Digital Commons Network^™

Using Geospatial Analysis To Evaluate Relationships Between Cancer Incidence And Social Factors In Brooklyn, Ny, Sheena Philogene

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the spatial distribution of cancer incidence in Brooklyn, NY. Using publicly available data, the relationships between cancer incidence and factors linked to cancer were investigated. Furthermore, the study explored the value of using large amounts of data with GIS techniques to quickly analyze geographic trends for cancer.

A Case Of Intracranial Empyema After Bacterial Sinusitis, Eric Doane, Bhumi Shah, Robert Belfer

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Acute sinusitis in the pediatric population is a common presentation in the emergency department. Most cases are viral and can be managed conservatively and will resolve spontaneously in 7-10 days. Even in cases of bacterial sinusitis, patients can typically be discharged with oral antibiotics and close follow up with the pediatrician.

There is however a small subset of patients who will develop a rare lethal complication, an intracranial empyema. While the incidence in the developed world has decreased as antibiotics become more available, it is still estimated to occur in up to 5% of severe cases requiring hospitalization (1) . …

Case Report: Glioblastoma Tumor Presenting With Mild Changes In Memory, Samuel Thalathoti, Nicholas Palladino, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 66-year-old female who presented to the ED with generalized headache and mild confusion, who was diagnosed with high-grade glial neoplasm. The differential diagnosis of headache is vast, but without red flags or symptoms is generally from a benign cause and easily treatable. However, even in the context of a normal neurologic physical exam, symptoms such as confusion, forgetfulness, and behavioral changes should merit imaging in the workup. Glioblastoma is the most common brain tumor, accounting for 47.7% of all cases, with an incidence of 3.21 per 100,000 population. Median age of diagnosis is 64 …

Case Report: Covid Arm (Covid Vaccine Arm), Joseph Pagano, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report the case of a 38-year-old male physician who was vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. He experienced arm pain and swelling on the vaccinated arm as well as systemic symptoms, including fever, chills, headache and weakness. The systemic symptoms improved after the use of oral prednisone. A review of the literature on the COVID vaccine is presented.

Celiac Artery Aneurysm: A Rare Cause Of Abdominal Pain, Duwayne Campbell, Wayne Tamaska, Kevin Dwyer

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Celiac artery aneurysm is a very rare vascular lesion accounting for only 5.1% of all splanchnic artery aneurysms. Etiology for celiac artery aneurysm includes, but not limited to, infectious diseases, atherosclerosis, trauma, congenital conditions such as median arcuate ligament syndrome and iatrogenic causes.

Etiology for abdominal pain is extensive. Patients should be evaluated for both intra-abdominal and extra-abdominal causes for pain, as presentations of a different pathophysiology vary widely. CT scan has become a mainstay part of the work for abdominal pain in the Emergency department, and often elicit pathologies that would otherwise be missed on blood work and other …

Reflective Journaling Intervention To Impact Self-Awareness, Professional Health, And Overall Well-Being In Nurses, Brittany M. Langan, Katherine Keppen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background. Burnout among nurses has been on the rise and was exacerbated with the pandemic. Reflective journaling after work may be a strategy to decrease feelings of burnout. Reflective journaling, as an intervention, has been shown to improve self-awareness, compassion fatigue, and burnout among nurses. The purpose of this study was to pilot a 4-week reflective journaling intervention in hospital-based nurses and describe participant professional quality of life, self-awareness, and overall well-being.

Theoretical Framework. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was chosen as the theoretical framework because it identifies the belief that performing a particular behavior will lead to a …

Impact Of The Filmarray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel On Clinical Practice In Pediatrics; A Multicentered Study, John Chatterton, Aleisha Nabower, Nathan Gollehon, Nathaniel Goodrich, Prabi Rajbhandari, Jaclyn Eisenberg, Kimberly Martin, Megan Woslager, Maheswari Ekambaran, Krow Ampofo, Elizabeth Lyden, Jessica Snowden

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Background

The FilmArray® Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel (MEP) is a rapid multiplex assay that tests cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for 14 common central nervous system (CNS) pathogens, with results available in hours as opposed to days with the gold standard CSF culture. Current literature on the impact of MEP testing on length of stay (LOS) and antimicrobial use in pediatric patients is from only single site studies with variable results.

