Digital Commons Network^™

Domain-Specific Biochemical And Serological Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Nucleocapsid Protein, Chao Wu, Abraham J Qavi, Austin B Moyle, Nicole D Wagner, Asmaa Hachim, Niloufar Kavian, Aidan R Cole, Joyce Sweeney-Gibbons, Henry W Rohrs, J S Malik Peiris, Christopher F Basler, Michael L Gross, Sophie A Valkenburg, Christopher W Farnsworth, Gaya K Amarasinghe, Daisy W Leung

Open Access Publications

Nucleocapsid proteins are essential for SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. Here, we describe protocols to gather domain-specific insights about essential properties of nucleocapsids. These assays include dynamic light scattering to characterize oligomerization, fluorescence polarization to quantify RNA binding, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry to map RNA binding regions, negative-stain electron microscopy to visualize oligomeric species, interferon reporter assay to evaluate interferon signaling modulation, and a serology assay to reveal insights for improved sensitivity and specificity. These assays are broadly applicable to RNA-encapsidated nucleocapsids. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wu et al. (2021).

Barriers To Discharge: A Retrospective Medical Record Review Examining Potential Barriers To Patient Discharge At The End-Of-Life, Pauline Felker, Kelly Purdy

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

It is estimated that 70% of Americans would prefer to die at home, but less than one-quarter do so. Patients near the end of life often face several barriers that prevent them from successfully transitioning from an acute care setting to their preferred place of death. These barriers include but are not limited to a lack of trust between facilities and community care providers, ineffective communication, delayed discharge planning, difficulty accessing medications and supplies, lack of control, feelings of uncertainty, and feelings of burden. This study utilized a survey of 102 medical records of patients who died in the hospital …

Implementation Of Maternal Fetal Triage Index To Improve Nurse Knowledge And Timeliness In Obstetric Triage: A Pilot Project, Emilie Long

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Objective: The objective of this project was to implement an obstetric triage acuity scale in a labor and delivery setting and study the effect on nurse knowledge and timeliness of care.

Design: A quasi-experimental pre and post-test design was used for this pilot project.

Setting: This project was conducted in an obstetric triage unit located within a fourteen-bed labor and delivery unit in the Midwest.

Methods: This pilot project was conducted over a two-month time period. Fifteen registered nurses qualified to care for obstetric triage patients were given education on the chosen triage acuity scale. A pre-test was administered before …

The Struggle For Self-Determination: A Comparative Analysis Of East Timor And Western Sahara, Emma Baratta

Honors Theses

Self-determination is accepted as an international right of all people, yet in many cases it still takes decades of struggle to achieve it. Through comparative analysis of the selfdetermination and independence struggles of East Timor and Western Sahara, conclusions can be drawn as to why some former colonies are able to achieve these goals while others do not. In order to better understand the challenges associated with self-determination, I evaluate the two cases based on four overarching factors which influence the process: statehood criteria and imagined community status, colonialism and occupation, presence of natural resources, and international recognition. I argue …

A Public Health Ethics Approach To Substance Use Disorder, Adele Flaherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the dissertation is to undertake an analysis of substance use disorders that focuses on a public health ethics perspective. The ethical argument focuses upon justifying the use of harm reduction and is primarily concerned with the current opioid crisis. While substance abuse/misuse over the course of history has been identified as a public health concern, this dissertation presents substance use disorders over the course of the lifespan, examining various contexts in which it can affect daily living and health outcomes. It achieves this by analyzing substance use disorders through the lens of the socioecological model of public …

A Perfect Storm For Slashing Athletic Budgets - Covid, Coaches Salaries, And Nil, Patrick L. Elliott

Capstones

Just when college athletes were beginning to see progress with landmark NIL legislation, a new threat emerged in college athletics. After years of fighting for the right to earn compensation from their athletics talents, more college teams than ever before are being eliminated due to budget concerns with universities and athletic departments.

This has been further amplified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of revenue from shutdowns and cancellations in 2020. Athletes in non-revenue earning sports account for well over 90% of all NIL and they are now at risk of losing the opportunity to compete …

Increasing Low-Dose Ct Screening In Primary Care, Bethany Huelskoetter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Lung cancer was ranked as the second most common cancer diagnosed in 2020 and had the highest death rate compared to all other cancers, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers (ACS). Early detection is key in decreasing the mortality of lung cancer. A low dose CT (LDCT) is a yearly screening tool developed to detect lung cancer early in high-risk patients yet is much underutilized in primary care. The purpose of this project is to increase the number of LDCT orders placed for qualified patients to decrease the lung cancer mortality rate. There were two main methods for this project: education …

Mindfulness And Meditation To Reduce Test And Evaluation Anxiety In Doctoral Nurse Anesthesia Students, Jenna L. Tebbenkamp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Mindfulness and Meditation to Reduce Test and Evaluation Anxiety in Doctoral Nurse Anesthesia Students

Background/Information

A significant number of university students report experiencing test anxiety. Extreme anxiety has been reported as a cause of withdrawal from university studies. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are required to complete an intense curriculum with tests and evaluations prior to passing a national board certifying exam, which is anxiety provoking.

