education Classroom Physical Activity Practices And Barriers, Bethany D. Williams, Susan B. Sisson, Dipti Dev, Bryce Lowery, Diane Horm, Janis Campbell, Denise Finneran, Jennifer Graef-Downard, Linda Whaley

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The influence of community-built environments on physical activity (PA) support in Early Childhood Education settings (ECEs) is unknown. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine associations between community PA environments and ECE classroom PA practices. We included licensed Oklahoma ECE directors serving 3-to-5-year-old children. Parks and playground locations were exported from Google Earth. NationalWalkability Index was derived from 2010 US Census data. ArcMap 10.6 was used to geocode ECE locations, which were within an Activity Desert if no parks/playgrounds were located within a 1-mile radius or if Walkability Index was 10.5 or below. Classroom PA practices were determined …

Kikuyu (Cenchrus Clandestinus) For Dryland Salinity Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Kikuyu (Cenchrus clandestinus) is a subtropical, perennial C4 grass that is widely used as a pasture and turf.

It has some salinity tolerance, and moderate waterlogging tolerance. Kikuyu is commonly established from seed and can also be grown from vegetative plantings, unlike marine couch, saltwater couch and Distichlis (vegetative only).

We recommend that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.

Comparison Of Constant Load Exercise Intensity For Verification Of Maximal Oxygen Uptake Following A Graded Exercise Test In Older Adults, Ian R. Villanueva, John C. Campbell, Serena M. Medina, Theresa M. Jorgensen, Shannon L. Wilson, Siddhartha S. Angadi, Glenn A. Gaesser, Jared M. Dickinson

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂max) declines with advancing age and is a predictor of morbidity and mortality risk. The purpose here was to assess the utility of constant load tests performed either above or below peak work rate obtained from a graded exercise test for verification of VO₂max in older adults. Twenty-two healthy older adults (9M, 13F, 67 ± 6 years, BMI: 26.3 ± 5.1 kg·m⁻²) participated in the study. Participants were asked to complete two experimental trials in a randomized, counterbalanced cross-over design. Both trials (cycle ergometer) consisted of (1) an identical graded exercise …

Alfanet: A Database Of Alfalfa-Bacterial Stem Blight Protein–Protein Interactions Revealing The Molecular Features Of The Disease-Causing Bacteria, Raghav Kataria, Rakesh Kaundal

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Alfalfa has emerged as one of the most important forage crops, owing to its wide adaptation and high biomass production worldwide. In the last decade, the emergence of bacterial stem blight (caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae ALF3) in alfalfa has caused around 50% yield losses in the United States. Studies are being conducted to decipher the roles of the key genes and pathways regulating the disease, but due to the sparse knowledge about the infection mechanisms of Pseudomonas, the development of resistant cultivars is hampered. The database alfaNET is an attempt to assist researchers by providing comprehensive Pseudomonas proteome …

Associations Between Fasting Duration, Timing Of First And Last Meal, And Cardiometabolic Endpoints In The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Michael David Wirth, Longgang Zhao, Gabrielle Turner-Mcgrievy, Andrew Ortaglia

Faculty Publications

Background: Research indicates potential cardiometabolic benefits of energy consumption earlier in the day. This study examined the association between fasting duration, timing of first and last meals, and cardiometabolic endpoints using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Methods: Cross-sectional data from NHANES (2005–2016) were utilized. Diet was obtained from one to two 24-h dietary recalls to characterize nighttime fasting duration and timing of first and last meal. Blood samples were obtained for characterization of C-reactive protein (CRP); glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c %); insulin; glucose; and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and total cholesterol. Survey design procedures …

Family-Based Obesity Prevention Interventions Among Hispanic Children And Families: A Scoping Review, Erica G Soltero, Armando Peña, Veronica Gonzalez, Edith Hernandez, Guisela Mackey, Chishinga Callender, Jayna M Dave, Debbe Thompson

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

This scoping review examined intervention and sample characteristics of family-based obesity prevention interventions among Hispanic youth. This review also examined the degree to which existing interventions were culturally-adapted, acknowledged social determinants of health (SDoH), and collaborated with community stakeholders. A comprehensive search across Medline Ovid, Embase, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Pubmed was used to identify 13 studies primarily based in the U.S. (92.3%). Data was extracted by two independent reviewers. Most used a randomized control trial design (69.2%), a behavior change theory (84.6%), and reported moderate to high (≥70%) retention (69.2%). Studies targeted improvements in physical activity (69.2%) and fruit and …

A Machine Learning Case-Control Classifier For Schizophrenia Based On Dna Methylation In Blood, Chathura J Gunasekara, Eilis Hannon, Harry Mackay, Cristian Coarfa, Andrew Mcquillin, David St Clair, Jonathan Mill, Robert A Waterland