Hypothesis

MEP testing in pediatric patients would be associated with a decreased LOS, time on IV antibiotics, and time to narrowing antibiotics.

Design/Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of 5 sites. Inclusion criteria …

Case Report Of Rare Mycobacterium Isolated From Mediastinal Abscess, Olivia Person, Andrew S. Huang Pacheco, Hana Niebur, Melissa Suh, Kari Neemann

Child Health Research Institute Pediatric Research Forum

Introduction

Mycobacterium arupense, a member of the Mycobacterium terrae complex identified in 2016, rarely causes infections despite isolation from multiple environmental sources, including water, soil and fish tanks.¹ Case reports have described tenosynovitis, osteomyelitis and disseminated infection in an immunocompromised host.^1-3 Here we describe a case of M. arupense identified in a polymicrobial mediastinal abscess in a pediatric patient subsequently diagnosed with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES).

Case Description

A 4-year-old female with a history of pneumonia, herpetic skin infection, orbital cellulitis, and eczema presented in respiratory distress with concern for pneumonia. Imaging revealed a posterior mediastinal …

Notes On Contributors

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Early Outpatient Treatment For Covid-19 With Convalescent Plasma., David J. Sullivan, Kelly A. Gebo, Shmuel Shoham, Evan M. Bloch, Bryan Lau, Aarthi G. Shenoy, Giselle S. Mosnaim, Thomas J. Gniadek, Yuriko Fukuta, Bela Patel, Sonya L. Heath, Adam C. Levine, Barry R. Meisenberg, Emily S. Spivak, Shweta Anjan, Moises A. Huaman, Janis E. Blair, Judith S. Currier, James H. Paxton, Jonathan M. Gerber, Joann R. Petrini, Patrick B. Broderick, William Rausch, Marie-Elena Cordisco, Jean Hammel, Benjamin Greenblatt, Valerie C. Cluzet, Daniel Cruser, Kevin Oei, Matthew Abinante, Laura L Hammitt, Catherine G. Sutcliffe, Donald N. Forthal, Martin S. Zand, Edward R. Cachay, Jay S Raval, Seble G. Kassaye, E Colin Foster, Michael Roth, Christi E. Marshall, Anusha Yarava, Karen Lane, Nichol A. Mcbee, Amy L. Gawad, Nicky Karlen, Atika Singh, Daniel E. Ford, Douglas A. Jabs, Lawrence J. Appel, David M. Shade, Stephan Ehrhardt, Sheriza N. Baksh, Oliver Laeyendecker, Andrew Pekosz, Sabra L. Klein, Arturo Casadevall, Aaron A R Tobian, Daniel F. Hanley

Pathology Research and Scholarship

BACKGROUND: Polyclonal convalescent plasma may be obtained from donors who have recovered from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The efficacy of this plasma in preventing serious complications in outpatients with recent-onset Covid-19 is uncertain.

METHODS: In this multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of Covid-19 convalescent plasma, as compared with control plasma, in symptomatic adults (≥18 years of age) who had tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, regardless of their risk factors for disease progression or vaccination status. Participants were enrolled within 8 days after symptom onset and received a transfusion within 1 …

The Effects Of Climate Change On The Transmission Of Lyme Disease, Schuyler Hedican, Katherine Kistler, Iveth Martinez Granados

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Lyme disease currently affects approximately 300,000 people annually in the United States, but climate change threatens to increase this number. Rising temperatures, humidity, and levels of rainfall are impacting the relationship and interactions between the bacterium that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), its vectors, and associated hosts. Climate change models predict a northward expansion of these disease-carrying vectors and hosts into new territories in North America, as formerly unsuitable territories become more hospitable, most notably in Canada. Human exposure to the bacteria through the bite of an infected tick can lead to the characteristic symptoms of Lyme disease, such as …

