Digital Commons Network^™

Health Care Provider Program On The Management Of Obesity, Erlinda P. Bhat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that educational programs have led to developing the professional skills and behaviors of front-line health care providers who care for overweight or at-risk obese patients. The purpose of this project was to provide an educational program on best practices for weight management to health care providers at a large military clinic. The project question was developed to assess whether the educational program increased the knowledge and confidence of health care providers in the management of obesity. Utilizing Pender's health promotion model, a quasi-experimental study was conducted in which 15 health care providers, including licensed and unlicensed personnel …

Investigating The Needs Of Homeless Individuals Living In Transitional Housing, Tonya Hambrick-Mcclain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless individuals are a disadvantaged and vulnerable population. Some of the issues contributing to homelessness are mental illness, medical problems, substance abuse, domestic violence, and lack of education and affordable housing. Homelessness continues to be a major social issue in the United States, and it profoundly affects individuals ages 25–35 years old. There is limited research identifying the needs of homeless individuals between the ages of 25 and 35 who live in transitional housing in the Chicago area. The purpose of this generic qualitative research study was to explore how homeless individuals ages 25-35 years old describe their lived experiences …

Human Immunodeficiency Virus And Homelessness Among U.S.-Born And Foreign-Born Tuberculosis Cases In Georgia, Semra Ramosevac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by bacteria and can easily spread in the U.S. and worldwide. TB infections in the U.S. have been much lower compared to other countries around the world in the last 40 years, but with the recent increase in an immigrant foreign-born population, there is a serious risk of the spread of TB. The goal of the study was to look into U.S.-born vs. foreign-born populations among TB/HIV/homeless cases in the state of GA from 2014 to 2018. The quantitative study was performed using secondary …

Evaluation Of A Cardiac Surgery Nurse Navigator Quality Improvement Program, Eileen Joy Watkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPatients who have had cardiac surgery may experience longer hospital stays and increased readmission rates when there is poor care coordination between patients, families, and the healthcare team. Poor care coordination leads to unclear expectations of each phase of care, decreased compliance with postoperative care regimen resulting in increased length of stay, patient and family dissatisfaction, and increased rates of readmission. This project evaluated a Cardiac Surgery Nurse Navigator (CSNN) Quality Improvement program to address care coordination and improve length of stay and readmission rates for cardiac surgery patients. The goal was to determine whether the CSNN program was effective …

Gender Equality And Equity Narratives Amongst Women In Nongovernmental Organizations, Barbara Etta Austin-Lucas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender equality and equity narratives of women members of registered nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have been largely unexamined relative to their lived experiences in healthcare, education, socioeconomic status, and political participation. The purpose of this study was to explore the narratives of women members of registered NGOs located in the Northeastern United States. The gender equality and equity narratives of women in registered NGOs related to their experiences with healthcare, education, socioeconomic status, and political participation were explored. For this qualitative narrative research, the conceptual framework was the narrative policy framework theory, which explores how narratives influence public opinion, policy dialogue, …

An Educational Intervention To Reduce Central Venous Catheter Infection Rates, Bolanle Olajuyigbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCentral venous catheters (CVC) are essential in both critical and noncritical care settings. Despite benefits such as the administration of medications, blood products, and parenteral nutrition, CVCs are also associated with infections known as central–line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI). Linked to knowledge deficit and noncompliance in following evidence-based care bundles by nurses, it is important that nurses are empowered through education to provide quality care to reduce CLABSI rates. Thus, a staff education program was developed to answer the practice-focus question: if an organized education program increases the knowledge of medical-surgical nurses on central line care and management procedures …

Examining Clinicians' Perspectives Screening For Depression In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Vickie Lavette Bland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States has a significant diabetes problem. This chronic disease affects the body physically and mentally. One of the emotional effects of diabetes is depression. Depression is often present in individuals with diabetes, chiefly in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While depression is common in T2DM and can interfere with treatment adherence, clinician screening for depression in T2DM patients is low. The purpose of this study was to examine clinicians' attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions concerning screening patients with T2DM for depression. Through a qualitative case study approach centered on reasoned action theory, 3 physicians and 5 nurse …

The Chemical War On Drugs: Why A U.S.-Backed Program To Fumigate Coca Fields In Colombia Would Violate The Right To Health, Lily Baron

Human Rights Brief

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Passage Effects On Oral Reading Fluency Administration And Scoring, Esther H. Yi

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Reading curriculum-based measures (R-CBM) are frequently used to assess reading proficiency. However, the utility of these measures is predicated on the assumption that within-grade-level passages have equal text difficulty levels. Spurious changes in the number of words students read correctly depending on what passage is administered are widely documented and strongly suggest that this assumption is not tenable. Rather, passage effects (i.e., error variance in R-CBM scores due to unequal passage difficulty levels) can artificially increase/depress scores and mask true trends in progress monitoring data. Prior research has focused on readability formulas or statistical equating methods based on classical test …

Fraud Law And Misinfodemics, Wes Henricksen

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Russian Caviar: A Delicacy In Jeopardy, Bronwyn Galloway

