Digital Commons Network^™

Activity Recognition Based On Thermopile Imaging Array Sensors, Qingshan Liang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With aging population, the importance of caring for elderly people is getting more and more attention. In this paper, a low resolution thermopile array sensor is used to develop an activity recognition system for elderly people. The sensor is composed of a 32x32 thermopile array with the corresponding 33° × 33° field of view. The outputs of the sensor are sequential images in which each pixel contains a temperature value. According to the thermopile images, the activity recognition system first determines whether the target is within the tracking area; if the target is within the tracking area, the location of …

Redefining What's Manly: Using Masculine Attributes To Describe Counseling Services For Men, Riley Nicholas Rodemaker

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Men are diagnosed with mental illness at a similar rate to women, and men deal with similar levels of impairment (Kessler et al., 1994). Despite this impairment, men do not seek help for their mental health as often as women do (Smith et al., 2013). One reason may be that counseling is seen as feminine. In this thesis, I describe an experimental study that examined the effect of using masculine attributes to describe counseling services on men’s attitudes. Adult male participants ages 18 to 35 (N = 818) read a short story that featured a conversation with a friend that …

Effects Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Of The Motor Cortex On Cycling Time Trial Performance And Prefrontal Cortex Activation, Abigail Hope Auten

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a neuromodulatory technique that delivers low levels of a constant current via scalp electrodes to specifically targeted areas of the brain. The effects of tDCS on whole-body exercise performance has been of interest in recent literature. Purpose: To investigate if tDCS, administered via Halo Sport, influences time trial performance in trained cyclists, and if changes in exercise performance are associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation and/or muscle oxygenation (SmO2). Methods: Twelve recreationally trained cyclists volunteered to participate in two 10km time trials following 20 minutes of tDCS or a sham condition. Results: T-tests showed …

Winter Measurements Of Heavy-Duty Vehicles To Characterize The Cold Temperature Effectiveness Of Selective Catalytic Reductions Catalyst In Controlling Oxide Of Nitrogen Emissions, Gary A. Bishop, Molly J. Haugen, Brian C. Mcdonald

Fuel Efficiency Automobile Test Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Substance Use Disorder Section 1115 Waivers On Medicaid Population Utilization Of Buprenorphine And Naltrexone, Evangeline Cai

Public Health Theses

Background: In 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidelines for a Medicaid Section 1115 behavioral health waiver with the intention of improving access to treatment for individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). One provision of the waiver allowed states to lift federal guidelines that originally prohibited states from using Medicaid funds to reimburse adults aged 21-64 years old for SUD services that occurred at “institutions for mental disease” (IMDs) with more than 16 beds. As of February 2021, 31 states have an approved the waiver.

Objective: To determine whether the Section 1115 SUD waivers, originally issued …

Impact Of Serial Point Prevalence Covid-19 Testing On Severe Disease Outcomes In Connecticut Nursing Home Residents, Lauren Marie Campbell

Public Health Theses

Introduction: COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by infection with the virus, SARS-CoV-2. Transmission of the virus can occur in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases making controlling the spread challenging. Point prevalence testing in long term care facilitates has been found to be a useful strategy in detecting cases and managing COVID-19 outbreaks. The impact of this control strategy on severe outcomes of disease in residents of these facilities has not been fully characterized.Methods: Active surveillance of COVID-19 in long term care facilities in Connecticut began in April 2020, with point prevalence surveys beginning in May 2020. Data was collected …

Unmasking America's Reaction To Face Masks: A Review Of The Literature, Tyler Caruthers

Public Health Theses

The United States has faced challenges in reestablishing normalcy as we learn to live with COVID-19. This has included adhering to competent infection containment guidelines. Despite evidence that masks can assist in COVID-19 transmission reduction, the mere suggestion has sparked outrage, violence, and even death in communities across the country. To safely reintroduce any semblance of normalcy that has been lost over the last year, it is critical to consider the variables that influence one's internal personal perspectives and to comprehend how this influences various behavioral responses. Several critical risk communication principles can aid scientists in better understanding how people …

Caesarean Delivery Among Women Of Color Is Associated With Risk Of Early Childhood Developmental Delays In Brazil, Haley Case

Public Health Theses

Background. Poverty, racism, and other sources of oppression threaten children’s nurturing environments and associated early childhood development (ECD). Women of Color and their children are disproportionately exposed to risk factors for poor ECD in Brazil. There is a growing body of evidence supporting the claim that unnecessary cesarean section (CS) is associated with poor maternal health outcomes and ECD delays. There is an existing gap in the literature on risk factors, including obstetric factors, of poor ECD among children of Women of Color in Brazil.

