Digital Commons Network^™

Florida Healthcare Workers Responses To Covid-19, Kristen K. Hicks-Roof

Showcase of Faculty Scholarly & Creative Activity

These two articles were published to describe the landscape of Florida healthcare professionals' responses to COVID-19. These data were collected in mid-2020 when times were unpredictable. These findings shed a lot of light on how we need to better train healthcare professionals on telehealth, interprofessional collaboration and communication among each other and patients.

A Netlogo Covid-19 Virus Simulation Model For Determining Better Strategies At Handling A Virus Outbreak, Nate Izewski

Graduate Academic Symposium

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 generated a significant amount of illness and infection for many individuals worldwide. The pandemic also produced many opposing opinions on how to handle the spread of the virus. While some advocated for strict lockdowns, others criticized this method for its potentially severe consequences and proposed a more relaxed approach. My research project involves a NetLogo model that simulates the transmission of COVID-19 to provide insight into optimal strategies at effectively controlling a virus outbreak. I examine the rate of infection based on movement patterns, health status, vaccination status, and mask-wearing status. Using my results, I …

The Value Of Education: School Policy Decisions During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Elika W. Somani

Individually Designed Interdepartmental Major Honors Project

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lacking national U.S. policies, wide variation and conflict over chosen public school policy decisions emerged. What factors and guidelines informed the decision-making process in K-12 public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic and who were the key stakeholders? This study examines three school district types – a large city, medium city, and small-town – across Minnesota as case studies to unpack how policy decisions were made during the pandemic. Stakeholder interviews uncovered that the school decision-making process was a) connected to a district's political opinions, b) made by the superintendent and school board, c) primarily influenced by …

Voice For The Voiceless: Responding To The Racial Pandemic Through Art, Yichien Cooper, Kevin Hsieh, Lilly Lu

Art and Art History Faculty Publications

Presently, East Asians and Asian Americans are facing waves of discrimination and challenges over increased incidents of hatred and prejudice due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its origination from China (Balvaneda et al., 2020). The New York Police Department recorded hate crimes against Asians at a rate of 8 times higher in 2020 than in 2019 (Asian American Bar Association of New York & Paul, Weiss, 2021).1 A nonprofit organization, Stop AAPI Hate, reported in May 2021 a total of 6,603 hate incidents targeting Asian Americans nationwide since March 2020 (Jeung et al., 2021).2 The …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Staff Council Meeting, April 2022, Marshall University Staff Council

Staff Council Minutes

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Case Complicated With Organizing Pneumonia And Pneumothorax: A Case Report, Tammy E. Phillips, Hammad A. Bhatti, Minh Q. Ho

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Organizing pneumonia can be idiopathic or caused by multiple etiologies, including viral or bacterial pneumonia, drugs, and autoimmune disorders. It can rarely lead to cyst formation and pneumothorax with the exact mechanism remaining unclear. This case presents a previously healthy 50-year-old male who contracted COVID-19 with subsequent development of organizing pneumonia and pneumothorax. Patients presenting with hypoxic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 should be screened for organizing pneumonia upon discharge. This case also illustrates the importance of following such patients radiologically to monitor interstitial lung disease and consider pneumothorax for patients re-presenting with acute symptoms.

Improving Vaccination Rates In Pediatric Primary Care, Lauren E. Osbeck

Doctoral Dissertations & Projects

Objectives: In a small, rural pediatric primary care clinic, the effectiveness of electronic patient portal reminders were evaluated at improving vaccination rates for school required immunizations.