Purpose

The primary objective of this project was to provide mindfulness intervention information to be utilized by the DNP students and assess desires of having a mindfulness meditation practice to alleviate academic anxiety.

Methods …

Viloxazine In The Treatment Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Amber N. Edinoff, Haseeb A. Akuly, John H. Wagner, Megan A. Boudreaux, Leah A. Kaplan, Shadman Yusuf, Elisa E. Neuchat, Elyse M. Cornett, Andrea G. Boyer, Adam M. Kaye, Alan David Kaye

School of Pharmacy Faculty Articles

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children. Over the past twenty years, research on the disease and its characteristics and treatment options has grown exponentially. The first-line pharmacologic treatment of ADHD is stimulants, which have a response rate of ~70%. With the support of four phase 3 studies involving more than 1,000 pediatric patients 6–17 years old, the FDA has approved the non-stimulant, serotonin-norepinephrine modulating agent (SNMA) viloxazine in an extended-release capsule (viloxazine ER) for treatment of ADHD in children aged 6–17. Viloxazine modulates serotonergic activity as a selective 5-HT22B receptor antagonist and 5-HT2C …

It’S Hapi Hour: An Action Plan On Preventing Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries, Emira Maureen A. Romero

Master's Projects and Capstones

Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPIs) are detrimental to both the hospital and the patient as they are costly, painful, and can lead to further infection and an increased length of stay. Although this problem is seen across the country, this action plan focuses on a microsystem (i.e. medical-surgical telemetry unit) in Hospital A in the San Francisco Bay Area. The target population includes medical-surgical telemetry patients at high risk for HAPIs (i.e. Braden score <18, moisture/mobility scores <2, patients with devices at risk for device-related pressure injuries). The proposed intervention is an evidence-based HAPI prevention bundle that includes utilization of wound care champions and turn teams, increasing attendance of daily huddles, implementing a standardized algorithm for escalation and documentation, and reinforcement of evidence-based HAPI prevention measures. Effectiveness of this bundle will be measured through chart audits, nursing questionnaires, and staff interviews. These measures will be conducted 12 months post-implementation and findings will be compared to the baseline data in order to investigate whether there is a reduction in HAPI incidence. Since this project is currently in the Study phase of the proposed Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle, this action plan concludes with recommendations of how the team can continue to move forward in addressing the project’s specific aim.

Hapi Prevention Bundle: An Initiative To Prevent Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries, Karla D. Penilla Lozano

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPI) are a serious health problem as they increase patient morbidity and mortality. They are detrimental to patients, families, and healthcare systems. Context: Research supports HAPI prevention bundles are a way to standardize care processes and reduce the incidence of pressure injuries. This evidence-based practice intervention was initiated to develop a HAPI prevention bundle in an adult Medical-Surgical Telemetry unit. A literature review was conducted to identify the best HAPI prevention practices. Intervention: The evidence-based pressure injury preventive bundle includes interventions consistent with proper skin assessments and documentation, patient risk identification, development of Wound Care Champions, …

The Relationship Between Surgical Site Infections And Hand Hygiene Discharge Teaching, Eishlee Renel A. Jasa

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: In the span of a nine-month period, the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) in a singular perioperative unit reached 13. SSIs have been linked with negative consequences for both the patient and healthcare system, decreasing quality of life and increasing costs.

Context: The 20-bed post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) primarily serves adult patients in the East Bay Area, where a variety of surgeries including elective and emergent procedures are performed. This facility specializes in general surgeries, where laparoscopic excisions and hernia repairs were the most commonly observed.

Intervention: The Standardized 3-Step Hand Hygiene Discharge Teaching is aimed to improve …

Poor Acclimation To Experimental Field Drought In Subalpine Forest Tree Seedlings, Alex Goke, Patrick H. Martin

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

The ability of tree species to acclimate and tolerate projected increases in drought frequency and intensity has fundamental implications for future forest dynamics with climate change. Inquiries to date on the drought tolerance capacities of tree species, however, have focused almost exclusively on mature trees with scant in situ work on seedlings, despite the central role that regeneration dynamics play in forest responses to changing conditions. We subjected naturally established seedlings of co-dominant subalpine conifer species (Abies lasiocarpa and Picea engelmannii) in the southern Rocky Mountains to 2 years of in situ summer precipitation exclusion, simulating summer drought …