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Epigenetic dysregulation is thought to contribute to the etiology of schizophrenia (SZ), but the cell type-specificity of DNA methylation makes population-based epigenetic studies of SZ challenging. To train an SZ case–control classifier based on DNA methylation in blood, therefore, we focused on human genomic regions of systemic interindividual epigenetic variation (CoRSIVs), a subset of which are represented on the Illumina Human Methylation 450K (HM450) array. HM450 DNA methylation data on whole blood of 414 SZ cases and 433 non-psychiatric controls were used as training data for a classification algorithm with built-in feature selection, sparse partial least squares discriminate analysis (SPLS-DA); …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Healthcare Providers During Covid-19 Pandemic In Karachi, Pakistan: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Anam Shahil Feroz, Nousheen Pradhan, Zarak Hussain Ahmed, Mashal Murad Shah, Nargis Asad, Sarah Saleem, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To explore healthcare provider's perspectives and experiences of the barriers and facilitators to treat and manage COVID-19 cases.
Design and setting: We conducted an exploratory qualitative study using a purposive sampling approach, at a private tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Study data were analysed manually using the conventional content analysis technique.
Participants: Key-informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with senior management and hospital leadership and in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with front-line healthcare providers.
Results: A total of 31 interviews (KIIs=19; IDIs=12) were conducted, between April and May 2020. Three overarching themes emerged. The first was 'challenges faced …

Embodied Engineering : Gendered Labor, Food Security, And Taste In Twentieth-Century Mali, Laura Ann Twagira

Ohio University Press Open Access Books

Foregrounding African women’s ingenuity and labor, this pioneering case study shows how women in rural Mali have used technology to ensure food security through the colonial period, environmental crises, and postcolonial rule.

By advocating for an understanding of rural Malian women as engineers, Laura Ann Twagira rejects the persistent image of African women as subjects without technological knowledge or access and instead reveals a hidden history about gender, development, and improvisation. In so doing, she also significantly expands the scope of African science and technology studies.

Using the Office du Niger agricultural project as a case study, Twagira argues that …

Findings Report: Virtual Workshop On ‘Resilient Supply Of Critical Minerals’, Marek Locmelis, Angela D. Lueking, Michael S. Moats, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Lana Z. Alagha, Mark W. Fitch, Alanna Krolikowski, Shelby Clark

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Executive Summary
On August 2-3, 2021, the Thomas J. O’Keefe Institute for Sustainable Supply of Strategic Minerals at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) hosted the NSF-funded virtual workshop ‘Resilient Supply of Critical Minerals’. The workshop was convened via Zoom and attracted 158 registrants, including 108 registrants from academia (61 students), 30 registrants from government agencies, and 20 registrants from the private sector. Four topical sessions were covered:

A. Mineral Exploration and Source Diversification.
B. Supply Chain and Policy Issues.
C. Improving Mineral Recycling and Reprocessing Technologies.
D. Technological Alternatives to Critical Minerals.

Each topical session was composed …

Orthorexia Nervosa: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of The Gaps In Current Research, Education, And Diagnostic Efforts, Olivia Drew Garror

Theses

Background: Orthorexia nervosa (ON), a term coined in the late 1990s by Steven Bratman, MD, is characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with practicing a “healthy diet”. There is scant reliable literature on the topic and it remains unrecognized as a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders 5. Thus, debate surrounding its legitimacy as a diagnosis continues. However, eating disorders (EDs) in the category Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED), including ON, account for the highest percentage of ED diagnoses in the U.S. Although primary care physicians are often the first to encounter patients suffering from …

Assessment And Oral Care: An Essential Nursing Activity For Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment, Radhika R. Pai, Ravikiran Ongole, Sourjya Banerjee

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Head and neck radiation therapy and chemoradiation are inherently associated with severe oral complications such as oral mucositis, infection, and functional issues of the oral cavity, significantly affecting the quality of oral cavity health in cancer patients. Oral care in cancer patients is a vital part of nursing care but can be seen as a most neglected job, along with other duties or a tedious task to undertake. Recognizing the effect of cancer treatment and delivery of oral care as per the specific guidelines to cancer patients is not well known, and it is not clear. Literature review reports that …

Menstrual Pattern, Practices, Problems And Its Impact On Activities During Menstruation Among Adolescent Girls At Chennai, India, Prema Janardan, R Sudha

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

A descriptive correlational study was undertaken to assess the menstrual pattern, practices, problems, and its impact on activities during menstruation among adolescent girls. Total of 123 adolescent girls were selected by using the non-probability convenience sampling technique. Demographic proforma and self report checklist was used to collect the data.The results revealed that the majority of the adolescent girls had a partially abnormal menstrual pattern and all used sanitary napkins as absorbent. The majority had reported some problems during menstruation with dysmenorrhea being the predominant one and had reported some impact on the activities during menstruation with special reference to absenteeism …