Methods: A quality improvement project was initiated utilizing The Social Ecological Model. All pediatric patients were sent reminders who were under-immunized. This QI project evaluated the effectiveness of vaccine reminders on the improvement of immunization rates in the clinic

Results: Total number of fully-vaccinated patients within the practice improved (2%) and patients under-immunized decreased by 1%. 87 immunizations were given to patients were given to patients who were under-immunized and an average of 10% …

Thermodynamically Coupled Biosensors For Detecting Neutralizing Antibodies Against Sars-Cov-2 Variants, Jason Z Zhang, Laura A Vanblargan, Michael S Diamond, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

We designed a protein biosensor that uses thermodynamic coupling for sensitive and rapid detection of neutralizing antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants in serum. The biosensor is a switchable, caged luciferase-receptor-binding domain (RBD) construct that detects serum-antibody interference with the binding of virus RBD to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) as a proxy for neutralization. Our coupling approach does not require target modification and can better distinguish sample-to-sample differences in analyte binding affinity and abundance than traditional competition-based assays.

Patient Knowledge Of Family History Of Cardiac Events And Risk Factors: Potential For Increase In Preventative Care Of Cardiovascular Diseases, Joseph Marentette

Honors Theses

The following literature review regards the preventative care of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients with the knowledge of familial cardiac events and personal cardiac risk factors, particularly in younger populations ranging from ages 18 to 39, and develop potential preventative care measures. CVD is preventable with early reduction of risk factors. People can lower the impact of cardiac risk factors through the modification of their current lifestyle and behavioral habits. However, this is limited to the education and motivation of the person. Primary emphasis must be placed on community education and physician-patient interactions regarding CVD and cardiac risk factors. Physicians need …

College Students’ Psychological Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic: An Investigation Based On Students’ Gender And Education Level, Muh. Farozin, Diana Septi Purnama, Budi Astuti, Arif Budi Prasetya, Anifa Tuzzuhroh Nurbaiti

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

This study aims to determine the level of psychological well-being based on gender and level of education being pursued during the Covid-19 pandemic. Participants are students from various faculties and postgraduate programs from diploma, undergraduate, professional education, masters and doctoral education levels in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The instrument used is the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale which has been adapted by Engger with a content validity value of CVR equal to 1 which is in the good category and reliability is 0.935 in the good category. The data analysis used was Mann-Whitney non-parametric statistics for the different test of psychological well-being based …

The Role Of Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Vaccine Misinformation On The Intention To Receive Covid-19 Vaccination In A Selected Sample Of Georgia Southern Students, Alyssa G. Love-Archey

Honors College Theses

The purpose of the study was to explore sociocultural influences on the intention to receive the Covid-19 vaccination and to measure which sociocultural factor had the greater influence: misinformation about the vaccine or specific cultural beliefs (religion and/or cultural practices) on vaccine intent in Georgia Southern students. An anonymous, exploratory survey was utilized to collect information on these constructs in two selected groups of students: those who had been vaccinated prior to taking the survey and those who had not been vaccinated prior to taking the survey. Subjects of the study were undergraduate, master’s degree, and doctoral students of the …

The Quantitative Assessment Of Patient Satisfaction In The Covid-19 Epidemic Compared To The Epidemic-Free Period, Vesna Zupančič, Ajda Rogelj

Patient Experience Journal

Surveying patient satisfaction is considered an important part of any systematic program of quality assurance. Quality of healthcare service and patient satisfaction has been affected by the current COVID-19 epidemic. The purpose of the study was to determine how COVID-19 epidemic has affected patients in Slovenia as it is evident via permanently available questionnaire and from studying this data source to improve our response to future crises and to improve the resilience of healthcare systems. A secondary analysis of 12,756 completed questionnaires was performed via freely available patient satisfaction questionnaire in the period from October 2019 to June 2021. The …

Family’S Sufferings From Asymptomatic Covid: Clinicians’ Perspective, Neha Joshi Dr, Jitender Nagpal Dr, Anand Sinha Dr

Patient Experience Journal

Anticipating dire consequences, in 2020 the world braced itself for the unparalleled pandemic by resorting to unprecedented measures including stringent lockdowns, unforeseen social isolations, spotlight focus, resource diversions besides reorganized healthcare systems to name the quintessential few. Such unifocal convergence enhanced the vulnerabilities of patients dependent on non-COVID healthcare assistance. For a nation with a meagre allocation of 0.7 hospital beds per 1000 people and a lopsided doctor-population ratio of 1:1800, COVID-centric measures created unintended complications. Ironically, many succumbed in myriad ways, not due to the pandemic but due to the attributes of the survival measures. While such consequences cannot …