Objective. The objective of this thesis was to investigate factors, including obstetric characteristics of CS …

Developing A Framework For Civilian-Military Public Health Operations Involving Non-State Armed Groups, Andrew James Chambers

Public Health Theses

Introduction: The interface of military forces, civilian actors and non-state armed groups (NSAGs) during a public health emergency within an active conflict is a situation fraught with legal and ethical challenges not adequately addressed in established doctrine or international guidance documents. Ongoing public health crises in Yemen and Afghanistan represent the real-world consequences of threats to population health and security if these critical gaps are not addressed. Methods: A list of five diverse medical scenarios was developed as an initial attempt to produce a practical, historically-informed framework for use in future civilian-military (CIV-MIL) training events and guidance. Ten virtual interviews …

Identifying Serum Metabolite Biomarkers Of Thyroid Cancer, Yihui Chen

Public Health Theses

Background: In recent years, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer is increasing rapidly, including a significant increase in young aged group people. Environmental chemical exposure is a significant driver. With untargeted metabolomics approach, this study will perform an untargeted metabolomics approach to identify serum metabolites biomarkers associated with thyroid cancer and tumor size.

Methods: Serum samples of 100 thyroid cancer patients (50 cases and 50 controls) diagnosed between 2010 and 2011, were extracted for metabolites and analyzed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based untargeted metabolomics. All the analysis were conducted in both positive and negative Electrospray ionization (ESI) modes. …

The Epidemiology Of Covid-19 Hospitalizations In Connecticut, July – December 2020, Geena Chiumento

Public Health Theses

Background. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19, caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2, have disproportionately impacted many throughout the United States, particularly elderly folks, communities of color, and individuals residing in low-income neighborhoods. Objective. This study aims to describe the epidemiology of COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Connecticut in order to elucidate trends in incidence as well as health disparities. Methods. All first-time hospitalizations due to laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from July 1 to December 31, 2020, including patients’ geocoded residential addresses, were obtained from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Patients residing in the community were compared to those residing in congregate settings. Community patients were …

Overseen And Overlooked: Knowledge Production And Care In Public Health Surveillance, Krzysztof Wojciech Chwala

Public Health Theses

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact tracing was implemented as a public health measure to prevent the further spread of disease. In this thesis, I analyze contact tracing as a case study of public health surveillance. I argue that public health does not sufficiently study the social components and consequences of its surveillant activities, and as a result is hyperopic; it sees health-related phenomena at a distance with clarity, but has not brought its own logics under view. To remedy this, I utilize perspectives from the field of surveillance studies, which studies surveillance as social and cultural phenomena. …

Determining Polymorphisms In Tnf Production As They Relate To Infection With Ebov, Nirvana K. Dominguez Singh

Public Health Theses

This is a theoretical proposal done as an intellectual exercise. The purpose of this project is to practice and familiarize oneself with the process of applying for a grant from the National Institute of Health to conduct research on human subjects. This proposed study plans to sequence blood samples from infected individuals, exposed and uninfected individuals, and unexposed individuals from the 2018 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo to determine the presence of polymorphisms in TNF production as they relate to Ebolavirus infection. It is hypothesized that certain polymorphisms in the regulation and production of TNF that cause a …

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among A Diverse Community-Based Population In Connecticut, William Eger

Public Health Theses

Objectives. To examine the role of sociodemographic factors and health-related beliefs in influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among a diverse community-based population.Methods. A sample of 252 Connecticut residents completed an online survey between August–December 2020. Utilizing a network of community partners and advertisements via social media, we recruited from communities most impacted by COVID-19. We used descriptive and multivariate analyses to examine vaccine hesitancy within this diverse community. Results. While 38.9% of participants were vaccine hesitant, people of color were more vaccine hesitant (OR=3.62; 95% CI 1.77, 7.40) compared to non-Hispanic whites/others in multivariate adjusted models. Additional factors associated with hesitancy …

Global Routine Immunization Policies For Refugees, Jad A. Elharake

Public Health Theses

BackgroundIn 2020, approximately 26 million refugees resettled in a new country—fleeing their homes due to conflict, persecution, violence, and human rights violations. Refugees often migrate from developing countries with limited access to adequate health care, routine immunizations, and public health resources. Because of low immunization coverage and potentially underlying health conditions, including stress, trauma, overcrowding during transit, poor hygiene and sanitation services, and malnutrition, refugees face a greater risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). This presents a key public health challenge and ethical imperative to serve the health needs of refugees resettling each year.