Colorectal Metastasis Within An Adult Male Cadaver: Case Report And Review Of Literature, Destandreana Norwood, Dana-Marie Gould, Laurie'l Latimer, Georgina Boateng, Brigitte Cochran, Shiv Dhiman, Savita Arya

Research Day

INTRODUCTION:

During a routine lab dissection, lesions were found to be scattered along the mesentery of the colon and small intestines, as well as the abdominal peritoneum. Due to its presentation and histological analysis, a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was made. Adenocarcinomas are mucus-secreting cells that are found within and near the glands of organ (Nakhaie, Mohsen et al., 2020). One of the most common clinical manifestations of adenocarcinomas is within the colorectal region due to the numerous mucous secreting cells found within these sites. Literature reviews have indicated that different metastasis patterns that can differentiate between adenocarcinomas of various histological …

Refractory Herpes Virus Pseudotumor In An Immunocompromised Patient, Pavan Patel, Smera Saikumar, David York

Research Day

Background: HSV infections can characteristically present as pseudotumor in patients with uncontrolled HIV infection. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection rates range from 60% to 90% in individuals who are co-infected with HIV.

Case Presentation: A 48-year-old patient who presented with large fungating mass near her right inferior vulva with hardness and induration. The mass was 4 cm x 3 cm in size and was excised in the operating room. The pathology was negative for malignancy, however, it showed lymphoplasmacytic proliferation with immunostaining positive for HSV virus.

Conclusion: Any patient that presents with a tumor-like mass in their perineum …

Inpatient Outcomes For Children Receiving Empiric Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Coverage For Complicated Pneumonia, Sophia Hackman

Research Days

Watch recording of live event

Background: Pediatric community acquired pneumonia is responsible for an estimated 124,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States, with up to 40% of hospitalized children subsequently developing a complicated pneumonia (i.e., effusion/empyema). Children with complicated pneumonia commonly require increased numbers of procedures, have exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics, and have prolonged hospitalizations. While the prevalence of pneumonia has overall declined with childhood vaccination, the number of children with complicated pneumonia has remained stable. Current guidelines do not adequately address antibiotic management of pediatric complicated pneumonia specifically when to utilize methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) coverage, likely contributing to …

Improving Antibiotic Durations For Skin And Soft Tissue Infections In Pediatric Urgent Care Clinics, Megan Hamner

Research Days

Watch recording of live event

Problem Statement/Question: Although national guidelines recommend 5-7 days of oral antibiotics for most skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), in 2019, CMH urgent care clinics (UCCs) prescribed > 7-day courses for 42% of patients diagnosed with SSTIs. Prolonged antibiotic courses result in increased patient burden, cost and adverse events which could be prevented by prescribing shorter courses.

Background/Project Intent (Aim Statement): To increase the percentage of patients receiving 5- 7 days of oral antibiotics for SSTIs from 58% to 75% by December 31st, 2021, in CMH UCCs.

Methods (include PDSA cycles): We formed a multidisciplinary team …

Two Methods Of Forecasting The Spread Of Disease Using R0 Coefficient And Gradient-Descent, Dinh Song An Nguyen

CSB and SJU Distinguished Thesis

In 2020, COVID-19 became a global pandemic and has been negatively impacting the world ever since. One of the ways to help control the spread of disease is to forecast its growth. Forecasting the spread of disease, though a daunting task, is necessary when a pandemic happens as it could help create social policies that could potentially mitigate the effects of the disease. This research aims to provide two disease prediction methods: the R₀-based method and the gradient-descent method. The R₀-based method produces short-term predictions by simulating the mobility of residents and utilizing the R_{0 …}

Acculturation, Self-Efficacy And Breastfeeding Behaviors In A Sample Of Hispanic Women, Ivonne F. Hernandez