Mourning The Marathon: Black Men Rappers, Homicide Survivorship Bereavement, And The Rap Tribute Of Nipsey Hussle, Melvin L. Williams, Justin K. Winley, Justin Causey

Far West Popular Culture Association Annual Conference

Eritrean-American rapper Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom’s murder represented a cultural cataclysmic event that startled the hip-hop community and triggered previous memories of Black men’s homicidal deaths in rap and Black American urban communities. Nipsey Hussle’s death inspired touching rap tribute songs by Black men rappers, who sought to commemorate his cultural legacy and express their bereavement pains as homicide survivors. Rap tribute songs occupy a significant history, as rappers historically employed them to honor hip-hop’s fallen soldiers, communicate their homicide survivorship bereavement processes, and speak about social perils in the Black community. Framed by critical race (CRT) and gender role …

Case Report: Bartonella Quintana-Associated Neuroretinitis, Kelly Seidler Od, Kelly A. Malloy Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Neuroretinitis is a self-limiting condition which typically causes monocular vision loss with good potential for visual recovery. It may be idiopathic or associated with infectious or inflammatory conditions which can carry systemic implications. Neuroretinitis classically presents with disc edema followed by development of a macular star pattern of exudates. It is most commonly attributed to Cat Scratch Disease, or Bartonella henselae infection. However, there have been few published reports of Bartonella quintana associated neuroretinitis.

Case Report: A 60-year-old patient presented with unilateral vision loss preceded by flu-like illness. The patient had exposure to a recently adopted cat. …

Isolated Optic Neuropathy As The Presenting Sign Of Neurosyphilis, Kasey Zann Od, Molly Johnson Od, James Fabian Od

Optometric Clinical Practice

Background: Detection and treatment of syphilitic ocular disease without a known history of syphilis is often difficult due to its varied presentations. Early diagnosis and treatment are the key to reducing risk of permanent vision loss, particularly with optic nerve and retinal manifestations.

Case Report: This case report describes a 44 year-old male who was diagnosed with neurosyphilis through his work-up for unilateral optic neuropathy.

Conclusion: This report illustrates the importance of including syphilis lab testing in the setting of optic nerve edema. Syphilis should be considered in any inflammatory ocular disease, especially in patients with atypical presentations and high-risk …

Covid Susceptibility And Severity Correlation With The Ace2 Gene, Natalie Taylor

Thinking Matters Symposium

A wide spectrum of susceptibility and severity of infection has been observed among COVID-19 patients. While some individuals remain unaffected by the Sars-Cov-2 virus, others have contracted the virus multiple times with varying levels of severity. This poster reviews some of the research demonstrating a link between the susceptibility of the Sars-Cov- 2 virus and the severity of infection, and a specific gene called ACE2. The ACE2 gene encodes an angiotensin-converting enzyme that acts as a functional receptor for the spike glycoprotein receptor binding domain of the coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses. ACE2 presents numerous amino acid variants …

Emerging Viral Diseases: Generation Z'S Outlook, Ian Mcwhorter

Honors Projects

Generation Z differs notably from previous generations like Baby Boomers or Generation X. In recent years, young adults have been persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic, though not unscathed. This paper seeks to answer the following question: How does Generation Z differ in its outlook on Viral diseases compared to previous generations? Using a series of three surveys conducted on three seperate Viral diseases (HIV, Zika, and COVID 19), it was found that while Generation Z has improved in its ability to combat Viral outbreaks due to factors like high digital literacy, other factors such as poorer mental health show that …

The Effect Of Covid-19 On The Low-Wage Workforce Nationwide, Katie Gilbertson

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Key Takeaways: 1. Each low-wage occupation pays less than the mean hourly wage in their respective MSA. 2. Least amount of wage variance among MSAs in 2019. 3. In Las Vegas 2/3 of occupational wages increased, but employment dropped in 14/15 occupations. Leisure and hospitality occupations hardest hit and slowest to recover.