ObjectiveThe purpose of our study was …

Extreme Heat Vulnerability And Spatial Accessibility To Cooling Centers In Connecticut, Nicholas Elton

Public Health Theses

Extreme heat is becoming an increasingly prevalent and prominent environmental health issue under climate change. The goal of this study is to evaluate heat vulnerability at the census tract level in the state of Connecticut and assess the spatial accessibility to cooling centers – an extreme heat intervention. A variety of environmental and sociodemographic variables related to heat and health were identified based on previous literature and used in a varimax-rotated principal component analysis to reduce dimensionality and identify key components that constitute a heat vulnerability score. In addition, cooling center locations were identified based on news media and a …

Sexual Orientation Disclosure And Depression Among Thailand Men Who Have Sex With Men: Associations With Intimate Partner Violence And Social Support, Eduardo Encina

Public Health Theses

Objectives: The analytical goal of this project is to better understand the association of sexual orientation disclosure among different social networks of Thailand men who have sex with men (MSM) and depression. Along with this, we aim to extensively explore the intersectional influence of social support and intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences with each other, with disclosure, and ultimately depression outcomes.

Methods: The secondary dataset for this project was comprised of results from a cross-sectional study. This study utilized a web-based epidemiological and behavioral survey, distributed among young MSM ages 15-24. Self-reported data was provided through collaboration with Mahidol University …

Quantification Of Anesthetic And Analgesic Compounds In E-Liquids And Their Aerosols, Deyri Sugey Garcia

Public Health Theses

The unprecedented rise of vaping has resulted in gaps of scientific understanding of the health hazards this new phenomenon has created, as well as delayed regulations surrounding vape products, including coolants. Coolants are additives that create anesthetic, physical sense-reducing, and/or analgesic, properties that numbs the airways and add a minty flavor to vape products. However, it is unclear how much coolant is added to vape products electronic liquid (e-liquid), and how much of this content carries over into the aerosolized vaped form. To determine compositional analysis and carryover of common synthetic coolants, eugenol in 35 clove e-liquids and menthol, methone, …

How Knowledge, Perception, And Identity Influence Covid-19-Related Concerns In The Built Environment, Abigail Ginader

Public Health Theses

Background: There is increasing research exploring how different diverse and intersecting identities based on race, gender, ability/disability, sexual orientation, and age interact with space to influence an individual’s inclusiveness and comfort in a space. This is particularly salient in the context of COVID-19 which has shown large health inequities and increased risk for certain vulnerable subgroups (e.g., older individuals, individuals of color).Objective: To assess end users’ perception of COVID-19 safety in the built environment of museums. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. An electronic survey was distributed between January and February 2021. Repeated measures ANOVA, multivariate Poisson regression, and …

Dreamkit: An Innovative Mobile Health Intervention For Addressing Youth Homelessness, Eva G. Graf

Public Health Theses

Background: Homeless youth experience a variety of barriers to becoming employed and ending their episode of homelessness. DreamKit is a mobile intervention designed to help youth exit their episode of homelessness by paying them to upskill themselves and become more qualified for employment. This thesis explores the feasibility and usability of a mobile application intervention among homeless and housing insecure youth in the greater New Haven area.

Methods: We used a multiple-methods study design that included a formative research phase where we explored whether or not an app would be used by housing-insecure youth; a second pilot phase was included …

Exploring Toddler Sleep Disparities Using Spatial Analytic Methods, Jessica He

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Sleep health is a vital component of childhood health. However, sleep health disparities exist among toddlers from racially/ethnically diverse families living with socioeconomic adversity as early as 12 months of age. There is a gap in the current literature that includes environmental factors that may explain the factors contributing to these differences.Objective: To explore associations between toddler sleep health and environmental and societal factors at the neighborhood level using spatial analysis that may help elucidate factors which contribute to the race/ethnicity differences in toddlers unexplained by socioeconomic variables. Methods: A secondary analysis was performed on data collected from a …

Transcriptomic And Metabolomic Analyses Of Acetaminophen Exposure In Human Ipscs: Potential Mechanisms Explaining Epidemiological Associations Between Prenatal Acetaminophen Exposure And Increased Risk Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tristan Furnary

Public Health Theses

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the most common analgesic taken during pregnancy. Indeed, approximately 65% of pregnant women use the drug. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that prenatal exposure to APAP is associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although this neurodevelopmental disorder affects 1 in 54 children in the U.S., no studies have investigated the molecular mechanism by which APAP may increase the risk of ASD. In vitro experiments in cell cultures have shown that high concentrations of APAP induces cell death. Through the use of a systems-level approach in human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs), the present study investigates …

‘I’M Never Saying A Damn Word Again’: Approaches To Community Support And Help Seeking Among Black Youth Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts, Alexis Renee Hopkins