The Mrna-Lnp Platform's Lipid Nanoparticle Component Used In Preclinical Vaccine Studies Is Highly Inflammatory, Sonia Ndeupen, Zhen Qin, Sonya Jacobsen, Aurélie Bouteau, Henri Estanbouli, Botond Z. Igyártó

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

Vaccines based on mRNA-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a promising new platform used by two leading vaccines against COVID-19. Clinical trials and ongoing vaccinations present with varying degrees of protection levels and side effects. However, the drivers of the reported side effects remain poorly defined. Here we present evidence that Acuitas' LNPs used in preclinical nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine studies are highly inflammatory in mice. Intradermal and intramuscular injection of these LNPs led to rapid and robust inflammatory responses, characterized by massive neutrophil infiltration, activation of diverse inflammatory pathways, and production of various inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The same dose of …

Increase Access To Community-Based Health Care For Underserved Individuals: A Quality Improvement Project, Piper Oneal

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Abstract

Background: Health care access disproportionately affects certain populations. Health care opportunities for uninsured adult members of a rural community can be limited. Suwannee County is a rural community with a population of 43,814 of which 40.8 % live below the 200% poverty income level (WellFlorida Council, 2020). Problem: In 2016, 23.8% of adults in Suwannee County were unable to see a doctor in the past year due to the inability to pay and lack of insurance (Florida Department of Health, 2020). Community-based health care initiatives can address such issues by targeting underserved individuals, reducing barriers, and making health services …

Sacubitril/Valsartan Versus Angiotensin Inhibitors And Arrhythmia Endpoints In Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction, Sandra Chaparro

All Publications

No abstract provided.

Pentagonal Extensions Of The Rationals Ramified At A Single Prime, Pablo Miguel Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we define a certain group of order 160, which we call a hyperpentagonal group, and we prove that every totally real D5-extension of the rationals ramified at only one prime is contained in a hyperpentagonal extension of the rationals. This generalizes a result of Doud and Childers (originally conjectured by Wong) that every totally real S3 extension of the rationals ramified at only one prime is contained in an S4 extension.

Uk Supreme Court Rejects “X” Gender Marker On Passport, Arthur S. Leonard

Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Examining The Interaction Of Adverse Childhood Events, Dental Issues, Asthma And Autism, Cathy Koetting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dissertation supervised by Dr. Rebecca Kronk

Purpose: Adverse childhood events (ACEs) have a profound and long-term effect on the health outcomes of many children and adults. However, few studies have focused on specific ACEs and health outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The aim of the study was to investigate if ASD moderated the relationship between ACEs and specific health outcomes in children who had been the subject of a child welfare system report.

Design and Methods: Using the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II), a secondary analysis was performed on a sample of …

Improving Medication Administration Safety In A Correctional Facility With An Electronic Medication Administration System, Rosalinda Salazar

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: According to the World Health Organization (2020), medication errors are one of the leading causes of injury and avoidable harm in health care globally.

Context: The county jail houses approximately 700 inmates/patients on a daily basis, and the potential for error when administering medications is high as medications are prepared manually using a paper medication administration record.

Interventions: The jail began using an electronic health record/barcode administration system on October 19, 2020.

Measures: Unusual occurrence reports related to medication errors were reviewed. The time frame included 6 months before electronic implementation, and 6 months after implementation.

Results: Unusual occurrence …

Multicultural Music Education: Preparedness, Perceptions, And Practice Among Virginia Elementary Music Educators, Benjamin J. Luna

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Benjamin Joel Luna, M. M.

James Madison University, 2021

Supervisor: Lisa M. Maynard

The purpose of this study was to examine the Multicultural Music Education (MME) practices of established (i.e. more than three years of music teaching experience) Elementary Music Teachers in the state of Virginia by examining their responses to a series of survey questions specific to the topic. Participants (N=18) were all current Elementary Music Teachers in the state of Virginia with more than three years of experience.

Participants were asked to use Likert-scale ratings for the majority of the questions but were also given the …

Assessing Moral Distress And Substance Use Among Nurses In The Time Of Covid-19 To Improve Patient Safety, Lauren Childers

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought rapid changes, increased stress, and ethical challenges to nurses across the globe. These factors may place nurses at increased risk for developing moral distress and substance use disorder. This stress can also increase nurse vulnerability to substance use. Previously there was little evidence about the rates of moral distress and substance use disorder among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective of this evidence-based project was to describe levels of moral distress and substance use among nurses in a community hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and to make recommendations for interventions to improve nurse …

Naturally Occurring Etiologic Factors Affecting The Health Of Breeding Seabirds In The Bering Sea, Maile Branson