Dissertations

Breastfeeding confers immunological, physiological and psychological benefits for the infant and mother as well as social and economic benefits to the nation. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Healthy People 2020 has established national objectives for the initiation and duration of breastfeeding at 82% initiation, 61% at six months and 34% at one year. In addition, they have set goals for exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months to be 46% and 25% at 6 months of infant's age. Currently breastfeeding initiation is at the highest recorded level of 76.9%, yet significant disparities exist (CDC, 2012). The purpose …

Recommendations For Change In Infection Prevention Programs And Practice, Robert Garcia, Sue Barnes, Roy Boukidjian, Linda K. Goss, Maureen Spencer, Edward J. Septimus, Marc-Oliver Wright, Shannon Munro, Sara M. Reese, Mohamad G. Fakih, Charles E. Edmiston, Martin Levesque

Clinical Quality and Safety Articles

Fifty years of evolution in infection prevention and control programs have involved significant accomplishments related to clinical practices, methodologies, and technology. However, regulatory mandates, and resource and research limitations, coupled with emerging infection threats such as the COVID-19 pandemic, present considerable challenges for infection preventionists. This article provides guidance and recommendations in 14 key areas. These interventions should be considered for implementation by United States health care facilities in the near future.

Implications Of Educational Counseling On Prep Uptake In Msm At A Community Health Clinic, Thanh T. Dinh

Doctoral Projects

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication is 99% effective at preventing HIV acquisition if used daily (CDC, 2020; FDA, 2019). Despite its effectiveness and wide availability, PrEP uptake and adherence remained low, especially among MSM of color (Bradley et al., 2019; Kuhns et al., 2017). Prior studies have shown that participants exposed to PrEP information, counseling, and education were more likely to show interest in PrEP and uptake of PrEP. Although various studies support the effectiveness of educational interventions in increasing PrEP uptake, it has not been widely implemented in the practice setting in communities that would benefit from it. The …

The Efficacy Of The Covid-19 Vaccine In Mississippi, Ilyse Miriam Levy

Honors Theses

The Efficacy of The COVID-19 Vaccine in Mississippi

(Under the direction of Dr. Xin Dang)

By tracking and analyzing fifty-three weeks of COVID-19 data, this thesis analyzes the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine within the State of Mississippi. Over the course of these fifty-three weeks, I have also been able to calculate the confidence intervals for vaccination efficacy and the risk reduction due to vaccination by using data regarding the correlations between deaths and vaccination status, provided to me by the Mississippi Office of Epidemiology. My analysis demonstrates that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective not only in Mississippi but also …

American Goldfinches (Spinus Tristis): Changes In Behavior During Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Infection, Hetal Shingrani

Honors Theses

Animal sickness behavior is an important component of disease ecology and is essential to understanding wildlife diseases and how and where animals allocate resources for survival. This study examines sickness behaviors, the extent of conjunctivitis, and the presence of an antibody response in relation to a Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) respiratory infection in American goldfinches. We conducted an experimental infection of American goldfinches and recorded behavior videos, and collected blood samples, throat swabs, eye swelling, and mass data at multiple time points throughout the experiment. An ELISA-serum assay was run after the conclusion of the study to identify the presence of …

Effects Of Water Quality On Oyster Health On Georgia Coast, Laurel Henderson

Honors College Theses

ABSTRACT

Oysters are an economically and ecologically important shellfish species found along most coastlines. Along the Georgia coastline, oysters form extensive reefs, and are economically important as a food source. In addition, oysters perform a vital role in maintaining water quality due to their high filtration capacity in coastal waters. Oyster reefs form solid, 3-D substrate that prevent coastline erosion and provide structure for numerous other coastal species to grow, including many commercially and recreationally important species. Water quality factors, such as temperature and salinity, can influence oyster density, condition, and growth, and ultimately affect the services the reefs provide …

The Lumberjack, May 04, 2022

Cal Poly Humboldt's Student Newspaper

The student newspaper of Humboldt State University.