Longitudinal Dynamics Of Skin Bacterial Communities In The Context Of Staphylococcus Aureus Decolonization, Stephanie A Fritz, Todd N Wylie, Haley Gula, Patrick G Hogan, Mary G Boyle, Carol E Muenks, Melanie L Sullivan, Carey-Ann D Burnham, Kristine M Wylie

Open Access Publications

Decolonization with topical antimicrobials is frequently prescribed in health care and community settings to prevent Staphylococcus aureus infection. However, effects on commensal skin microbial communities remains largely unexplored. Within a household affected by recurrent methicillin-resistant S. aureus skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI), skin swabs were collected from the anterior nares, axillae, and inguinal folds of 14 participants at 1- to 3-month intervals over 24 months. Four household members experienced SSTI during the first 12-months (observational period) and were prescribed a 5-day decolonization regimen with intranasal mupirocin and bleach water baths at the 12-month study visit. We sequenced the 16S …

Satisfaction With Teledermatology In An Underserved Urban Shelter Setting, Shannon Nugent, Michele Ly, Khanh Bui, Caroline Purcell, Andrew Touati, Rebecca Krain, Anna Bistline, Robert Motley, Elizabeth Jones, Nicholas Ross

Department of Medicine Posters

Problem Statement: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) face disproportionate access to dermatologic care. Teledermatology is a platform that may improve access to medical care in underserved communities. The literature is lacking on this topic.

Project Aim: The purpose of this quality improvement initiative is to evaluate patient and provider satisfaction with teledermatology in an urban shelter setting. Satisfaction surveys will be distributed over one year to provide measurable data that are determinate (designed to highlight multiple satisfaction metrics, numerically), concise (designed with functionality and efficiency in mind) and relevant (validated across multiple studies).

Literature Review: Antibody Production In Mice In Response To Aspergillus Fumigatus Inhalation, Jenica Hancock, Courtney Folk

Student Academic Conference

Aspergillus fumigatus is a commonly inhaled respiratory fungal pathogen and an allergen found in flooded indoor environments, household dust, soil, and plant matter. Inhalation of A. fumigatus poses a threat to weakened immune systems due to the potential of infection in the lungs or sinuses which can spread to other areas of the body. The mouse genome is 99% similar to the human genome, and therefore they serve effectively in modeling the effects of inhaled A. fumigatus. A comprehensive literature search of antibody production in mice in response to A. fumigatus inhalation was conducted utilizing PubMed and the search terms …

Trauma Center Development Improved New Mexico Trauma System By Decreasing Inappropriate Air Medical Transport And Increasing System Revenue, Nikki L. May

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Before 2016 in southern New Mexico, the closest trauma center for patients was El Paso, Texas. Las Cruces, New Mexico, in Doña Ana County began developing its first trauma center in 2016 and became designated in 2017. The development of this trauma center changed trauma triage destination protocols for trauma patients. The improved collaboration and teamwork with prehospital personnel, surrounding hospitals, and existing trauma centers led to the development of trauma triage and transport guidelines. These protocols categorized trauma patients and constituted a guide for emergency personnel. Developing a trauma center in Doña Ana County improved the New Mexico Trauma …

Factors Associated With Chronic Hepatitis C Direct-Acting Antiviral Prescriptions In Maine, Colin T. Waters, Anya K. Cutler, Kinna Thakarar, Kathleen Fairfield

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2022

Introduction -2.5 to 4.7 million people in the United States have active Hepatitis C (HCV) infections. •Chronic HCV infection is linked to substantial morbidity including cirrhosis and liver failure. •Oral direct-acting antivirals (DAA) yield sustained virologic response in 90 to 95% of individuals. •Many patients eligible for DAA therapy have not received treatment.