Biological Sciences

Seabird populations across the globe have experienced both significant instability and consistent overall declines in recent history. Seabirds in the Bering Sea of Alaska, USA appear to be severely affected by environmental changes, exhibiting large-scale shifts in behavior and distribution and increases in unusual mortality events (UMEs) in recent years. I analyze a selection of the naturally occurring pathogenic and toxicological factors affecting breeding seabirds in the Bering Sea region using an approach focusing on zoonoses and bioaccumulating toxins. Specimens were collected at three breeding colonies in the Bering Sea in 2018 and 2019, and were evaluated for the presence …

Air Quality And Mental Health: Evidence, Challenges And Future Directions, K Bhui, J Newbury, R Latham, M Ucci, Z Nasar, B Turner, C O'Leary, Hl Fisher, E Marczylo, P Douglas, S Stansfeld, S Jackson, S Tyrrel, A Rzhetsky, R Kinnersley, P Kumar, C Duchaine, F Coulon

School of Biomedical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Burnout And Social Support Among Healthcare Workers During Covid-19: Evidence From Italy., Anudari Krystal Amartuvshin

Master's Theses

In this study, I examine the relationship between burnout and social support among healthcare workers in Italy. Burnout has been a serious concern among professions who must work closely and help other individuals. Due to the epidemic of the Covid-19 Pandemic, it has especially been a challenge for healthcare workers in the past few years. A validated Italian version of the MBI scale is conducted from 332 healthcare workers. Burnout scale is measured by its three subscales: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Social support is analyzed from the questionnaires regarding partners or spouses, family, friends, and colleagues. Multiple regression …

Georgia Southern Golf Course Newsletter, Georgia Southern University

Athletics: News & Publications

• Christmas Holiday Hours
• Is There a Perfect Holiday Gift? Yeah, it's the 10-Pay Pass
• Holiday Gift Certificates

Contracting Out Liability For Negligent Pre-Contractual Misrepresentation, Daniele Bertolini

Dalhousie Law Journal

This article examines the extent to which entire agreement clauses (EACs) and non-reliance clauses (NRCs) are enforceable to preclude actions for negligent pre-contractual misrepresentations. It is argued that courts could improve legal certainty and contractual fairness by adopting two distinct legal rules to be applied, respectively, to contracts between sophisticated parties and in adhesion contracts. First, it is suggested that in contracts between sophisticated parties only specific contractual barriers to actions should provide a complete defence against negligent misrepresentation claims. Under this rule, the exclusionary effect of EACs and NRCs would be achieved only if an express term of the …

Insurance Reserve Prediction: Opportunities And Challenges, Ayman Taha Farahat, Bernard Cosgrave Dr., Wael Rashwan, Susan Mckeever Dr.

Conference papers

Predicting claims’ reserve is a critical challenge for insurers and has dramatic consequences on their managerial, financial and underwriting decisions. The insurers’ capital and their underwriting capacity of further business are impacted by inaccurate reserve estimates. Increasing premium rates and adjusting the underwriting policy decisions may balance the impact of unexpected claims, but will have a negative impact on their business opportunities. To address this, several papers focusing on the prediction of insurance reserve have been published in the literature. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the research on the insurance reserve prediction techniques in economics and …

Ultrasound Modulation Of Macaque Prefrontal Cortex Selectively Alters Credit Assignment–Related Activity And Behavior, Davide Folloni, Elsa Fouragnan, Marco K. Wittmann, Lea Roumazeilles, Lev Tankelevitch, Lennart Verhagen, David Attali, Jean François Aubry, Jerome Sallet, Matthew F.S. Rushworth

School of Psychology

Credit assignment is the association of specific instances of reward to the specific events, such as a particular choice, that caused them. Without credit assignment, choice values reflect an approximate estimate of how good the environment was when the choice was made—the global reward state—rather than exactly which outcome the choice caused. Combined transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging in macaques demonstrate credit assignment–related activity in prefrontal area 47/12o, and when this signal was disrupted with TUS, choice value representations across the brain were impaired. As a consequence, behavior was no longer guided by choice value, and …

Layered Architecture For Internet Of Things-Based Healthcare System: A Systematic Literature Review, Somayeh Nasiri, Farahnaz Sadoughi, Afsaneh Dehnad, Mohammad Hesam Tadayon, Hossein Ahmadi

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Internet of Things (IoT), known as a new paradigm, has shown to have a significant role in healthcare domains including remote vital sign monitoring systems, physical activity tracking, early disease diagnosis, and prevention of disease risks. Therefore, designing an integrated healthcare system based on Internet of Things is highly dependent on designing a layered architecture pattern. However, there are no comprehensive studies on Internet of Things layered architecture in the healthcare industry. The purpose of this study was to identify and scrutinize different types of layered architecture of Internet of Things in healthcare in terms of functions, and technologies. We …