Public Health Theses

Background. Suicidal behavior among Black youth is rising in the United States , yet little is known about how Black Youth engage and navigate suicidality. While we know that suicide ideation and death by suicide is decreasing overall among youth in the U.S., incidences of death by suicide are still rising among Black youth. There is very little understanding of what community support is accessible to Black youth who are experiencing suicidality. The present study examines how Black young adults who experienced suicidality in their youth turned to their social support systems and communities for support. Method. Seventeen semi-structured in-depth …

A Source-Specific Algorithm To Estimate Occupational (1→3)-Β-D-Glucan Exposure For Farmers In The Biomarkers Of Exposure And Effect In Agriculture Cohort, Felicia Hung

Public Health Theses

Background: (1→3)-β-D-glucans, or simply known as glucans, are components of fungal cell walls and are associated with mold. The adverse health effects due to glucan inhalation exposure has not been well studied, but it is known that upper respiratory inflammation has been seen with glucan exposure. Farmers, especially those who work with animals, are exposed to glucans on a daily basis; however, there is no occupational exposure limit to glucans and the full extent of glucan exposure in this population is unclear due to the lack of exposure assessment. This study will utilize decision-rules and a source-specific method to create …

Key Trends In Digital Health And The Future Of Clinical Trials In The Us, Jeannette Jiang

Public Health Theses

With the increasing burden of chronic diseases on the global population, many stakeholders see digital health technologies and devices as potential solutions to improve patient self-management of their disease and offer novel treatment methods. Digital health solutions including mobile apps, web-based programs, texting, and connected devices have been applied to a wide variety of diseases. In recent years, interest in digital health technologies has exploded with almost 200 digital health related articles published in PubMed in 2019 alone. In particular, digital health holds great potential in improving and enhancing the traditional clinical trial by increasing patient recruitment and retention and …

Developing A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Plan For A Virtual Diabetes Prevention Program, Roujia Jin

Public Health Theses

Background: Diabetes is one of the major health concerns in the US. According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report, about 13% adults in the U.S. had diabetes, and 34.5% of the U.S. adults were categorized as prediabetic. An estimated cost of $327 billion were reported as relevant to diagnosed diabetes in 2017 in the United States by the American Diabetes Association. The virtual Diabetes Prevention Program (vDPP) was designed to address barriers that low social-economic status participants faced when they were enrolled in a diabetes prevention program. It used a digital platform to deliver courses, organize meetings and monitor health …

Psychosocial Mechanisms Of Historical Trauma Transmission In Native American Communities: A Rapid Scoping Review, Rucha Kandlur

Public Health Theses

For centuries Native American communities have been subjected to persistent oppression. The effects of the historical events of colonization have transcended generations and continue to affect the lives of the current generation, removed from direct exposure to the traumatic events. The intergenerational transmission of trauma has widely been studied in Holocaust survivors, with only recent explorations in other marginalized populations incurring similar forms of trauma. Additionally, explorations in intergenerational trauma transmission have largely focused on biological mechanisms rather than the psychosocial mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to examine existing evidence regarding psychosocial mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of historical …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Backyard Poultry-Associated Salmonella In Connecticut, Laura Kasper

Public Health Theses

Introduction: Salmonellosis is the second leading bacterial foodborne illness in the United States, and is mainly characterized by symptoms of gastroenteritis and their consequences in afflicted individuals. Salmonella accounts for 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States every year. Live poultry act as a reservoir of Salmonella and causes an annual national outbreak. There has yet to be a published study on the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the incidence of Salmonella and on the percentage of cases tied to the national poultry outbreak. Methods: Active public health surveillance of Salmonella in Connecticut is conducted …

The Impact Of Economic Intimate Partner Violence On Women’S Sexual And Reproductive Health In Asia & The Pacific, Marina Katague

Public Health Theses

Intimate partner violence is a human rights violation and serious threat to global public health. Economic intimate partner violence is a unique form of abuse whose effects on health need clarification. Data from the 2011-2012 UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence, comprised of cross-sectional samples in China, Papua New Guinea, and Sri Lanka were collected on ever-partnered women aged 18-49 years. The sample averaged some (1.14) economic violence exposure across summed behaviors (range 0-12; standard deviation=2.04). Multivariable regressions were run to assess the relationship between severity of IPV abuse types and 14 sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Adjusted analyses …

Factors Associated With Early Childhood Development Outcomes For Children Of Adolescent And Young Adult Mothers In Brazil, Lily Benson Kofke

Public Health Theses

Objectives: A descriptive analysis to explore the risks for early childhood development (ECD) delays among children of adolescent and young adult mothers in Brazil. Methods: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional data of a representative sample of children under age 2 and their mothers from community health centers in Brasília, Brazil. The Denver Developmental Screening Test II was used to assess overall and domain-specific ECD (personal-social, fine motor, gross motor, and language). Mothers were subset into two groups based on age. Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between maternal age and risk of ECD delay, …