Future Climate Change Conditions May Compromise Metabolic Performance In Juveniles Of The Mud Crab Scylla Serrata, Elina Apine, Madhu K. Mani, Praveen Rai, Indrani Karunasagar, Lucy M. Turner

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Research characterising the effects of future climate change on the marine environment remains heavily focussed on that of temperate regions and organisms. Furthermore, little is known of these effects on the early life stages of many marine species. Tropical regions are already experiencing an increase in sea surface temperature and decrease in sea surface salinity, conditions favoured by pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio spp. The early life stages of crabs are known to be particularly vulnerable to both the direct physiological effects of climate change and exposure to harmful microorganisms, yet there are limited data on these effects on juveniles …

Covid-19 Newsletter (Vol. 116), Center For Disaster Medicine, New York Medical College

COVID-19 Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Religious Freedom Vs. Compelled Vaccination: A Case-Study Of The 2018-2019 Measles Pandemic Or The Law As A Public Health Response, Barbara Pfeffer Billauer Esq.

Catholic University Law Review

Following the recent decision in Roman Catholic Diocese v. Cuomo,^[1] clear guidance regarding the state’s powers to act during a pandemic is wanting. I look here to the 2018–2019 global measles epidemic, with a focus on the New York and Israeli experiences, for that guidance. Measles rates increased dramatically during the 2018–2019 season, both in the United States and globally. This phenomenon reflects a general decline in worldwide vaccination and an increase in vaccine resistance stoked by anti-vax groups. In the United States, the epidemic targeted ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, as it did in Israel. This Article evaluates the …

Aeromonas Phage Research And The Public Health Impact Of Antibiotics In Aquaculture Workers, Madelyn Merchant

Honors Projects

One of the most common fish diseases in aquaculture is Aeromonas infection. The most common way to treat this infection is through antibiotics. The bacteria in the fish can become antibiotic-resistant and perpetuate the disease. The diseases in fish create a huge financial loss and the industry loses $6 billion per year due to diseases in fish. An alternative to antibiotics is bacteriophage which causes less environmental degradation and is better for human gut flora. In aquaculture there have been examples of aquaculture workers becoming sick from the water in aquaculture ponds as well as from people eating the fish. …

Periodic Spatial Disturbances Alter The Expression Of Quorum Sensing Virulence Factors In Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Laura García-Diéguez

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen associated with severe acute and chronic illnesses. Current antibiotic-based approaches fail to effectively treat P. aeruginosa infections due to the effectiveness and robustness of the quorum sensing signaling system (QS). Pathogenic bacteria, such as P. aeruginosa, employ this population density-dependent communication mechanism to confer antimicrobial resistance, propagate infection, and coordinate the expression of virulence factors, through the production and detection of autoinducing signaling molecules (AI). As such, there is a growing interest in developing novel non-antibiotic-based techniques to attenuate the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa by disrupting the functionality of its QS system. Previous …

Future Of Biomedical, Agricultural, And Biological Systems Research Using Domesticated Animals, Thomas E Spencer, Kevin D Wells, Kiho Lee, Bhanu P Telugu, Peter J Hansen, Frank F Bartol, Leann Blomberg, Lawrence B Schook, Harry Dawson, Joan K Lunney, John P Driver, Teresa A Davis, Sharon M Donovan, Ryan N Dilger, Linda J Saif, Adam Moeser, Jodi L Mcgill, George Smith, James J Ireland

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Increased knowledge of reproduction and health of domesticated animals is integral to sustain and improve global competitiveness of U.S. animal agriculture, understand and resolve complex animal and human diseases, and advance fundamental research in sciences that are critical to understanding mechanisms of action and identifying future targets for interventions. Historically, federal and state budgets have dwindled and funding for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) competitive grants programs remained relatively stagnant from 1985 through 2010. This shortage in critical financial support for basic and applied research, coupled with the underappreciated knowledge of …