Systematic Review Protocol Examining The Effect Of Prefeeding Oromotor Stimulation On Preterm Neonate’S Feeding Outcomes, Suvarshi Sasmal, Asha P. Shetty

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction: Feeding difficulty is a common problem among preterm babies as sucking-swallowing and breathing coordination matures by 32-34 weeks of postmenstrual age. There is a growing consensus among healthcare providers worldwide that oromotor stimulation influences feeding outcomes of preterm babies, but limited evidence influences its clinical applicability. Objectives: To critically appraise the available evidence on the effect of prefeeding oromotor stimulation (OMS) on preterm neonate’s feeding outcomes. Methods and analysis: This review will include only randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Electronic databases will be searched from January 2000 to December 2019. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA) …

A Simple Effective Method For Frailty In Heart Failure With Impact On Clinical Outcomes In North Indian Population, Gurbhej Singh, Rohit Tandon, Neelesh C. Pandey, Namita Bansal, Abhishek Goyal, Bhupinder Singh, Shibba Takkar Chhabra, Naved Aslam, Gurpreet Singh Wander, Bishav Mohan

Journal of the Saudi Heart Association

Introduction and Objectives: Frailty has been studied extensively in elderly population as a predictor and prognostic marker for morbidity and mortality. Frailty is being increasingly recognised as a distinct pathophysiological condition which plays a major role in outcomes of various disease states including heart failure. Our aim was to study the prevalence of frailty in heart failure and see its prognostic significance in such patients. Methods: This was a prospective study conducted in an out-patient HF clinic. All consecutive patients with HF, > 25 years age, with LVEF < 40 % were included. All patients were asked a simple frailty questionnaire. Hand-dynamometer was used to assess handgrip strength in kilograms and were classified as frail, pre-frail or non-frail. The primary end point was cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization, and secondary end-point was composite of all cause mortality, hospitalization,device implantation and documented arrythmia. Results: 210 patients were studied for clinical outcomes.Mean age was 60.59+ 11.55 years with 15 % patients aged less than 50 years. Mean LVEF was 30.24+ 6.8%. Handgrip strength was poor in the frail vs non/pre-frail patients (p=0.001) with a strength >16.95 kg having sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 63% for the prediction …

Computer Science Principles With Python, Seth D. Bergmann

Open Educational Resources

This textbook is intended to be used for a first course in computer science, such as the College Board’s Advanced Placement course known as AP Computer Science Principles (CSP). This book includes all the topics on the CSP exam, plus some additional topics. It takes a breadth-first approach, with an emphasis on the principles which form the foundation for hardware and software. No prior experience with programming should be required to use this book. This version of the book uses the Python programming language.

Utah Girls, Young Women, And Physical Activity, Kim Buesser, Rachel Myrer, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

The benefits of physical activity are well documented and improve all aspects of health and overall wellbeing. Globally, on average, 37.1% of women are insufficiently physically active while only 23.4% of men are; this trend is also found in Utah, where 19.4% of women are insufficiently physically active while only 17.6% of men are. While women often live longer than men, they are frequently in worse health. Physical inactivity contributes to the development and severity of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension. In addition to affecting physical health, physical inactivity is also associated with poor mental health. Physical …

The Utah Statesman, August 2, 2021, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Cryptic Constituents: The Paradox Of High Flux–Low Concentration Components Of Aquatic Ecosystems, Malin Olofsson, Mary E. Power, David A. Stahl, Yvonne Vadeboncoeur, Michael T. Brett

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The interface between terrestrial ecosystems and inland waters is an important link in the global carbon cycle. However, the extent to which allochthonous organic matter entering freshwater systems plays a major role in microbial and higher-trophic-level processes is under debate. Human perturbations can alter fluxes of terrestrial carbon to aquatic environments in complex ways. The biomass and production of aquatic microbes are traditionally thought to be resource limited via stoichiometric constraints such as nutrient ratios or the carbon standing stock at a given timepoint. Low concentrations of a particular constituent, however, can be strong evidence of its importance in food …

Classifying Ingestive Behavior Of Dairy Cows Via Automatic Sound Recognition, Guoming Li, Yijie Xiong, Qian Du, Zhengxiang Shi, Richard S. Gates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Determining ingestive behaviors of dairy cows is critical to evaluate their productivity and health status. The objectives of this research were to (1) develop the relationship between forage species/heights and sound characteristics of three different ingestive behaviors (bites, chews, and chew-bites); (2) comparatively evaluate three deep learning models and optimization strategies for classifying the three behaviors; and (3) examine the ability of deep learning modeling for classifying the three ingestive behaviors under various forage characteristics. The results show that the amplitude and duration of the bite, chew, and chew-bite sounds were mostly larger for tall forages (tall fescue and alfalfa) …