Impact Of Covid-19 Quarantine On U.S. Adults, Shelby Rubino

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

In 2019 a novel virus spread quickly and vastly throughout the world. The coronavirus was transmitted easily, resulting in a sudden increase in infection and death rates and overwhelmed hospitals. This sudden pandemic resulted in government and health officials mandating physical and social quarantines. These mandates were initially implemented to separate the ill from the healthy, and significantly limit physical contact between healthy and ill persons to decrease the spread of Covid-19. All these unexpected factors induced traumatic stress in populations across the world. The impact of this trauma is seen to date, as many studies reported adverse mental health …

Efficacy Of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol For Hiv-Related Neuropathic Pain, Kaia Horne

Honors Theses

Despite the availability and success of antiretroviral therapeutics, ~30% of patients living with HIV experience neuropathic pain that is often intractable. The mechanisms are not known, but there is evidence to support a role for the HIV virotoxins, Tat and/or gp120, which can damage or degenerate neurons and peripheral nerves. One mechanism by which Tat and gp120 promote nerve damage involves the stimulation of proinflammatory cytokine production from immune cells which can damage or kill bystander cells. Notably, compounds found in Cannabis exert anti-inflammatory effects and many studies report HIV patients to consume more marijuana than seronegative individuals. When people …

Strategies To Limit Invasive Fungal Infection In A Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Intensive Care Unit: The Role Of Infection Prevention For Renovation And Construction In Resource-Limited Settings, Ornnicha Sathitakorn, Surachai Chaononghin, Panipak Katawethiwong, Thanus Pientong, David J. Weber, David K. Warren, Piyaporn Apisarnthanarak, Anucha Apisarnthanarak

Open Access Publications

No abstract provided.

Sir Model And Covid-19, Molly Johanson, Clara Noack, Dacoda Speidel

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

This project utilized mathematical modeling, specifically the SIR model, to look at how COVID-19 can be modeled the most effectively.

“What Is The Matter With Me?” Or A “Badge Of Honor”: Nurses’ Constructions Of Resilience During Covid-19, Anna Conolly, Ruth Abrams, Emma Rowland, Ruth Harris, Keith Couper, Daniel Kelly, Bridie Kent, Jill Maben

School of Nursing and Midwifery

It has long been known that nursing work is challenging and has the potential for negative impacts. During the COVID-19 pandemic most nurses’ working landscapes altered dramatically and many faced unprecedented challenges. Resilience is a contested term that has been used with increasing prevalence in healthcare with health professionals encouraging a “tool-box” of stress management techniques and resilience-building skills. Drawing on narrative interview data ( n = 27) from the Impact of Covid on Nurses (ICON) qualitative study we examine how nurses conceptualized resilience during COVID-19 and the impacts this had on their mental wellbeing. We argue here that it …

Maternal Antepartum Administration Of Lactoferrin Ameliorates Neonatal Infection By Bacteremia-Producing Escherichia Coli In Mice, Charity Dunlop

Research Days

Background: E. coli is a major cause of neonatal sepsis. Vaginal pathogenic E. coli strains ascend into the pregnant uterus infecting the offspring of colonized mothers. Lactoferrin (LF) is an antibacterial and immunomodulatory glycoprotein that has been given to preterm newborns to prevent lateonset sepsis. However, the effects of maternal LF administration to prevent neonatal E. coli invasive infection have not been studied.

Objectives/Goal: Our goal was to test the hypothesis that LF pre-treatment of pregnant mice administered prenatally will significantly reduce the bacterial load in their embryos following infection with E. coli.

Methods/Design: Human LF 100 mcg/mL or placebo …

Repeat Tracheal Aspirates In Pediatric Intensive Care Patients: Understanding Clinical Application, Edward Lyon

Research Days

Background: Tracheal aspirate cultures (TA) are regularly obtained in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) when clinical changes in intubated or tracheostomy dependent children occur. Positive TA results are often unable to distinguish infection from colonization. There is no data describing the frequency and impact of repeated TAs on patients in the PICU.

Goal: Our objectives were to describe the frequency of repeated TAs in PICU children and emergence of multidrug resistant organisms (MDRO), identify bacterial profile of TAs, and examine antibiotic prescribing patterns related to these cultures.

Methods: A retrospective chart review occurred on 15 patients in the PICU …