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Crosstalk Between Staphylococcus Aureus And Innate Immunity: Focus On Immunometabolism, Christopher M. Horn, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of bacterial infections globally in both healthcare and community settings. The success of this bacterium is the product of an expansive repertoire of virulence factors in combination with acquired antibiotic resistance and propensity for biofilm formation. S. aureus leverages these factors to adapt to and subvert the host immune response. With the burgeoning field of immunometabolism, it has become clear that the metabolic program of leukocytes dictates their inflammatory status and overall effectiveness in clearing an infection. The metabolic flexibility of S. aureus offers an inherent means by which the pathogen could manipulate the …

From Apology To Action: A Comment On Transitional Justice In The United States And Canada, Victoria Roman

Maryland Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Foreword: The Milkmaid’S Tale, Melissa Murray

Faculty Articles

Book review of Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race, and Injustice, by Andrea Freeman, Stanford University Press, 2019.

Physicochemical Implications Of Cyanobacteria Oxidation With Fe(Vi), Erika L. Addison, Kyle T. Gerlach, Charles D. Spellman Jr., Grace Santilli, Alyson R. Fairbrother, Zachary Shepard, Jeanine D. Dudle, Joseph E. Goodwill

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Increases in harmful algal blooms has negatively impacted many surface-sourced drinking water utilities. To control these blooms, many water utilities implement pre-oxidation with ozone, chlorine, or permanganate; however, pre-oxidation of algae has both positive and negative water quality outcomes. This study investigated ferrate (Fe(VI)) as an alternative oxidant by measuring its effect on cell lysing, surface characteristics, and coagulation in waters containing the cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. Bench scale studies were conducted to examine the complex combination of processes in a Fe(VI)-algae system. These processes were characterized by fluorescence index, surface charge, collision frequency modeling, particle counts and sphericity, total …

Annual Report, 2020-2021, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. College Of Education And Health Professions

College of Education and Health Professions Annual Reports

Beginning in 2004/2005- issued in online format only

The Taste Of Blood, Veronica Jove

Student Theses and Dissertations

Human blood and floral nectar are both appetizing meals to a hungry female mosquito, yet each meal fulfills a distinct nutritional requirement. While protein obtained from blood is required for females to develop eggs and successfully reproduce, carbohydrates supplied from plant nectar are sufficient for energy metabolism in both females and males. To procure essential nutrients from these distinct food sources, females employ two mutually exclusive feeding programs with unique sensory appendages, meal sizes, digestive tract targets, and metabolic fates. When a female is ready to reproduce, she must selectively seek the taste of blood and ignore the sweet taste …

The Role Of Nutrient Availability In Therapeutic Response Of Leukemia, Rohiverth Guarecuco Jr.

Student Theses and Dissertations

Tumor environment influences the response to anti-cancer therapy, but which extracellular nutrients impact drug sensitivity is largely unknown. In this work, we used functional genomics to identify metabolic modifiers of the response to L-asparaginase (ASNase), a therapy that depletes plasma asparagine and targets leukemic cells with insufficient asparagine synthesis. Our approach revealed thiamine pyrophosphate kinase 1 (TPK1), which converts vitamin B1 (thiamine) into the cofactor thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), as a metabolic dependency under ASNase treatment. In glutamine-anaplerotic leukemia cells, we found that TPP availability enables asparagine synthesis from extracellular glutamine. Mechanistically, TPP is critical for the activity of alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase …

Restriction Of Food Intake By Dorsomedial Hypothalamus, Caner Caglar

Student Theses and Dissertations

Leptin deficient ob/ob mice eat voraciously and their food intake is markedly reduced by leptin treatment. Leptin acts in part by regulating the activity of AGRP neurons and POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus and neurons in other brain regions. In these dissertation, I will describe how we identify novel neuronal populations that are regulated by leptin directly or indirectly. In order to identify novel sites of leptin action, we used phosphotrap, to molecularly profile leptin responsive neurons in the hypothalamus and brain stem. In addition to identifying several known leptin responsive populations, we found that neurons in Dorsomedial Hypothalamus …

Mechanisms For The Evolution Of Superorganismality In Ants, Vikram Chandra

Student Theses and Dissertations

Ant colonies appear to behave as superorganisms; they exhibit very high levels of within-colony cooperation, and very low levels of within-colony conflict. The evolution of such superorganismality has occurred multiple times across the animal phylogeny, and indeed, origins of multicellularity represent the same evolutionary process. Understanding the origin and elaboration of superorganismality is a major focus of research in evolutionary biology. Although much is known about the ultimate factors that permit the evolution and persistence of superorganisms, we know relatively little about how they evolve. One limiting factor to the study of superorganismality is the difficulty of conducting manipulative experiments …

The Role Of Compartmentalized Metabolism In Cellular Metal Homeostasis, Ross A. Weber

Student Theses and Dissertations

The building blocks of cells are usually thought to be DNA, RNA, and proteins. However, life, as we know it, is not possible without iron. While the list of iron's vital cellular functions is extensive, iron is also quite cytotoxic. Thus, great pains have been taken, at the gene regulation level, to assure that a cell has sufficient iron to copy its genome and power its mitochondria but not too much to damage its membranes with lipid peroxides. Cellular organelles, which accompanied the rise of atmospheric oxygen and an increased need for iron, also play a key role in iron …

Non-Canonical Axonal Insulin Receptor Signaling Drives Aversive Olfactory Learning, Du Cheng

Student Theses and Dissertations

Animals rely on their flexible nervous systems to learn to navigate the changing environment around them. One important function of the nervous system is to form associative memories. A simple model of associative learning is provided by nematode C. elegans, which can form memories of different types of odor stimuli through its simple yet sophisticated nervous system. C. elegans uses its sensory neurons to detect and navigate towards the odors of its food source - edible bacteria. Thus, it is crucial for worms to form memories between odors and availably of food. The volatile chemical butanone is a common product …

Interactions Between Microbial, Neuronal, And Immune Cells In The Digestive System, Fanny Matheis

Student Theses and Dissertations

The intestine is the largest continuous environmental interface of the body. As such, it exerts homeostatic tissue functions, including digestion, sensing and absorption of nutrients, and excretion of waste products. In performing these roles, the intestine faces the unique challenge of remaining tolerant to harmless or beneficial diet- and microbederived stimuli, while simultaneously protecting against pathogen invasion. To tackle these challenges, the intestine houses both the body's largest immune compartment, as well as a vast neuronal network, the enteric nervous system (ENS). In concert with the commensal intestinal microbiota, the enteric immune and nervous systems communicate with one another, and …

Deciphering Cancer Metabolic Dependencies In The Tumor Microenvironment, Xiphias Ge Zhu

Student Theses and Dissertations

Cancer cells face substantial pressure within the tumor microenvironment. Physical constraints and nutrient limitations in the tumor prevent excessive cell proliferation, while other cell types such as stromal and immune cells can compete with or kill cancer cells. To overcome these restrictions, cancer cells often possess oncogenic mutations or amplifications to divide rapidly but can also rewire their metabolism in adaptation to the environmental challenge. The metabolism of cancer cells exhibit high plasticity as many metabolic pathways and enzymes are redundant. This allows for cancer cells to adapt to the changing nutritional and intercellular context of the tumor. Though metabolic …

Nutrition Risk And Validation Of An Hiv Disease-Specific Nutrition Screening Tool In Ghana, Lauri Wright, Maxwell Bisala Konlan, Laurene Boateng, James B. Epps

Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the nutritional status and the most commonly reported nutrition-related factors contributing to nutritional risk in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Ghana and the specificity and sensitivity of the Rapid Nutrition Screening for HIV disease tool (RNS-H) in this population.

Design: A cross-sectional design was utilised. Patients were screened for nutritional status during a one-week period by clinic nurses using the RNS-H. Results were compared with a comprehensive nutritional assessment by a dietitian.

Setting: The research was conducted in a public health clinic at the University of Ghana Hospital, Legon.

Subjects: …

Cannabis Considerations For Health Care Entities, Vanessa K. Burrows

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

The National School Lunch Program: Lunch Is For Kids Not Political Propaganda, Caroline Scanlon Beleson

Journal of Health Care Law and Policy

No abstract provided.

Maternal Proximity To Mountaintop Removal Mining And Birth Defects In Appalachian Kentucky, 1997-2003, Daniel B. Cooper

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Background: Extraction of coal through mountaintop removal mining (MTR) alters many dimensions of the landscape, and explosive blasts, exposed rock, and coal washing have the potential to pollute air and water with substances known to increase risk of developmental and birth anomalies. Previous research suggests that infants born to mothers living in MTR coal mining counties have higher prevalence of most types of birth defects.

Objectives: This study seeks to examine further the relationship between MTR activity and birth defects by employing individual level exposure estimation through precise satellite data of MTR activity in the Appalachian region and maternal residence …

The Witness Project In Whitehall, Oh, Freda Allyson Hucek

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Abstract

The Witness Project (WP) is an evidence-based breast cancer screening intervention that will be implemented in Whitehall, Ohio, at three different churches by the Franklin County Health Department. The WP will target African American women 50-74 years old who are non-compliant with current United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) breast cancer screening recommendations. African American women face disproportionately higher mortality rates from breast cancer when compared to other racial and ethnic groups in the United States and in Whitehall. African American women are less likely to discuss breast cancer and preventive screening services within their community. The WP …

Understanding Parent Beliefs And Attitudes Regarding Healthy Relationships And Sexuality Education: Bridging The Inclusivity Gap, Marie C. Zarrilli

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Children, adolescents, and young adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are often excluded from receiving Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), even though they are at increased vulnerability for sexual abuse and exploitation. Although some curricula are emerging that are adapted for individuals with IDD, rigorous effectiveness studies are sparse. The purpose of this capstone project was to empirically explore the beliefs, attitudes, and comfort level of parents with sexuality education program types and content regarding their own parent/child communication and the need for training and resources. This capstone project used a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive survey design. The survey consisted of …